SpaceX, Blue Origin, and ULA: Here are space sights you can see via Port Canaveral
The charter boat bobbed in the waves while at the dock — awaiting space enthusiasts to board not for a regular boat ride, but for an evening of rocket sighting.
While the Cape Canaveral launch pads may be off limits to everyday spectators, one way to get a closer look at all the launch activity happening on the Space Coast is by boat. FLORIDA TODAY bought a ticket and rode along with Star Fleet Tours on the boat "Sea Trident."
"We have hosted people that traveled from Europe to see launches," said Steven Giraldo, director of operations for Star Fleet Tours. "For some people, (it) is a bucket list experience."
A boat ride out about 10 miles in the Atlantic Ocean can put one directly in sight of the action. And the viewing can begin as soon as the boat pulls away from the dock.
Bret Cook was one of those space enthusiasts waiting to board. He stood on the dock at Port Canaveral ? his Sony camera in hand. He told FLORIDA TODAY he has been interested in space since the post-Apollo days. Growing up just after the moon landings, the stories sparked his fascination with space exploration.
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"You kinda come in on the tail end of that nostalgia ? it's something that led me to it and kept me going into it. There's a lull there, and then you got SpaceX coming along, and they're doing something completely different. And everybody's getting excited," Cook said.
"Now things are kind of exciting again. You got a mix mash of different companies coming in here and doing launches. It's actually rather fun."
So, what might you see?
SpaceX Falcon 9 booster at Port Canaveral
Pulling out into the waters of Port Canaveral, the first sight is one many who pass by the port might not even notice.
As an already-flown-and-landed Falcon 9 first stage awaits transportation to Cape Canaveral SpaceX facilities, it is kept on the droneship, parked on the water behind the Port Canaveral restaurants.
Expect to see this in the days following a Falcon 9 launch. Covered in soot from multiple rides through Earth's atmosphere, the SpaceX logo painted vertically on the booster can be difficult to make out. Passing by at a distance, this is as close as an everyday person can get to a SpaceX Falcon 9.
SpaceX has two droneships at Port Canaveral: A Shortfall of Gravitas and Just Read the Instructions.
Depending on timing, one may even get to see one of SpaceX's fairing recovery ships: named Bob and Doug. After the fairings land in the Atlantic Ocean by parachute, these ships fish out the fairing halves ? which cover the payload to protect it during launch ? and return them to SpaceX facilitates for refurbishment. This reusability allows the company to save on launch cost and resources.
This goes for their crew capsule as well. SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft recovery ship, named Megan, may also be spotted. Megan has been spotted on multiple occasions sporting a training Dragon spacecraft for recovery testing. Each of these ships are easily identifiable by the SpaceX logo and name printed on the side.
Blue Origin and ULA ships
Next to SpaceX's Falcon 9 parking spot, Blue Origin's support ship, Harvey Stone, may be spotted. Harvey Stone tows Blue Origin's landing platform, named Jacklyn, for its upcoming New Glenn orbital rocket. Like SpaceX recovers their Falcon 9 first stage (booster), this will be the landing spot of the New Glenn first stage. Later this year, Blue Origin plans to launch its New Glenn rocket on its maiden flight. The company plans to land the first stage (booster) on its landing platform.
Jackyln is recognizable by its distinct towering features on either end, which are bright blue with the words "Blue Origin" and "New Glenn" in white.
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket ferrying vessel ? known as Rocketship ? may also be spotted along the Cape area. This ship ? which is recognizable by its massive size and ULA logo ? recently transported part of ULA's new Vulcan rocket from Decatur, Alabama, to Cape Canaveral for a future national security mission.
Rockets at Cape Canaveral
Traveling north over the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, there is not much to see at first.
However, after traveling just over 10 miles north, the first view of NASA's massive Vehicle Assembly Building comes into view. This huge rocket garage saw the construction of the Saturn V rocket, stacking of the Space Shuttle, and recently the arrival of the core stage of the SLS moon rocket for Artemis II.
Even though it is only one (big) story ? the VAB's 525-feet height makes it the equivalent to a 50-story structure. That's taller than the Statue of Liberty and just under half the size of the Empire State Building.
It is at this point that other rockets on their respective launch pads can be spotted.
When this journalist took the tour, it wasn't an active launch period, but a SpaceX rocket was spotted being raised to launch position.
During pre-launch viewing charters, passengers have a chance to see launch pads currently in use by companies ? such as Blue Origin, ULA, SpaceX, and NASA.
"Interest has been rising given the high cadence of launches and just organic interest on launch viewing in general," Giraldo told FLORIDA TODAY. "Falcon Heavy launches attract a lot of people because of the size of the rocket and the double booster landings which are spectacular."
"With our pre-launch trips, you get right up close to these and many other historic pads, including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and more, plus see the rocket on the pad at a distance previously exclusive to press and VIPs," Giraldo said.
It is important to note that if an active launch warning is in effect, boats cannot be within a certain distance of the Cape Canaveral area.
While some companies offer boat viewings of launches, there is a minimum distance they must comply with. When rocket launch warnings are in effect, boats are prohibited in the waters near Cape Canaveral. This is necessary for public safety.
Altogether, the trip our journalist took out to see these space sites lasts about three hours.
There are also good launch viewing spots on the Indian River Lagoon. Around major launches, a few companies host chartered boat tours. Some include:
Star Fleet Tours, which heads out of Port Canaveral
The Indian River Queen, which departs from Cocoa Village and provides views from the Indian River
Banana River Boat Tours, which travels from Cocoa Beach on the Banana River side.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX and Blue Origin ships, launch pads: views from off Florida coast
