- The SpaceX Falcon Heavy, consisting of three first stages of Falcon 9 rockets, will likely be seen in Palm Beach County, weather permitting and depending on cloud cover.
- From Melbourne Beach to West Palm Beach, the distance is about 120 miles. Seeing a rocket launch in Palm Beach County is a special event.
When a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launches from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, will Palm Beach County residents be able to see it?
People in West Palm Beach and Greenacres may have reported seeing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch (see video and photos below).
SpaceX’s massive Falcon Heavy rocket, which is more powerful than the space agency’s Falcon 9, will likely lift off this week. Depending on the weather, the Falcon Heavy should be visible from almost anywhere on the Space Coast and in areas outside the province, perhaps hundreds of miles away.
Here’s more information about the rocket launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. If there are changes at launch, this story will be updated.
Is there a launch today?SpaceX, NASA, and ULA’s upcoming rocket launch schedule in Florida
Is there a missile launch from Florida? Next up is Tuesday, June 25: SpaceX Falcon Heavy GOES-U
What is SpaceX Falcon Heavy?
Falcon Heavy is three first stages of Falcon 9 rockets – which together give three times the lift. The Falcon 9 center is fully loaded with the rocket’s second stage and the payload above it. The payload, in this case a NOAA satellite, is encased in a shell to protect it on its way into space.
By comparison, the Falcon 9 rocket that launches Starlink missions is one rocket. Only one of these single rockets has a turret height of 229.6 feet with the second stage and a diameter of 12 feet.
With three Falcon 9 rockets, the Falcon Heavy monster stands at the same height. However, it is much wider, giving it a width of 39.9 feet, which is equivalent to roughly three cars parked bumper to bumper.
How big is Falcon Heavy? What does the SpaceX Falcon Heavy look like compared to the Falcon 9 rockets?
The photo galleries accompanying this story show scenes of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch (morning, afternoon or night) from Florida’s Space Coast. From Melbourne Beach to West Palm Beach, the distance is about 120 miles.
Falcon Heavy, which consists of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, can be seen off the Space Coast, weather permitting and depending on cloud cover.
Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida today? Will weather cancel SpaceX rocket launch?
National Weather Service radar in Melbourne, showing real-time conditions for the Space Coast and other parts of Florida.
Can you see a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida in West Palm Beach?
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, some rockets can be seen launching from Cape Canaveral or from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Palm Beach County, Florida. Some examples include launches of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket and SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. The word “heavy” indicates that the rockets have three first rocket stages while the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is a single rocket. Photos and videos from the Palm Beach Post shared on social media show a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch visible in West Palm Beach — on occasion.
Videos and tweets of a SpaceX rocket launch near Cape Canaveral in West Palm Beach in South Florida have been captured
Photos and tweets of a rocket launch seen in West Palm Beach, Florida
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