A SpaceX rocket carrying astronauts could blast off from Florida’s Space Coast this week.
Can liftoff be seen in the Duval County area? If the conditions are right, yes!
Axiom’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station was originally aiming to launch in late May, but has been delayed several times. Its latest delay on June 13 was due to leaks on the ISS. As of Monday, June 23, a new launch time has been set for Wednesday, June 22.
When it does launch, a SpaceX Dragon capsule with four astronauts in it will be carried by a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
➤ Business is booming: Florida’s Space Coast is one of fastest-growing economies in U.S.
Though rockets launch in Florida from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, people from the First Coast can sometimes see this Florida phenomenon.
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast could be visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach to as far south as Vero Beach and 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.
Below is more information on rocket launches in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from the First Coast.
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 SpaceX launching from Florida? Wednesday, June 25: SpaceX-Axiom Space Ax-4
Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?
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.
Where to see SpaceX rocket launch in Jacksonville, Florida. Can you see rocket launches from Duval County, Florida?
Depending on trajectory, weather and cloud cover, there have been sightings of a SpaceX Falcon 9 or United Launch Alliance Delta Heavy rocket launch over the skies of Jacksonville, Florida, which is north of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Where to see a rocket launch in Jacksonville, Florida, area:
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: SpaceX-Axiom rocket launch could be visible in Jacksonville, Florida: Here’s where to watch
Reporting by Jennifer Sangalang, Rick Neale and Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
