A SpaceX rocket lifted off Friday from the Santa Barbara County coast in an early morning launch through low clouds.

The Falcon 9 rocket launched just before 7 a.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base northwest of Santa Barbara. The rocket soared through a deep layer of clouds and carried 20 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/u4pefHLdda

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 20, 2024

The first stage landed on a droneship at sea.

The rocket and its exhaust plume are sometimes visible for hundreds of miles as it soars along the coast, if skies are clear. Launches just after sunset and before sunrise usually provide the best views as the rocket reflects the sun’s rays against the backdrop of a darkened sky.

The rocket can produce a sonic boom as it soars along the Southern California coast.

SpaceX has a Starlink constellation of satellites orbiting Earth about 340 miles up, shuttled into space by the company’s rockets. The Starlink network is designed to deliver high-speed internet anywhere around the globe.

If light conditions are right, the satellites appear in a train as they parade across the night sky. The satellites are sometimes visible in the first few minutes after sundown and before sunrise when the sun is below the horizon, but the satellites are high enough to reflect direct sunlight.

Use the FindStarlink tracker to find the best upcoming viewing times.

California driver’s license holders can now add their state ID to Apple Wallet on their IPhone and Apple Watch, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.

The digital IDs will be accepted at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) check points, including Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco Airport, as well as select businesses. 

“With this new integration, we’re working to better serve the people of California in the 21st Century,” Newsom said in a statement.

Here’s how to add your ID to Apple Wallet

1. Go to Apple Wallet
2. Click the + button on the top right-hand corner
3. Under the “Add to Wallet” section, tap “Driver’s License or State ID” to select “California mDL Pilot.
4. Scan the front and back sides of your California ID
5. Scan your face
6. Take a picture
7. Wait for verification from the California DMV.

But there’s a catch

The mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program is currently only limited to 1.5 million participants. 

If your license is expired or suspended, your mDL will be rejected.

Other factors that could impact your mDL applications are:

• Wearing headwear
• Not using plain background
• Lack of consistent lighting
• Other faces in the frame
• Wearing sunglasses

More tips can be found here.

Last month, the state announced the DMV addition of Google Wallet as an option to hold driver’s licenses and identification cards.