Florida’s Space Coast hosted a whopping 48 orbital rocket launches in the first six months of this year. Q: Will the home of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station break the 100-launch barrier by Dec. 31?
By comparison, a record 72 orbital launches took off last year, setting a new annual record — one that looks set to be short-lived.
This year, SpaceX participated in 45 of the first 48 Space Coast launches through the end of June. United Launch Alliance sent three more rockets: the first Vulcan on a certification mission on January 8, the last Delta IV Heavy on April 9 on the NROL-70 mission, and the first Boeing Starliner spacecraft mission on June 5.
Following are the latest missions coming out of Cape Canaveral. All starts are listed in Eastern Daylight Time. Please note: Dates and times are subject to change for various reasons.
Cape Canaveral:Florida rocket launch: Here’s an updated list of all Space Coast missions for 2024
If you have questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY space reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. For more space news, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Wednesday, July 3: SpaceX Starlink 8-9
Although SpaceX has not publicly confirmed the launch, the next 4½-hour window for the Starlink mission opens early Wednesday morning, according to navigational warnings from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Mission: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will deploy the next batch of Starlink Internet satellites, which are packed inside a fairing atop the 230-foot rocket.
- Launch window: from 2:01 a.m. to 6:31 a.m
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Trajectory: Northeast.
- Live Streaming: Starts 90 minutes before launch at floridatoday.com/space.
Monday, July 8: SpaceX Türksat 6A
Although SpaceX has not yet announced the mission, Turkish media and the Space Coast Office of Tourism are reporting that it will launch the Türksat 6A satellite on Monday afternoon.
- Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will deploy Turkey’s first domestically produced geostationary communications satellite, the Space Coast Office of Tourism reports.
- Launch: 17:20
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live Streaming: Starts 90 minutes before launch at floridatoday.com/space.
Tuesday, July 30: United Launch Alliance USSF-51
- Mission: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch the USSF-51 secret mission for the Space Force’s Space Systems Command.
- Launch window: TBA
- Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live Streaming: Starts 90 minutes before launch at floridatoday.com/space.
Early August: SpaceX ISS resupply mission
- Mission: NASA, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX are aiming to launch a Cygnus spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station in early August.
- Launch window: TBA
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live Streaming: Starts 90 minutes before launch at floridatoday.com/space.
TBA: SpaceX Polaris Dawn
- Mission: Shift4 founder and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman will once again command the SpaceX Dragon orbital mission. This mission will mark the debut of the SpaceX EVA (extravehicular activity) spacesuit, as well as the first spacewalk by a private company.
- Launch window: TBA.
- Location: TBA.
- Live Streaming: It starts two hours before launch at floridatoday.com/space.
Thursday, October 10: SpaceX Falcon Heavy Europa Clipper
- Mission: NASA’s Europa Clipper is a solar-powered spacecraft designed to conduct the first detailed surveys of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa.
- Launch: TBA.
- Location: Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
- Live Streaming: It starts two hours before launch at floridatoday.com/space.
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