CCSFS Archives - Page 6 of 16

September 3, 2025

FAA Releases Final EA For Falcon 9 Expansion At SLC 40

A final environmental assessment approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clears the path for SpaceX to build and operate a Falcon 9 rocket landing zone at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

NOTE: this is not either one of the two Starship EA currently underway for the Eastern Range.

The assessment also supports an increase in the number of annual Falcon 9 launches from SLC-40, raising the cap from 50 to 120 per year. The FAA’s decision, finalized in August 2025, comes after months of federal coordination, public comment, and technical review.

The document is below, and it can also be downloaded from the FAA website: SpaceX Falcon 9 Operations at Space Launch Complex-40.

Falcon LC40 LZ and Launch Increase EA Download

FAA Approval Enables New Landing Zone, Expanded Launch Schedule

The FAA, acting as the lead federal agency, reviewed SpaceX’s proposal to both increase the number of Falcon 9 launches and construct a 400-foot-diameter concrete landing pad east of the SLC-40 pad. According to the final Environmental Assessment (EA), the FAA concluded that the project would not cause significant adverse environmental impacts.

With this approval, SpaceX may now move forward in seeking:

A modification to its current launch license (LLO 18-105),
A potential new launch license under 14 CFR Part 450, and
Airspace closure approvals for each launch and landing.

The FAA emphasized that environmental clearance does not automatically guarantee license approval but does permit further steps toward that end.

Construction of the new landing zone will occur within a 10-acre lease boundary adjacent to the existing launch site. The landing zone includes a concrete pad, gravel apron, nitrogen gas line, processing pedestal, and associated infrastructure.

Environmental Effects

Water & Wetlands

The final EA identified that the construction and operation of the new landing site will affect several protected habitats and species, notably the Florida scrub-jay and Southeastern beach mouse. In consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a Biological Opinion concluded the project “is not likely to jeopardize” listed species or critical habitats, provided mitigation measures are followed. Those measures include habitat compensation and best management practices during construction.

Noise and Sonic Booms

Noise impacts—especially those resulting from rocket landings—were analyzed in detail. Falcon 9 landings at Cape Canaveral generate sonic booms, but the FAA determined that their frequency and intensity fall within previously analyzed limits. Up to 34 landings annually are expected to take place at the new SLC-40 site. Downrange ocean landings using drone ships will continue for the remainder.

The EA also confirmed that sonic boom pressure levels from the new landing zone would be comparable to existing operations at LZ-1 and LZ-2. Noise levels would be highest during landings but occur infrequently enough that they do not trigger significant regulatory thresholds under federal guidance.

Public Input

The FAA received more than 4,000 public comments during the review period for the draft EA. Public engagement included virtual meetings, local newspaper notices, and hard copies of the document being distributed to several Brevard County libraries.

According the FAA, most comments expressed support or posed technical questions, with at least one requesting that the FAA produce a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), citing concerns about cumulative effects and development intensity. The FAA opted to finalize the EA instead, citing that the expected impacts did not reach the threshold requiring a more extensive EIS process.

No substantial objections were raised by local municipalities or regulatory agencies. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, for instance, found the project consistent with the Florida Coastal Management Program.

With the EA finalized and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) likely, the next phase will involve regulatory and operational coordination:

FAA Licensing – SpaceX must receive formal approval to modify its current launch license or obtain a new one under updated regulations.
Property Agreement – The Department of the Air Force must execute a real property agreement allowing SpaceX to lease and develop the LZ.
Permitting – SpaceX will need a modified Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) from the state and a stormwater permit under the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
Construction and Testing – Once approved, construction is expected to begin ahead of the LZ-1/2 license expiration in early 2026.
Airspace Coordination – FAA will continue issuing Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), while the Coast Guard will support maritime safety operations during launches and landings.

August 31, 2025

The Space Industry Is Booming In Brevard

Brevard County is quietly emerging as a cornerstone of Florida’s evolving aerospace economy…and not just for SpaceX launches or NASA. They of course remain vital to the area economy, but they are far from the only companies expanding or coming here.

