A “so Florida” thing to do is coming up: watching a rocket launch from the beach.
SpaceX plans to send a Falcon 9 rocket with several Starlink satellites into orbit this week. And depending on weather and visibility, there could be a show in the sky above the Treasure Coast.
Liftoff for a Starlink launch is tentatively set ahead of the weekend if things go according to plan for the space agency.
Rockets launch from neighboring Brevard County, which is an hour east of the Orlando theme parks. Depending on cloud cover, weather and visibility, people from Daytona Beach to Melbourne Beach to Vero Beach might see a nice streak in the sky — given the proximity to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch from this area and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.
When is the next rocket launch in Florida? Thursday, Sept. 18: SpaceX Starlink 10-61
Where can I see a rocket launch in Florida?
In Florida, we can best see a rocket launch in person if you’re anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County) or certain spots in the First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County) or the Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County). Pro tip: If you do watch it in person, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic.
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a SpaceX rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast could be visible from Daytona Beach to Melbourne to Vero Beach. In some cases, a Falcon 9 rocket launch has been spotted as far south as West Palm Beach. When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.
Can a rocket launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Depending on weather and on cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach.
A rocket launch can be a treat for the ears, too: On the Space Coast, a “rumble” can be heard or window-shaking can be expected in some parts of Brevard County after liftoff. And some rocket launches have an added bonus: The SpaceX boosters return to a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean or, occasionally, to the company’s landing zone at Cape Canaveral. If a booster returns to the landing zone, there’s a sonic boom.
Where to watch a rocket launch in Indian River County, Florida
Where to watch a rocket launch in St. Lucie County, Florida
Pierce Inlet State Park, 905 Shorewinds Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Blind Creek Beachside North and South, 5460 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Blue Heron Beach, 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce, Florida
Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Dollman Park Beachside, 9200 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida
Herman’s Bay Beach, 7880 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida
John Brooks Park Beachside, 3300 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Middle Cove Beach, 4600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Normandy Beach in Jensen Beach, Florida
Pepper Park Beachside, 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce, Florida
Walton Rocks Beach, 6700 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida (dog park)
Waveland Beach, 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida
Where to watch a rocket launch in Martin County, Florida
House of Refuge and beach, 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart, Florida
State Road A1A causeway in Stuart, Florida
Live weather radar: Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch near Kennedy Space Center?
Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Early morning SpaceX rocket launch in Florida: What time is liftoff, where to watch it
Reporting by Jennifer Sangalang, Rick Neale, Gianna Montesano and Brooke Edwards, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
