A potential SpaceX rocket launch is on the horizon — and if all goes according to plan Below is more information on rocket launches from NASA and Cape Canaveral and suggestions on where to watch them from this part of Florida Rocket launch tally: Here's a list of all the missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida (psst, there's a lot) For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space The best view to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach visibility will depend on weather conditions and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches If you are viewing the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park If you are farther south along the Indian River Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest spot to view liftoff because it is almost parallel to Launch Pad 39A (you can even see the pad from some spots) Department of Defense officials announced the undisclosed missile that quickly accelerated from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on April 25 was a successful hypersonic flight test In a press release, the DoD said the secretive mission marked the first launch demonstrating a Conventional Prompt Strike capability that will be used on Navy sea-based platforms "The cold-gas approach allows the Navy to eject the missile from the platform and achieve a safe distance above the ship prior to first stage ignition," Vice Adm director of Navy's Strategic Systems Programs "This technical achievement brings SSP one step closer to fulfilling our role of providing a safe and reliable hypersonic capability to our Navy," Wolfe said Hypersonic: Military launches mystery missile from Cape Canaveral; Army names hypersonic program 'Dark Eagle' Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office are partnering to develop land and sea variants of Dark Eagle Military officials have said "the use of a common hypersonic missile and joint test opportunities allow the services to pursue a more aggressive timeline for delivery and to realize cost savings." The first Navy operational deployment will be aboard the USS Zumwalt the warship moved its homeport from San Diego Mississippi "to enter a modernization period and receive technology upgrades including the integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike weapons system," a Navy press release said For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. Home » Home » U.S Coast Guard Cutter Alert Returns to Port Canaveral After Patrol to Counter Illegal Fishing in Gulf of America By  //  May 5 BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — The Coast Guard Cutter Alert WMEC 630 crew returned to their home port in Cape Canaveral on Friday following a 55-day deployment in the Gulf of America Reliance-class medium endurance cutter homeported at Port Canaveral The cutter’s primary missions are counter-narcotic and migrant interdiction operations Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere Alert’s crew deployed under the tactical command of the Eighth Coast Guard District to counter illegal the crew enforced federal law at sea and defended the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone by interdicting illegal fishing in U.S crew members conducted law enforcement boardings which ranged from routine safety inspections to federal fisheries enforcement to deter illicit activity such as illegal maritime migration Alert’s crew coordinated with the Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroo WPC 1125 and Coast Guard Station South Padre Island to interdict a lancha with three Mexican fishermen aboard The fishermen were engaged in illegal fishing north of the U.S maritime boundary line in the Gulf of America Alert’s crew also detained four additional Mexican fishermen suspected of illegal fishing after they were transferred aboard the cutter from Jacob Poroo All seven apprehended Mexican fishermen were later transferred to U.S Customs and Border Protection for processing “I am proud of our crew guarding America’s southeastern maritime border a mission set maintained by the Coast Guard for over 200 years,” said Cmdr sovereign interests throughout the maritime domain has been the staple of our service A lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is approximately 20-30 feet long Lanchas are frequently used to illegally fish in the EEZ near the U.S The illegal harvest and trade of red snapper and other fish species are often a revenue stream for criminal organizations Apart from their use for illegal seafood harvesting in U.S lanchas may also be used to move illicit drugs and aliens into the United States the Eighth Coast Guard District is responsible for U.S including the Gulf of America coastline from Florida to Mexico the adjacent offshore waters and outer continental shelf and the inland waterways of the Mississippi The cutter’s primary missions are counter-drug operations Coast Guard Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf they allocate ships to deploy to the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific to combat transnational organized crime and illicit maritime activity visit Go Coast Guard.com to learn about active duty and reserve Click Here to Sign Up for Text Alerts Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Sunday, May 4, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the Starlink 6-84 mission Original story: SpaceX is targeting an early morning Falcon 9 rocket launch — but will anvil clouds and cumulus clouds near Cape Canaveral thwart this mission Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY Space Team live coverage of the upcoming SpaceX Starlink 6-84 liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center SpaceX is targeting 4:54 a.m. Sunday for liftoff from pad 39A to dispatch 29 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit Backup launch opportunities are available until 8:40 a.m. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicted a 60% chance of favorable weather early during this predawn launch window Thick clouds may form at and near the spaceport as showers and isolated storms push offshore to the east No Central Florida sonic booms are expected After soaring skyward along a southeasterly trajectory the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard a SpaceX drone ship out at sea 8 minutes Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Update 5:03 a.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean Liftoff!Update 4:54 a.m.: Liftoff SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 carrying 29 Starlink satellites from KSC Update 4:48 a.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast is now posted above Liftoff is scheduled in six minutes from KSC Update 4:42 a.m.: This morning's mission marks the Falcon 9 first-stage booster’s 20th flight crews expect the booster to land on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean SpaceX Falcon 9 launch countdownUpdate 4:32 a.m.: Here's a rundown of SpaceX’s upcoming behind-the-scenes Falcon 9 launch countdown timeline Update 4:25 a.m.: Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at pad 39A That means the Starlink mission countdown is locked in to lift off at 4:54 a.m or else the predawn launch must be postponed to a later date SpaceX to launch 29 satellites on Falcon 9Update 4:15 a.m.: SpaceX has yet to publicly comment on today's Starlink payload but it appears to be a batch of 29 V2 Mini Optimized satellites the company said these next-generation satellites feature upgraded avionics Up to 29 of these new optimized satellites can be deployed per Falcon 9 launch compared with 23 original V2 Mini satellites "The V2 Mini Optimized satellites weigh approximately 575 kilograms (1,267 pounds) at launch nearly 22% lighter than the original V2 Mini satellites allowing Falcon to launch more network capacity to orbit per launch," the report said Update 4 a.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch Starlink launch to be 38th of year from Space CoastUpdate 3:45 a.m.: SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 launch will clock in as the 38th orbital rocket launch thus far during 2025 from KSC and adjacent Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Click here for the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team's updating tally listing this year’s missions complete with photo galleries and story links Update 3:30 a.m.: The 45th Weather Squadron forecast warned of potential showers and isolated storms forming Saturday afternoon along a sea breeze collision zone over the Florida peninsula "While they will likely push off to our east by the early morning launch window the main watch item will be convection that develops in the Gulf and the associated anvil clouds as well as mid to upper-level clouds associated with the subtropical jet," the forecast said "Given the progression of the approaching (cold) front conditions look slightly more favorable at the opening of the window compared to the end The main concerns for the launch window are the Anvil Cloud Rules and the Cumulus Cloud Rule," the forecast said For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space (Editor's note: The second Starlink mission has moved to Tuesday night and the 4½-hour launch window opens at 8:22 p.m.) In 2019, a mere 18 rockets launched into orbit from Florida's Space Coast. That number has already more than doubled thus far this year with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's neighboring Kennedy Space Center hosting 37 liftoffs Space Launch Delta 45 officials project a record-breaking 107 launches may rack up this year And two more SpaceX Falcon 9 liftoffs may occur on back-to-back days May 4 and 5 SpaceX has yet to publicly announce these Sunday-Monday Starlink missions which will likely lift roughly 50 broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit Both Falcon 9 first-stage boosters will target landings atop drone ships hundreds of miles from Cape Canaveral so no Central Florida sonic booms should occur Those twin SpaceX missions will lift off on the heels of a Thursday, April 30, nighttime Falcon 9 launch The Space Coast's record of 93 annual launches was established last year On a related note, the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct a May 8 virtual meeting on environmental impacts from SpaceX's request to increase yearly Falcon launches from 50 to 120 at the Space Force installation The FAA has determined that SpaceX's increased launch manifest would not result in significant terrestrial or marine wildlife and habitat effects Factors analyzed in the study include air quality Space Force Launch Delta 45's projection of 107 launches this year was announced in a news release highlighting updated security infrastructure and procedures at Patrick Space Force Base in light of expanding launch tempo and strategic importance A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Sunday night carrying 23 Starlink satellites including 13 capable of direct to cell phone service Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 came at 10:09 p.m It was SpaceX’s 48th Falcon 9 launch of 2025 The Falcon 9 first stage booster being used on this mission Its previous missions include 12 batches of Starlink satellites three flights to the International Space Station and the GPS 3 Space Vehicle 06 A little more than eight minutes after liftoff B1077 touched down on the SpaceX droneship ‘Just Read the Instructions,’ positioned in the Atlantic Ocean It was the 117th booster landing on JRTI and the 438th booster landing to date Deployment of the 23 Starlink satellites was confirmed by SpaceX a little over an hour after liftoff SpaceX was planning to launch another Falcon 9 rocket Sunday night on the Starlink 11-9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base but delayed that launch to Monday SpaceX fired three Raptor engines on a prototype of the company’s Starship vehicle Tuesday, accomplishing another milestone on the road toward testing of the methane-fueled rocket at higher altitudes. Catching a break from nearby thunderstorms, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soared through mostly cloudy skies into space Saturday on the 100th launch from historic pad 39A in Florida, sending a fresh batch of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 rocket stands on launch complex 40 on 16 April as SpaceX prepares to launch NASA’s TESS spacecraft on a mission to seek out new planets beyond our Solar System. The US military launched a long-range hypersonic missile Friday morning from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a test flight that could pave the way for the weapon's operational deployment later this year The Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon fired out of a canister on a road-mobile