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Sept. 23 — Explore Lompoc Partners with NASA and USGS to Celebrate 50 Years of Landsat Ahead of September’s Landsat 9 Launch

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Courtesy photo.

LOMPOC — The NASA/USGS Landsat 9 satellite scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base on September 16 has been pushed back to September 23 because of transportation issues involving liquid nitrogen. Liquid nitrogen is needed to support launch site activities.

For nearly five decades, the Landsat mission has provided the longest continuous record of Earth’s land surfaces from space, and this data archive informs and influences not just the U.S., but countries across the world. Information gathered by Landsat helps world leaders and policymakers gain a deeper understanding of environmental change, respond to natural disasters, and even forecast future crop production.

To commemorate Landsat and its importance to our understanding of Earth, Explore Lompoc, NASA, and USGS are hosting many “Launch Week” events in the city of Lompoc during the days before and after the launch.  Here are the activities with the rescheduled times.

  1. GeoTour Community Event and Landsat Week Proclamation – at DeWees Center (Sunday, Sept. 19, 8:00 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
  2. Earth as Art Exhibit – at the Lompoc Library Gallery (Monday – Thursday, 10:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m., September 20 – September 23)
  3. Landsat Collage Workshop – at the Lompoc Library (Monday, September 20, 3:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m.)
  4. Family Fun Night – at the Aquatic Center Tuesday, September 21,7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.)
  5. Landsat Wall Mural Ribbon Cutting – at Ocean & I Street (Tuesday, September 21, 11:00 a.m.)
  6. LOL – Landsat for Climate Action – at Montemar Wines (Wednesday, September 22, 5:00 p.m. -6:30 p.m.) 
  7. Landsat and Wine Science talk – at Montemar Wines (Wednesday, September 22, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
  8. L9 Launch Activities – at the Lompoc Airport (Thursday, September 23, 9:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m.)
  9. Ladies of Landsat: Power of the Pixel from 1972 to 2021– at Montemar Wines (Thursday, September 23, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
  10. Landsat Trivia Night – at Hangar 7 (Thursday, September 23, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.; doors open at 5:00 p.m. for dinner)

For more about these activities and the Landsat mission, go to https://explorelompoc.com/landsat.

The public can get a front-row seat for the blastoff at locations throughout Lompoc and surrounding areas. Explore Lompoc suggests these locations to view the launch:

Lompoc Airport – Connect with NASA and USGS representatives, participate with interactive exhibits, displays and games. (NASA/USGS official viewing site.)

Surf Beach – If skies are clear and the beach isn’t closed due to security issues, Surf Beach can be another great place to view the launch.

West Ocean Avenue – Minutes from downtown Lompoc, West Ocean Avenue provides a good viewing location (depending on weather).

Top of Harris Grade Road – this is the farthest location from the launchpads but is a good elevation and distance if the fog rolls in.

Hawk’s Nest – The Hawk’s nest viewing area (found on maps as Camellia Lane or Azalea Lane) is another high elevation viewing site if weather conditions are unfavorable.

Lompoc, located in Santa Barbara County, is the closest city to Vandenberg Space Force Base and offers the best viewing of Vandenberg launches.

For a complete list of Lompoc’s year-round events, wineries, restaurants, lodging establishments and other attractions, visit www.explorelompoc.com.