Florida’s Space Coast hosted a whopping 48 orbital rocket launches during the first six months of this year. The question: Will the home of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shatter the 100-launch barrier by Dec. 31?
For comparison’s sake, a record-breaking 72 orbital launches took flight last year, setting a new annual record — which looks destined to be short-lived.
This year, SpaceX accounted for 45 of the Space Coast’s first 48 launches through the end of June. United Launch Alliance sent up the other three rockets: the first Vulcan on its Jan. 8 certification mission, the final Delta IV Heavy on April 9 on the NROL-70 mission, and the maiden mission of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5.
Following are the latest missions coming up from Cape Canaveral. All launches are listed in Eastern Daylight Time. Be aware: Dates and times are routinely subject to change for a 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 Rneale@floridatoday.com. For more space news, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Wednesday, July 3: SpaceX Starlink 8-9
Though SpaceX has not publicly confirmed this launch, another 4½-hour Starlink mission window opens early Wednesday morning, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Federal Aviation Administration navigational warnings indicate.
- Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will deploy another batch of Starlink internet-beaming satellites, which are packed inside the fairing atop the 230-foot rocket.
- Launch window: 2:01 a.m. to 6:31 a.m.
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Trajectory: Northeast.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Monday, July 8: SpaceX Türksat 6A
Though SpaceX has yet to announce this mission, Turkish media and the Space Coast Office of Tourism report the Türksat 6A satellite will launch Monday afternoon.
- Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will deploy Turkey’s first domestically manufactured geostationary communications satellite, the Space Coast Office of Tourism reports.
- Launch: 5:20 p.m.
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Tuesday, July 30: United Launch Alliance USSF-51
- Mission: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch the secretive USSF-51 mission for the Space Force’s Space Systems Command.
- Launch window: TBA
- Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Early August: SpaceX ISS resupply mission
- Mission: NASA, Northrop Grumman and SpaceX are targeting early August to launch the Cygnus spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station.
- Launch window: TBA
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
TBA: SpaceX Polaris Dawn
- Mission: Shift4 founder and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman will once again command a SpaceX Dragon orbital mission. This mission will bring the debut of the SpaceX EVA (extravehicular activity) suit, as well as the first spacewalk by a private company.
- Launch window: TBA.
- Location: TBA.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Thursday, Oct. 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: TBA.
- Location: Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
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