trailer shortly after sunrise on Florida's Space Coast then headed east over the Atlantic Ocean propelled by a solid-fueled rocket booster Local residents shared images of the launch on social media the new missile is poised to become the first ground-based hypersonic weapon fielded by the US military Russia has used hypersonic missiles in combat against Ukraine China has "the world's leading hypersonic missile arsenal," according to a recent Pentagon report on Chinese military power After a successful test flight from Cape Canaveral last year the long-range hypersonic weapon (LRHW)—officially named "Dark Eagle" by the Army earlier this week—will give the United States the ability to strike targets with little or no warning The Dark Eagle missile rapidly gained speed and altitude after launch Friday morning then soon disappeared from the view of onlookers at Cape Canaveral Warning notices advising pilots and mariners to steer clear of the test area indicated the missile and its hypersonic glide vehicle were supposed to splash down in the mid-Atlantic Ocean hundreds of miles north and northeast of Puerto Rico A US defense official did not answer questions from Ars about the outcome of the test flight Friday and industry partners conducted a test on behalf of the Department of Defense from a test site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station," the official said "We are currently evaluating the results of the test." Liftoff of the LRHW Dark Eagle this morning 🚀 https://t.co/lCJhUXxT84 pic.twitter.com/YJXXuSxmJK — Jerry Pike (@JerryPikePhoto) April 25, 2025 This missile launch and a similar one in December are the first tests of land-based offensive weapons at Cape Canaveral since 1988 when the military last tested Pershing ballistic missiles there The launch range in Florida continues to support offshore tests of submarine-launched Trident missiles and now is a center for hypersonic missile testing The Pentagon has a long-standing policy of not publicizing hypersonic missile tests before they happen except for safety notices for civilian airplanes and ships downrange But the Defense Department declared the previous Dark Eagle test flight a success within a few hours of the launch Hypersonic missiles offer several advantages over conventional ballistic missiles These new kinds of weapons are more maneuverable and dimmer than other missiles so they are more difficult for an aerial defense system to detect They are designed to evade an adversary's missile warning sensors These sensors were originally activated to detect larger which have a predictable trajectory toward their targets after boosting themselves out of the atmosphere and into space It can skim through the upper atmosphere at blistering speeds producing a much dimmer heat signature that is difficult to see with an infrared sensor on a conventional missile warning satellite the glide vehicle can take advantage of aerodynamic forces for maneuvers This is why the Pentagon's Space Development Agency is spending billions of dollars to deploy a network of missile tracking satellites in low-Earth orbit putting hundreds of sophisticated sensors closer to the flight path of hypersonic weapons Dark Eagle is designed to fly at speeds exceeding Mach 5 with a reported range of 1,725 miles (2,775 kilometers) or NATO's borders with Russia from Western Europe The US military says it has no plans to outfit its hypersonic weapons with nuclear warheads the Department of Defense said the weapon's official name pays tribute to the eagle Dark Eagle offers a similar mix of attributes: velocity "The word 'dark' embodies the LRHW's ability to dis-integrate adversary capabilities," the statement said "Hypersonic weapons will complicate adversaries' decision calculus strengthening deterrence," said Patrick Mason senior official performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition Dark Eagle is the land-based component of the Pentagon's effort to field hypersonic missiles for combat The Navy will use the same system on its ships to provide a sea-launched version of the hypersonic weapon called Conventional Prompt Strike which will be placed on destroyers and submarines The Army and Navy programs will use an identical two-stage missile which will jettison after depleting its rocket motors freeing a hypersonic glide vehicle to steer toward its target The entire rocket and glide vehicle are collectively called an "All Up Round." "The use of a common hypersonic missile and joint test opportunities allow the services to pursue a more aggressive timeline for delivery and to realize cost savings," the Defense Department said in a statement The Congressional Budget Office reported in 2023 that purchasing 300 intermediate-range hypersonic missiles would cost $41 million per missile a subsidiary of the defense contractor Leidos is responsible for developing the Common Hypersonic Glide Body for the Army's Dark Eagle and the Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike programs Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor charged with integrating the entire weapon system The military canceled an air-launched hypersonic weapon program in 2023 after it ran into problems during testing The Pentagon said Army commanders will use Dark Eagle to "engage adversary high-payoff and time-sensitive targets." The hypersonic weapon could be used against an adversary's mobile missile forces if US officials determine they are preparing for launch or it could strike well-defended targets out of reach of other weapons in the US arsenal the missile's use will fall under the authority of US Strategic Command with the direction of the president and the secretary of defense reported in February that the Army aimed to deliver the first Dark Eagle missiles to a combat unit before October 1 pending final decisions by the Pentagon's new leadership under the Trump administration Dark Eagle suffered multiple test failures in 2021 and 2022, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. Military crews aborted several attempts to launch the missile from Cape Canaveral in 2023 due to a problem with the weapon's launcher The program achieved two successes last year with test flights from Hawaii and Florida The December launch from Cape Canaveral was an important milestone "This test builds on several flight tests in which the Common Hypersonic Glide Body achieved hypersonic speed at target distances and demonstrates that we can put this capability in the hands of the warfighter," said Christine Wormuth in a Pentagon statement announcing the result of the test flight The Dark Eagle readiness tests build on more than a decade of experimental hypersonic flights by multiple US defense agencies Hypersonic flight is an unforgiving environment where the outer skin of glide vehicles must withstand temperatures of 3,000° Fahrenheit It's impossible to re-create such an extreme environment through modeling or tests on the ground While the Army and Navy hope to soon deploy the first US hypersonic missile for use in combat the military continues pursuing more advanced hypersonic technology the Pentagon awarded a contract worth up to $1.45 billion to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) program to test hypersonic technologies in their operating environment The program aims for a rapid cadence of suborbital test flights some of which have already launched with Rocket Lab's Electron rocket engineers can see how individual components and technologies work in flight before using them on real weapons The Biden administration requested $6.9 billion for the Pentagon's hypersonic research programs in fiscal year 2025 The Trump administration's budget request for fiscal year 2026 is scheduled for release next month The Army's new 'Dark Eagle' missile owes its name to the bald eagle Army launched an undisclosed hypersonic missile from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force station last week just days after naming its new hypersonic weapon the "Dark Eagle." The U.S. Army did not disclose any details about the test, the existence of which was learned largely through airspace closure notices issued by the Federal Aviation Administration for Friday It's unknown if this launch was the "Dark Eagle," although the Army launched the same missile from the Cape late last year the airspace that supports launches from the U.S Shortly after liftoff, the vehicle split into two distinct sections, with one appearing to tumble away, and the other continuing to propel itself forward until it disappeared into the sky pic.twitter.com/Fa75Zdenr1April 25, 2025 the vehicle split into two distinct sections and the other continuing to propel itself forward until it disappeared into the sky," Pike wrote in the post It's unclear what the fallen piece could have been but the LRHW is a two-stage rocket; it's possible Pike caught the first stage falling away the word "dark" reflects the missile's ability to render obsolete adversary capabilities long-range weapons and communication infrastructure  —  US and UK militaries pick Rocket Lab's HASTE launcher to help test hypersonic tech  — Rocket Lab's secretive launch last month was a hypersonic test for the US military (photos)  — Space Force aims to launch 1st 'Foo Fighter' satellites in 2027 to track hypersonic threats stealth and agility" and reflects the LRHW's "combination of velocity Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. Space.comBrett is curious about emerging aerospace technologies military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems Brett's work has appeared on Scientific American Brett has English degrees from Clemson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Brett enjoys skywatching throughout the dark skies of the Appalachian mountains you will then be prompted to enter your display name SpaceX fires up Starship spacecraft ahead of 9th test flight (photo) New images of Soviet Venus lander falling to Earth suggest its parachute may be out What would it be like living on Tatooine from 'Star Wars' This exoplanet orbiting twin suns could tell us Though rockets here launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island people from the Treasure Coast can sometimes see this #SoFlorida phenomenon have posted rocket launch photos and video on X the social platform formerly known as Twitter get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic EDT: SpaceX confirms successful deployment of the 28 Starlink satellites SpaceX kicked off of the month of May with the first of likely several Falcon 9 missions launching more of its Starlink V2 Mini satellites Onboard the Starlink 6-75 mission were 28 of the internet supporting satellites adding to the more than 7,300 currently on orbit Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 9:51 p.m the 45th Weather Squadron forecast a greater than 95 percent chance for favorable weather at liftoff with no meteorological concerns for the Falcon 9 flight “Strong high pressure over the western Atlantic will keep mostly dry conditions across the area through the end of the week,” launch weather officers wrote “For launch day some widespread high cloudiness is expected but there are no concerns for constraint violations.” It conducted its 18th flight to space after supporting two private astronaut missions to the International Space Station along with two cargo missions and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid observatory ‘Just Read the Instructions,’ marking the 118th booster landing on that vessel and the 440th booster landing to date The mission begins a new month of launches for SpaceX and marked its 51st Falcon 9 launch of 2025 The company notched at least a dozen launches each of the previous months of the year If SpaceX continues to launch 12-13 missions per month it will close out the year with anywhere between 146 and 154 Falcon launches below it most recently stated target of 170 orbital flights with its Falcon family of rockets SpaceX would need to launch at least 15 times per month or a pace of basically every two days between its three launch pads Currently, the FAA is considering a Draft EA analyzing SpaceX’s proposal to increase the number of launches at SLC-40 in Florida from 50 up to 120 per year The proposal would also allow for the construction of a booster landing zone at SLC-40 that would support up to 34 landings per year A virtual meeting on the SLC-40 proposal is scheduled for May 8 and the public comment period will close on May 15. Click here for information regarding registration for that virtual meeting Video from the SpaceX webcast, featuring the launch of the SES 10 satellite atop a previously-flown Falcon 9 rocket, followed by a successful barge landing by the first stage. Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent into space from Cape Canaveral with the Eutelsat 115 West B and ABS 3A communications satellite. Keep up to date with the latest space events with our 2025 space calendar 2025 is a busy year for spaceflight and exploration with countless launches industry conventions and skywatching events to look forward to Related: Wondering what happened today in space history? Check out our "On This Day in Space" video Is there a rocket launch today? SpaceX's megaconstellation of LEO Starlink satellites provide low-cost internet to locations around the globe with nearly seven thousand currently in the orbital network Rocket LaunchSpaceX, Falcon 9: Starlink 6-84Social Links NavigationMay 4 — LC-39A; Kennedy Space Center April 29): A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO) Long March 12: SatNet Group 04May 5 — LC-2; WSLC EDT (1105 GMT): The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is expected to launch a batch of SatNet communication satellites into low-Earth orbit on a Long March 12 rocket The mission will liftoff from Launch Complex-2 (LC-2) The Long March 12 is a two-stage kerosene/liquid oxygen-fueled rocket capable of lifting 10 ton to low-Earth orbit Rocket LaunchSpaceX, Falcon 9: Starlink 6-93Social Links NavigationMay 5 — SLC-40; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station May 2): A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO) Space IndustryIAA Planetary Defense ConferenceSocial Links NavigationMay 5-9 — Cape Town South AfricaMay 5-9: The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) will hold the 2025 Planetary Defense Conference in Stellenbosch PSLV-XL: EOS-09 (RISAT-1B)May 17 — Satish Dhawan Space Centre IndiaMay 17: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch the RISAT-1B mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre It is the third in a series of radar imaging satellites equipped with active C-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) providing all-weather24-hour SAR observation The PSLV-XL is an upgraded version of ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Space Industry2025 Humans to the Moon & Mars SummitSocial Links NavigationMay 28-29 — George Washington University D.C.May 28-29: H2M2 will gather the top experts in Moon and Mars architecture and innumerable other disciplines who will provide the latest news about and generate momentum for our Moon and Mars goals The objective of H2M2 is to advance the goal of a sustainable and permanent human presence on the Moon beginning in the late 2020s and on Mars no later than the 2030s the of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Sławosz Uznański The quartet will launch to the ISS on a mission to conduct scientific research demonstrate technology and the continued commercialization of space.  Read more: Meet the crew for Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission to the ISS Space IndustryContact in the Desert 2025Social Links NavigationMay 29 - June 2 — Indian Wells CaliforniaMay 29 - June 2: Contact in the Desert has been the world’s leading event for those intrigued by UFOs Our mission is to provide a platform for open discussions and firsthand experiences in the field of unexplained phenomena and dive deep into the mysteries of our universe Rocket LaunchGilmour Space, Eris-1: Maiden flightSocial Links NavigationNET May 30 — Bowen Orbital Spaceport QueenslandNET May 30: Eris is the first Australian-designed and built rocket aiming for orbit It stands at 82 feet (25 meters) tall and can deliver a payload of up to 474 pounds (215 kilograms) to a 310-mile-altitude (500 kilometers) sun-synchronous orbit Eris consists of three stages and uses hybrid propulsion Read more: The 1st Australian rocket to launch from Australian soil could reach orbit this month Rocket LaunchNorthrup Grumman, Minotaur IV: EWS OD-1Social Links NavigationNET May — SLC-8; Vandenberg Space Force Base CaliforniaNET May: Northrup Grumman will launch the EWS OD-1 payload for the United States Space Force The Electro-Optical/Infrared Weather System (EWS) Operational Demonstration-1 (OD-1) is a weather satellite made by General Atomics launching into low-Earth obit (LEO) on a Minotaur IV rocket from Space Launch Complex-8 (SLC-8) at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) Long March 3B/E: Tianwen-2NET May — LC-2; XSLC ChinaNET May: The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is expected to launch the Tianwen 2 near-Earth asteroid sample return mission on a Long March 3B/E heavy-lift rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) The Long March 3B/E is a medium-range rocket capable of launching payloads into a geostationary transfer orbit The "E" variant indicates a taller payload fairing and boosters and extended fuel tanks on the first stage Rocket LaunchULA, Vulcan Centaur: USSF-106Social Links NavigationNET June — SLC-41; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station FloridaNET June: United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly its first of more than two dozen U.S Space Force missions allocated under a national security space launch contract.  USSF-106 is expected to launch sometime in the second quarter of 2025 Read more: Powerful new Vulcan Centaur rocket gearing up for 1st Space Force mission HASTE: DART AENET June — LC-2; Wallops Flight Facility VirginiaNET June: Rocket Lab will launch a HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) rocket from the company's Launch Complex 2 is a 3D-printed hypersonic drone developed under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing (HyCAT) program at the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Long March 8: SSST G60 Polar GroupNET June — LC-1; WSLS ChinaNET June: The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is expected to launch communication satellites to low-Earth orbit Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) The mission will liftoff on a Long March 8 rocket from Launch Complex-1 (LC-1) SkywatchingFull Strawberry MoonSocial Links NavigationJune 11June 11: The Full Flower Moon rises at 3:44 a.m the full moon of June is called a Strawberry moon from the berries that appear in the summer months in the northeastern parts of North America Space IndustryInternational Space Development Conference 2025Social Links NavigationJune 19-22 — Orlando FloridaJune 19-22: The annual International Space Development Conference  (ISDC) is the keynote event of the National Space Society and grassroots advocacy space sectors - all working toward the common goal of developing a spacefaring civilization Rocket LaunchSpaceX, Falcon 9: NASA — TRACERSNET Summer 2025 — LC-4; Vandenberg Space Force Base, CaliforniaNET Summer: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch NASA's TRACERS mission carrying a pair of synchronized spacecraft to orbit TRACERS will study magnetic reconnection Earth’s atmosphere caused by interaction with passing solar activity and help researchers better understand and prepare for impacts of solar activity on Earth Rocket LaunchULA, Vulcan Centaur: Sierra Space — Dream ChaserSocial Links NavigationNET June — SLC-41; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station FloridaNET June: United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch Sierra Space's Dream Chaser space plane aboard a Vulcan Centaur rocket The mission will launch from Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) the first-ever winged commercial spaceplane to the International Space Station.  Read more: ULA delays Dream Chaser space plane launch to certify Vulcan Centaur rocket for US military missions Falcon 9: NASA — Crew-11NET July — LC-39A; KSC FloridaNET July: Crew-11 is the 11th crew rotation mission of SpaceX's human space launch to the space station through NASA's Commercial Crew Program The mission includes NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov SkywatchingFull Buck MoonSocial Links NavigationJuly 10July 10: The July full moon is also known as the Buck Moon or the Thunder Moon the former because it coincides with the time of year when male deer antlers are in full growth and the latter because it is also when thunderstorms are common in many parts of the world. The moon will officially reach full illumination at 4:37 p.m but still appears relatively full for a few days around the peak.  serving as a flight engineer and Expedition 74 crew member Williams will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft in November accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev The trio will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbiting laboratory SpaceflightSoyuz MS-27 astronauts return to EarthSocial Links NavigationNET Dec — Kazakhstan NET Dec: Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Alexei Zubritsky and NASA astronaut Jonathan Kim return to Earth aboard their Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft They are scheduled to touchdown in Kazakhstan wrapping up a six-month stint aboard the International Space Station Read more: SpaceX and Vast want ideas for science experiments on Dragon spacecraft and Haven-1 space station NASA commander Reid Wiseman, NASA pilot Victor Glover, NASA mission specialist Christina Koch and CSA mission specialist Jeremy Hansen will fly around the moon on a roughly 10-day-long mission chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.  you'll have to use all your Jedi powers to grab this Lego set — Jango Fett's Starship WILL sell out fast These ARE the Lego Star Wars deals you're looking for 'Falcon' flies on Star Wars Day: SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from Florida (photos) Navy has successfully conducted an end-to-end flight test of a hypersonic missile using an advanced cold-gas launch system at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station This test marks a significant milestone in the Navy’s progress toward deploying hypersonic weapons at sea including future integration aboard the USS Zumwalt The test utilised the Navy’s cold-gas launch approach a method that ejects the missile from the launch platform before the first-stage ignition “The cold-gas approach allows the Navy to eject the missile from the platform and achieve a safe distance above the ship prior to first stage ignition,” said Vice Adm Director of the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs The demonstration was part of the Navy’s development of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) capability which will use a common hypersonic missile system in partnership with the U.S “This technical achievement brings SSP one step closer to fulfilling our role of providing a safe and reliable hypersonic capability to our Navy,” Wolfe added Secretary of the Navy John Phelan highlighted the strategic value of the programme and survivability of hypersonic weapons are key to integrated deterrence for America Conventional Prompt Strike will deliver unmatched capabilities to our warfighters.” is the primary contractor for the hypersonic weapon system military’s conventional strike capabilities The CPS programme previously completed two end-to-end flight tests in 2024 validating the All Up Round (AUR) missile system that will be shared by both Navy and Army forces An extensive engineering and test campaign was conducted using an In-Air Launch test facility to validate the cold-gas system prior to this full-scale flight test Data collected from this launch will inform further development and production of the AUR as well as guide preparations for deployment on naval surface ships This effort comes amid growing competition in hypersonic technology with Russia and China also developing similar systems aims to maintain its technological edge by accelerating the fielding of sea-based hypersonic capabilities The Navy’s hypersonic initiative enhances the U.S.’s ability to deter and survivability offered by hypersonic weapons is expected to complement existing capabilities and provide a decisive advantage in future conflicts Source: U.S. Navy Cookie Policy Copyright © 2025 Defence Industry Europe | mady by: geekon.eu We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Port Canaveral located in central Florida is continuing to experience strong growth as not only the second-busiest cruise homeport but also in its cargo operations and support of the space programs The port mapped out a comprehensive five-year plan to expand capacity and capabilities across all aspects of its business operations which include investing upwards of $500 million in landside and waterside improvements Port Canaveral CEO highlights that the “Port Canaveral Advantage” plan is a port-wide continuous improvement program that identifies near- to long-term needs for enhancements and upgrades to port assets and operations high-value critical infrastructure projects associated with