spacex tours florida

Star✦Fleet Tours

We're a collective of space fans organizing educational trips and launch experiences, and our continuing mission is to inspire kids and adults alike to dream big, work hard and keep looking toward the stars., about our continuing mission.

Illuminate the past, inspire the future

It all started with a simple idea: what if a group of space fans chartered a boat to get the best view possible of the first Falcon Heavy launch and landing? Since those humble beginnings with a few dozen enthusiasts, interest in the concept has taken off, with hundreds of kids, adults and families from all around the world going out with us, as well as attracting media attention and interest from other local organizations.

Thanks to the help of designers, programmers, web developers and more who've gone out on previous launches and want to help share the experience with others, we launched the Star✦Fleet Tours organization to help coordinate more viewing and educational opportunities, make it easier for interested folks to find out more and reserve their tickets, improve the quality of the overall experience and make our operation sustainable going forward to serve more people and launches than ever.

What hasn't changed, however, is our core mission: to share the wonder and excitement of spaceflight with people of all ages, backgrounds and previous launch experiences. Whether you're a veteran space buff who's seen hundreds of flights or a newcomer watching your very first; whether you've lived in the area all your life or are a traveler visiting from half a world away; and whether you're getting an up-close view of the many historic pads at the Cape and an exclusive peek at the rocket on the pad on our pre-launch tour, or watching the future take flight with the launch itself, we want to make sure you have with the experience of a lifetime—every time.

Why Watch Launches with Us?

Optimal Location

We offer the best viewing spots possible from the water, each carefully adjusted each launch for the best possible view. No other venue gets you closer to SpaceX's spectacular booster landings, gives you an unobstructed view of every CCAFS and KSC launch and landing pad, or is as favorably located relative to the launch trajectory as we are.

Stellar Experience

Making sure everyone has an amazing timing watching rockets means everything to us—its why we do what we do. As such, we're with you every step of the way if you have questions, concerns and critique. Furthermore, the boat captains and crew we work with from Orlando Princess , Ocean Obsession , Sea Leveler and more are all highly rated for their excellent quality and service.

Historic Pad Views

Beyond the launch itself, going out with us you have the chance to gaze at a clear view of all the active pads, including LC-36, SLC-37B, LC-39, SLC-40, and SLC-41. 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.

Vibrant Community

Star✦Fleet is not just any boat service; we're a community of people, young and old, from all around the world united by our love for spaceflight. Beforehand, you can interact on our Twitter, Facebook, Slack, and more to share stories, tips, photos, rides and hotels. On the boats, you're sure to make friends and feel at home with astronauts, enthusiasts, tourists and locals alike.

Spaceflight Expertise

Our organizers have multiple years of experience following rockets and watching launches, carefully plan every aspect of each trip, and (when available) provide live launch commentary and clear pointers on where to look and when. Not only does this help us find the best safe time and location to position our boats, but we're also happy to share our launch viewing insight to help you get the most out of your experience.

Perks and Extras

Unlike other venues, you typically only need arrive an hour early, we have free parking, and your spot is guaranteed. Your ticket is still valid any day so long as we haven't left the dock, and we allow and encourage re-sale, which is easy given our high demand. On many missions, we offer several commemorative items as add-ons, and include water, drinks, dramamine, sunscreen and more free on the boats.

• Princess sisters
• Ocean Obsession II
• Razor's Edge
• Sea Trident

The largest vessels currently employed in the Star✦Fleet, the Orlando Princess and Canaveral Princess are perennial favorites thanks to their upper observation decks, spacious air-conditioned cabins, communal atmosphere, and greater stability thanks to their size. Operated by Orlando Princess .

• Trips : Launch
• Capacity : 95/85 (2 decks)
• Length : 95/85 ft (≈30 m)
• Speed : 15 kt (28 km/h)
• Stability : Moderate-High
• Primary launch party boats
• Enclosed cabin with seats
• Upper observation deck
• Galley with freezer
• Full private restroom
• PA for live launch audio

While somewhat smaller than the Princess boats with less upper deck space, the "Double O2" has a very similar design and comparable features, including an observation deck, an air-conditioned fully enclosed cabin, and good stability in choppy seas. Operated by Ocean Obsession .

• Capacity : 80 (2 decks)
• Length : 65 ft (≈20 m)
• Secondary launch party boat

This smaller boat is the fastest ship in the fleet, and is very well-appointed with the latest electronics, a highly comfortable premium interior, multiple seating areas bow and stern, air conditioning and an advanced stabilization system. Operated by Razor's Edge Charters .

• Trips : Pre-launch & launch
• Capacity : 12
• Length : 37 ft (11 m)
• Speed : 45 kt (85 km/h)
• Stability : Moderate
• New-build, modern vessel
• Triple Yamaha outboards
• Bow and stern seating areas
• Premium interior comfort
• Advanced stabilization system
• Restroom in center console

This smaller boat combines high speeds and advanced electronics with a more private viewing experience, greater space per person and a nearly brand-new interior. What's more, it can be bought out to allow your whole family their very own ship in the Fleet. Operated by Sea Leveler .

• Capacity : 6
• Length : 40 ft (13 m)
• Speed : 35 kt (65 km/h)
• Stability : Lower
• Nearly brand new vessel
• Dual Suzuki outboards
• Spacious open layout
• Advanced electronics
• Sound system for launch audio

Experience a Star✦Fleet mission from launch to landing

Welcome Aboard!

Star✦fleet's leaders greet the crew, the fleet departs, s✦f's smaller craft head for the sea, on the shoulders of giants, historic sights on the way out, atten-tion, a young passenger spots a falcon, go for launch, our photographers ready to capture liftoff, breaking the bonds of earth, a falcon soars aloft (nik delgado), coming in hot, twin boosters touch down (mike hara), the voyage home, wrapping up a priceless memory, star✦fleet officers.

CAM Gerlach

Fleet commander.

CAM has loved space since before he can remember, and dreams of going there someday. His incredible experience on the very first boat watch party for the Falcon Heavy demo inspired him to help launch Star✦Fleet Tours to enable others to share in the same wonder and excitement. CAM currently is a NASA-funded researcher spearheading the development of a next-generation, AI-based groundside processing system for the Geostationary Lightning Mapper instrument on the GOES-R-series flagship weather satellites.

Steven Giraldo

Director of operations.

Steven is fascinated by spaceflight, technology and engineering, and his passion for people, collaboration, and making long-lasting connections drove him to help start Star✦Fleet Tours. In his day job as a software technical consultant, he specializes in analyzing computer systems to make processes more efficient and bridging the gap between developers and users to maximize productivity and deliver the best experience possible.

Chief Engineer

Evan is a software engineer and founder of the web development firm Roave. He's been deeply fascinated by spaceflight, astronomy, and all things aerospace since early childhood. After an unforgettable experience aboard the boat watch party for the Falcon Heavy Arabsat-6A launch, Evan volunteered his skills as a web developer to help streamline the process involved in making these trips a reality. Evan built and maintains the custom launch booking and reservation software used by Star✦Fleet Tours.

The Star✦Fleet Needs You!

Want to join us on our next galactic adventure? Click to be notified when a pad trip or launch viewing opportunity becomes available! (Estimated average email frequency: once per month).

Connect with us on: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | GitHub | Slack | Email

© 2023 Star✦Fleet Tours | Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0 (Content); MIT (Code) Template design by FreeHTML5.co  ( CC‑BY 3.0 ) Hugo port by SteveLane | Lektor port  by  Dalthviz Rewrite by C.A.M. Gerlach | Maintained by Spyder IDE

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Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

• Space Commerce Way Merritt Island, FL 32899
• (877) 313-2610

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See a launch up close.

