When is the SpaceX rocket launch? Depending on weather and clouds, Cape Canaveral liftoff could be seen from Daytona, New Smyrna Beach to Vero and Fort Pierce.<\/p>\n
A \u201cso Florida\u201d thing to do is coming up this weekend: A SpaceX rocket launch.<\/p>\n
SpaceX plans to send a Falcon 9 rocket with several Starlink satellites into orbit Sunday, Sept. 21. And depending on weather and visibility, there could be a show\u00a0in the early morning sky.<\/p>\n
Though rockets here launch from Kennedy Space Center and\u00a0Cape Canaveral, Florida<\/a>, an hour east of the Orlando theme parks, it\u2019s possible to see this \u201cso Florida\u201d thing far beyond the launch pad. Depending on cloud cover, weather and visibility, people from Daytona and New Smyrna Beach to Vero Beach and Fort Pierce might see a nice streak\u00a0in the sky \u2014 given the proximity to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch<\/a> from this area and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.<\/p>\n 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\u00a0floridatoday.com\/space<\/a>.<\/p>\n When is the next rocket launch in Florida? Sunday, Sept. 21: SpaceX Starlink 10-27Mission:\u00a0SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket into low-Earth orbit to deploy a payload of Starlink broadband satellites.Launch\u00a0window:\u00a05:20 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025Launch location:\u00a0Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, FloridaTrajectory:\u00a0NortheastSonic booms for the Space Coast of Florida (Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne area):\u00a0NoLive coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at\u00a0floridatoday.com\/space<\/a>:\u00a0You can watch live rocket launch coverage from\u00a0USA TODAY Network\u2019s 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\u00a0floridatoday.com\/space, starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free\u00a0FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the\u00a0App Store\u00a0or\u00a0Google Play, or type\u00a0floridatoday.com\/space<\/a>\u00a0into your browser.<\/p>\n In Florida, we can best see a rocket launch in person if you’re\u00a0anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County<\/a>) or certain spots in the\u00a0First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County<\/a>) or the\u00a0Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County<\/a>).\u00a0Pro tip:\u00a0If you do watch it in person, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic.<\/p>\n Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a SpaceX rocket launch from Florida\u2019s Space Coast\u00a0could be visible from Daytona Beach to Melbourne to Vero Beach<\/a>. In some cases, a Falcon 9 rocket launch has been spotted as far south as West Palm Beach. When there\u2019s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there\u2019s an opportunity for unique photos \u2014 the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after<\/a> makes for a great photo.<\/p>\n Can a rocket launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Once again depending on weather and on cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on\u00a0social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy<\/a>, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach.<\/p>\n A rocket launch can be a treat for the ears, too: On the Space Coast, a \u201crumble\u201d 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.<\/p>\n Best viewing spots to see NASA Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, rocket launch\u00a0<\/p>\n Pretty much anywhere\u00a0in Brevard, you’ll get a view of the rocket<\/a>\u00a0launch \u2212 in certain areas, you can get an\u00a0amazing view of SpaceX rocket boosters returning<\/a>\u00a0to 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n If you are farther south along the Indian River, look northeast.<\/p>\n Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest spot to view liftoff\u00a0because 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).<\/p>\n Some hotspots to check out:<\/p>\n Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road,\u00a0Port Canaveral<\/a>. 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.\u00a0Note,\u00a0parking 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\u00a0Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave.,\u00a0TitusvilleRiverfront Park at Cocoa Village, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa (just before State Road 520 Causeway)Cocoa Village<\/a>, near the parks and shops or near the docksVarious\u00a0parks on Merritt Island<\/a>Rotary Park, 1899 S. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt IslandKiwanis Park\u00a0on 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\u00a0costs.Cocoa Beach Pier,\u00a0401 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\u00a0costs.Downtown Cocoa Beach, along Minutemen CausewayTables Beach, 197 SR A1A, Satellite BeachThe Tides\u00a0on SR A1A in Satellite BeachVarious\u00a0parks<\/a>, 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\u00a0at 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)Where to watch a rocket launch in Indian River County, Florida<\/p>\n Sebastian Inlet State Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach, Florida (cost to enter)<\/p>\n Wabasso Beach Park, 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso, Florida<\/p>\n Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach, Florida (free parking)<\/p>\n South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, Florida (free parking)<\/p>\n Merrill Barber Bridge\u00a0in\u00a0Vero Beach, Florida<\/p>\n Alma Lee Loy Bridge\u00a0in\u00a0Vero Beach, Florida<\/p>\n Where to watch a rocket launch in St. Lucie County, Florida<\/p>\n Pierce Inlet State Park, 905 Shorewinds Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Blind Creek Beachside\u00a0North and South, 5460 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Blue Heron Beach, 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Dollman Park Beachside, 9200 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida<\/p>\n Herman’s Bay Beach, 7880 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida<\/p>\n John Brooks Park Beachside, 3300 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Middle Cove Beach, 4600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Normandy Beach\u00a0in Jensen Beach, Florida<\/p>\n Pepper Park Beachside, 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce, Florida<\/p>\n Walton Rocks Beach, 6700 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida (dog park)<\/p>\n Waveland Beach, 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida<\/p>\n Where to watch a rocket launch in Martin County, Florida<\/p>\n House of Refuge and beach, 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart, Florida<\/p>\n State Road A1A causeway\u00a0in Stuart, Florida<\/p>\n Where to see Florida rocket launch in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach area<\/p>\n In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County \u2014 home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station \u2014 you can get a great view of a\u00a0SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch<\/a>. The best views to watch a rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look due south. Recommended spots:<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0South New Smyrna Beach<\/a>\u00a0(Canaveral National Seashore)<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park<\/a>, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Apollo Beach\u00a0at\u00a0Canaveral National Seashore<\/a>\u00a0(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.<\/p>\n