Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin rocket launch schedule from Florida
Florida's Space Coast hosted 61 orbital rocket launches through the end of August, hustling along on a record-shattering pace this year.
And the coastal home of NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station should soon break the annual record of 72 launches, which was only established last year.
SpaceX accounted for 57 of those 61 launches through August. United Launch Alliance launched the other four rockets: the first Vulcan on its Jan. 8 certification mission, the final Delta IV Heavy on April 9 on the NROL-70 mission, the maiden mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5, and the July 30 final launch of an Atlas V on a national security mission.
Following are the latest missions coming up from Cape Canaveral. All launches are listed in Eastern Daylight Time. But be aware: Dates and times are routinely subject to change for a wide variety of reasons.
Cape Canaveral: Rocket launches in Florida: Here's an updating list of all 2024 Space Coast missions
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at [email protected]. For more space news, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Thursday, September 26: SpaceX NASA Crew-9
Mission: NASA astronaut Nick Hague (commander) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov (mission specialist) — half of the original crew of four — will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 to the International Space Station for a science expedition. Then in February, Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams will clamber into the SpaceX Dragon's two empty seats and join them for a return trip back to Earth.
Launch: 2:05 p.m.
Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: Yes.
Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
No earlier than Friday, October 4: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Cert-2
Mission: ULA will launch its second Vulcan rocket to earn certification from the Space Force for future national security missions. The maiden Vulcan flight took place in January.
Launch: TBA.
Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: No.
Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff 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 investigations of Jupiter's icy moon Europa.
Launch: 12:31 p.m.
Location: Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Sonic booms: Yes.
Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Spring 2025: Blue Origin ESCAPADE
Mission: Blue Origin will launch its powerhouse New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This first launch will send NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars.
Launch window: TBA.
Location: Launch Complex 36.
Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Rocket launch schedule: September missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida
