Canaveral National Seashore will implement temporary schedule changes at Playalinda Beach to support NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission, the National Park Service announced on January 9th.
Beginning Sunday, January 12th, the Playalinda District will operate on reduced hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., two hours shorter than the normal 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule. The modified hours will remain in effect through January 31st.
Playalinda Beach Closures – Artemis II
Playalinda Beach Schedule Changes
Canaveral National Seashore – Artemis II Launch Support
Dates
Hours
Status
January 12 – January 30, 2026
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Reduced Hours
January 31 – February 6, 2026*
—
Closed
Day after successful launch
6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Normal Hours Resume
*Closure continues until day of successful Artemis II launch
Starting January 31st, the entire Playalinda Beach District will close completely and remain closed through February 6th—or until the day of a successful Artemis II launch. The closure encompasses the period when NASA’s first launch window opens for the historic crewed lunar mission.
Normal operating hours will resume the day following a successful launch.
Visitors planning trips to the seashore during this period should check the National Park Service website or contact the park directly for the latest access information.
Day OR Night Launch, Most Of MINWR Won’t Be Open For Spectators For Liftoff
The redundantly named Playalinda Beach (playa – beach, linda – beautiful in Spanish) offers some of the closest public viewing locations for launches from Kennedy Space Center and the north end of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, but that will definitely not the case for Artemis II’s launch.
A Falcon 9 lifts off from LC-39A at Kennedy Space. Photo: Charles Boyer
Not only will Playalinda be closed, but if Artemis I in 2022 serves as any guide, much of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge will be in the official security zone and the public will have no access, with KSC Police turning away unauthorized cars at the entrance to the Refuge (near the end of the Max Brewer Bridge on Beach Road.) On the north side, on FL-3, the Haulover Bridge was as far south as people were allowed.
The 2022 Artemis I Launch Hazard Area Source: US Space Force
Artemis II in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Photo: NASA
NASA has published its launch window availability for Artemis II, the agency’s first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, with opportunities spanning February through April 2026. The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to roll out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B NET January 17th.
The four-mile journey aboard Crawler-Transporter 2 will take up to 12 hours before the integrated launch structure and rocket arrive at their final destination.
After Artemis II is rolled out to LC39B, engineers and technicians will start pad integration tasks, including connecting essential ground support equipment such as electrical lines, environmental control system ducts, and cryogenic propellant feeds. After those tasks are successfully completed, teams will then power up all integrated systems for the first time at the pad.
All windows are 120 minutes, except for March 11th, which offers a slightly shorter 115-minute window.
Lighting Constraints Drive Window Selection
The published windows reflect careful consideration of lighting conditions, so that Orion is not in darkness for more than 90 minutes at a time post-launch, therefore allowing its solar arrays to keep generating power and the spacecraft to stay within its thermal limits. Dates that would put Orion into extended eclipses are removed from consideration.
Another consideration is that the launch window constraints ensure optimal conditions for tracking cameras and abort scenarios during the critical ascent phase.
NASA notes all dates remain subject to adjustments as the mission progresses through final preparations.
First Launch Opportunities Open February 6
The earliest available launch window opens on February 6, 2026, at 9:41 pm ET, with a 2-hour window. Launch opportunities continue through February 11th, followed by a brief gap, then resume mid-month. Each window in the February series shifts progressively later into the night, with the final February opportunity on the 11th occurring at 1:05 AM EST.
Should weather or technical issues prevent a February launch, NASA has identified windows throughout March and April. The March series begins on the 6th at 8:29 PM ET, while April windows open as early as 6:24 PM ET on April 1st—notably the only daytime launch opportunity in the released schedule, occurring approximately 1.3 hours before sunset.
Crew 11 prepares to board Crew Dragon and launch to Station on August 1, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced in a press conference today that NASA’s Crew 11 would return early from the International Space Station due to an unnamed medical issue with an unnamed member of the crew. The date and time of that return has not yet been determined, and will be announced once it is determined.
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov comprise Crew 11.
“Yesterday, January 7th, a single crew member on board the station experienced a medical situation and is now stable. After discussions with Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr. J.D. Polk and leadership across the agency, I’ve come to the decision that it’s in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew 11 ahead of their planned departure within the coming days.”
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
Regarding the specifics of when Crew 11 will return, Isaacman added that, “We expect to provide a further update within the next 48 hours as to the expected anticipated undock and reentry timeline.” That’s Saturday afternoon. Stay tuned.
Crew 11 ascending to orbit on August 1, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer
Crew 11 launched on August 1, 2025 and has spent 160 days in space since then. Originally planned to return next month after the arrival and handoff to Crew 12, which had planned to launch in mid-February.
Later, Isaacman said plainly, “This is not an emergency deorbit. We retain the capability to bring astronauts home in a matter of hours if necessary. So this is recognizing, first of all, we’re always going to do the right thing for our astronauts, but it’s recognizing it’s the end of the Crew 11 mission right now.”
Jared Isaacman, January 8, 2026. Via NASA Stream
So, one of the four astronauts has a serious enough issue to require testing or treatment on Earth, but it is not an immediate life-or-death emergency requiring Crew 11 to return to Earth with all possible haste. Instead, NASA is moving the timeline up for Crew 11’s return as a matter of prudence for one of its astronauts (or cosmonauts).
Once Crew 11 and Crew Dragon departs, ISS would be down to a skeleton crew: Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev from Roscosmos and NASA’s Chris Williams. They would have only the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft that docked on Nov. 27, 2025 as a return vehicle.
NASA is looking at accelerating the Crew 12 launch, but no new target date has been announced. “Alongside our international and commercial partners, NASA is evaluating their timeline to include earlier launch opportunities. We will provide more information when it’s available,” Isaacman announced.
What About Artemis II? Could This Issue Create A Delay?
Crew 12 is slated to fly in mid-February from The Cape, and launching earlier might have NASA preparing to launch two different crews on two entirely different missions in a very short timespan: Artemis II is currently scheduled to fly in early February. Launching Crew 12 earlier puts the two closer together on the calendar.
Asked if that would create a conflict within the agency, Isaacman replied to CBS News’s Bill Harwood that “These are totally separate campaigns at this point. We’re still evaluating what earlier dates would be achievable, if any, for Crew 12. So right now we’re going to look at all operations, all of our all of our standard process[es] to prepare for Crew 12 and look for opportunities if we can bring it in while simultaneously conducting our Artemis II campaign.”
Isaacman added that “There’s no reason to believe at this point in time that there would be any overlap that we’d have to de-conflict for.”
Starlink 10-17 lifts off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on October 17, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer
2025 was an incredibly busy year in spaceflight, both here at the Cape and also globally. By Christmas, providers broke previous orbital launch records, with over 300 successful flights globally, largely driven by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 for Starlink satellite deployments.
SpaceX further extended its dominance in 2025 with over 130 orbital launches across the year, the vast majority using its Falcon 9 rocket. The company continued flying at a pace unmatched by any other launch provider, supporting satellite deployments, ISS crew and cargo missions, and national security payloads in addition to continuing building out its wildly popular Starlink offering.
SpaceX launching IMAP on September 24, 2025. At this point in the flight, the rocket was passing through the speed of sound. Photo: Charles Boyer
Starlink
On October 25, 2025, SpaceX launched its 10,000th Starlink satellite. Space.com quoted noted satellite tracker Dr. Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, saying that there are currently 9,357 Starlink satellites in orbit, with 9,347 in operational positions. The constellation serves over 9 million customers across 100 countries and territories. It is estimated that the company adds around 20,000 new customers daily.
Reusable boosters remain central to that success. Several Falcon 9 first stages flew 20 or more times, reinforcing the idea that rapid reuse is no longer experimental but routine. One of its boosters, B1067, has now flown 32 times and is currently at SpaceX’s facilities at the Kennedy Space Center, being refurbished for another flight. The company has publicly stated that it seeks to certify Falcon 9 boosters for up to 40 flights, and in 2025, several of the company’s boosters have fewer than ten missions remaining to meet that goal.
Starship test flights also continued launching from Texas, focusing on vehicle upgrades, heat-shield performance, and recovery techniques aimed at future missions beyond Earth orbit. The company is also continuing to build out its Boca Chica infrastructure, with a new launch pad nearing completion at the end of this year. Flights from the new facility should take place in the first part of 2026.
Starship Heavy lifts off from Boca Chica, Texas to start the IFT-6 mission. Photo: Richard Gallagher, FMN
SpaceX also received approval to begin converting Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral for Starship operations. The site, previously used by United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV, gives SpaceX a second major East Coast launch location and points to long-term plans for higher-energy missions beyond Falcon 9.
SpaceX has stated that its goal is to launch from the Cape in 2026.
SpaceX has also begun construction of a new “Gigabay” facility for Starship at its Roberts Road site at Kennedy Space Center. That facility is large — not quite the size of the venerable VAB, but large nonetheless — and should be completed in 2026.
Blue Origin: New Glenn Finally Flies
After years of development, Blue Origin reached orbit for the first time with the debut launch of its New Glenn rocket in 2025. Flying from LC-36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the successful flight validated the vehicle’s core systems and marked the company’s entry into the heavy-lift orbital launch market.
Blue Origin NG-1 launch. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
NG-1, Blue’s mission designation for the debut flight, also had a tertiary goal of landing the New Glenn first stage, but that effort was unsuccessful. The payload reached its target orbit, however, making the flight a rousing success for a company long discounted by many in the space community.
Momentum continued on New Glenn’s second launch, when Blue Origin successfully landed its reusable first-stage booster on its recovery ship ‘Jacklyn’. The recovery showed that the company’s emphasis on reusability was now operational and not theoretical, and it positioned New Glenn as a serious competitor in the heavy-lift category.
Notably, Blue’s second New Glenn flight was much smoother than the debut. This was an expected improvement, but it clearly showed that Blue had taken the lessons learned from NG-1 to heart, made operational improvements, and applied them to the NG-2 flight.
Blue Origin New Glenn NG-2 launches on November 13. 2025 Photo: Charles Boyer
2025 also saw Blue Origin significantly advancing its Blue Origin Blue Moon lunar lander program, as it continued preparing its Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander for its first demo mission to deliver payloads to the lunar South Pole, presumably on the New Glenn NG-3 flight in early 2026.
Plans to reuse ‘Never Tell Me the Odds’, the booster used for the NG-2 flight, on NG-3. If successful, Blue Origin will achieve landing and then reusing a booster in relatively quick succession.
New Glenn booster ‘Never Tell Me The Odds’ returning to Port Canaveral
Blue is continuing development of its second lunar lander, Blue Moon Mark 2 (MK2). While they have made few public statements on the status and progress of the project, it is believed that they are building a flight-capable cabin for testing and crew training for the larger MK2, one of two of NASA’s selected crewed landers. Additionally, Blue is said to be working on life support, thermal control, and docking systems for MK2. Undoubtedly, the results from the MK1 mission will greatly inform the future designs of MK2.
Finally, Blue Origin created a new internal group focusing on national security missions for the US Government, and to run it they hired ULA’s CEO, Tory Bruno.
Tory Bruno
United Launch Alliance: A Year Full Of Change
2026 was a transitional year for United Launch Alliance, and one that has many observers wondering about the company’s long-term prospects, especially now that their former leader, Tory Bruno, has left to work for the competition.
ULA Vulcan USSF-106 launches in August of 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer
One one hand, the company has an estimated 70 launches backlogged, with the majority being LEO satellites for Amazon’s Leo telecommunications constellation. On the other, Vulcan has been slow to build any cadence, with August 2025 being the last launch and NET March 2026 for its next flight. That’s not going to trim the backlog appreciably.
The reasons go back to last year: October of 2024, Vulcan’s second flight, CERT-2 saw one of its solid rocket boosters (SRB) nozzles detach due to a manufacturing defect in the nozzle’s internal insulator, causing an off-nominal burn. However, the main engines compensated, kept the rocket on course, and the mission still achieved its orbital goals. The company and Northrop Grumman conducted an investigation to identify the issue and prevent any recurrence.
That took several months and most of ULA’s inertia but the company continued to soldier on with other missions while it waited for the results and corrections to Vulcan.
The power of Vulcan at liftoff. USSF-106. Photo: Charles Boyer
In written testimony to Congress in May 2025, Major General Stephen G. Purdy stated the Vulcan program had performed “unsatisfactorily“ over the past year. He noted that “major issues with the Vulcan have overshadowed its successful certification,” directly resulting in the grounding of four national security missions.
Due to Vulcan’s delays, the original 60/40 mission split favoring ULA under the NSSL Phase 2 contract shifted closer to 54/46 (or nearly 50/50) in 2025, as more missions were awarded or reassigned to SpaceX. Now, Blue Origin is also in the competition future NSSL launches, with Blue expected to complete NSSL Certification next year. SpaceX isn’t going anywhere either, leaving ULA walking a tightwire in the coming year.
On August 13, 2025, ULA successfully launched its first national security mission for the U.S. Space Force using a Vulcan VC4S. The mission deployed NTS-3, an experimental navigation satellite designed to enhance GPS resilience and was a complete success.
With its Delta family retired, ULA successfully conducted four major launches for Amazon’s broadband constellation (Project Kuiper, now Amazon Leo) using Atlas V rockets. All of those missions were textbook perfect, as has been customary for the rocket.
ULA is planning to increase its launch cadence in 2026, and has all but completed a second launch tower and vertical integration facility for Vulcan.
Finally, close to the Christmas holiday, ULA announced that CEO Tory Bruno had resigned “to pursue another opportunity.” For Bruno, that opportunity turned out to be leading Blue Origin’s new National Security Group, where he will ostensibly be competing with his old company for lucrative USSL launches. At Blue Origin, Bruno will have a reusable rocket system in hand, while ULA will compete with its Vulcan rocket and the vast depth of experience the company has on its resume.
John Elbon. Credit: ULA
ULA COO John Elbon was named as the Interim CEO in a press release issued today. John Elbon is the chief operating officer for United Launch Alliance (ULA). Before his new role, Elbon was responsible for the operations of the Atlas, Delta, and Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle programs, including design, engineering, integration, production, quality assurance, and program management.
Previously, Elbon served as vice president and program manager for Boeing’s Commercial Programs. In that position, Elbon managed Boeing’s efforts on NASA’s Commercial Crew Space Act Agreements, including the first two phases of the Commercial Crew Development, which for Boeing was the Starliner CST program.
Rocket Lab
In 2025, Rocket Lab completed 21 Electron launches, maintaining one of the highest success rates in the small-satellite market and continuing to serve commercial, civil, and national security customers. Electron missions flew from both New Zealand and Virginia, reinforcing Rocket Lab’s value as a responsive, geographically flexible company.
At the same time, much of Rocket Lab’s strategic focus shifted toward the future with continued development of Neutron, its upcoming medium-lift, partially reusable rocket. Throughout 2025, the company advanced engine testing, structural manufacturing, and launch infrastructure work at Wallops Island, Virginia.
A Rocket Lab Electron launching from Wallops Island in Virginia.
While Neutron did not fly during the year as the company had expected, visible progress signaled Rocket Lab’s intent to move beyond small payloads and compete for larger commercial constellations and U.S. government missions later in the decade.
Beyond launch vehicles, Rocket Lab also expanded its space systems business, delivering spacecraft components, solar panels, and complete satellites to a growing customer base.
Rocket Lab’s share price rose sharply in 2025, with investors seeing significant gains in their positions.
Via Google
Taken together, 2025 was not a year of dramatic firsts for Rocket Lab, but one of consolidation and preparation — proving it could sustain a high launch tempo today while methodically building the capability to play a much bigger role in the launch market of the future.
NASA
The year was marked by layoffs, with uncertainty and dread a prevalent mood for many at the agency as the new presidential budget called for drastic cuts in NASA’s science programs.
The year also saw a great deal of preparation for a return to the Moon under Artemis, a major anniversary for the International Space Station, and visible progress in science, aviation, and artificial intelligence. It was also a year of leadership change, with private-space veteran Jared Isaacman nominated and later confirmed to a senior NASA leadership role, signaling closer alignment between the agency and the commercial space sector.
Workers preparing Artemis II in NASA’s VAB on February 25. 2025.
The year set the tone for a decade defined by sustained activity rather than isolated milestones.
Lunar exploration remained a central focus. NASA continued methodical preparations for Artemis II, the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon since Apollo, completing the stacking of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft and running dozens of mission simulations to stress-test procedures and crew timelines. At the same time, the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program delivered tangible results.
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One achieved a successful lunar landing in early March, while Intuitive Machines’ second Nova-C lander reached the surface days later, gathering data despite landing on its side. Together, the missions reinforced NASA’s strategy of using commercial partners to deliver science and technology to the Moon more frequently and at lower cost.
Firefly’s Blue Ghost on the lunar surface, with Earth in the background. Credit: Firefly Aerospace
Beyond the Moon, NASA continued expanding its deep-space science portfolio. In November, the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft were launched toward Mars to investigate how the planet’s weak magnetic environment interacts with the solar wind, a key factor in understanding how Mars lost much of its atmosphere. Planning for future lunar surface science also advanced when Blue Origin was selected to deliver the VIPER rover to the Moon’s south pole later in the decade, keeping the agency’s search for water ice on track.
Space science and Earth observation saw several high-profile missions reach orbit in 2025. In March, NASA launched the SPHEREx space telescope to conduct an all-sky infrared survey while also deploying the PUNCH mission to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere and the origins of the solar wind.
Over the summer, the NISAR satellite, a joint mission with India’s ISRO, lifted off to provide unprecedented radar mapping of Earth’s ice sheets, forests, and changing landscapes. Astronomers also turned their attention outward as NASA coordinated global observations of 3I/ATLAS, only the third confirmed interstellar object ever detected passing through our solar system.
Closer to home, the Lucy spacecraft added another successful asteroid flyby to its mission, passing 52246 Donaldjohanson and returning detailed images that will help refine models of early solar system formation.
ISS. Credit: NASA
Human spaceflight milestones were just as prominent aboard the International Space Station. In November, the ISS marked 25 consecutive years of continuous human presence in orbit, a milestone that underscored its role as a testbed for long-duration missions beyond Earth.
Earlier in the year, astronaut Suni Williams set a new record for cumulative spacewalk time by a woman, reflecting both the station’s ongoing maintenance demands and the growing experience of its crews. Williams had the opportunity to mark that achievement because she and Butch Wilmore were part of the ill-fated Boeing CFT mission that launched in 2024 and led to an unexpected nine-month stay on station. The Boeing CFT astronauts joined Crew 9, which launched in September 2024 and landed in the Pacific Ocean on March 18, 2025.
Boeing Starliner CFT-1astronauts on May 29, 2024
Logistics capabilities also expanded with the arrival of Northrop Grumman’s first Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, which delivered larger payloads and increased flexibility for station resupply. SpaceX provided the lift for Cygnus, as Northrop Grumman has yet to complete development of a new Antares 300-series replacement.
NASA also made visible progress in aviation and emerging technologies. The X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft completed its long-awaited first flight in October, validating a design meant to dramatically reduce sonic booms and potentially reopen the door to commercial supersonic travel over land.
X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft. Credit: NASA
In materials science, the agency’s heat-resistant superalloy GRX-810 earned recognition as NASA’s 2025 Commercial Invention of the Year, highlighting work aimed at improving engines and structures for extreme environments.
Taken together, 2025 was less about a single headline mission and more about steady progress across many fronts. NASA strengthened its lunar pipeline, celebrated a quarter-century of continuous human spaceflight, launched major new science missions, and laid the groundwork for how future exploration will be managed and analyzed. They also got a new administrator after a tumultuous nomination process. Jared Isaacman will bring many new ideas and changes to the agency, changes that will hopefully rejuvenate and reinvigorate the US space program.
As seen from the KSC Press Site: SpaceX B1090 descends towards a landing at Cape Canaveral after lofting Crew 10 to the edge of space on March 14, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer
Others
Sierra Space
In 2025, Sierra Space moved its Dream Chaser program through a series of important ground milestones while also reworking its near-term flight plans. The spaceplane, named Tenacity, completed extensive pre-flight testing, including electromagnetic compatibility checks and runway tow trials, clearing several technical hurdles ahead of flight. That flight, planned for 2024, will now take place in 2026. Maybe.
Dream Chaser Tenacity at Kennedy Space Center Photo: Sierra Space
The program’s first mission was significantly reshaped. What was initially planned as a cargo run to the International Space Station was revised into a standalone orbital demonstration, now targeted for late 2026. NASA amended its contract with Sierra Space, removing guaranteed ISS delivery missions as the company redirected more attention toward defense and national security work.
As a result, Tenacity’s debut will focus on proving core flight and reentry capabilities rather than docking operations. The change reflects both development challenges and the additional certification steps required for ISS missions. While near-term station flights are no longer assured, Dream Chaser could still play a role in future logistics, including potential cargo deliveries to commercial space stations such as Orbital Reef, once the vehicle completes its initial orbital testing.
Relativity
Eric Schmidt
In 2025, Relativity Space entered a new phase after a major leadership shakeup. In March, Eric Schmidt stepped in as chief executive following a substantial investment in the company. Under his leadership, Relativity moved away from its earlier goal of fully 3D-printed rockets, adopting a more pragmatic hybrid manufacturing strategy while accelerating development of its larger, reusable Terran R launch vehicle.
Schmidt is a former Google
Stoke Space
Stoke Space, the Kent, Washington, company founded by former Blue Origin and SpaceX employees, had a good 2025, making major progress toward the first launch of its Nova rocket.
Rockets need launch pads, and Stoke has rebuilt SLC-14 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to modern standards for Nova. This is no small accomplishment, and on top of that, Stoke was respectful of the history of 14: this is where John Glenn launched in Mercury-Atlas 6, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth.
Bird's eye view of SLC-14 looking sharp. Kudos to the team who refurbished this historic site. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/XOU02lDQNF
As for Nova itself, work is focused on final hardware qualification as the company simultaneously activates SLC-14. Stoke had previously planned for a 2025 debut of Nova, but mid-year, the company shifted to the right on the launch calendar in order to complete SLC-14 and to iron out any remaining issues with Nova.
The 40.2-meter (132-foot) tall rocket is expected to fly in the early part of next year. Stoke is also planning to slowly introduce reusability, so expect the first launch to be expendable.
Boeing
In 2025 Boeing welcomed a new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, previously the president and CEO of Rockwell Collins. Ortberg promised major changes throughout the company, including its spaceflight division.
In November 2025, NASA reduced Boeing’s Commercial Crew contract from six planned missions to the International Space Station (ISS) down to four. This followed technical issues during the 2024 crewed flight test that necessitated the astronauts’ return on a SpaceX vehicle in early 2025. The next mission for Starliner will be uncrewed and carrying cargo, but no date for that mission has been announced.
The news was not all bad for Boeing: their autonomous X-37B spaceplane continued its eighth mission, conducting long-duration orbital experiments as well as novel orbital maneuvers that can quickly place the spacecraft in a new orbit very quickly. In the quickly militarizing orbital environment, this is a tactical advantage yet to be demonstrated by any other nation.
The X-37B. Credit: Boeing
Boeing also continued working on the SLS core stage. It’s Artemis II hardware is in the VAB awaiting rollout and at the time of this writing, the core stage for Artemis III is in an advanced state of manufacturing. After that, it is difficult to tell if the SLS rocket will be canceled by NASA and the Trump administration or if Boeing and others will continue manufacturing the rocket.
