A 235-foot tall rocket with a roar that will be heard along the California coast is set to blast off Wednesday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base (map) northwest of Santa Barbara.
Watch: Live Launch Coverage (10:52 a.m. PT)
The Delta IV Heavy rocket -- the largest launch vehicle in the country -- will carry a top-secret defense satellite into space. The launch is scheduled for 10:52 a.m., according to the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and The Boeing Company formed in 2006 to conduct space missions for the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, Air Force and other agencies.
The launch marks the second time a towering and powerful Delta IV Heavy rocket will take off from the West Coast. In January 2011, a sound wave blasted over the nearby community of Lompoc as the rocket unleashed a roar that could be heard about 50 miles away.
On-base viewing sites are located at 35th Street and Wall Beach. Off-base public viewing areas are located at Floradale Avenue, Corral Road and Vandenberg Village.
Depending on weather conditions, the rocket's plume over the Pacific might be visible from mountain areas.
Refresh this page for live video of the launch.
Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance