Is anyone ready to have dinner and launch a rocket? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will potentially lift off Tuesday evening, carrying the Starlink internet satellites.
Weather permitting, the rocket launch will be visible in the skies over the Treasure Coast and Space Coast on the night of Tuesday, June 4. Below is a schedule of upcoming rocket launches and how to watch the SpaceX rocket launch this weekend.
Is there a rocket launch in Florida today? Florida rocket launch schedule
Here’s what we know about rocket launch missions, mentioned in FLORIDA TODAY’s rocket launch schedule for the month, which is frequently updated. (Check this link often for rocket launch times and dates, as they are regularly subject to change for various reasons).
FLORIDA TODAY, a USA TODAY Network-Florida newspaper, offers interactive coverage of launches at floridatoday.com/space with frequent updates on launches at least 90 minutes in advance, sometimes more, depending on the mission.
For questions or comments, email or tweet Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com @rickneale1 on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.
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A navigational warning from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency says a launch window will open Tuesday evening for SpaceX’s next Starlink mission from the Space Coast.
Here are some details about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch:
- Assignment: According to a geospatial and FAA advisory, this will be the Starlink 8-5 mission.
- Launch: 8:04 p.m. to 11:58 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 4
- Location: Launch Complex 40 to the Cape Canaveral Space Station.
- Path: South East
- Live: Starts 90 minutes before takeoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Almost anywhere in Brevard you will have a view of the rocket launch. The best view to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach. However, visibility will depend on weather conditions and people should take care not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and follow the rules posted on beaches.
If you are viewing the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park, look east directly across the river.
If you’re further south along the Indian River, look northeast.
Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest place to view the liftoff as it is almost parallel to Launch Pad 39A. On the beach, look south along the coastline (you can even see the pad from some places).
Some hot spots to discover:
- Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Please note, parking is chargeable.
- Playalinda Beach, 1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note that parking is chargeable and access to the Canaveral National Seashore is not always granted based on capacity and time of day.
- Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note that parking is available on both sides of the Max Brewer Bridge.
- Park Space View8 Broad Street, Titusville
- Pointe-Sable Park10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville
- Rotary Riverfront Park4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville
- Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Be careful, there may be parking fees.
- Cocoa Beach Pier401 Meade Ave. Parking fees vary.
- Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. By the way, Lori Wilson Park has a dog park.
- Sidney Fischer Park, 2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Be careful, there may be parking fees.
- Sebastian Entrance Park9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (entrance fee)
- Ambersands Beach Park12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)
- South Beach Park1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)
- Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach
- Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach
The best views for watching a rocket launch from neighboring Brevard County, aka the Space Coast, are along the beach.
Visibility in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties, all part of the Treasure Coast, will depend on weather conditions, and people should be sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and follow the rules posted on the beaches. Look due north. Here are some recommended locations, from closest to the Cape Canaveral Space Station and Kennedy Space Center to furthest away:
Almost anywhere in Brevard you will have a view of the rocket launch. Including Melbourne Beachwhich borders Indian River County, or Grant-Valkaria County along the Indian River Lagoon.
- Sebastian Entrance Park9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (entrance fee)
- Wabasso Beach Park1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso
- Ambersands Beach Park12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)
- South Beach Park1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)
- Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach
- Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach
- Fort Pierce Bay905 Shorewinds Drive
- Blind Creek Beachfront North and South, South Ocean Drive or SR A1A on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce
- Blue Heron Beach2101 Blue Heron Boulevard, Fort Pierce
- Frederick Douglass Memorial Park3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
- Dollman Park Beachfront9200 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- Herman Bay Beach7880 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- John Brooks Beachfront Park3300 S Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
- Middle Cove Beach4600 South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
- Normandy beach at Jensen Beach
- Pepper Park by the beach3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce,
- Walton Rocks Beachwhich has a dog park, 6700 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- Waveland Beach10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- Refuge house and beach301 SE MacArthur Boulevard, Stuart
- Pavement of the A1A national road to Stuart
Watching a rocket launch or waiting for that launch window at the beach is a lovely thing to do in Florida.
In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County – home to the Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Station – you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launching.
The best views to watch a rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look due south. Readers also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended places:
- New Smyrna South Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), parking fees may apply. New Smyrna Beach has 17 miles of white sand beaches. An eclectic and picturesque beach town, despite its reputation as the “shark bite capital of the world,” New Smyrna Beach has always been a paradise for surfers who come for the waves.
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- Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and 1 mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral State Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, of showers and nearly 800 feet of oceanfront sidewalk, according to the Volusia County website. The neighboring riverfront park is across South Atlantic Avenue and features tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, a playground , a fishing pier and toilets. The river near the park can be an excellent viewing point for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.
- Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore stretches along the east coast of Florida in Volusia and Brevard counties. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to Exit 249, then continue east until it becomes State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.
- Oak Hill Riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.
- Sunrise Park275 River Road, Oak Hill
- Goodrich’s Seafood and Oyster House rear deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill
- Seminole Rest National Historic Site211 River Road, Oak Hill
- Riverbreeze Park250 HH Burch Road, Oak Hill
- Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball diamond, basketball courts, tennis courts, outhouses, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.
- Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings Street, Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.
- Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has approximately 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the Town of Oak Hill online. Amenities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.
- AC Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Amenities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the Town of Oak Hill website states.
- Birdwatching Pier on River Road across from the AC Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.