Taken overall, the year was an incredibly exciting one, but also one that sets the stage for the future: in 2026 humans will return to cislunar space and further development for landing on the lunar surface will continue apace. Vast Space is planning to launch Vast-1, the first privately owned and operated space station in LEO. We’ll also see SpaceX passing 10,000 Starlink satellites on orbit at some point in 2026, along with Amazon’s nascent Leo constellation starting to take form. There will be new rockets making their debut, and in between, lot of launches, especially Falcon 9 launches.
Stay tuned.
Atlas V Amazon Leo 4 timelapse as seen from 528 West in Merritt Island. Photo: Charles Boyer
Starlink 6-92 launching from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center today. Credit: SpaceX
“Well…it’s Monday…again, and SpaceX launched 29 Starlink satellites to Low-Earth Orbit on another routine Falcon 9 flight this afternoon.” You can almost hear Bill Murray saying that in the role of newsman Phil Connors in the movie “Groundhog Day.” SpaceX launches that often on the Space Coast, and today, the company launched another Starlink mission, and Booster B0167 successfully completed its 32nd flight.
Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day”
Liftoff occurred at 5:26 p.m. EST (2226 UTC) from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, and into mostly leaden, overcast skies that were just starting to clear after a cold front passed through the Space Coast region in the past couple of days.
The flight was nominal, and at T+8:23s Booster B1067 touched down aboard ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’, stationed in the Atlantic east of The Bahamas. Fifteen seconds later, the second stage of Falcon 9 reached SECO, or Second Stage Engine Cut-Off, and was in its initial orbit.
The Clubhouse Leader With 32 Flights
Booster B1067.32 remains the all-time leader for SpaceX boosters, having earned its soot on the CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, SES O3B mPOWER-A, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2, Galileo L13, Koreasat-6A, and now 21 Starlink missions.
That’s quite a resumé, and on SpaceX must certainly be proud of. Now aboard ‘Just Read The Instructions’, it will return to Port Canaveral, where it will be offloaded, transported to HangarX at Kennedy Space Center and ostensibly prepared for its next flight.
Top 5 Most Reflown Falcon 9 Boosters | Talk of Titusville
🚀
Fleet Leaders by Flight Count
Rank
Booster
Flights
Notable Achievements
1
B1067
32flights
Current record holder • Guinness World Record • First to reach 30 flights
2
B1071
30flights
Most spacecraft to orbit: 1,001 • Vandenberg workhorse • 5 NRO missions
3
B1063
29flights
Oldest surviving booster in fleet • First flight Nov 2020 • Launched NASA DART
4
B1069
28flights
Most mass to orbit: 401,140 kg • Carried FIFA World Cup balls to space
5
B1077
25flights
Flew Crew-5, GPS III SV06, CRS-28 • Active Cape Canaveral booster
So, in short, another Monday and another record set here on the Eastern Range. Those things are becoming routine.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
Next Launch: Falcon 9 Block 5 | NROL-77
Go for Launch• Cape Canaveral SFS • SLC-40
Field
Details
Mission
NROL-77 (Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office)
Organization
SpaceX
Rocket
Falcon 9
Launch Site
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
Pad
Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40)
Window Opens
Tuesday, 12/09/2025 2:16:25 PM (ET)
Window Closes
Tuesday, 12/09/2025 2:16:25 PM (ET)
Destination
Unknown (not publicly disclosed)
Status Info
Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Mission Description
Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.
Countdown
—
As of:— (your local time)
Note: NRO missions often release limited details due to classification; times may shift with range/weather/operations.
The Department of the Air Force has issued a positive Final Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX Starship at LC-37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This SpaceX rendering shows what the area could look like when complete. Credit: SpaceX
The proposal would turn the old Delta IV pad into a fully rebuilt launch site capable of hosting up to 76 Starship flights a year. Each mission would include a booster landing just minutes after liftoff and a Starship landing hours—or in some cases years—after launch. In short, the skies above the Space Coast are going to be very busy.
The review concludes that the project would bring no major environmental obstacles across most categories.