new cruise ship arrivals modernizing and expanding cargo berths and bulkheads deploying new technologies across a spectrum of operations and renovations to the port’s recreational facilities including Jetty Park “These port-wide investments are designed to leverage the Port’s success to benefit communities from the Space Coast to Central Florida and throughout the state,” said stated Capt “Our goal and commitment are to always be the best port possible for our valued partners Several cruise-related projects are about to get underway at Port Canaveral with one of the most ambitious being the expansion of Cruise Terminal 5 will increase the terminal’s size by 65 percent to accommodate larger vessels  During an estimated 16-month construction period the cruise terminal would continue to operate without interrupting scheduled ship turns the port plans to enhance Cruise Terminal 10 to expand its capacity beginning with a feasibility study that is expected to be completed by June 2025 The project’s goals include expanding the terminal’s capacity to accommodate the world’s largest cruise ships up to 5,600 passengers and berthing up to 1,200 feet in length Exterior upgrades at Cruise Terminal 1 will begin in May 2025 and include new canopies and walkways These upgrades are in addition to refurbishments to the adjacent cruise parking garage with new paint and perimeter fencing plus gangway upgrades New cruise ships including the Norwegian Aqua arriving at the port in April for the first time are propelling the growth (Port Canaveral Authority) The investment in the cruise operations comes as the port recorded its busiest month ever in March handling 925,994 passengers coming and going from the cruise ships It was the second record month following 837,900 passengers in December 2024 the port has already handled 4.42 million passengers and they are projecting the port will reach 8.4 million passengers for the full year up from 7.6 million last year One of the challenges for the port is balancing the fast growth in cruise with its commercial operations the port plans to renovate existing pier structures on the south side of the port to create additional multipurpose multiuser berth space and improve vessel turn times Renovations for the two north side cargo berths – North Cargo Berths 3 and 4 – are nearing completion adding 1,800 linear feet of multipurpose bulkhead space while ongoing improvements include harbor deepening and berth box dredging to accommodate larger vessels and the addition of a third mobile harbor crane set to arrive later this year Roadway improvements are also underway to improve access to and from cargo terminals Port Canaveral also has a long-standing role in supporting America’s space program have maritime operations at the port utilizing multiple cargo berths for their vessels' dockage and for offloading and transporting recovered launch vehicle components During the first four months of the year, 36 orbital rockets took flight from Florida's Space Coast. That equates to a record-breaking pace that would erase last year's record of 93 annual liftoffs Space Force officials now project this year's final total may reach 107 launches Will a new record materialize? Stay tuned. The upcoming May launch schedule at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station will feature an array of SpaceX Starlink missions and the SpaceX-Axiom Space Ax-4 crewed launch Following are the latest missions coming up from the Cape All launches are listed in Eastern Standard Time But be aware: Dates and times routinely change for a wide variety of reasons For the latest mission updates and space news, visit floridatoday.com/space email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com Cape Canaveral: Rocket launches in Florida: Here's an updating list of all 2025 missions from Cape Canaveral EDT: SpaceX confirmed deployment of the 28 Starlink satellites SpaceX launched another 28 optimized Starlink V2 Mini satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday night Liftoff of the Starlink 6-74 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 happened at 9:52 p.m The rocket followed a south-easterly trajectory once it left the pad the 45th Weather Squadron forecast a greater than 95 percent chance of favorable weather during launch The Falcon 9 first stage booster that used on this mission Eutelsat Hotbird 13F and 18 batches of Starlink satellites About eight and a half minutes after liftoff stationed in the Atlantic east of the Bahamas This marked the 105th booster landing on this particular drone ship and the 435th booster landing to date believed to be the lighter-weight optimized V2 mini models SpaceX said it is now offering Starlink service in the eastern Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as it continues to roll out the satellite internet service worldwide The final major test of the high-power launch abort engines on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft before astronauts climb aboard for a flight to the International Space Station is scheduled for Jan. 18 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA announced Monday. United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket thundered off the pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force State to begin the flight of the first production satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite internet constellation Five solid rocket boosters helped propel the rocket and the 27 satellites on board from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at 7:01 p.m The threat of anvil clouds caused ULA to adjust the liftoff time by one minute weather was quite pristine for the north-easterly trajectory ULA used its most powerful Atlas 5 configuration which features five solid rocket boosters from Northrop Grumman Amazon has eight remaining Atlas 5 rockets that it purchased to launch its Kuiper satellites In a media roundtable on earlier this month at the 40th Space Symposium ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno said the company might launch another Kuiper Atlas mission in the late spring or early summer timeframe before shifting to their first national security mission on a Vulcan rocket When asked if ULA expected to go through all eight of Amazon’s Atlas rocket missions this year I don’t think I’ll get all of the Atlases off for them this year I think it’ll be ’26 before we get them all done,” he said Bruno said they are looking at late summer for the first launch of Kuiper satellites on a Vulcan rocket which would carry 45 Kuiper satellites on board The next two launches of Vulcan are planned for missions from its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract “There will be several of each [Vulcan and Atlas] and that should take Amazon well on their way to where they have enough spacecraft for revenue generation which really means the initial services being offered Bruno expects ULA will launch somewhere in the area of 11-13 or so missions before the end of the year with there being roughly an equal split between Atlas and Vulcan flights Those will be a mixture of launches for the U.S The Project Kuiper constellation will eventually consist of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit Amazon wants to have a large constellation to provide low latency internet for commercial customers “We have set out to design the most advanced satellite network ever built and we have created the whole thing in house at Amazon,” said Rajeev Badyal the vice president of Technology for the Kuiper Satellite Network “You need just about every technology area to contribute to build the satellite The Kuiper 1 mission will carry the first full production satellites for Project Kuiper Amazon launched two prototype satellites on another Atlas 5 rocket back in October 2023 to test the capabilities and give Project Kuiper better insight into some changes needed for the final version According to stipulations from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Amazon said it will begin customer service once the first 578 satellites are launched and operational The 3,236 satellites will be spread across 98 orbital planes at 590 km the International Space Station orbits between 370-460 km in altitude but we have an incredible commitment to this project and an incredible team committed to this mission,” Badyal said Amazon also bought 38 launches on ULA’s Vulcan rocket as well as a combined 33 launches on Arianespace’s Ariane 6 Blue Origin’s New Glenn and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets Offering a service to regular people and businesses isn’t Amazon’s only aim The company also established Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC as a legally separate entity from Project Kuiper Amazon said KGS is designed “to support specialized government capabilities from secure terrestrial broadband to in-space networking solutions using the Kuiper commercial network.” KGS and L3Harris Technologies announced a partnership on Monday to offer a combined service for government needs In pitching this to prospective government customers resilient open systems from SATCOM terminals to robust tactical radios (to) ensure seamless integration into your existing operations.” “The synergies of our new partnership will deliver out-of-the-box interoperability and specialized systems for military providing customers more flexibility in their communication networks than ever before,” said Sam Mehta “This partnership is crucial for providing extended enhanced capabilities not available today and reinforces our mutual commitment to deliver resilient secure and trusted solutions to our customers.” This is the launch timeline to be followed by the Atlas 5 rocket’s ascent into space from Cape Canaveral with NASA’s Mars 2020 mission. Watch a replay of the Atlas 5 rocket launch with the GOES-S weather satellite from Cape Canaveral, as seen from the Kennedy Space Center press site around 4 miles from the launch pad. A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral at 1:51 p.m. EDT (1751 GMT) today to haul a classified satellite into space for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. Follow the mission in our live journal. Coming off the April 28 evening doubleheader of United Launch Alliance and SpaceX rockets SpaceX has another launch planned to kick off the month of May While the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched the first batch of Amazon Kuiper internet satellites SpaceX launched its ever-growing Starlink internet satellites Monday Now another Starlink launch is set for Thursday night SpaceX has over 8,000 Starlink satellites in orbit which provide internet in some of the most remote places on Earth Find live updates here: Live updates: SpaceX rocket launch from Cape Canaveral set for tonight navigation warnings show the launch occurring sometime between 9:51 p.m. Upon liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 the rocket will travel on a southeast trajectory When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral No Space Coast sonic booms will be heard, as eight-and-a-half-minutes later, the first-stage booster will land on a SpaceX drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean. FLORIDA TODAY will provide live coverage beginning 90 minutes prior to liftoff at FloridaToday.com/Space Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars Foreshadowing the future, two rockets lifted a combined 50 broadband satellites for two rival space-based internet companies into low-Earth orbit Monday, April 28, from Florida's Space Coast — and both rockets launched within a 3½-hour span. The landmark evening saw a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket deploy Amazon's first production batch of 27 Project Kuiper broadband satellites The mission was the first of dozens in the coming years to create a 3,232-satellite constellation to provide high-speed internet around the world Read the full story here. While the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched the first batch of Amazon Kuiper internet satellites Read the full story here. Trump's pick for NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, moves forward to Senate voteTrump's pick for NASA's administrator, Jared Isaacman, has moved forward to the full Senate for a vote which is the last step before his confirmation to lead the space agency During the Senate's Executive Session 9 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on April 30, the committee voted to advance the billionaire space traveler's nomination by a 19-9 vote. Read the full story here. Launch recap: SpaceX rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Thursday nightLaunch recap: Scroll down to read live updates from the Starlink 6-75 mission, which launched at 9:51 p.m. on May 1 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40. Read the full story here. A loud rumble sounded throughout the Space Coast on Thursday as SpaceX launched the latest batch of its internet satellites The Starlink 6-75 mission launched at 9:51 p.m on May 1 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 sending 28 Starlink internet satellites to orbit Starlink provides internet to some of the most remote places on Earth including remote communities within the United States Read the full story here. In 2019, a mere 18 rockets launched into orbit from Florida's Space Coast. That number has already more than doubled thus far this year Read the full story here. The days of NASA's Space Launch System moon rocket and Orion space capsule may be limited, as a White House budget proposal for the space agency aims to phase out the overbudget SLS after just two more missions And it's not just Artemis NASA's budget as a whole would see agency-wide cuts that go beyond human exploration with the total budget dropping $6 billion from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion — or nearly 25 percent NASA's science budget takes a particularly significant hit Read the full story here. U.S. Navy hypersonic missile launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station deemed a successDepartment of Defense officials announced the undisclosed missile that quickly accelerated from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on April 25 was a successful hypersonic flight test In a press release, the DoD said the secretive mission marked the first launch demonstrating a Conventional Prompt Strike capability that will be used on Navy sea-based platforms Read the full story here. Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Sunday, May 4, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on the Starlink 6-84 mission Read the full story here. SpaceX boosted its carrying capacity of Starlink internet-beaming satellites to 29 during a predawn Falcon 9 rocket launch Sunday, May 4 SpaceX did not publicly comment about the rocket's payload prior to liftoff of the 4:54 a.m. Starlink 6-84 mission — which fittingly took flight on Star Wars Day Read the full story here. Launch recap: Scroll down to read live updates from the Starlink 6-75 mission, which launched at 9:51 p.m. on May 1 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40. Original story: Those up late may be able to catch a rocket launch tonight — as SpaceX plans to launch another Starlink mission According to navigational warnings, SpaceX plans to launch a Starlink mission sometime between 9:51 p.m. Thursday, May 1, to 1:51 a.m. Friday, May 2, from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40. The mission is the next batch of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites the rocket will travel on a southeast trajectory upon liftoff Update 9:59 p.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean Liftoff!Update 9:51 p.m.: Liftoff The SpaceX Falcon 9 has left the launch pad with 28 Starlink satellites Update 9:46 p.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted above Liftoff is scheduled in five minutes from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Update 9:41 p.m.: Skies are partly cloudy throughout the Space Coast it is worth heading outside early − as the rocket can quickly disappear behind clouds Update 9:31 p.m.: At this point in the countdown second-stage (upper-stage) liquid oxygen loading is about to begin Here's a behind-the-scenes rundown of SpaceX’s countdown timeline Update 9:20 p.m.: Visual cues indicate Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40 though SpaceX has yet to make an official announcement That means tonight’s Starlink mission is now locked in to lift off at 9:51 p.m Update 9:08 p.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch Update 8:58 p.m.: Liftoff is expected in just under an hour NASA has released its May Skywatching Highlights which includes four planets which can be seen all month from right here in Brevard County Update 8:48 p.m.: Remember the Polaris Dawn crew which launched to orbit in a SpaceX Dragon last fall The five-day mission led by Jared Isaacman who is currently in the running for NASA Administrator Tonight's liftoff is still set for no earlier than 9:51 p.m Update 8:38 p.m.: Here's an upcoming astronaut launch to look forward to led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson Update 8:28 p.m.: Ahead of the nineth test flight out of Texas SpaceX has test fired the upcoming Starship Update 8:18 p.m.: Skies in Brevard County are partly cloudy The National Weather Service does not show any weather activity in the surrounding area or over the booster landing location − which is southeast of Florida EDT: The Falcon 9 first stage booster successfully landed at Landing Zone 2 SpaceX completed its third Falcon 9 rocket launch in less than 48 hours with a rideshare mission carrying payloads to a mid-inclination orbit Liftoff of the Bandwagon-3 mission happened at 8:48 p.m EDT (0048 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station It was the 245th orbital launch for SpaceX from SLC-40 and the 300th total orbital flight from this pad This flight was the third launch in SpaceX’s rideshare program to mid-inclination orbits It followed Bandwagon-1 from Kennedy Space Center and Bandwagon-2 from Vandenberg Space Force Base and 13 Transporter ride-share missions to polar orbit Heading into the launch opportunity Monday night the 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 95 percent chance of favorable weather continuing the pattern seen during the early morning launch of the CRS-32 mission from pad 39A SpaceX used the Falcon 9 first stage booster This was its third trip to space and back following the launches of the O3b mPOWER-E mission and Crew-10 B1090 targeted a touchdown at Landing Zone 2 This was just the 12th landing at LZ-2 as compared to the 51 landings at LZ-1 Among the payloads onboard the Falcon 9 rocket was the fourth synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite for the Korea 425 Project constellation for the South Korean military The first three satellites launched on a series of rideshare flights beginning back in December 2023: According to a 2018 story in the SAR Journal the South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) awarded a KRW588 billion ($530 million) contract to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to oversee the development and construction of a series of five surveillance satellites The contract requires the satellites to be sent into orbit by 2025 which leaves just one more launch following the Monday night launch The satellites are produced through a partnership between Korean firm Hanwha Systems Corporation (HSC) and Thales Alenia Space the latter of which is the prime developer “Our contribution extends to the supply of our high-performance Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) that utilizes an innovative antenna consisting of a large deployable reflector with 24 deployable petals and an active phased array feed array in dual polarization,” Thales Alenia Space wrote following the December 2023 launch of the first Korea 425 Project satellite “Another significant part of our contribution is the acquisition and data retransmission system on the ground “The high agility of the ‘dancing satellite’ is guaranteed by the innovative avionics and Control Momentum Gyroscope These advanced technologies enable high-performance observation and surveillance capabilities The fifth and final SAR satellite may launch onboard the Bandwagon-4 mission though that has not been formally announced Sharing the Falcon 9 with the 425 Project satellite were the Tomorrow Company Inc.’s (Tomorrow.io) Tomorrow-S7 satellite and Atmos Space Cargo’s Phoenix re-entry capsule According to the Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review Tool (OSCAR) part of the World Meteorological Organization the Tomorrow-S7 satellite is the ninth spacecraft in the Tomorrow.io constellation and the seventh in the Tomorrow Microwave Sounder series The 6U CubeSat (roughly 30 cm x 20 cm x 10 cm) reportedly has a dry mass of 12 kg (26.5 lbs) and will operate in low Earth orbit at 515 km (320 mi) in altitude at a 45-degree inclination It’s designed to have a three-year operating life with a mission to observe “all-weather temperature and humidity profiles.” The OSCAR tool suggests that there may be a second sounder satellite from Tomorrow.io onboard the Bandwagon-3 mission Spaceflight Now reached out to the company to confirm if that’s accurate and is waiting to hear back The final passenger onboard Bandwagon-3 was Atmos Space Cargo’s Phoenix capsule The German company received permission for the re-entry mission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in January which will makes it “first private company in Europe to receive such authorization and the first non-governmental entity in European history to attempt space re-entry.” is designed to complete two orbits around Earth before making its atmospheric re-entry It’s designed to gather data about the capsule’s inflatable heat shield and has three core objectives: According to a February 2025 press release from the company Atmos said the mission “is expected to conclude with the prototype’s demise during re-entry providing valuable flight data for the next iteration of this platform – the Phoenix 2 capsule.” affordable and reliable downmass is critical to the success of orbital space development,” said Lori Garver the former NASA Deputy Administrator and member of the Atmos advisory board “Having the ability to return life sciences and other types of microgravity research military spacecraft and manufactured resources could be the next breakthrough in space transportation.” Onboard the spacecraft are four payloads from three customers: DLR from Germany with its M-42 radiation detector IDDK from Japan with its Micro Imaging Device and Frontier Space from the United Kingdom with its ‘lab-in-a-box’ SpaceLab and a bioreactor The Phoenix 1 spacecraft arrived in Florida in late March and integration In an update to the mission published on April 18 Atmos said they had to change their mission’s trajectory which called for a change in the ground stations being used in the operation The landing site shifted away from a re-entry over Africa and a splashdown in the Indian Ocean The new trajectory has the re-entry beginning over Los Angeles resulting in a splashdown about 2,000 km off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean Atmos didn’t go into detail as to why the mission profile needed to change The team will also attempt to compensate for the loss of traditional communication during the re-entry phase by conducting an air-to-air reconnaissance mission It will do so by chasing the Phoenix 1 spacecraft with a “chartered aircraft equipped with a mobile satellite terminal from its EIP (at roughly 120 km altitude) through the plasma blackout phase.” the Atmos Mission Control team will receive and pass on current trajectory data to our GNC (guidance who will quickly calculate an exact flight path to share with our airborne recon team in the chase plane who will be on their way to meet and follow Phoenix just as it enters Earth’s atmosphere and continues its descent,” Atmos wrote “We added this experimental new chapter to our mission plan with the aim to visually monitor and confirm the status of our capsule while attempting to re-establish a data link after plasma blackout to recover the most valuable flight data for further heat shield analysis and the subsequent vehicle development of Phoenix 2 – expected to launch in 2026 Phoenix 2 will carry its own propulsion system on board allowing us to independently determine the moment of re-entry as well as our return trajectory and angle.” Atmos said it also anticipates a “steeper flight path angle resulting in a higher vertical re-entry velocity which introduces higher thermal and aerodynamic loads to our capsule’s re-entry scenario.” there is a high probability that the increased thermal stress and aerodynamic forces may affect the capsule structure and heat shield but all flight data we will receive during this inaugural flight will inform our system analysis and optimization for Phoenix 2 the company received €13.1 million in funding from the European Innovation Council part of the European Union’s Horizon Europe framework to help support the development of the Phoenix 2 spacecraft Spaceflight Now readers sent in photos of Sunday’s blastoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, which lit up a late-night moonlit sky over Florida’s Space Coast on the way to orbit with two communications satellites. Four astronauts strapped into