Watch SpaceX attempt its first West Coast ground landing

In a little over an hour, SpaceX will be attempting the launch of a used Falcon 9 rocket and subsequently looking to pull off an upright landing on the California coast.

This time will interestingly be the first West Coast landing that's taking place on solid California ground as opposed to the drone barges that SpaceX has used in the past. This hasn't been a matter of preference for SpaceX which has been trying to build its own land launch pad in the West Coast, but hasn't gotten clearance yet, The Verge notes.

The purpose of the flight is the launch of the SAOCOM 1A, a satellite operated by Argentina's Space Agency which in conjunction with another identical satellite will help gather soil and moisture information, according to SpaceX.

The launch is scheduled to happen at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch window will take place at 7:21 p.m. PDT with the satellite being released about 12 minutes after launch.

SpaceX's West Coast landing zone pic.twitter.com/OykcwiOg18

- SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 6, 2018