Anchoring this growth is the state’s designated spaceport territories, underpinned by the Spaceport Improvement Program—a collaborative initiative led by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority.

These spaceport territories—including the Cape Canaveral Spaceport along Brevard’s coast—have attracted increasing levels of both public and private capital. Over the last decade, Florida has allocated more than $1.94 billion toward public investments in spaceport infrastructure across 44 distinct projects. Among those efforts, approximately $90.5 million was earmarked in the State Transportation Work Program for spaceport-specific projects in fiscal year 2025–2026.

Who	What	Where	When	How Much
FDOT & Space Florida	Launch complex upgrades, tenant infrastructure	Cape Canaveral Spaceport	Through 2029	$700 million
Space Florida	Active and completed infrastructure projects	Statewide	Since 2012	$500+ million (public)
Private Sector	Co-investment with state infrastructure funding	Statewide	Since 2012	$3.3 billion (private)
Amazon (Project Kuiper)	Satellite processing facility + constellation deployment	Kennedy Space Center	April–August 2025 launches	Undisclosed (multi-phase)
Undisclosed Company	Aerospace manufacturing facility (“Project Beep”)	Exploration Park near Kennedy Space Center	Proposed; funding requested	~$250 million
Space Florida	218 active aerospace-related opportunities (88 local)	Central Florida & Space Coast	Ongoing	Varies

As seen from Titusville, a close look doesn’t take long to reveal how local these projects are, and how they will impact the local economy : expansion at the Cape, expansion at the Port, new factories in Titusville, and new factories in Exploration Park, among others. More houses, more money and more infrastructure will be needed.

FDOT has further committed roughly $700 million in funding through 2029 to enhance launch complexes and upgrade infrastructure to accommodate commercial firms such as SpaceX and Blue Origin. The Spaceport Improvement Program has, over its lifetime, catalyzed more than $500 million in state capital—$224 million in current initiatives and $256 million already completed—yielding over $3.3 billion in private investment and more than 5,000 jobs.

Among the high-profile examples, Amazon’s Project Kuiper is deploying a satellite processing facility at Kennedy Space Center, having already launched its fourth batch of satellites on August 11, 2025, bringing its total in orbit to 102. The initial constellation will eventually comprise more than 3,200 spacecraft. Space Florida regards this initiative as evidence of the strategic value in centralized aerospace operations tied to long-term infrastructure investment.

The Future Looks Bright…

In parallel, Space Florida’s project pipeline remains substantial, with over 218 active space-related opportunities at various stages statewide. Remarkably, approximately 88 of these are concentrated within Central Florida and the Space Coast—a concentration noted during Space Florida’s board meeting on August 14, 2025. Among these are two confidential undertakings—undisclosed by name but seeking state funding—that appear to be rooted in Central Florida.

Another initiative, dubbed “Project Beep,” involves a still-anonymous aerospace firm planning a new facility in Exploration Park near Kennedy Space Center. Projected to generate some 1,000 jobs, the facility—valued at an estimated $250 million—would remain property of Space Florida and then be leased back to the company on a 30-year basis. This development is anticipated to attract additional skilled labor to the Space Coast, reinforcing the region’s aerospace workforce infrastructure.

Space Florida has authorized leasing 25 acres on northern Merritt Island for Project Beep, an undisclosed aerospace company that plans to build a future quarter-billion-dollar facility and create about 1,000 jobs just outside NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Florida Today – May 28, 2025

Beyond project funding, broader legislative support has emerged. Senator Ashley Moody recently saw the passage of the Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act, which enables spaceports nationwide to access tax-exempt private activity bonds—paralleling one of the financing advantages available to seaports and airports. President Trump also issued an Executive Order to simplify commercial spaceflight’s regulatory framework in August 2025, lowering the hurdles for space operators to license launch operations.

Notably, Florida has institutionalized spaceport funding within its main infrastructure budget. Rather than relying solely on ad-hoc legislative appropriations, allocations now flow consistently from the State Transportation Work Program—bringing long-term predictability to capital planning in this sector. In turn, that ensures the continuity of projects underway, and for the funding of future awards.