their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, undocked from the International Space Station and plunged to a fiery pre-dawn splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday, closing out the first operational flight of SpaceX’s futuristic touch-screen ferry ship. SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket Sunday at 7:21 p.m. PDT (10:21 p.m. EDT; 0221 GMT Monday) with SAOCOM 1A, a radar observation satellite for Argentina, then returned the booster to a landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, for the first time. The Starlink 6-75 mission launched at 9:51 p.m To date, SpaceX has launched more than 8,000 Starlink satellites between the Florida and California launch pads It is unknown how many are planned for the completed Starlink satellite constellation It was the 18th flight for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster Previous flights include: 11 Starlink missions the booster landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship which was stationed out on the Atlantic Ocean When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Next Cape Canaveral rocket launchThe next rocket launch from Cape Canaveral is set for no earlier than Sunday liftoff of the Starlink 6-84 mission is set to occur between 4:48 a.m The mission will be the latest batch of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites. FLORIDA TODAY will provide live coverage beginning 90 minutes prior to liftoff at FloridaToday.com/Space The test marks the first cold-gas launch of CPS where the rocket motor ignites when the missile has left the silo The US Navy (USN) conducted a successful end-to-end ground-based flight test of the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station This test was conducted under the auspices of Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) a command within the Navy responsible for the lifecycle management of strategic-level sea-based nuclear and non-nuclear capabilities It was the first time the service fired the hypersonic weapon using a ‘cold-gas launch’ approach meaning the rocket motor ignites after the missile has left the silo The successful cold launch method will go on to inform the eventual fielding of the CPS missile “The cold-gas approach allows the Navy to eject the missile from the platform and achieve a safe distance above the ship prior to first stage ignition Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis the programmes completed two additional end-to-end flight tests of the all-up round that will be fielded with the Navy and Army CPS is a programme to develop a hypersonic boost-glide missile concept that combines a rocket boost phase followed by the use of aerodynamic forces in a glide phase and manoeurvable strikes with enhanced survivability against enemy defences intended to limit detection even further – to penetrate air defences and to strike high-value time-sensitive targets within a period of one to 24 hours and survivability of hypersonic weapons are key to integrated deterrence for America,” Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said the role of these semi-hypersonic missiles have gradually shifted throughout the Russia-Ukraine war as they are now typically used alongside slower weapons to overload defences allowing these missiles to deliver a more effective impact Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network 2025Photo: David C Tomlinson / The Image Bank Unreleased / Getty Images FL - Florida’s Space Coast is launching into uncharted territory in 2025 with officials projecting a record-breaking 107 rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center a dramatic leap from the 93 launches set just two years ago long known as the heart of America’s space program is rapidly becoming the busiest launch site in the world nearly triple the 18 launches recorded in 2019 is preparing for two back-to-back Falcon 9 missions tentatively scheduled for May 5 and May 6 though official confirmation is still pending According to flight notices from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency the May 5th launch is expected to occur between 4:48 a.m with the second mission slated for the evening of May 6th between 8:48 p.m Both missions will reportedly carry batches of approximately 50 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit part of SpaceX’s expanding global broadband network The Falcon 9 boosters are expected to land on drone ships stationed in the Atlantic avoiding the sonic booms that sometimes shake Central Florida These launches follow closely on the heels of a successful nighttime liftoff on April 30th at 9:51 p.m. further cementing SpaceX’s near-weekly cadence from the Cape In response to this high-tempo launch environment Space Launch Delta 45 has implemented significant security and infrastructure upgrades at Patrick Space Force Base Officials say these enhancements are essential for supporting the volume and strategic importance of ongoing launch operations The Federal Aviation Administration is also conducting a formal environmental review of SpaceX’s request to boost its annual Falcon launch total from 50 to 120 A virtual public meeting is scheduled for May 8th to address environmental concerns preliminary findings indicate that the increased launch rate would not cause significant harm to local air quality The study evaluated a wide range of potential environmental impacts from noise pollution and carbon emissions to marine ecology and climate effects ultimately concluding that the expanded launch schedule falls within safe and sustainable limits With reusable rocket technology making rapid turnaround launches possible and the growing demand for satellite internet and national defense infrastructure Cape Canaveral is positioned to redefine space access in 2025 and beyond This website is unavailable in your location It appears you are attempting to access this website from a country outside of the United States therefore access cannot be granted at this time CAPE CANAVERAL – SpaceX is set to launch Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on Monday night The launch will send 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit. Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WJXT / WCWJ Closed Captioning / Audio Description WJXT Public File WJXT EEO Report WCWJ Public File WCWJ EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group On the heels of a pair of photogenic launches from Florida's Space Coast for its next Falcon 9 rocket liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station The 4½-hour launch window extends from 9:32 p.m. Thursday to 2:03 a.m. Friday a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows SpaceX has yet to publicly announce this Starlink 6-74 mission The rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 40 and boost another payload of Starlink broadband satellites up into low-Earth orbit The Falcon 9 first-stage booster will target landing atop a SpaceX drone ship offshore hundreds of miles from the Cape Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Thursday night's National Weather Service forecast calls for partly cloudy skies a low around 68 and mild east wind about 10 mph at the Space Force installation The Starlink mission is scheduled to launch three days after April 21's twin liftoffs from Florida's Space Coast. First, a Falcon 9 took flight hours before dawn carrying a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft packed with nearly 6,700 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station That rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Then 16½ hours later, a second Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the Bandwagon-3 mission a rideshare flight for small satellites owned by a variety of private companies Just another Florida thing," Space Florida officials said in a tweet "Congratulations to @SpaceX on back-to-back liftoffs this Monday Only in the Sunshine State are we sending rockets to space multiple times a week — sometimes even multiple times a day!" the tweet said Coupled with a California Falcon 9 launch on April 20 from Vandenberg Space Force Base SpaceX sent up three rockets within a roughly 36-hour span The second sonic boom of the day rattled the Space Coast after dark on April 21 — a Falcon 9 booster had just returned to the Cape Canaveral Landing Zone after hoisting aloft a rideshare mission known as Bandwagon-3 It was the second space delivery mission of the day from Florida. Earlier in the morning, another Falcon 9 rocket launched the CRS-32 resupply mission from Kennedy Space Center sending a Cargo Dragon on its way to the International Space Station Bandwagon-2 launched in December from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California SpaceX has launched 1,130 small satellites for 130 customers with its rideshare program According to SpaceX, onboard was Korea's ADD 425Sat-3, Tomorrow Companies Inc.’s Tomorrow-S7 and Atmos Space Cargo’s PHOENIX re-entry capsule and data to "transform how the world builds resilience to weather-related threats." Tomorrow Companies Inc plans an eventual constellation of its satellites European space company, Atmos Space, is creating a capsule which the company hopes will affordably and safely return life science cargo from space This mission is the first of the company's PHOENIX capsule atmospheric decelerator for reentry — something no other company has done before When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral the first-stage landed at Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 2 The first-stage was seeing only its third flight having previously launched SES's O3b mPOWER-E and NASA's Crew-10 Next SpaceX rocket launch from Cape CanaveralThe next SpaceX launch is set to occur no earlier than 9:32 p.m on April 24 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 is the next batch of SpaceX Starlink internet satellites A new launch date is also set for the Amazon Kuiper mission United Launch Alliance announced the launch of the Amazon Kuiper satellites atop the Atlas V rocket will take place no earlier than April 28 during a two-hour window which opens at 7 p.m. Liftoff will be from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 41 Home » Home » Port Canaveral Welcomes Norwegian Cruise Line’s New Prima-Plus Class Ship ‘Norwegian Aqua’ By  //  May 3 FLORIDA – Port Canaveral welcomed Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Prima-Plus Class ship which will operate a seasonal schedule of week-long cruises from her new homeport to beautiful destinations in the Caribbean and Bahamas “We have a great partnership with NCL and are excited to welcome Norwegian Aqua to our homeport fleet,” said Capt “Port Canaveral is the ideal homeport for this new Prima-Plus class ship especially with more guests driving in to take advantage of our easy in/easy out access Our team looks forward to providing their guests with the customer-focused experience that has made our Port a cruise industry leader.” “We are so thrilled to have Norwegian Aqua homeport in Port Canaveral for her inaugural season of Caribbean voyages,” said David J “Port Canaveral is an attractive cruise destination with a variety of attractions in the surrounding area for guests to extend their cruise vacation Norwegian Aqua is designed to offer fun-in-the-sun voyages year-round with outdoor activities for guests looking for thrills We’re excited to have her begin her cruise journey with our partners at Port Canaveral!” Port Canaveral officials welcomed Norwegian Aqua Captain Ashutosh Chandra with a commemorative plaque to acknowledge the ship’s inaugural arrival to the Port Norwegian Aqua will depart every Saturday on seven-day sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas through August 2025 British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay NCL’s private Bahamian island which is being upgraded to include a variety of enhanced guest experiences later this year Representing a 10% increase in size and capacity from sister ships Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva Norwegian Aqua is the first of the Prima Plus Class vessels Featuring more outdoor space and the highest staffing levels of any new contemporary cruise ship Norwegian Aqua spans 1,056 feet long and accommodates 3,571 guests at double occupancy Norwegian Aqua boasts many cruise industry firsts highlighted by the Aqua Slidecoaster the world’s first-ever hybrid waterslide and roller coaster and a new digital sports complex called Glow Court Norwegian Aqua will offer a wide variety of entertainment options including “Revolution: A Celebration of Prince,” an immersive theatrical honoring the multi-Grammy Award- winner Prince and interactive game experiences like the Price is Right LIVE among numerous other amenities and facilities