View a launch from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

All launches in Florida begin their journey on the launch pads of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station or Kennedy Space Center. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers the closest public viewing of launches, as well as launch commentary, bleacher seating and access to exhibits and attractions. Launch viewing tickets are available for some — but not all — launches, depending on date and time of the launch. Contact Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex at (855) 433-4210 for information on purchasing tickets.

On the day of the launch, plan to arrive early; the visitor complex opens at 9 a.m. Expect high attendance at the visitor complex and increased traffic throughout the local area. This likely will be the case before and after the launch. Save time by  purchasing tickets online  and accessing them on your phone at the front gate.

Items to bring

• Sun protection: sunscreen, hats, umbrellas and sunglasses
• Insect repellent
• Soft-sided coolers or lunch boxes
• Water in plastic bottles
• Cameras, tripods and binoculars
• Blankets or umbrella-style folding camp chairs carried in shoulder bags

For more detailed information, please see these online resources:

• See a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
• How to watch a rocket launch

Other primary launch viewing locations, from north to south

• Marina Park: 501 Marina Road, Titusville (restrooms, parking)
• Sand Point Park: 101 N. Washington Ave, Titusville (restrooms, parking)
• Space View Park: 8 Broad Street, Titusville (parking nearby)
• Manzo Park: 3335 S. Washington Ave (US 1), Titusville (restrooms, parking)
• Rotary Riverfront Park: 4141 S. Washington Ave (US 1), Titusville (restrooms, parking)
• Kennedy Point Park: 4915 S. Washington Ave (US 1), Titusville (restrooms, parking)
• Westbound SR 528 Causeway over the Banana River Park (well off the right-of-way, near the water)
• Jetty Park: East end of Port Canaveral off George King Blvd. (restrooms, parking)
• Cocoa Beach Pier: 401 Meade Ave., Cocoa Beach (restrooms, parking)
• Alan Shepard Park: East end of SR 520, Cocoa Beach (restrooms, parking)
• Fischer Park: East side of SR A1A, 1/2 mile south of SR 520, Cocoa Beach (restrooms, parking)
• Lori Wilson Park: 1500 N. Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach (restrooms, parking)

*Note: Mariners and pilots can learn about launch hazard areas and restrictions by calling (800) 470-7232. The United States Coast Guard broadcasts this information on Marine Band Channel 16. 

Traffic and safety tips

• Plan accordingly by leaving home at the appropriate time to deal with increased traffic flow
• Do not pull off alongside the road
• Be mindful of wildlife and traffic when exiting and returning to your vehicle
• Obey all speed limits, traffic signals and road signs
• Follow directions from security, police and/or emergency personnel 
• Pack drinks to stay hydrated and snacks (launch windows can be long)
• Wear proper clothes for the weather (it can change quickly in the Sunshine State)
• Bring a flashlight or headlamp for evening and early morning launches  

Live coverage on NASA TV

Can’t be here in person? Check out  NASA TV  for live coverage of launches. Multiple satellite and local cable providers also offer  NASA TV . You can also view the live stream on the NASA App and the agency’s  website .

Information on upcoming launches

Click here for NASA’s most up-to-date launch schedule

Focus on Florida – SpaceX lays the ground work for East Coast Starship sites

A significant construction effort has begun in Florida to create a home port for Starship on the East Coast. With a launch facility at the historic 39A, potentially followed by pads at LC-49, the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is likely to become the flagship launch site for Starship in the coming years,  supplemented by Starbase in Texas and ocean launch platforms.

The most visually impressive element of Starship Florida is Roberts Road, with a vast area cleared to construct a production facility akin to the Build Site at Starbase.

Florida is no newcomer to Starship. A facility at Cidco Road in Cocoa was running parallel to Starbase when Elon Musk conducted his first overview in the shadow of the Mk1 prototype back in 2019.

The Cocoa facility was already working on the Mk2 vehicle, with Musk intimating competition between the two teams to refine their assembly processes.

With the addition of new assembly buildings at Cidco Road , SpaceX would never likely abandon the facility when Starship production was consolidated to Texas.

Cidco Road in Cocoa, via Julia Bergeron for NSF/L2

It has since become the focal point for Thermal Protection System (TPS) tile production – at least the materials, ahead of being combined at “The Bakery” – with activity seen on-site during the recent flyover video via Stephen Marr and Julia Bergeron for NASASpaceflight. Ironically, the final remains of the Mk2 can still be seen on the grounds.

During the flyover, the latest views of SpaceX’s other Florida facility provided the biggest clue to the company’s East Coast ambitions.

Within eyeshot of the KSC Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) , Roberts Road is already being used as a new storage and maintenance facility for Falcon boosters, known as Hangar X.

Notably, that facility is being extended, adding capacity to what is now a fleet of flight-proven boosters or potentially utilized to cater for fairing and Dragon refurbishment.

However, a far more impressive facility will soon rise out of the ground alongside Hangar X, with a considerable area of land cleared for what will be Florida’s version of Starbase’s production facility .

Hangar X and the new construction site – via Stephen Marr NSF/L2

Foundations are already being worked on ahead of construction, with SpaceX’s plans that include a 320,000 square feet building. In addition, a loading dock is already being prepared for concrete pouring.

Already observable are other Starship-related items, such as a circular structure that appears to match the 9-meter diameter of Starship.

While less visually obvious, 12 concrete pads have also been observed, which – thanks to Starbase – can be confidentially identified as the site of where the Launch Tower will be assembled .

Like Starbase, the Launch Tower will be prefabricated in sections before rolling out to the launch site and assembled by a crane. The pre-fabrication work will occur at Roberts Road before heading to KSC and rolling up the crawlerway path into 39A .

With work restarted at 39A – including the dismantling of the old launch mount – the rise of the new tower is expected to take place this year. It should be a near-mirror to the Starbase Orbital Launch Site Tower , with its Mechazilla/Chopsticks stack and catch system , albeit with some refinements, as Musk intimated on Twitter.

The sum total of current status adds more weight to Musk’s KSC ambitions, as outlined in the recent update presentation.

“Starbase, I think, is more suited to become our advanced R&D location, so it’s where we would try out new designs and new versions of the rocket, and I think Cape Kennedy would be our main operational launch site,” Musk noted .

Cape Kennedy would not be restricted to 39A, with SpaceX and NASA currently working on assessing the potential of a site at LC-49 to the north of Complex 39 .

Starship at 39A and LC-49, as envisioned by Jay DeShetler for NSF/L2

While the wait continues for the FAA to sift through the 19,000 responses to its study, Starbase continues to juggle its current and upcoming vehicles, ironically leading to a collection of stored vehicles at the South Texas site.

Ship 22 was recently fully assembled, with the mating of its nosecone inside the High Bay, only for the vehicle to be rolled down Remedios Avenue to the storage area that has become an almost-accidental “Rocket Garden.”

Along with various Test Tanks and stands, Booster 5 , the flown SN15 , and Ship 16 now have Ship 22 keeping them company. This was never the plan, resulting in Musk approving the donation of a prototype to the local airport for display.

Meanwhile, Booster 4 and Ship 20 continue to prove their worth during ground testing objectives, with the duo enjoying a series of cryoproofing after they were de-stacked after Musk’s overview.

Ship 20 underwent at least two cryo-proof cycles, while Booster 4 later joined the frosty party. Additional testing on Ship 20 is taking place during the planned roadblock on Tuesday.