That’s a win-win for industry, for government and ultimately, for taxpayers looking for value from their investment. The payback includes jobs, which creates a robust local economy and also helps local government fund infrastructure that will be needed for a growing population.

August 24, 2025

Launch Report: CRS-33 Launches From The Cape Overnight

SpaceX launched Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral overnight, sending supplies to the International Space Station aboard Cargo Dragon. Liftoff was at 02:45 AM ET into partly cloudy skies.

Tonight’s launch was the seventh for Booster 1090, which landed safely aboard ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ some eight minutes and forty seconds after liftoff. ‘ASOG’ will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be unloaded and transported to SpaceX’s Hangar X for inspection, refurbishment and preparation for its next mission.

At T+08:47, Cargo Dragon achieved its initial orbit, and less than a minute later, it separated from Falcon 9’s second stage and began to make its way to the International Space Station, where it is expected to dock tomorrow morning.

Cargo

Food, supplies, hardware and new scientific experiments make up the bulk of the cargo being carried to ISS. For more specifcs, consult our Launch Preview article.

While docked, Dragon will perform a series of burns to help the @Space_Station maintain its current altitude, using an independent propellant system and two Draco engines in the spacecraft’s modified trunk pic.twitter.com/suIdBQivUr
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 24, 2025

Launch Replay

Next Launch

	Details
Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Starlink Group 10-11 — Go for Launch!
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9
Pad	Launch Complex 39A
Status	Go for Launch
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens	Wednesday, 08/27/2025 1:49 AM
Window Closes	Wednesday, 08/27/2025 5:49 AM
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation — SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

As of 1:39 PM Sunday August 24, 2025. Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for more information.

August 23, 2025

SpaceX Set To Launch Supplies To ISS Overnight

SpaceX and NASA are set to send supplies to ISS overnight aboard Cargo Dragon. Liftoff is set for 2:45:36 AM ET in an instantaneous window. And it will be a quick trip once in orbit: after an approximate 28-hour flight, Dragon will dock with the orbiting outpost on Monday, August 25, around 7:30 AM ET.

At A Glance

Field	Details
Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Dragon CRS-2 SpX-33 — Go for Launch!
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	Go for Launch
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens	Sunday, 08/24/2025 2:45:36 AM
Window Closes	Sunday, 08/24/2025 2:45:36 AM
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	33rd commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Cargo Dragon 2 brings supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations that occur onboard the orbiting laboratory.

As of 10:00 AM Saturday August 23, 2025. Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for more information.

Along with the usual gamut of food, gear, and crew supplies, CRS-33 will deliver a range of scientific experiments to the International Space Station. These include stem cells that promote bone formation, aimed at studying how to prevent bone loss in space. Dragon will also carry materials for 3D printing medical implants—research that could lead to better treatments for nerve damage back on Earth.

The Tortilla Express

Another item on the launch manifest for CRS-33 is roughly 1500 tortillas. They are a staple food aboard Station — convenient, quick, and quite handy to bundle up other food items…breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are a crumb-free condensed item, making the humble tortilla one of the most likely foods humans will carry to Mars and beyond.

For #NationalTacoDay, here's a space taco @astro_tim made.Tortillas are one of the most popular food items! https://t.co/JRNWUvhE3l pic.twitter.com/lzIOI1bVi4
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) October 4, 2016

Other payloads include bioprinted liver tissue for examining how blood vessels form in microgravity, and tools for printing metal cubes in orbit.

Planned Reboost Test For Cargo Dragon

Cargo Dragon will also conduct a reboost test to help maintain the station’s altitude. The boost system, housed in Dragon’s trunk, features its own propellant setup and uses a pair of Draco engines powered by existing hardware.

Starting in September 2025, the system will carry out a series of burns to demonstrate its ability to sustain the lab’s orbit. This follows Dragon’s first successful test of the reboost function on November 8, 2024, during NASA’s 31st commercial resupply mission with SpaceX.

