Mars-bound flight from Vandenberg Saturday could be a first for the West Coast

 Mars-bound flight from Vandenberg Saturday could be a first for the West Coast

 A NASA spacecraft bound for Mars is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base early Saturday, a historic event that will be preceded by several days of public events in the Lompoc area.

Saturday's predawn takeoff — conditions permitting, of course — will mark the first interplanetary launch from the West Coast, according to NASA. Typically, such missions launch heading east from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida due to benefits related to Earth's rotation, agency materials say. But the Atlas V-401 rocket being used for the Vandenberg launch is powerful enough to head south at takeoff, and the California location provides a generous six-week launch window, officials say.

Two public viewing locations will be open for the 4 a.m. launch and will have NASA team members on hand.

NASA's craft, the InSight, will be the first mission to explore Mars' deep interior. InSight's data is expected to shed light on processes that shaped rocky planets, including Earth, according to the agency. Instruments will measure Mars' heat output and listen for "marsquakes," scientists say, to map the planet's interior.

Scheduled events in Lompoc start Wednesday when scientists and engineers from NASA bring the agency's traveling Mars InSight Roadshow to town. The family friendly roadshow features hands-on activities, exhibits, models and public talks:

•     At 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, exhibits will be open at the Dick DeWees Community & Senior Center at 1120 W. Ocean Ave.
•     From 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, a public talk is slated at the Lompoc Public Library, 501 E. North Ave.
•     From 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, exhibits and public talks will be held at the Allan Hancock College main campus at 800 S. College Drive in Santa Maria.

On launch day — Saturday — an official public viewing location will be open at the Lompoc Airport, 1801 North H St., starting at 2:30 a.m. Visitors can see the launch and watch tarmac commentary on NASA TV as well as meet InSight team members and city representatives. Several hotels are located less than a mile from the airport, according to Lompoc organizers.

A second public viewing site will be open starting at 3 a.m. in the parking lot of St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 2800 Harris Grade Road. InSight mission team members will also be on hand at the parking lot location.

Lompoc tourism organizations note hotels there tend to fill up early when Vandenberg launches are scheduled. They encourage visitors to book in advance.

Should the launch be postponed, NASA has until June 8 to get InSight off the ground. Daily launch windows will be open for two hours, with opportunities to go every five minutes during the window. InSight's departure will be from Launch Complex 3. Regardless of the departure date, InSight is set to reach Mars on Nov. 26.

The Mars InSight Roadshow is not currently slated to visit Ventura County, but it is getting close next month. On May 19, the exhibit will stop at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History at 2559 Puesta Del Sol.