These tests are beneficial for vehicle data and the Ground Support Equipment (GSE), such as the Orbital Launch Site tank farm.

Back at the Production Site, the latest status – taking into account Ship 22’s move – sees Booster 7 and Booster 8 in various stages of preparation, while Ship 24 will be the next Starship to be assembled .

However, sections for additional vehicles will be deep into production, hidden away inside the large production tents at the build site.

Numerous nosecones can often be seen taking a peek at the outside world, while deliveries provide clues to the production cadence and future advances in the assembly of the vehicles.

The latest arrival included the new design of the Methane Transfer Tube, relating to the change of location for the Liquid Oxygen header tank on the boosters .

While Booster 5 had a header tank on the side for landing burn, this is being phased by a coaxial tank design where the header tank surrounds the methane transfer tube. The ship header tanks will be in the nosecone, not anywhere close to the transfer tubes.

Notably, while new iterations of design have been commonplace throughout the history of Starbase, it now places into Musk’s reference to the site’s use as for “R&D” and testing.

It will, however, still be a major launch site for the vehicle, pending regulatory approval, requiring a high launch cadence, served not only by two Launch Towers but also a busy production site.

While the second tower is not expected to begin construction until the FAA and Environmental Studies are finalized, clues into the production cadence projections can be seen on the Boca Chica skyline.

With the build site initially gaining a Wind Break, before a Mid Bay was constructed, an impressive High Bay was soon added to cater for Super Heavy booster assembly. This is now being joined by a “Wide Bay,” twice the width and slightly higher than its neighbor.

Starbase Production Site. Via Mary (@bocachicagal) for NSF L2

With prefabricated wall sections being added several times a day, this new facility is now up to its final level, ahead of the roof being added. Along with the current High Bay, the Production Site will cater to multiple parallel booster and Ship flows.

Along with the future facility at Roberts Road, the claims of vast amounts of rapidly reusable rockets being required to make life multi-planetary are becoming more realistic by the day, as the addition of more facility space eases the bottleneck of production.

For live updates, follow NASASpaceFlight’s Twitter account and the NSF Starship Forum Sections .

** Support NSF’s youtube channel by subscribing and/or joining here **

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SpaceX's first space tourists have returned to Earth, splashing down inside the Crew Dragon spaceship

• SpaceX's first space tourists have returned to Earth and splashed down off the coast of Florida.
• The amateurs on the Inspiration4 mission orbited Earth for three days aboard a Crew Dragon spaceship .
• It was the world's first all-tourist flight to orbit, but SpaceX already has another planned.

SpaceX and its four passengers have emerged victorious at the conclusion of the world's first all-tourist flight to orbit.

The company's Crew Dragon spaceship splashed down off the coast of Florida on Saturday at 7:06 p.m. ET, carrying four amateur spacefarers: billionaire businessman Jared Isaacman, geoscientist and science communicator Dr. Sian Proctor, physician-assistant Hayley Arceneaux, and engineer Chris Sembroski. None of them are professional astronauts.

"That was a heck of a ride for us, and we're just getting started," Isaacman said on the livestream after the splashdown.

The unlikely quartet came together after Isaacman chartered the flight from SpaceX and gave away three seats through a raffle and fund-raising partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He called the mission Inspiration4.

The motley crew spent three days orbiting Earth aboard the Dragon capsule. They flew as high as 367 miles (590 kilometers) — farther from the planet than anyone has traveled since the Space Shuttle era. They took cognitive tests and scanned their organs with an ultrasound for scientific research. Sembroski played ukelele. Proctor made art. They all admired the views 

On Saturday evening, the Crew Dragon fired its thrusters to push itself into a high-speed plummet to Earth. Tiles on the spaceship's underbelly protected its passengers as friction superheated the atmosphere around it to a 3,500-degree-Fahrenheit plasma.

A few miles above Earth's surface, parachutes ballooned from the capsule, likely giving the passengers a significant jolt as the spaceship slowed its fall.

Related stories

The Crew Dragon dropped into the Atlantic Ocean and bobbed there like a toasted marshmallow, caked in soot from the fiery descent. It's not the first time this particular capsule, named Resilience, has weathered such a fall: It's the same ship that flew SpaceX's first full astronaut crew to the International Space Station for NASA last year, then brought them home in May.

Recovery crews in boats swarmed the scene to pull the spaceship out of the water and help the travelers climb out.

SpaceX has opened the doors to private space tourism

The Inspiration4 crew's safe return is a major step in a new era of space tourism.

NASA didn't run this mission; SpaceX did, to Isaacman's specifications. He chose the length of the flight, the altitude, the crew, and their activities in orbit. He even contributed his own idea — a climb up Mount Rainier — to their nearly six-month training regimen .

SpaceX already has another tourist flight lined up for January. For that mission, called AX-1, the company Axiom Space chartered a Crew Dragon to take customers to the space station for eight days.

The AX-1 crew includes real-estate investor Larry Connor, Canadian investor Mark Pathy, and former Israeli fighter pilot Eytan Stibbe. Axiom Space's vice president, former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, will command the mission.

For now, SpaceX is the only entity that can launch people to orbit from the US. In October, it's set to launch another astronaut crew for NASA — the third of six Crew Dragon flights the agency has purchased.

SpaceX developed this spaceship through NASA's Commercial Crew Program, a competition that awarded funding to facilitate the development of commercial spacecraft.

The program also funded Boeing to develop a human-rated spaceship, but that vehicle has been bogged down in technical issues and delays. It still needs to complete an uncrewed test flight to the ISS before it can fly people.

In the meantime, SpaceX ended the US's nine-year hiatus in domestic human spaceflight in May 2020, when Crew Dragon flew two NASA astronauts to the ISS. NASA has also tapped SpaceX to land its next astronauts on the moon.

Elon Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, aims to someday send the company's vehicles all the way to Mars and build a settlement there.

Isaacman shares that vision.

"I'm a true believer," Isaacman said in a February press conference. "I drank the Kool-Aid in terms of the grand ambition for humankind being a multi-planetary species. And I think that we all want to live in a Star Wars, Star Trek world where people are jumping in their spacecraft, and I know that that's going to come. But there has to be that first step, which is what Inspiration4 represents."

Watch: VIDEO: The first all-civilian crew launches into orbit aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule

• Main content

Years after space shuttle retirement, Florida chases nearly 70 launches a year

In 2022, there were 57 rocket launches at nasa's kennedy space center and cape canaveral space force station in florida..

• Kennedy Space Center was envisioned to meet President Kennedy's goal of building a pathway to the moon with 3 launch pads to support massive Saturn V rocket launches.
• While three were planned, budgetary constraints cut that vision down to two: launch pad 39A and launch pad 39B.
• 39A and 39B are now home to SpaceX and NASA's Artemis program, the flagship attempt to return astronauts to the moon by 2030.

The Space Coast witnessed a record-smashing display of launch activity Oct. 13 when SpaceX launched a Falcon Heavy and a Falcon 9 rocket just eight hours and 42 minutes apart.

That kind of breakneck orbital launch pace hasn't been seen since the busiest days of the Space Race when NASA's Gemini program in 1966 launched two separate vehicles during a roughly 90-minute window.

The world's busiest spaceport rewrote another record this year with Saturday night's Starlink launch: the number of orbital missions launched. It was the 58th launch of the year, breaking last year's total and it's still October.

For more than five decades, set in 1966, that number stood at 29. It finally fell in 2020 with the addition of just one more launch. It's only increased every year since. Last year's record of 57 nearly doubled 2021's previous record of 31 orbital launches.