on board Home » Home » SpaceX Set for Thursday Night Rocket Launch from Cape Canaveral Watch Live Coverage on Space Coast Daily TV By  //  April 30 FLORIDA – SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the latest batch of Starlink V2 Mini satellites on Thursday EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station The mission is part of SpaceX’s ongoing effort to expand its Starlink broadband network in low Earth orbit The upgraded V2 Mini satellites offer improved bandwidth and coverage capabilities the Falcon 9’s first stage will aim for a precision landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic Ocean east of The Bahamas the booster recovery will add to SpaceX’s growing record of reusability and mission efficiency as the company continues its rapid launch cadence throughout 2025 Is the Department of Defense planning another secretive hypersonic missile launch in the next few days from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and perhaps a different mission is scheduled But the Federal Aviation Administration has issued an unusual temporary flight restriction for unspecified "space operations" from 6:50 a.m This notification prohibits pilots from flying aircraft during those hours across a broad swath of Brevard County's barrier island and the Cape The no-fly zone extends eastward dozens of miles across the Atlantic Ocean The Space Coast's launch providers such as SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin have not announced any April 25 rocket liftoffs Hypersonic missile: U.S. military launches Dark Eagle hypersonic missile in Thursday test from Cape Canaveral Similar mysterious launch advisories were issued before the U.S. Army and Navy conducted an unannounced, successful hypersonic missile test in mid-December from Launch Complex 46 at the Space Force installation The event marked the first live-fire event for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system — also known as Dark Eagle — that used a truck-based mobile transporter erector launcher "Hypersonic systems — capable of flying at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) — provide a combination of speed and altitude that enables highly survivable and rapid defeat of time-critical and heavily-defended targets," a DoD press release said after the Dec the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has issued an uncommon "hazardous operations" navigational advisory for rocket launching between 7 a.m Military officials previously scrubbed Dark Eagle test launch attempts from the Cape in March 2023 and September 2023 December's successful test was conducted by the Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office in collaboration with Navy Strategic Systems Programs Launch recap: Scroll down to read live updates from the launch of the Starlink 12-23 mission on April 27 from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 Original story: Welcome to FLORIDA TODAY's live coverage of the Starlink 12-23 mission Those waiting for the next rocket launch do not have to wait much longer, as SpaceX has plans to launch a rocket tonight (April 27) Liftoff is now set for 10:09 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40. The Falcon 9 rocket will be carrying the Starlink 12-23 mission to orbit. This is the latest batch of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites. Should SpaceX not be able to launch at 10:09 p.m. the rocket will travel on a southeast trajectory after lift off to send the payload to its specific position in orbit There will be no Space Coast sonic booms, as the rocket booster will land eight-and-a-half minutes after lift off on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship which will be stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean And it's only the first planned rocket launch of the week liftoff is still set for a two-hour window which opens at 7 p.m this will be Amazon's entry into the satellite internet marketplace Once the Project Kuiper satellite constellation is in place it will make the Kuiper service a direct competition to SpaceX's Starlink Update 10:18 p.m.: The Falcon 9 first-stage booster just landed aboard SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean Liftoff!Update 10:09 p.m.: SpaceX has just launched the Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral SLC-40 Update 10:04 p.m.: SpaceX's launch webcast hosted on X (formerly Twitter) is now posted above Head outside if you plan on catching this launch it will be hard to miss the bright rocket rising into the sky Simply look towards the direction South of Kennedy Space Center from your direction Update 9:49 p.m.: Here's a behind-the-scenes rundown of SpaceX’s countdown timeline Second-stage (upper-stage) liquid oxygen will begin loading shortly Update 9:37 p.m.: Visual cues indicate Falcon 9 fueling procedures are now underway at Launch Complex 40 That means tonight’s Starlink mission is now locked in to lift off at 10:09 p.m Update 9:29 p.m.: Brevard County Emergency Management officials have activated the agency's launch operations support team ahead of SpaceX’s upcoming Falcon 9 launch Tonight’s SpaceX Falcon 9 boosterUpdate 9:19 p.m.: Tonight’s Falcon 9 first-stage booster will be flying for the 20th time Previous flights include: 12 Starlink missions Update 9:09 p.m.: Liftoff is in one hour from now the Falcon 9 rocket will head on a southeast trajectory Axiom Mission 4 Ax-4 mission upcoming astronaut launchUpdate 9:02 p.m.: The crew of the Ax-4 mission recently completed NASA training in Houston and SpaceX training in Hawthorne The crew of four is set to lift off no earlier than May in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and will spend some time on the International Space Station the international crew is led by former NASA astronaut Update 8:52 p.m.: Skies in Brevard County are clear and weather looks great for tonight's launch SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flight number climbingUpdate 8:42 p.m.: The Starlink launch which occurred on April 24 from Cape Canaveral was the 475th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket Tonight’s liftoff will make 476 launches of a Falcon 9 Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars And when this “so Florida” thing occurs, it's very Instagram-worthy people from Palm Beach County can sometimes see this #SoFlorida phenomenon Below is more information on rocket launches in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from Palm Beach County Can a rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Depending on weather and on cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages A rocket launch can be a treat for the ears a “rumble” can be heard or window-shaking can be expected in some parts of Brevard County after liftoff And some rocket launches have had an added bonus: The SpaceX boosters return to a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean or to the company's landing zone at Cape Canaveral Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover some rocket launches from the Space Coast can be visible in Palm Beach County When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning Some examples include United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket launch and SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket What the views look like: Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral spotted in West Palm Beach Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral can often be seen from Palm Beach County and it can be as easy as walking out of your house and looking north If the forecast is for clear skies and you want a better view some good places to watch the rocket launch from Palm Beach County include: Home » Home » PHOTO GALLERY: United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches Amazon’s Project Kuiper Mission From Cape Canaveral WATCH: United Launches Alliance Launches Kuiper 1 Mission from Cape Canaveral on Monday FLORIDA – A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Kuiper-1 mission for Amazon’s Project Kuiper lifted off on April 28 at 7:01 p.m EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station The Kuiper 1 launch marks the beginning of full-scale deployment of the Kuiper constellation and a new chapter in the commercial launch industry as Amazon partners with ULA to deliver a majority of its advanced satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) “This launch is an incredible milestone in Amazon’s ambitious initiative to provide fast reliable broadband service to unserved and underserved communities around the world,” said Gary Wentz ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs “We have worked diligently with the Project Kuiper team to place this important mission on orbit and are grateful for the opportunity to continue building upon this dynamic partnership.” In addition to the successful launch of two Kuipersat prototypes in 2023 and another seven launches aboard Atlas V Project Kuiper will leverage the next-generation Vulcan rocket for 38 high-cadence positioning ULA to deliver more than half of the constellation’s more than 3,200 satellites through the world’s largest commercial launch agreement “This launch marks the first step towards the future of our partnership and increased launch cadence We have been steadily modifying our launch facilities in Cape Canaveral to support the capacity for future Project Kuiper missions in a manner that will ultimately benefit both our commercial and government customers as we endeavor to save lives explore the universe and connect the world,” said Tory Bruno “The addition of a second launch processing capability allows for dual simultaneous launch processing between both integration facilities seamlessly.” Home » Home » Port Canaveral Investing $500 Million In Upgrades and Enhancements Across All Facets of its Operations By  //  May 1 BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Port Canaveral, Florida’s premier seaport is investing upwards of $500 million in landside and waterside improvements as part of its comprehensive Port Canaveral Advantage plan to expand capacity and capabilities across all aspects of its business operations “Port Canaveral has been a driving force for the Central Florida economy for over seven decades and the continued prosperity of our Port community depends on our continued success,” stated Capt our challenge is balancing the business demands we have today while positioning ourselves for continued growth.” Port Canaveral Advantage is a port-wide continuous improvement program that identifies near- to long-term needs for enhancements and upgrades to Port assets and operations deploying new technologies across a spectrum of operations and renovating the Port’s recreational facilities like Jetty Park “There are thousands of individuals and businesses who rely on the Port for their livelihood,” stated Capt “These port-wide investments are designed to leverage the Port’s success to benefit communities from the Space Coast to Central Florida Our goal and commitment are always to be the best port possible for our valued partners with one of the most ambitious being the expansion of Cruise Terminal 5 (CT-5) will increase the terminal’s size by 65 percent to accommodate larger vessels During an estimated 16-month construction period the Port plans to enhance Cruise Terminal 10 (CT10) to expand its capacity beginning with a feasibility study that is expected to be completed by June 2025 The project’s goals include expanding the terminal’s capacity to accommodate the world’s largest cruise ships up to 5,600 passengers and berthing up to 1,200 feet in length Exterior upgrades at Cruise Terminal 1 (CT1) will begin in May 2025 and include new canopies and walkways and new lighting to create a refreshed west entrance for cruise guests arriving at this very popular and busy terminal These terminal upgrades are in addition to refurbishments to the adjacent cruise parking garage with new paint Earlier this year, the Port established a new Cruise Automation Team with dedicated responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of the Port’s passenger boarding bridges, leading to a superior embarkation and debarkation experience for guests. Under the direction of newly hired Vice President of Facilities Optimization Steve Shelton – whose experience includes some of the world’s premier hotels and resorts in the hospitality industry – the first phase of program is already making a significant impact with additional projects scheduled over the coming months Port plans are developing to renovate existing pier structures on the southside of the Port to create additional multipurpose renovations to two northside cargo berths—North Cargo Berths 3 and 4—are nearing completion