Who’s up for a nighttime rocket launch? A rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is scheduled to lift off this week.
SpaceX plans to send a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Project Kuiper broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Rockets here launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and people in and around Brevard County usually have the best chance at seeing this phenomenon in the sky.
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover and trajectory, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast is sometimes visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach and as far south as West Palm Beach.
When there’s a nighttime launch window 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 the next rocket launch from Florida and suggestions on where to watch it from the Space 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 the next SpaceX rocket launch in Florida? Thursday, October 9: SpaceX Project Kuiper KF-3Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will lift 24 Project Kuiper broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit, 289 miles above ground level.Launch window: 9:34 p.m. ET Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025Trajectory: NortheastLaunch location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, FloridaSonic booms: NoLive coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space: You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network’s Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at floridatoday.com/space, starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.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 watch SpaceX rocket launch from Space Coast of Florida
Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you’ll get a view of the rocket launch − in certain areas, you can get an amazing view of SpaceX rocket boosters returning to the pads. 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 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 farther 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., TitusvilleSand Point Park, 10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, TitusvilleRotary Riverfront Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave., TitusvilleRiverfront Park at Cocoa Village, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa (just before State Road 520 Causeway)Cocoa Village, near the parks and shops or near the docksVarious parks on Merritt IslandRotary Park, 1899 S. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt IslandKiwanis Park on Kiwanis Island Park Road on Merritt IslandPort Canaveral, with ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean at portAlan 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.Downtown Cocoa Beach, along Minutemen CausewayTables Beach, 197 SR A1A, Satellite BeachThe Tides on SR A1A in Satellite BeachVarious parks, including the Pelican Beach Clubhouse, in Satellite BeachPineda CausewayEau Gallie CausewayFront Street Park near Melbourne (U.S. 192) Causeway and U.S. 1 in MelbourneIndialantic boardwalk at Melbourne Causeway and SR A1AParadise Beach Park, aka Howard Futch Park, 2301 SR A1A, Melbourne (this is a beachside park)Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)