At the breathless pace of about twice a week, by year's end, Brevard could witness nearly 70 launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

"It's such a contrast to where we were 12 years ago when the space shuttle was retired," Laura Forczyk, a physicist and space industry consulting firm owner, told FLORIDA TODAY. "The Space Coast was in this depression where people were not sure what the future looked like. They assumed that there would be commercial access to space, but government was all they knew. It is such a paradigm shift."

That huge increase in launch activity is creating a logjam. The number of launch pads and the availability of the Eastern Range, which oversees launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral, is limited.

To expand those limitations and address the near daily requests to support rocket launches  for companies ranging from small startups like  Relativity Space  to mega-launchers like SpaceX , the Space Force recently had to reactivate facilities that haven't been used since the days of NASA's Gemini program.

One of those historic sites, Launch Complex 14, was assigned to Stoke Space — a small startup founded in 2019 in Kent, Washington, dedicated to building a fully reusable two-stage rocket.

In a social media post in March , Andy Lapsa, co-founder of Stoke Space, said, "This is the same site John Glenn used to become the first American to reach orbit. Needless to say, this is incredibly humbling. We will work tirelessly to make his legacy, our country, and our world proud."

More launch pads and more rocket companies sending payloads to space are good for tourists eager to watch a rocket soar into the sky, and it’s also enticing for commercial space companies hoping to become part of this country's storied space history.

The flurry of nonstop action, expansion, and opportunity continuously draws new launchers and aerospace companies to Florida, bringing  hundreds of jobs to the Space Coast each year.

"Florida has grown significantly in integration — it's got the manufacturing, it's got the integrating into the rockets, and then it also has the ability for the landings both to land and off the coast," Forczyk said. "All of that really ties together to make it a more seamless one-stop-shop location for all spaceflight."

Space Perspective , Amazon's Project Kuiper , and Draper have all held groundbreaking ceremonies for new facilities on the Space Coast in just the last couple of months.

Here's a breakdown of some of the changes on the horizon at the spaceport. Also, take a look at which companies and rockets call each of the Space Coast's launch pads home now or plan to in the future.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center:

A 200-square-mile section of Florida swamp immediately north of the U.S. Air Force's Cape Canaveral facilities was acquired by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1961. Kennedy Space Center was envisioned to meet President Kennedy's goal of building a pathway to the moon with three launch pads to support massive Saturn V rocket launches. 

While three were planned, budgetary constraints cut that vision down to two: pad 39A and pad 39B.

Stretching from the Gemini and Apollo programs of the 1960s to the space shuttle program through the early 2000s, both pads have seen their fair share of historic missions. Now, they're home to NASA's Commercial Crew Program partner SpaceX and the agency's Artemis program, the flagship attempt to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2030.

Launch Complex 39A - SpaceX Falcon 9 & Falcon Heavy rockets

Launch Complex 39A is perhaps the most well-known launch pad in the world. It's where Apollo 11 launched on July 16, 1969, with astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins for the first mission to put a man on the moon. It's also the location where the first and last launches of NASA's space shuttle program occurred 30 years apart.

Now, it's home to SpaceX.

In 2014, the commercial launch company signed a lease with NASA to modify and control the complex for 20 years. Since then, it has been retrofitted to support launches of the company's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets for crewed, cargo, and commercial payload missions.

SpaceX's first Commercial Crew Program mission lifted off from pad 39A on May 30, 2020, sending astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. Since then, SpaceX has flown seven other crewed missions for NASA from pad 39A as well as three privately funded astronaut missions of its own.

If all goes well, in the coming years, SpaceX aims to expand its launch operations at pad 39A to include its massive Starship Super Heavy rocket , intended for missions to the moon and one day to Mars. Construction to support infrastructure for those missions has been underway for years.

Launch Complex 39B - NASA Space Launch System rocket

NASA's Launch Complex 39B has also seen its fair share of historic missions, from the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets to the space shuttle and Ares I-X vehicle of NASA's canceled Constellation program.

The first mission to liftoff from pad 39B was Apollo 10 on May 18, 1969. Now, it's the exclusive home to NASA's mega moon rocket, the 320-foot Space Launch System rocket designed to launch crewed Artemis missions to the moon.

The first Artemis mission lifted off on November 16, 2022. The Artemis I mission was an uncrewed test flight of NASA's Orion spacecraft, which propelled it around the moon and back, wrapping up with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean .

Artemis II, the next in a series of increasingly complex missions, is slated to launch NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen on a flyby mission around the moon late next year.

If the Artemis II mission goes off without a hitch, NASA plans to launch the Artemis III moon landing mission about a year later, in December 2025. NASA has said one of those crew members will be a woman, making it the first time a woman is planned to set foot on the moon.

With Artemis, NASA spearheads the joint effort with its international and commercial partners to establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface as a stepping stone on the path to Mars.

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station:

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, located to the southeast of KSC, is controlled by the Department of Defense. It's operated by the Space Force's Space Launch Delta 45, which oversees all operations across the Eastern Range — a swath of land and sea that encompasses KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station but also extends more than 10,000 miles from the Florida mainland through the South Atlantic and into the Indian Ocean.

The station's origins extend back to the Army's missile testing efforts in the 1940s. Permanent launch pads meant for orbital missions were built in the 1950s and 1960s, with many still standing today.

Commercial launch companies of all sizes now call Cape Canaveral Space Force Station home.

SpaceX, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance occupy pads along with Relativity Space and Space Florida. Newly reactivated launch sites have also been designated to account for up-and-coming companies Phantom Space, Vaya Space, Stoke Space, and ABL Space Systems.

Launch Complex 37B - United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket

United Launch Alliance leases Launch Complex 37 from the U.S. Space Force.

It was constructed in 1963 and used for uncrewed Apollo missions aboard Saturn I and IB rockets. Now, it's home to ULA's massive triple-core Delta IV Heavy rocket .

While previous iterations of rockets in the Delta family began launching from this pad in the early 2000s, they've all since been retired . Similarly, ULA is set to retire the Delta IV Heavy sometime next year in favor of the next-generation Vulcan Centaur rocket .

When the final flight of the Delta IV Heavy rocket with a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office does lift off, ULA is set to terminate its lease of Launch Complex 37 and return it to the Space Force. No plans have been released yet to reveal what's in store for the pad's future.

Launch Complex 40 - SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket

Currently, pad 40 is primarily used to launch SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket with batches of the company's Starlink internet satellite missions and other commercial satellites at a rate of nearly twice a week.

"In an effort to more efficiently use the space available at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, launch service providers will be launching and landing in their own complexes," Space Launch Delta 45 said in a statement to FLORIDA TODAY.

That means SpaceX will need to evolve its operations in the coming years.

The company is already in the process of transforming pad 40 into a facility that can simultaneously support launches and booster landings, a model that is operational in California at the company's Vandenberg Space Force Base launch and landing site.

Another change on the horizon for the Space Coast is that human spaceflight missions will soon be launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, something that hasn't happened in over five decades.

Along with eventually outfitting pad 40 to support booster landings, SpaceX teams are already in the process of constructing a crew access tower alongside the launch pad to support crewed missions.

Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX vice president for build and flight reliability, said in a pre-launch briefing last year, “It gives (SpaceX) some flexibility to move some things off (pad) 39A, which helps us balance launches off both pads."

He added that the company will first target to launch space station cargo resupply missions, then "add crew at the right time.”