Cargo Dragon is expected to stay docked at the station through December after which it will return to Earth off of the coast of California.

Booster: B1090

This will be the seventh flight of first stage B1090, which will be supporting this mission. Previously, B1090 launched O3b mPOWER-E, Crew-10, Bandwagon-3, O3b mPOWER-D, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, it will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas, located downrange off the South Carolina coast. There will not be a sonic boom on the Space Coast after the launch.

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 released their Launch Mission Execution Forecast yesterday afternoon, and it calls for a 70% chance of acceptable weather, with watch items being the usual summer items: cumulus clouds and nearby lightning.

Trajectory

Northeast, on the usual ISS route.

B1090 will touch down off the South Carolina coast aboard ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas.’

Online Viewing

Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link

SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: CRS-33. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about twenty minutes before liftoff.

For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.

Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.

Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.

Launch Viewing: In Person

The best free options are available for spectators: Jetty Park, the Banana River Bridge on FL 528 W or the southern Titusville parks on Washington Avenue / US-1 are your best bets. Don’t forget bug spray.

August 22, 2025

Launch Report: SpaceX Launches Boeing X-37 For US Space Force

SpaceX launched their 101st Falcon 9 mission of 2025 last night from Kennedy Space Center when the company sent the Boeing X-37 space plane to low Earth orbit on a classified mission. Liftoff was at 11:50 PM EDT, shortly after the opening of the launch window.

Following a “norminal” initial ascent and stage separation, Falcon 9 first-stage booster B1092 touched down at Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, concluding its sixth flight successfully about 8 miles away from its starting point. This booster previously launched NROL-69, CRS-32, GPS III-7, and two Starlink missions and will soon be transported for refurbishment at SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center.

Payload

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is a reusable, uncrewed spaceplane developed by Boeing for the United States Space Force. Roughly the size of a small bus, it resembles a miniature space shuttle orbiter and operates in low Earth orbit for extended missions—some lasting over 900 days.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

Field	Details
Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Dragon CRS-2 SpX-33 — Go for Launch!
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	Go for Launch
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens	Sunday, 08/24/2025 2:45:09 AM
Window Closes	Sunday, 08/24/2025 2:45:09 AM
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	33rd commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Cargo Dragon 2 brings supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations that occur onboard the orbiting laboratory.

As of 2:00 AM Friday August 22, 2025. Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for more information.

August 15, 2025

Blue Origin Pushes Back New Glenn Launch Date

Blue Origin has delayed the launch of its second New Glenn rocket to no earlier than Sept. 29. After flying a successful mission in January, Blue had stated that the target date for NG-2 was first in “late spring,” and later adjusted to NET August 15.

New Glenn’s second mission is NET September 29. We have been working closely with @NASA on the timeline and look forward to flying ESCAPADE to Mars. You’ll start seeing some exciting things happening at the pad down in Florida very soon.
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 14, 2025

The prime mission for the launch is NASA’s ESCAPADE mission. New Glenn will carry two small satellites tasked with studying the Martian magnetosphere, and will be New Glenn’s first interplanetary mission and the first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission aimed at Mars. NG-2 will also carry a technology demonstration payload for ViaSat, in support of NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate’s Communications Services Project.

A tertiary goal for this mission will be a successful landing of the New Glenn first stage on the company’s landing platform, which will be stationed downrange offshore in the Atlantic. Blue plans to fly as many as 25 missions with each booster, targeting significant cost reduction and operational efficiency for each flight, and is considered to be a necessity for the long-term financial viability of the company.

Finally, a successful second flight will serve as another technology demonstration for future customers, namely the Department of Defense, NASA and Amazon. Blue was awarded National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 heavy-lift provider status, and is a $2.4 billion contract for the company. Amazon has also contracted New Glenn for at least 12 launches of its Project Kuiper satellites, and Blue Origin itself is building out its first lunar lander, Blue Moon Mk1, part of its lunar lander services contract with NASA and the Artemis Program. That spacecraft will need a ride on New Glenn as well.

