Florida's Space Coast is home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where a record 72 orbital launches took place last year.
A total of 22 rockets had been launched by the end of March, and officials expected the 2024 launch total to reach an unprecedented 111 launches, led by SpaceX. The company's Starlink Internet satellite constellation missions make up the bulk of Cape's total launch.
Here are the latest missions coming out of Cape Canaveral. All launches are listed in Eastern Daylight Time. Attention: Dates and times are routinely subject to change for a variety of reasons.
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY space reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. For more space news, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Friday, April 5: SpaceX Starlink
Although SpaceX has not yet announced this mission, a navigation advisory issued by the National Geographic Intelligence Agency shows that Starlink's next 4 1/2-hour launch window will open early Friday morning. More details:
- a task: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a constellation of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Launch window: From 2:14 AM to 6:45 AM
- location: Launch Complex 40.
- a path: southeast.
- Local sonic boom: no.
- Booster landing: Drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before takeoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Monday, April 8: Final launch of the ULA Delta IV Heavy
After a scrub on March 25 due to a ground pump problem on a gaseous nitrogen pipeline, an FAA navigation advisory showed the next launch window would open on April 8. However, United Launch Alliance has not yet made an announcement.
- a task: ULA's last Delta IV Heavy triple-core rocket will be launched on the NROL-70 national security mission.
- Launch window: 12:57 PM to 6:51 PM
- a path: East.
- location: Launch of Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Local sonic boom: no.
- Booster landing: no one.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before takeoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Early May: Manned flight testing of NASA's Boeing Starliner
- a task: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams will fly aboard a Boeing Starliner spacecraft and a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station.
- launch: To be determined later.
- location: Launch of Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before takeoff at floridatoday.com/space.
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