Launch Complex 41 - United Launch Alliance Atlas V & Vulcan rockets

United Launch Alliance leases Launch Complex 41 from the Space Force at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

From pad 41, ULA flies its Atlas V family of rockets and is slated to use the same pad to launch the company's next generation of rocket called the Vulcan Centaur .

United Launch Alliance is set to join the crewed mission action from pad 41 when Boeing's long-delayed Starliner spacecraft is certified by NASA for crewed missions for launch aboard ULA's Atlas V rocket.

Speaking at the National Space Club Florida Committee luncheon on Sept. 12, NASA's Janet Petro, director of the Kennedy Space Center, said Starliner's CFT mission could "mark the first time since Apollo 7 from Launch Complex 34 in 1968 that humans have flown to space from Cape Canaveral."

Petro said that NASA is "very excited about that."

Launch Complex 16 - Relativity Space Terran 1 and Terran R rockets

Last year, Relativity Space, with about 60 full-time workers at its Florida launch site, transitioned Launch Complex 16 from a construction site to an operational launch pad.

"In a short timeframe and the small team we have, we put a lot of work together to get to where we're at right now," Lorenzo Locante, Relativity's lead launch engineer, told FLORIDA TODAY during an exclusive tour of the complex last year. "To be a part of this team has been an impressive part of my history and my life."

In March, the company launched its first 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket , though a problem with the second-stage engine resulted in it failing to reach orbit and tumbling back to Earth. After just one launch, Relativity turned its focus to a larger and more capable vehicle called Terran R.

Terran R will allow the company to better compete and fly larger satellites like those handled by SpaceX's Falcon 9 and United Launch Alliance's upcoming Vulcan. It will be powered by 13 Aeon engines and, standing at 270 feet tall will overshadow a SpaceX Falcon 9 by about 50 feet. It will also stand about 70 feet higher than ULA's upcoming Vulcan.

Though Relativity pegged the Terran R's debut for no earlier than 2026 , it's more likely to fly sometime in the next five years.

Launch Complex 46 - Space Florida's multi-user launch facility

As a way to provide launch capability to as wide of a market as possible, Space Florida has fashioned Launch Complex 46 as a multi-user spaceport. The state's aerospace finance and development authority partnered with the U.S. Navy for control of the launch site in 1993.

Since then, according to Space Florida, "Over $6.8 million of commercial, federal, and state funds have been invested."

The facility is outfitted with a Mobile Access Structure, launch stand, and other infrastructure to allow commercial launch companies to essentially plug in their own hardware and launch within a few days' time. Virtually any company with a rocket smaller than 120 feet tall can launch from pad 46.

Last year, startup launch company Astra Space launched its 43-foot-tall Rocket 3.3 from pad 46 on a science mission for NASA. Other notable launches from the site include Orbital ATK’s launch of a Minotaur IV rocket in 2017 and a mock version of NASA's Orion capsule atop a former ballistic missile for the agency's ascent abort-2 test flight in 2019.

Reactivated and reserved launch pads:

According to Space Launch Delta 45, although Launch Complexes 13, 14, and 15 have been reactivated, they are still under development and considered reserved for future use by Phantom Space, Vaya Space, Stoke Space, and ABL Space Systems.

Phantom Space is an Arizona-based company that builds a family of small, reusable rockets to deliver in-house manufactured satellites. Vaya Space is a Space Coast-based startup working toward a future of sustainable launches with the production of a small hybrid rocket. ABL Space Systems , founded in 2017, is another small rocket startup based in California.

“Even with a new provider leasing a complex, they are not able to just move in and start making changes,” Thomas Penders, 45th Civil Engineer Squadron cultural resources manager, said in a May release. “There is a list of regulations that have to be followed and after launch providers submit plans, a consultation and review is done.”

Such is the case with Launch Complex 36, which is controlled by Space Florida but is now leased for use by Blue Origin.

Launch Complex 36 - Blue Origin New Glenn rocket

Launch Complex 36 is considered an inactive but reserved pad. Blue Origin, which has contracted the use of pad 36 from Space Florida, has revitalized the site to support future launches of its heavy-class New Glenn rocket .

Blue Origins's New Glenn rocket will bring new competition to the heavy-lift market currently dominated by SpaceX and ULA. It's slated to begin operation from the Space Coast sometime next year. At 320 feet tall, the partially reusable rocket that's expected to propel massive payloads beyond low Earth orbit and land vertically for recovery will rival SpaceX's Starship system and NASA's SLS.

According to Space Florida, "Launch Complex 36 was home to dozens of successful Atlas-Centaur launches from the early sixties and was decommissioned in 2007."

Since then, Blue Origin says it has spent "more than $1 billion to rebuild the launch site from the ground up." 

In addition to the refurbished launch pad, Blue Origin has built new vehicle integration, first stage refurbishment, and propellant facilities, as well as an environmental control center at the site.

Launch Complexes of the future: LC-13, LC-14 and LC-15

Launch Complex 13 is currently the site of twin pads that SpaceX uses as landing zones for its Falcon 9 boosters. Once SpaceX's lease with Space Launch Delta 45 expires, the dual launch pads will be turned over to Phantom Space and Vaya Space.

Stoke Space will take control of Launch Complex 14 once refurbishment is completed.

Julia Black, director of range operations at Stoke Space, said in a release in May, “To be trusted with the reactivation of the historic Launch Complex 14 is an honor, and we look forward to adding to its well distinguished accomplishments for America’s space program,"

Launch Complex 15 will need extensive refurbishment in order to become the dedicated home of ABL Space Systems and its RS1 rocket, which only has one unsuccessful launch from Kodiak Island, Alaska, under its belt.

In a post to social media in March , the company said that it aims to begin launching RS1 from Space Florida's pad 46 later this year until pad restoration is completed at LC-15.

“This first round of launch pad allocations was focused on small class vehicles,” U.S. Space Force Col. Mark Shoemaker, SLD 45 Vice Commander for operations, said in a release, saying "opening our gates" to new companies will help build the nation's space industrial base.

The coming years will see the competition for launch space both on the ground and on the Eastern Range's calendar grow.

As new companies settle in and a whole new class of launch vehicles set up for their shot to fly as early as next year, the intense pace of launches from the Space Coast is likely to continue.

Here's where to catch the best launch and landing views

Opportunities to catch the best views of a launch (or landing) are plenty along the Space Coast, but some locations offer better chances to see and feel the fun.

Liftoffs from Kennedy Space Center are best viewed from places north or west of the space center, including Playalinda Beach, the Max Brewer Bridge, or anywhere along the riverside in Titusville.

Launches from the Cape and SpaceX booster landings are best viewed from the south. The most popular sites include Jetty Park, Port Canaveral, Cherie Down Park, and anywhere beachside.

One location that will no longer be available to spectators as of Nov. 1 is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's South Gate launch viewing site. Space Launch Delta 45 announced in October that it would permanently close because of increased concerns over public safety following several serious vehicle crashes in the vicinity and a significant increase in  launch frequency .

Jamie Groh is a space reporter for FLORIDA TODAY, follow her on  X at @AlteredJamie .

Former space editor Emre Kelly contributed to this story before departing FLORIDA TODAY.

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.

Late night SpaceX rocket launch: Where to watch from Daytona, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill

Who's up to pull an all-nighter for a rocket launch? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will potentially lift off this week, carrying another batch of Starlink internet satellites.

Weather permitting, the rocket launch will be visible in the sky above Volusia County. Below is a calendar for upcoming rocket launches and how to watch the SpaceX Starlink 6-48 launch planned for Wednesday, April 10.