Whether Blue launches in September remains to be seen. Delays in new launch systems are hardly uncommon, and on its second flight, Blue Origin has a full plate payload and operations-wise. To successfully achieve each objective, the company will be sure to double, triple, quadruple check every component and procedure leading up to the launch, and then they’ll probably check again after that just to be sure. That takes time, and if any issues are found, it will take time to resolve them. The old axiom of “fly only when you’re ready” still applies.

So, as always, stay tuned. There’s more to come.

Blue Origin New Glenn launch — Blue Origin’s New Glenn on its debut launch in January. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

August 13, 2025

ULA Launches Vulcan-Centaur Carrying the USSF-106 Mission From Cape Canaveral

ULA Vulcan USSF-106 launches in August of 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer

United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched its Vulcan-Centaur rocket from LC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying the the USSF‑106 mission Tuesday night. Liftoff was at 8:56 PM ET, close to the end of the launch window and into partly cloudy skies, as the usual summer storms were mostly west of the Cape and far away enough to present no problem for the launch team.

This was Vulcan-Centaur’s first operational mission and the first national security payload to utilize its services, a milestone ULA has been working toward since 2014. ULA has faced scrutiny over Vulcan, with military officials calling for more reliability and accountability as the company shifts gearsto its new fleet. There are no more Delta-family launches left, and a dwindling number of Atlas-V launches, most of which are planned for Amazon’s Kuiper Project as well as the Boeing Starliner program.

The DoD awarded ULA a multibillion‑dollar contract in April 2025, securing 19 missions through 2034 under the NSSL Phase 2 procurement. Having completed its certification for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions, Vulcan-Centaur and ULA join SpaceX as one of only two providers cleared to carry critical U.S. military and intelligence assets.

“National security begins at liftoff,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “Vulcan did exactly what it was built to do: deliver a critical mission with power, precision and confidence. We are proud to play a role in strengthening the nation’s space capabilities.”

Two methane‑fueled Blue Origin BE‑4 engines power Vulcan Centaur’s core stage, and for this mission, it was equipped with four Northrop Grumman GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters. Two L3 Harris Rocketdyne RL‑10 engines power the second stage, making Vulcan-Centaur a powerful workhorse for the company as it moves into the future.

Payload

The centerpiece of USSF‑106 is the Navigation Technology Satellite‑3 (NTS‑3) a pioneering PNT (position, navigation, and timing) satellite developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory. It’s the first experimental navigation satellite launched by the U.S. military in nearly half a century—a milestone with huge implications for future secure and adaptive navigation systems.

Also aboard USSF-106 was another undisclosed payload, and requests to the Space Force for any additional information were not granted. That’s the nature of classified payloads, and the fewer questions asked the better.

More information on the satellite can be found in this video:

Next Launch

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-20 Mission Details

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Starlink Group 10-20
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	Go for Launch
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens	Thursday, 08/14/2025 6:47 AM EDT
Window Closes	Thursday, 08/14/2025 10:47 AM EDT
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation—SpaceX’s project for a space-based Internet communication system.
Information current as of: August 12, 2025 (based on latest verified sources)

Launch dates and liftoff times are subject to change at any time.

ULA’s next launch is the third Atlas mission for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Kuiper 3, which will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. That could occur in 4-6 weeks according to unofficial estimates.

August 12, 2025

The ULA Launch Tonight Has A Chance For a Jellyfish

A small jellyfish seen behind an Atlas V

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is gearing up for a Vulcan launch tonight from SLC-41, USSF-106. Liftoff is set between 7:59 and 8:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (2359–0059 UTC). And, if weather and timing permits, the launch may come with a bonus: a jellyfish plume, one of the most spectacular sights a launch spectator can see.

The weather looks favorable, with an 80% chance of conditions being acceptable through the launch window. The primary concerns include cumulus clouds, lightning potential, and surface electric fields. This is of course a common scenario for late-afternoon summer launches on the Space Coast. Final launch preparations by ULA and the Space Force, including the launch vehicle readiness review, are complete and “GO” for tonight.

