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Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Science
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What to know: GTO 1 SpaceX rocket launch in Florida set for overnight into Sunday
A Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off early Sunday, and it's not the typical Starlink launch. The liftoff of the SpaceX Commercial GTO 1 mission is set to occur during a three and a half hour window which opens at 1:04 a.m. July 13. SpaceX typically favors the beginning of the launch window, however factors such as weather at the launch and booster landing sites play a role in timing. The Falcon 9 will take off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. After clearing the launch pad, the rocket will travel due east. The mission is referred to as "Commercial GTO 1." This marks the first time SpaceX has used the term "GTO" for a mission name. In spaceflight, the term "GTO" typically stands for Geostationary Transfer Orbit. This is an elliptical orbit used to send a payload into a geostationary orbit − meaning the satellite will orbit along with Earth, appearing stationary. The satellite is known as Dror-1 and is a geostationary communications satellite for Israel. No Space Coast sonic booms will be heard, as the rocket's booster will land out on a SpaceX drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral The FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will provide live updates beginning 90 minutes before liftoff on this page. Countdown Timer Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: What to know: GTO 1 SpaceX rocket launch in Florida early Sunday
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
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Starship launching from Florida? What to know about giant rocket, explosions and 'Gigabay'
Floridians finally have the opportunity to provide some public feedback on SpaceX's plans to expand operations of its massive Starship rocket to the Sunshine State. And unsurprisingly, residents are already expressing some of the same concerns that SpaceX opponents in Texas have long had about the spacecraft, which is being developed and tested for future human missions. Starship has made headlines this year for a series of explosions that have occurred in 2025 after launching from SpaceX's Starbase headquarters in South Texas for uncrewed flight tests. But during the first of three scheduled public hearings on Florida's Space Coast, most of those who spoke addressed the potential environmental effects from Starship rocket launches. The hearings come amid plans for billionaire Elon Musk's commercial spaceflight company to bring Starship production and launch capabilities to Florida potentially by the end of 2025. Standing nearly 400 feet tall when fully stacked, Starship is due in the years ahead to play a pivotal role in the U.S. spaceflight program. Tourists' guide to Florida launches: Vacationing in Florida and want to catch a rocket launch? Here's what to know Here's what to know about the public hearings in Florida, as well as SpaceX's future plans for Starship in the state. SpaceX is seeking regulatory approval to commence conducting Starship flight tests at both the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's neighboring Kennedy Space Center. Before approval is granted, U.S. Air Force officials are providing a chance for feedback on potential environmental impacts from up to 76 future Starship-Super Heavy rocket systems launching per year from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Just three people spoke during the first hearing, which took place Wednesday, July 9, though dozens more were in attendance. A second hearing took place later in the day, while the third and final in-person hearing is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Dr. Joe Lee Smith Recreation Center, 415 Stone St., Cocoa, Florida. A virtual hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, at Previous public hearings took place regarding plans for 44 potential launches from the Kennedy Space Center. While some residents have expressed concerns about the effect Starship launches could have on the environment and local wildlife, Florida officials have estimated that the endeavor could generate at least $1.8 billion of capital investment and about 600 new full-time jobs by 2030. Environmental impact statements are underway for both potential launch sites. "We want to make sure we understand the environmental impacts. But we also want to understand the economic impacts, and how we can best balance those," U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Indian Harbour Beach, told FLORIDA TODAY. As SpaceX breaks ground in Florida on a new Starship facility it calls "Gigabay," the company is also finalizing plans to launch the Starship spacecraft by the end of 2025 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. For SpaceX head Musk, expanding Starship operations to a second state is crucial to accelerate the development of the vehicle. SpaceX has long had plans in place to build a Starship launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral. The site is located at the historic launch complex 39A – the site of the U.S. space agency's Apollo moon mission launches. SpaceX would not only equip the site to launch Starship, but to catch its Super Heavy rocket booster when it returns to the pad – as it has done three times at Starbase. Ultimately, though, SpaceX has ambitious plans for the construction of its 380-foot-tall Gigabay in Florida. The massive building, which will be used to stack and finalize the 232-foot-tall Super Heavy boosters, or lower stages, with the Starship vehicle before flights, is under construction near SpaceX's facility on Kennedy Space Center grounds. Starship, regarded as the world's largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, towers over SpaceX's famous Falcon 9 rocket – one of the world's most active – which stands at nearly 230 feet. When fully integrated, the launch system is composed of both a 232-foot Super Heavy rocket and the 171-foot upper stage spacecraft, or capsule where crew and cargo would ride. Super Heavy alone is powered by 33 of SpaceX's Raptor engines that give the initial burst of thrust at liftoff. The upper section, also called Starship or Ship for short, is the upper stage powered by six Raptor engines that will ultimately travel in orbit. SpaceX is developing Starship to be a fully reusable transportation system, meaning both the rocket and vehicle can return to the ground for additional missions. The Starship is due to play a pivotal role in the years ahead in U.S. spaceflight as NASA eyes a return to the moon and Musk has dreams of the first humans reaching Mars. On June 18, Starship unexpectedly exploded while SpaceX was preparing for an upcoming flight test. No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred as the Starship spacecraft was standing alone on the test stand prior to being mounted on top of the rocket booster. The mishap, which SpaceX later referred to on its website as "a sudden energetic event," completely destroyed the spacecraft and ignited several fires that caused damage in the area surrounding the test stand. While SpaceX is investigating the mishap, Musk said in a post on X that preliminary data suggested that a pressurized tank failed at the top of the rocket. The explosion was the latest fiery mishap SpaceX's Starship has encountered during – and, now, prior to – its flight tests in 2025. Starship's most recent demonstration came May 27 when the spacecraft spun out of control roughly halfway through its flight and disintegrated in a fireball. Though Starship was unable to achieve its most important objectives, the distance the vehicle traveled far surpassed the previous 2025 flights in January and March, when Starship exploded within minutes. The company has frequently stressed that its rapid and frequent testing is expected to sometimes lead to such explosive ends, but that even failed launches can provide data that helps engineers improve Starship's design. Contributing: Brooke Edwards, FLORIDA TODAY Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Will SpaceX Starship launch from Florida? Public invited to give input