Is there a rocket launch today in Florida? Rocket launch calendar for Florida missions

Here's what we know about the rocket launch missions, mentioned in  FLORIDA TODAY's rocket launch calendar  for the month, which is updated frequently. (Check that link often for rocket launch times and dates because they are routinely subject to change for a variety of reasons.) FLORIDA TODAY, a USA TODAY Network-Florida newspaper, provides interactive launch coverage at  floridatoday.com/space  with frequent updates on launches at least 90 minutes in advance, sometimes longer, depending on the mission. For questions or comments, email  Space Reporter Rick Neale  at [email protected] or tweet him  @rickneale1  on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

Is SpaceX launching from Florida? Wednesday, April 10: SpaceX Starlink 6-48

Though SpaceX has yet to publicly confirm this mission's existence, Federal Aviation Administration and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warnings indicate a rocket launch window will open at midnight Tuesday and extend into early Wednesday morning.

Here are some details about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 launch:

• Mission:  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
• Launch window:  Midnight on Tuesday, April 9, to 4:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 10.
• Trajectory:  Southeast.
• Location:  Launch Complex 40.
• Local sonic boom:  No.
• Booster landing:  Drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean.
• Live coverage:  Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at  floridatoday.com/space .

Where can I watch SpaceX rocket launches online?

If you want to watch live rocket launch coverage,  FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team  will provide updates at  floridatoday.com/space , starting about 90 minutes before launch time. You can download the free app for iPhone or Android or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.

Where can I see a rocket launch in Volusia  County, Florida?

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. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

•  South New Smyrna Beach  (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An electic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

Dinner and a launch: Perfect for a SpaceX or NASA rocket launch, best waterfront restaurants in Volusia County

•  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 one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk,  according to Volusia County's site . The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

•  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. Facilities include a rental building,playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoorrestrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.

•  Nancy Cummings Park , 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.

•  Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park , 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.

•  A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier , 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.

•  Bird Observation Pier  on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

Rick Neale  is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories,  click here .) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or  [email protected] . Twitter/X:  @RickNeale1

Canaveral Tours

Explore the Natural Wonders and Historical Monuments of Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island

Merritt Island Wildlife Tour

Spaceflight and lighthouse tour, cruise ship port of call, lighthouse & spaceflight tour.

Read Our Reviews Here

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse & Spaceflight Tours transports you on a journey through the evolution of exploration as we visit the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse that guided the first explorers around the Florida coast, to the location that propelled our ships into orbit, and look toward the new frontier of planetary travel.

Canaveral Tours provides tours of the Canaveral Lighthouse and Canaveral Space Force Station. Our 4-hour tour provides the History of the Cape from early settlers to current space programs. The tour takes you to the lighthouse, where you are provided a guided tour by a Lighthouse Foundation guide. The tour route includes “abandoned in place” launch complexes from the beginning missile program. Visit Launch Complex 26 and step inside the blockhouse where we launched our first satellite into space. See the Redstone rocket on display that sent Alan Shephard and Gus Grissom into space. Walk where we first launched a man into space. Many exhibits of space artifacts and operations for the space program. Special events and private tours are also available.

Wildlife Group Tour

Our tour takes your group of up to 10 guests to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore and Indian River, home to over 500 species of wildlife including many that are threatened and endangered. A variety of habitats are found in the 140,000 acres and 24 miles of barrier island, including coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, pinewood flats, and hardwood hammocks. This protected area around the Kennedy Space Center and NASA facilities was created for the purpose of providing habitats for migratory birds, wildlife diversity, endangered and threatened species, and to grant access for recreation, observation, and education of wildlife activities.

Airboat & Hold a Gator Crawl

No sweat tour. We provide transportation and reservations for your Airboat Experience. Your tour guide provides information and stories about the surrounding landscape and wildlife of Florida during your trip. The knowledgeable tour guide will share information and multi-media presentations that give you a great overview of the ecology and history of the area keeping your group engaged and entertained.

Airboat rides at Midway  is a 5-star attraction with great boats and captains. You can enjoy their animal encounter and an opportunity to hold a Gator! There is a store with snacks, beverages, and every gator souvenir you might want.

• Things to do
• Orlando Attractions
• Kennedy Space Center
• Chat with an Astronaut
• Women in Space
• Mission Zones
• Cape Canaveral
• Launches & Events
• SpaceX Launch
• Visitor Complex
• SpaceX Crew-7 Mission
• Plan Your Visit
• Guided Tours
• Restaurants
• Orlando to KSC
• Transportation
• Launch Tickets
• Rocket Garden
• Shuttle: A Ship Like No Other
• Heroes & Legends
• Behind the Gates
• Saturn V Rocket
• Space Shuttle Atlantis
• NASA Now + Next
• Race to the Moon
• WonderWorks Orlando
• Orlando ICON Park
• Madame Tussauds
• SEA LIFE Orlando Tickets
• Clearwater Beach
• Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
• Festivals and Events

A Guide to the SpaceX Launches at Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX is a renowned satellite communications and spacecraft manufacturing company, founded by Elon Musk. The company conducts a variety of launches from the Kennedy Space Center, including crewed missions, cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS), and satellite launches.

Stay on this page to find out how to view a SpaceX launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

About the Kennedy Space Center SpaceX Launches

SpaceX launches take place frequently at the Kennedy Space Center from Launch Complex 39A (LC39A), one of its four main launch sites. LC-39A is a historic launch complex used for Apollo missions and many Space Shuttle launches, which has now been modified to support its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy SpaceX rockets.

The partnership with NASA has allowed for a more commercially driven approach to space travel, enabling cost-effective and innovative missions to be carried out. It has also positioned the Kennedy Space Center as a key location for future space exploration and technology development.

Launch site : Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, Florida | Find on Maps

Viewing areas : Apollo/Saturn V Center and surrounding areas

To Infinity & Beyond!

Book Kennedy Space Center Tickets & Tours

Spacex launches & missions.

Crewed Dragon Missions

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft carries astronauts to and from the International Space Station. These missions are a part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, aimed at developing safe and reliable crew transportation to the ISS.

Cargo Resupply Missions

The Dragon spacecraft also regularly delivers cargo to the ISS under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. They supply essential scientific equipment, food, and other important items to the astronauts on the space station.

Falcon 9 Satellite Launches

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is used to deploy various satellites into orbit for commercial, scientific, and governmental customers. These launches aim to deploy communication satellites, Earth observation satellites, and scientific payloads into space.

Falcon Heavy Launches

The Falcon Heavy, one of the most powerful rockets in the world, has also been launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Its missions aim to deploy larger payloads or send spacecraft on deep-space missions.

How Do I View a SpaceX Launch at the Kennedy Space Center?

If the SpaceX launch is taking place during the operating hours of the Kennedy Space Center (9 AM to 6 PM), you can view the launch with the KSC Explore Tour tickets. The tour bus will take you to the launch viewing area, where you can witness the spectacular departure of spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A. 

If the launch is taking place outside the working hours of KSC, you will have to book separate launch tickets online . 

On launch days, you also get to listen to live commentary from a space expert, making the experience more memorable. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime chance to view a rocket launch up close!

Upcoming SpaceX Launches

SpaceX Crew-8 mission

Date: 1 March 2024 Viewing area: Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8, scheduled for launch on 1 March 2024, represents the eighth crew rotation mission conducted by NASA and SpaceX to the International Space Station (ISS).