Launch Time Is Near Local Sunset

If the skies cooperate and if the timing is just right, one of tonight’s most awe-inducing side effects could be a “space jellyfish”, a glowing, jellyfish-shaped plume formed by sunlight illuminating rocket exhaust at high altitude, while the ground below remains in twilight or darkness.

Here’s how it works:

Timing is critical: Launching during twilight means the rocket ascends into sunlight while observers are in shadow. That’s because on the ground, the sun is below the horizon but is still visible in the ultra high altitudes a rocket travels through on its way to space. That’s simple geometry: the angle to the horizon is different for the rocket.
Clear Skies: If low clouds are between the spectator and the rocket, they won’t see much.
High-altitude expansion: If you have seen only a few launches, you probably remember the phase towards the end of the first stage’s part of the flight where gases spread into a broad, diffuse cloud that forms a conical shape behind the rocket. This is not the Max-Q contrail, something common to most rockets, instead, it happens very high in the sky when the rocket’s is mostly outside of Earth’s atmosphere.
Optical spectacle: Because it is still in sunlight, the rocket plume is an illuminated cloud that takes on a jellyfish-like shapes, maybe with tendrils trailing behind, formed by thinner exhaust streams.
Darkness: the relative contrast between the ground and the sky makes this phenomenon highly visible to launch spectators.

Details

Vulcan VC4S | USSF-106 Mission Details

Mission	Vulcan VC4S \| USSF-106
Organization	United Launch Alliance
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Vulcan VC4S
Pad	Space Launch Complex 41
Status	Go for Launch
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens	Tuesday, 08/12/2025 7:59 PM EDT
Window Closes	Tuesday, 08/12/2025 8:59 PM EDT
Destination	Geosynchronous Orbit
Mission Description	USSF-106 is a mission for the United States Space Force deploying payloads—including NTS-3 (Navigation Technology Satellite 3), a demonstrator of a reprogrammable navigation signal generator—directly into GEO.
Information current as of: August 11, 2025, 12:00 PM EDT

Launch dates and liftoff times are subject to change at any time.

Trajectory

Slightly south from due East:

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 estimates an 80% chance of acceptable launch conditions throughout the hour-long window:

Online Viewing

ULA will have a livestream of the launch on their website: USSF-106.

Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link

For official updates regarding launch times, ULA’s website is the best source of information. Look for the Live Updates section: USSF-106

Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.

Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.

Launch Viewing: In Person

The best free options are available for spectators: Titusville parks on Washington Avenu / US-1 are your best bets: Space View Park, Sands Park, Rotary Riverfront Park, Kennedy Point Park, etc. Jetty Park is also good, as are the pullouts on 528W near the Banana River Bridge.

The Space Bar will be open through the launch window. Restaurants in Port Canaveral, specifically Gators Dockside, Fishlips and Grills Seafood should have good views after the rocket clears obstructions.

August 10, 2025

United Launch Alliance’s First Operational Vulcan Mission Set For Tuesday

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is preparing to launch Vulcan on its first national security mission early next week from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, the USSF-106 mission will lift off from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 41, carrying the U.S. Space Force’s Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) into geosynchronous orbit.

Launch Details

Vulcan VC4S | USSF-106 (NTS-3 & Others) Mission Details

Mission	Vulcan VC4S \| USSF-106 (NTS-3 & Others)
Organization	United Launch Alliance
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Vulcan VC4S
Pad	Space Launch Complex 41
Status	Go for Launch
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens	Tuesday, 08/12/2025 7:59 PM EDT
Window Closes	Tuesday, 08/12/2025 8:59 PM EDT
Destination	Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO)
Mission Description	USSF-106 is a U.S. Space Force mission deploying multiple payloads—including the NTS-3 (Navigation Technology Satellite 3), a demonstration satellite testing a reprogrammable digital signal generator to improve navigation resilience—directly into GEO using the new Vulcan Centaur VC4S rocket.
Information current as of: August 10, 2025, 11:54 AM EDT

Launch dates and liftoff times are subject to change at any time.

