Some communications satellites are now in orbit after they were successfully launched from the Central Coast early this morning.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 4:39 Wednesday morning.
The rocket carried a payload of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites, part of what is intended to be a global network of 75 providing upgraded communications capabilities.
SpaceX officials say the rocket booster successful landed on an offshore barge after completing its mission, allowing its reuse. However, the latest in a series of efforts to catch the rocket’s nose cone for reuse failed.