With an unprecedented 85 orbital rockets launching through December from Florida’s Space Coast, how high will the new annual record climb before 2024 wraps up?
Crews at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station surpassed the former annual record of 72 launches by Oct. 26, powered by dozens of SpaceX Starlink liftoffs — and the tally continues to rise.
Meanwhile, space fans continue eyeing the calendar awaiting the debut flight of Blue Origin’s massive New Glenn rocket, which will be clearly visible to spectators along the Cocoa Beach shoreline.
And United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket will soon launch on its third-ever mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Following are the latest missions coming up from the Cape. All launches are listed in Eastern Standard Time. But be aware: Dates and times routinely change for a wide variety of reasons.
For the latest mission updates and space news, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rocket photography:FLORIDA TODAY’s 2025 Space Launch Calendar is here
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com.
Wednesday, December 4: SpaceX Starlink 6-70
- Mission: A 4½-hour launch window for a SpaceX Starlink mission will open early Wednesday morning, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows.
- Launch window: 3:29-8 a.m.
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Trajectory: Southeast.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Thursday, December 5: SiriusXM9
- Mission: SpaceX will launch the latest satellite for the radio service provider, SiriusXM. A Federal Aviation Administration operation plan advisory shows this launch occurring during a two-hour window on Thursday.
- Launch Window: 11:10 a.m. – 1:10 p.m.
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
TBA: Blue Origin New Glenn maiden flight
- Mission: In late November, Blue Origin crews rolled out the first massive 320-foot New Glenn rocket and raised it on the pad ahead of pre-flight testing, and the inaugural launch may occur before year’s end.
- Launch: TBA.
- Location: Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Sonic booms: No.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
TBA: United Launch Alliance USSF-106
- Mission: Equipped with four solid rocket boosters, ULA’s third Vulcan rocket will take flight on the Space Force’s USSF-106 national security mission into geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth.
- Launch: TBA.
- Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Sonic booms: No.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Mid-January: NASA SpaceX Blue Ghost
- Mission: Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One lander will carry 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the moon after launching on a Falcon 9 rocket.
- Launch: The six-day launch window opens no earlier than mid-January.
- Location: Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
February: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10
- Mission: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 crew members will launch for a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station on a Falcon 9 rocket.
- Launch: TBA.
- Location: TBA.
- Sonic booms: TBA.
- Live coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Spring 2025: Blue Origin ESCAPADE
- Mission: Blue Origin will launch its powerhouse New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This first launch will send NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars.
- Launch window: TBA.
- Location: Launch Complex 36.
- Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