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral
During the first six months of the year, an array of 56 orbital rockets took flight from Florida's Space Coast. This unpreceded pace will zoom beyond 2024's freshly established annual record of 93 launches — should the cadence continue through year's end. Will a new launch record materialize at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's neighboring Kennedy Space Center? Stay tuned. The Cape's July launch schedule features a variety of SpaceX Starlink missions, with space fans anticipating target dates for NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 mission, United Launch Alliance's USSF-106 national security mission and Blue Origin's next New Glenn rocket liftoff. 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 For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@ Cape Canaveral: Rocket launches in Florida: Here's an updating list of all 2025 missions from Cape Canaveral Though SpaceX has yet to announce this mission, the Space Coast Office of Tourism indicates a Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the next batch of Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. Launch window: 1:48 a.m. Trajectory: Northeast. Location: Space Launch Complex 40 Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at Mission: NASA and SpaceX will team up to send four crew members for a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station. Launch: TBA. Location: TBA. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at Mission: Equipped with four solid rocket boosters, ULA's third Vulcan rocket will take flight on the Space Force's USSF-106 national security mission into geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth. Launch: TBA. Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Sonic booms: No. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at Mission: Blue Origin will launch its second powerhouse New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Launch window: TBA. Location: Launch Complex 36. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at Mission: Sierra Space will launch its uncrewed Dream Chaser space plane atop a ULA Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Launch window: TBA. Location: Launch Complex 41. Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours minutes before liftoff at For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. 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. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Rocket launch schedule: July missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX late-night rocket launch in Florida: Where to see liftoff from Daytona to New Smyrna Beach
A late-night rocket launch from Florida is on the horizon. SpaceX is set to launch a batch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit on June 22 from Cape Canaveral. Rockets here launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center or nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida's Space Coast could be visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach to as far south as Vero Beach and West Palm Beach. When there's a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there's an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo. Below is more information about the SpaceX rocket launch in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from here. Rocket launch tally: Here's a list of all 2025 missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida (psst, there's a lot) For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@ or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@ For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit Tom Cruise and untitled SpaceX project: 'Mission: Impossible' star who lives in Florida may shoot a film in outer space Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a payload of Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit, a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warning shows. Launch window: 1:47 a.m. to 6:17 a.m. ET Sunday, June 22, 2025 Launch location: Launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida Trajectory: Northeast Live coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at : You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network's Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type into your browser. Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache. In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Recommended spots: • South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore) • Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park. • Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance. • Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County. • Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill • Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill • Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill • Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill • Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill • Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill • Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill • A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill • Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above) • Rose Bay in Port Orange, Florida • beaches along New Smyrna Beach, Florida • New Smyrna Beach Inlet, New Smyrna Beach lifeguard station • Halifax Harbor Marina in Daytona Beach, Florida • Ormond-by-the-Sea in Ormond Beach, Florida • George R. Kennedy Memorial Park in Edgewater, Florida This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SpaceX rocket launch in Florida: When to see in Daytona, New Smyrna
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
No everyday launch shot here: Color, movement leap off page in this Photo of the Week
Everything about this shot is, well, everything you'd want in a Photo of the Week — full of color and movement; landscape that shouts Florida, a streak in the sky that's undeniably Space Coast and a story behind the pic, too. FLORIDA TODAY senior photographer Malcolm Denemark brought this beauty home June 18 with the 1:55 a.m. launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Starlink mission 12-18, launching Starlink satellites into orbit. Years ago, Denemark said, he shot his first "streak shot," a time exposure of a night rocket launch. His supervisor at the time was ... not so impressed. "It was just a white streak on a black sky. My boss and mentor, Robert McDonald, took me in the studio, shut the lights off and did a streak with his Bic lighter.," Denemark said. "'That's what you gave me — just a streak,' he said. 'I want to see a foreground, a sense of place, a building, trees something!' he told me." So, for 45 years, Denemark said, "I have been looking for new and unique foregrounds for the numerous night launches that have happened." And a memorable one happened here, in a shot that brings to mind Paul Simon singing of "nice bright colors" and "the greens of summer." "The lighted palm trees at Cape Crossing Resort and Marina added a colorful foreground to the launch," Denemark said. "And the colorful clouds added to the photo, making for a Kodachrome shot, as one person commented." This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Shot in the dark: Early a.m. Brevard launch leads to Photo of the Week