USSF-106 will be Vulcan’s first operational flight, a milestone years in the making. ULA started work on the Vulcan family of rockets in 2014, and later the same year decided to use Blue Origin’s BE-4 methane-oxygen (methalox) engines. The decision was somewhat controversial at the time, given that Blue had not completed the final design of BE-4 much less started producing them at scale. It is ULA’s first rocket that the company has designed completely by itself.

This decision was a result of a way to move away from reliance on Russian RD-180 engines, which powered ULA’s Atlas V, and to ensure a domestically produced alternative for national security launches, and was mandated by Congress.

High Stakes for ULA

The mission is a key test not only of the rocket’s technical reliability but also of ULA’s ability to deliver on commitments that have been delayed by the vehicle’s troubled rollout. Military leaders, including Major General Stephen G. Purdy, have voiced frustration with setbacks that pushed back four major national security missions.

For ULA, this launch is more than just another flight; it is a chance to restore customer confidence after the near-disaster of Vulcan’s second certification mission last October. That launch succeeded in reaching orbit, but only after a solid rocket booster nozzle broke off mid-flight, causing asymmetric thrust that had to be corrected in real time by the in-flight software and by ground controllers. The incident raised concerns about the Vulcan’s Northrup Grumman-built GEM 63XL solid rocket motors, which lead to months of investigation and a test firing before certification for Vulcan was granted in March.

ULA holds a $5.3 billion contract to provide launch services through 2034, a lucrative and strategically important deal that depends on consistent, fault-free performance. A successful USSF-106 flight would help Vulcan’s place as a major part of the nation’s launch capability. A failure would put the company’s reputation and perhaps even government contracts in peril.

Payload

The mission’s payload, NTS-3, is an experimental navigation satellite designed to test advanced technologies designed to augment the GPS system.

The Air Force Research Lab released this video describing NTS-3:

NTS-3 concept image — Artist’s concept for NTS-3 in geostationary orbit. L3Harris Corporation will integrate NTS-3 using Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar bus, building on EAGLE’s flight heritage. Graphic Credit: 1st Lt. Jacob Lutz

August 9, 2025

Shower Scrubs SpaceX Kuiper KF-02 Launch From The Cape

The small shower that soaked SpaceX’s Falcon 9 during the last two minutes of the terminal count today at the Cape. They will try again tomorrow.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

A popup shower over the launch pad soaked another SpaceX launch at the last minute today, forcing a scrub of their launch of Falcon 9 carrying the Kuiper KF-02 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 with about 29 seconds remaining before liftoff. The company online announced that it will try again tomorrow. Lather, rinse, repeat.

This scrub was a near repeat of the Jul 31st attempt to launch Crew 11 from LC-39A up at Kennedy: everything was great until it wasn’t. Both launch attempts ended abruptly, as the scrubs came with only seconds remaining on the countdown clock.

Because SpaceX uses densified propellants, once the rocket is fueled, it must launch — or not — on time. If it doesn’t, the launch is scrubbed, and the rocket is defueled for the day.

Summers are like that on the Space Coast. A single cloud can pop up at any time and stop a countdown. Locals shrug and go about their day, but tourists cross their fingers and hope that their luck holds out. Today it didn’t.

Launch Weather FAQ Download

Launch Information

The next planned attempt for Kuiper KF-02 is

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Project Kuiper (KF-02) Mission Details

Mission	Falcon 9 Block 5 \| Project Kuiper (KF-02)
Organization	SpaceX
Location	Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40
Status	Confirmed
Status Info	Confirmed by multiple sources
Window Opens	Sunday, 08/10/2025 8:57 AM EDT
Window Closes	Sunday, 08/10/2025 9:24 AM EDT
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description	Second of a three-launch contract for Amazon’s Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation, carrying 24 satellites onboard.

Weather

Weather will remain a concern tomorrow, according to the 45th Weather Squadron: 50% GO.

Trajectory

The planned trajectory is Northeast.