adding 1,800 linear feet of multipurpose bulkhead space Ongoing improvements include harbor deepening and berth box dredging to accommodate larger vessels Port Canaveral has long supported America’s space program utilizing multiple cargo berths for their vessels’ dockage and for offloading and transporting recovered launch vehicle components Port Canaveral’s Jetty Park – the popular beach and campground that attracts nearly 400,000 visitors a year – is also undergoing some major upgrades with a new camp store and redesigned public boat ramps at Rodney Ketchum Park Port visitors and guests will also notice new landscaping and entrance enhancements to The Cove which is lined with popular restaurants and watering holes An undisclosed missile streaked skyward with rapid speed Friday, April 25, during a Department of Defense test from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, leading space observers to conclude it could have been another Dark Eagle hypersonic missile launch which ascended from the Cape over the Atlantic Ocean But unusual rocket-related navigational advisories released in recent days provided clues that a Dark Eagle test launch was possible "It got shot out of a launcher and then ignited. And it took off — a lot, lot, lot faster than any other Falcon 9 that you would see lift off here at the Cape," Cape Canaveral space photographer Jerry Pike said solid propellant smoke trail on its way up," said Pike who had set up his camera at the beach at Jetty Park and waited for a possible liftoff Hypersonic missile: Mysterious federal advisories point to possible hypersonic missile launch from Cape Canaveral a DoD spokesperson confirmed that an unspecified test had occurred and industry partners conducted a test on behalf of the Department of Defense from a test site at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station We are currently evaluating the results of the test," the statement said and the statement mentioned neither a missile launch hypersonic technology nor the Dark Eagle program In mid-December, the U.S. Army and Navy conducted an unannounced, successful Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon test from Launch Complex 46 at the Space Force installation These missiles can travel faster than five times the speed of sound that Dark Eagle was the official name for the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program "Part of the name pays tribute to the eagle — a master hunter known for its speed stealth and agility — due to the LRHW's combination of velocity the bald eagle — our national bird — represents independence strength and freedom," a DoD press release said Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office and U.S Navy Strategic Systems Programs are partnering to develop land and sea variants of the Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon system Pike said it appeared the missile may have undergone stage separation less than a minute after liftoff and he watched it recede over the Atlantic until it was out of sight The Coast Guard and Space Launch Delta 45 had issued an April 25 navigational warning for boaters that depicted an uncharacteristically narrow launch security zone extending east-southeast from Cape Canaveral across offshore waters senior official performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition accuracy and versatility are befitting its new popular name The DoD missile test occurred less than 12 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station That April 24 night mission deployed 28 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit Watching a rocket launch on the beach is a total “so Florida,” very Instagram-worthy thing to do Can a rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Depending on weather and cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy may be visible for almost all of Florida and 12 other states Live weather radar: Will it rain in Cape Canaveral Will weather cancel a rocket launch?Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise Whenever there is a rocket launch in Florida check the live weather radar above to see conditions around the Space Coast and surrounding areas Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket launch − in certain areas, you can get an amazing view of SpaceX rocket boosters returning to the pads ULA provided a helpful graphic (see above) that shows the Atlas V launch of Kuiper 1 for Amazon and its intended flight path and launch visibility Note: Cities in the Space Coast of Florida which is in Brevard County and measures 72 miles of coast which includes PLF Jettison or separation and jettison of the payload fairing: Space Coast which includes solid rocket booster jettison Big Bend area of Florida; visibility extends beyond Florida to Georgia ULA Atlas V rocket launch visibility extends beyond Florida to these other states and cities: visibility of Atlas V rocket may be possible in these states: The above guidelines are estimates based on the graphic provided by ULA SpaceX brought a bright start to the week as a Falcon 9 rocket lit up the night sky − and it is only the first of more launches to come The Starlink 12-23 mission took off at 10:09 p.m. Sunday, April 27, from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 after being moved forward 49 minutes and did not reveal a reason for this change The 23 Starlink internet satellites traveled into the night sky on a southeast trajectory The well-flown booster was seeing its 20th flight Previous missions the booster launched include: 12 previous Starlink missions the booster landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship which was stationed out on the Atlantic Ocean No Space Coast sonic booms were heard but the launch rumbled was loud Those waiting for another rocket launch do not have to wait much longer as both ULA and SpaceX have launches scheduled for the start of the week When is the next launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral Next rocket launch from Cape CanaveralA doubleheader launch day is coming up the much delayed Kuiper Atlas 1 mission will launch atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 41 The mission is Amazon's first batch of internet satellites and is set to launch during a two-hour window which opens at 7 p.m SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Starlink 12-10 mission later that night According to the Federal Aviation Administration SpaceX launched a batch of 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit on Saturday night Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket on the Starlink 6-72 mission from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 11:07 p.m but clear conditions at the pad during the nearly four-hour launch window Meteorologists forecasted a greater than 95 percent chance of acceptable conditions at liftoff “High-pressure ridge over the Atlantic extending across central Florida will persist through the weekend bringing strong subsidence across the peninsula,” launch weather officers wrote preventing the formation of significant cloud cover The only potential constraint for both days will be liftoff winds.” It previously supported the launches included Crew-6 ‘Just Read the Instructions.’ This marked the 114th booster landing for JRTI and the 427th booster landing to date Watch a replay of the Falcon 9 rocket’s liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as seen from the Kennedy Space Center press site roughly 4 miles away. NASA managers held a flight readiness review Friday and cleared SpaceX to press ahead with work to ready a Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon commercial ferry ship for launch March 2 on an unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station. Watch Falcon 9 lift off from Kennedy Space Center launch pad 39A on a space station resupply mission. The rocket’s first stage then returned to land at neighboring Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A long-exposure photo of the May 1 Starlink launch Graphic showing the general outline for SpaceX's rocket landing on a droneship at sea SpaceX has launched another Starlink mission keeping a steady pace of adding to the satellite megaconstellation every few days The Space Coast liftoff occurred at 9:51 p.m EDT (0151 GMT on May 2) from CCSFS's Launch Complex-40 (LC-40) The rocket carried 28 new Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO) where they will join a constellation of more than 7,200 broadband satellites Main engine cutoff of the Falcon 9 booster's nine Merlin engines occurred about 2.5 minutes into flight executed a retrograde burn to slow its velocity as the second stage continued on to LEO Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, B1080 landed safely on SpaceX's Just Read the Instructions drone ship This was the 18th launch of B1080 and the booster's 12th Starlink mission — SpaceX: Facts about Elon Musk's private spaceflight company — Starlink satellites: Facts, tracking and impact on astronomy — SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 21 Starlink satellites on record-setting 26th flight (video, photos) SpaceX's Starlink network consists of more than 7,200 satellites and counting operating in a grid to form a lattice across nearly all of the planet Starlink offers users a high-speed internet connection from anywhere (other than the poles) they are able to point their Starlink receiver toward the sky Thursday's launch was SpaceX's 51st Falcon 9 mission of 2025, and the company's 34th Starlink launch so far this year. The company has also launched two test flights of its Starship megarocket in 2025 Get everybody's favorite droid at its lowest-ever price for Star Wars Day The launch, a Starlink mission carrying 28 internet satellites to low-Earth orbit took off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:51 p.m. The 45th Weather Squadron had forecast a more-than 95% chance for favorable weather conditions at launch time diminishing to 85% favorable in the event of a 24-hour delay This is the 18th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group — Amazon's first batch of internet satellites rocketed into orbit Monday the latest entry in the mega constellation market currently dominated by SpaceX's thousands of Starlinks The United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket carried up 27 of Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites named after the frigid fringes of our solar system beyond Neptune the satellites will eventually reach an altitude of nearly 400 miles (630 kilometers) Project officials said major upgrades were made to the newest version The latest satellites also are coated with a mirror film designed to scatter reflected sunlight in an attempt to accommodate astronomers Stargazers oppose the fast-growing constellations of low-orbiting satellites Amazon aims to put more than 3,200 of these satellites into orbit to provide fast affordable broadband service around the globe Elon Musk's SpaceX already has launched more than 8,000 Starlinks since 2019 The company marked its 250th Starlink launch Sunday night More than 7,000 Starlinks are still in orbit some 300-plus miles (550 kilometers) above Earth The European-based OneWeb satellite constellation numbers in the hundreds in an even higher orbit Amazon already has purchased dozens of rocket launches from United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin for Project Kuiper "There are some things you can only learn in flight" despite extensive testing on the ground this is just the start of our journey," he said in a statement ahead of the evening liftoff The first liftoff attempt earlier this month was nixed by bad weather It took until now to secure another spot in the launch lineup at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Become an NPR sponsor When is the Amazon rocket launch (you get the picture?) could see ULA's massive Atlas V rocket as it roars into the sky from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida Visibility from most of the Sunshine State will be possible Below is information about the Amazon rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Billionaire space race, Bezos vs. Musk: Amazon satellites to compete with SpaceX Starlink Amazon rocket launch window was scheduled for 7 p.m from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral more than a week after the initial launch attempt ULA announced on its social networks the rescheduled time and day: United Launch Alliance Atlas V EDT at the opening of 2-hour window on Monday should be able to see it pending weather and clouds ULA's Atlas V rocket should be visible outside of Florida pending weather and clouds Below is a list of which cities and states can see the ULA Atlas V rocket launch from Cape Canaveral