SpaceX completed its first ever Falcon 9 launch on the West Coast on Sunday night, carrying the satellite SAOCOM 1A into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Falcon 9 booster stage landed safely only 8 minutes after taking off, lighting up the sky in a dazzling flurry that captured the attention of onlookers on the ground. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to laud his company's efforts, in what's become something of a routine for the outspoken billionaire.

xView full post on X

Los Angeles residents were similarly impressed by the rocket's ascent. They shared additional breathtaking images:

The satellite from Argentina's space agency CONAE will track natural disasters and measure soil yields across the world.

The launch marks a happier moment for Musk, who has recently been swept up in myriad controversies stemming from his professional and public conduct. Earlier this month, he suggested on Twitter that he would take his car company Tesla private for $420 a share.

The tweet earned him a $20 million fine from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and saw him removed as chairman from the electric carmaker's board. He is still the company's chief executive.

You can watch a replay of the launch courtesy of SpaceX below:

Source: SpaceX

Headshot of Sam Blum
Sam Blum

Sam Blum is a PopularMechanics.com Associate Editor who spends way too much time online. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone and The Guardian.