This mission features Crew-8 Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, and Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, all from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon Endeavour spacecraft will be used for this mission, continuing the regular crew rotation missions to the ISS.

Visitor Tips

• Kennedy Space Center and SpaceX post their rocket launch schedules well in advance. Make sure you check the dates so you can plan your visit accordingly.
• Arrive early for the journey to the launch viewing area. Boarding begins 30 minutes before the departure of the bus. 
• Limited bleacher seating is available so bring a foldable chair for lawn viewing if possible.
• Launch viewing is open to all ages, however, children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience! 

Frequently Asked Questions About the Kennedy Space Center SpaceX Launches

There are two upcoming SpaceX rocket launches to look out for. The first is on 28 December and the second on 9 January. Both with take place at the Kennedy Space Center.

Yes, Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center is one of the four primary SpaceX launch sites.

The SpaceX launches take place at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.

SpaceX conducts frequent launches at the Kennedy Space Center. Although the frequency varies based on mission schedules and demand, launches sometimes take place as regular as once or twice a month.

Yes, all the SpaceX launches that take place at the Kennedy Space Center are open for public viewing. Book the Kennedy Space Center Explore Tour to witness a rocket launch.

If the launch is taking place outside the operating hours of the Kennedy Space Center, you will need to book a separate launch ticket.

Try to arrive at least an hour before the launch is scheduled. Bus boarding will begin 30 minutes before the launch.

You can book the Kennedy Space Center Explore Tour to view a rocket launch which is priced at $105.25. The cost of booking exclusive launch tickets is usually around $250 plus tax.

The viewing area for SpaceX launches at the Kennedy Space Center launch is at the Apollo/Saturn V Center and the surrounding areas. Bleachers are available for seated viewing.

The viewing area for SpaceX launches is approximately 3.9 miles or 6.27 km away from the launch pad.

SpaceX has worked on creating state-of-the art, cost-efficient, and reusable spacecraft, which is a massive accomplishment in the field. Watching these rockets and spacecraft take off into space is an awe-inspiring and proud moment for all of mankind. Don't miss out on a chance to view these rocket launches up close!

SpaceX launches a variety of missions from KSC, including crewed missions to the International Space Station, satellite deployments, cargo resupply missions to the ISS, and more.

Yes! Spend a few hours exploring at the attractions and exhibits at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex before or after the launch.

Kennedy Space Center Launch Schedule

Plan Your Visit to the Kennedy Space Center

Getting to the Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX rocket launch: List of Florida beaches, parks & best views to watch this weekend

W ho's up for dinner and a rocket launch? A  SpaceX  Falcon 9 rocket will potentially lift off this weekend, kicking off a new SpaceX program called Bandwagon.

The rocket will carry a small batch of satellites and, weather permitting, will be visible in the sky above the Space Coast and Treasure Coast. Below is the calendar for upcoming rocket launches and how to watch the first SpaceX Bandwagon rocket launch.

Is there a rocket launch in Florida today? Rocket launch calendar for Florida

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Here's what we know about the rocket launch missions, mentioned in  FLORIDA TODAY's rocket launch calendar  for the month, which is updated frequently. (Check that link often for rocket launch times and dates because they are routinely subject to change for a variety of reasons.) FLORIDA TODAY, a USA TODAY Network-Florida newspaper, provides interactive launch coverage at  floridatoday.com/space  with frequent updates on launches at least 90 minutes in advance, sometimes longer, depending on the mission. For questions or comments, email  Space Reporter Rick Neale  at [email protected] or tweet him  @rickneale1  on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

'What is that?!' A SpaceX rocket that launched from Florida was spotted -- in Texas

Is SpaceX launching from Florida? Sunday, April 7: SpaceX Bandwagon-1

SpaceX has yet to announce this mission, but a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warning shows this launch window will open Sunday evening.

Here are some details about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch:

• Mission:  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a "rideshare" payload of small satellites from Kennedy Space Center.
• Launch window:  7:12 p.m. to 7:50 p.m. EDT Sunday, April 7
• Location:  Launch Pad 39A
• Live coverage:  Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at  floridatoday.com/space .

Where to watch SpaceX rocket launch first Bandwagon-1 mission from Space Coast of Florida

Here's what we know about the rocket launch missions, mentioned in  FLORIDA TODAY's rocket launch calendar  for the month, which is updated frequently. (Check that link often for rocket launch times and dates.)

Pretty much anywhere  in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket  launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach. However, visibility will depend on weather conditions and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at 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 are further south along the Indian River, look northeast.

Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest spot to view liftoff because it is almost parallel to Launch Pad 39A. On the beach, look south along the coastline, (you can even see the pad from some spots).

Some hotspots to check out:

• Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road,  Port Canaveral . Note, there's a charge to park.

• Playalinda Beach, 1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note, there's a charge to park, and access to Canaveral National Seashore isn't always granted depending on capacity and time of day.

• Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note, parking is available on both sides of Max Brewer Bridge.

• Space View Park, 8 Broad St., Titusville

• Sand Point Park, 10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville

• Rotary Riverfront Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville

• Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.

• Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. Parking fee varies.

• Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Lori Wilson Park has a dog park, by the way.

• Sidney Fischer Park, 2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.

• Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)

• Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)

• South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)

• Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach

• Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach

Can I see a rocket from the Treasure Coast? Where can I see a launch in Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County?

The best views to watch a rocket launch from neighboring Brevard County, aka the Space Coast, is here along the beach. Visibility in Indian River County,  St. Lucie County  and Martin County, part of the Treasure Coast, will depend on weather conditions, and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches. Look due north. Here are some recommended spots, from closest to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center to farthest:

• Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket launch. That includes  Melbourne Beach , which borders Indian River County, or from Grant-Valkaria along the Indian River Lagoon.

•  Sebastian Inlet Park , 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)

•  Wabasso Beach Park , 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso

•  Ambersands Beach Park , 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)

•  South Beach Park , 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)

•  Alma Lee Loy Bridge  in Vero Beach

•  Merrill Barber Bridge  in Vero Beach

•  Fort Pierce Inlet , 905 Shorewinds Drive

•  Blind Creek Beachside  North and South, South Ocean Drive or SR A1A on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce

•  Blue Heron Beach , 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce

•  Frederick Douglass Memorial Park , 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce

•  Dollman Park Beachside , 9200 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  Herman's Bay Beach , 7880 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  John Brooks Park Beachside , 3300 S Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce

•  Middle Cove Beach , 4600 South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce

•  Normandy Beach  in Jensen Beach

•  Pepper Park Beachside , 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce,

•  Walton Rocks Beach , which has a dog park, 6700 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  Waveland Beach , 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  House of Refuge and beach , 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart

•  State Road A1A causeway in Stuart

How about watching a rocket launch in Volusia  County?

Watching a rocket launch  or  waiting for that launch window  while at the beach is a pretty Florida thing to do.

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. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

•  South New Smyrna Beach  (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An electic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

Dinner and a launch:  Perfect for a SpaceX or NASA rocket launch, best waterfront restaurants in Volusia County

•  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 one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk,  according to Volusia County's site . The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

•  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. Facilities include a rental building,playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoorrestrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.

•  Nancy Cummings Park , 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.

•  Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park , 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.

•  A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier , 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.

•  Bird Observation Pier  on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

What is SpaceX Bandwagon? SpaceX Bandwagon-1

SpaceX is launching a new rideshare mission  called “Bandwagon,” which will send small batches of satellites into mid-inclination orbit, making it the first mission of its kind for the company.

According to TechCrunch, “Orbital inclination refers to what part of the Earth is visible to a satellite as it rotates around the planet.” 

“A satellite in an equatorial orbit is at 0 degrees inclination; a satellite in a sun-synchronous orbit is slightly higher than 90 degrees; and a mid-inclination orbit is around 45 degrees.”

There are  four Bandwagon missions currently on SpaceX’s schedule , slated for this weekend, November 2024 and February and May 2025.

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 .

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX rocket launch: List of Florida beaches, parks & best views to watch this weekend

Where to watch the nighttime SpaceX Starlink rocket launch in Sebastian, Vero Beach

Who's up to pull an all-nighter for a rocket launch ? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will potentially lift off this week, carrying another batch of Starlink internet satellites.

Weather permitting, the rocket launch will be visible in the sky above the Treasure Coast. Below is a calendar for upcoming rocket launches and how to watch the SpaceX Starlink 6-48 launch planned for Wednesday, April 10.

Is there a rocket launch in Florida today? Rocket launch calendar for Florida

Here's what we know about the rocket launch missions, mentioned in  FLORIDA TODAY's rocket launch calendar  for the month, which is updated frequently. (Check that link often for rocket launch times and dates because they are routinely subject to change for a variety of reasons.) FLORIDA TODAY, a USA TODAY Network-Florida newspaper, provides interactive launch coverage at  floridatoday.com/space  with frequent updates on launches at least 90 minutes in advance, sometimes longer, depending on the mission. For questions or comments, email  Space Reporter Rick Neale  at [email protected] or tweet him  @rickneale1  on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

Is SpaceX launching from Florida? Wednesday, April 10: SpaceX Starlink 6-48

Though SpaceX has yet to publicly confirm this mission's existence, Federal Aviation Administration and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warnings indicate a rocket launch window will open at midnight Tuesday and extend into early Wednesday morning.

Here are some details about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch:

• Mission:  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
• Launch window:  Midnight on Tuesday, April 9, to 4:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 10.
• Trajectory:  Southeast.
• Location:  Launch Complex 40.
• Local sonic boom:  No.
• Booster landing:  Drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean.
• Live coverage:  Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at  floridatoday.com/space .

Where can I watch SpaceX rocket launches online?

If you want to watch live rocket launch coverage,  FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team  will provide updates at  floridatoday.com/space , starting about 90 minutes before launch time. You can download the free app for iPhone or Android or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.

Where can I see a Florida rocket launch in Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County?

The best views to watch a rocket launch from neighboring Brevard County, aka the Space Coast, is here along the beach. Visibility in Indian River County,  St. Lucie County  and Martin County, part of the Treasure Coast, will depend on weather conditions, and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches. Look due north. Here are some recommended spots, from closest to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center to farthest:

• Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket launch. That includes  Melbourne Beach , which borders Indian River County, or from Grant-Valkaria along the Indian River Lagoon.

•  Sebastian Inlet Park , 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)

•  Wabasso Beach Park , 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso

•  Ambersands Beach Park , 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)

•  South Beach Park , 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)

•  Alma Lee Loy Bridge  in Vero Beach

•  Merrill Barber Bridge  in Vero Beach

•  Fort Pierce Inlet , 905 Shorewinds Drive

•  Blind Creek Beachside  North and South, South Ocean Drive or SR A1A on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce

•  Blue Heron Beach , 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce

•  Frederick Douglass Memorial Park , 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce

•  Dollman Park Beachside , 9200 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  Herman's Bay Beach , 7880 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  John Brooks Park Beachside , 3300 S Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce

•  Middle Cove Beach , 4600 South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce

•  Normandy Beach  in Jensen Beach

•  Pepper Park Beachside , 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce,

•  Walton Rocks Beach , which has a dog park, 6700 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  Waveland Beach , 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach

•  House of Refuge and beach , 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart

•  State Road A1A causeway in Stuart

Rick Neale  is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories,  click here .) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or  [email protected] . Twitter/X:  @RickNeale1

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Space shuttles Atlantis (left) and Endeavor (right) on Launch Pads 39A and 39B respectively (2009).

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Kennedy Space Center Private Tour

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• Transportation Included
• Tour Guide Included
• Groups Allowed
• Access for Disabled
• Approx. 12 hours

Private Kennedy Space Center Tours from Orlando

Welcome to the home of One Small Step for Man. Without any shadow of doubt, this is one of the most thrilling attractions in Florida. The sheer amount you can expect to see, touch, and learn about sets the KSC far above. This is a dynamic, visceral place to visit, and we can’t wait to guide you around. Keep reading to learn more about this private Kennedy Space Center experience; if you’d like to browse more experiences, consider our other Private Tours in Florida and our Standard Group Tours in Florida .

What's Included

• Admission into Kennedy Space Center Visitors complex
• PRIVATE Roundtrip Transportation
• Professional, Certified and Licensed Tour Guide

What's Not Included

Pick-up time & schedule.

Approx. 8:30am

*Pickup directly from your hotel

This Kennedy Space Center private tour offers the past, present and future of the space program, but it also puts visitors front and center in the whole experience like never before. Seeing is believing, and you will believe you have been transported to the cutting edge of space exploration through a series of hands-on exhibits, movies, and presentations, including a daily Astronaut Encounter with one of the modern heroes of NASA’s operations.

About this Private Kennedy Space Center Experience

This Kennedy Space Center experience includes PRIVATE transportation to and from the listed activities. No other visitors will be traveling in the same tour vehicle as you and your party. Door-to-door service is included with pickup directly from your hotel.

“PRIVATE” refers to the transportation used to and from Orlando and between the included activities on the tour booked. Activities throughout the day may still be experienced on a shared basis such as boat rides, simulators, bus tours provided as part of an admission ticket, etc.

Starting Your KSC Private Tour

It all starts with the signature bus tour that provides a complete overview of the full extent of the vast spread of operations, including the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, Launch Complex 39B, and the Apollo/Saturn V Center, with its recreated moon landing and awesome full-size Saturn V rocket.

Back at the KSC’s main Visitor Complex, you should check out the hugely impressive Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, with its moving presentation of one of the four surviving orbiters. Also make sure to take a ride on the riveting Shuttle Launch Experience, a clever simulator with the inside track on what it feels like to blast off from the Space Center.

You can also visit the Heroes & Legends center (including the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame). Soak up the grandeur of the IMAX Theater with its eye-popping large-screen movies, and wander the Rocket Garden.

There is SO much to see here, you will definitely need all day to take it all in, and our Admission with Transportation is the perfect way to indulge your inner astronaut! The KSC is fully 60 miles from Orlando, so let us take the strain out of the journey and you can enjoy the experience to the max. 

Book today to avoid disappointment and please get in touch if you have any questions. 

New to Kennedy Space Center: Gateway

Officially referred to as “Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex”, this brand-new exhibit is included in the price of your ticket. It is an exciting look at the future of deep space exploration while also shining a light on the incredible work that is being done in the present. Ever wondered how we’ll travel between solar systems? This is the best place on the planet to find out!

The Gateway exhibition space is huge and it is packed with real spacecrafts and technologies used by NASA to get people and equipment out into space and back again. Here are just a few highlights of what you can look forward to in the KSC’s new Gateway attraction:

ORION EFT-1 CAPSULE SPACEX CARGO DRAGON COTS-2 SIERRA SPACE DREAM CHASER® BOEING CST-100 STARLINER MOCKUP CAPSULE LOCKHEED MARTIN SPACE HABITAT ROBOTIC SPACE EXPLORERS INTERACTIVE WALL And so much more!

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