Still, two issues stand out: air quality and noise.
The EIS points to significant community annoyance from Starship’s noise and sonic booms, especially during nighttime launches. While the report says structural damage is unlikely, the sound levels will be noticeable across the Space Coast on launch days. SpaceX plans to use heavy sound-suppression systems and coordinate public notifications in advance. Sonic booms from returning boosters and Starship itself will be endemic, day or night.
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss
80-90
City Traffic
85
Many household appliances
80
Chamber music, in a small auditorium
75-85
Vacuum cleaner
75
Normal conversation
60-70
Business Office
60-65
Household refrigerator
55
Suburban area at night
40
Whisper
25
Quiet natural area with no wind
20
Threshold of hearing
0
Sustained Exposure Hearing Loss: the common benchmark for this threshold is an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure to 85 dBA on a repeated basis. The time exposure for a Starship launch will be measured in minutes.
During operations, the rocket’s emissions are expected to exceed federal insignificance thresholds for nitrogen oxides. The Air Force and SpaceX plan to use an adaptive management strategy, reviewing new data as operations ramp up.
Minimal Impacts Across Other Categories
The review found:
Environmental Impact Summary
Starship/Superheavy Environmental Impact Summary
Category
Assessment
Traffic
Increases during construction and launch days are manageable.
Local Wildlife
Southeastern beach mouse and Florida scrub-jay will be protected through relocation and habitat restoration plans.
Water Resources
Wetlands will see construction impacts, but all fall under federal permitting and mitigation requirements.
Historic Sites
Expected to remain unaffected, with ongoing monitoring for potential noise-related impacts.
Marine Areas
No long-term closures; only short safety zones during launches.
Overall, the report concludes that the project can proceed without causing significant long-term environmental harm, provided mitigation measures remain in place.
What Comes Next
The Air Force must still issue its Record of Decision, and the FAA will release its own determination before any Starship launches or landings take place at the site. Airspace-closure details are still being finalized, with additional FAA analysis expected. At the same time, this was one of the major hurdles the SpaceX project had to clear on its way to becoming a reality.
When approved, the redevelopment of SLC-37 would position Cape Canaveral as a major operational hub for Starship activity, supporting national security missions, commercial flights, and NASA needs. SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility will work in tandem with the SpaceX Eastern Range facility to support the giant spacecraft.
As a company, SpaceX moves quickly. Once approved, it is unlikely the company will delay construction at LC-37, and once started, the work will proceed rapidly until the facility is ready for its initial use. In Boca Chica, SpaceX has constructed Starship launch and landing facilities in months, as opposed to the multi-year efforts NASA has had with SLS. It is reasonable to expect much the same here in Florida.
Oddly, SLC-37 may not be the first Starship pad to enter service on the Space Coast. Given its construction lead, that distinction is likely to go to LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. The FAA is still finalizing its Environmental Impact Study for that facility, but SpaceX has been steadily constructing its Starship launch pad on the KSC site.
Dream Chaser undergoing runway tests at the former Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. Credit: Sierra Space
Sierra Space announced that its Dream Chaser spaceplane has wrapped up a series of major pre-flight tests at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, adding that the successful campaign moves the vehicle closer to its first free-flying mission. Sierra Space also said that it hopes to fly Dream Chaser on its first orbital flight in about a year, in Q4 2026.
Florida Testing
Dream Chaser completed Electromagnetic Interference and Electromagnetic Compatibility tests inside NASA’s Space Systems Processing Facility. The work confirmed that the spacecraft can operate within expected electromagnetic conditions throughout its mission profile in space.
The team also ran high speed tow tests at KSC and Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility. For this work, a Freightliner Cascadia from Daimler Truck North America pulled the spaceplane down the runway to simulate landing dynamics and validate key autonomous navigation parameters.
Dream Chaser then proved it could receive telemetry and route commands between the vehicle and Mission Control in Louisville, Colorado using NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. This milestone showed the craft is ready for real time command and control during flight.
The test series closed with a post landing recovery drill that confirmed crews can safe the vehicle and reach sensitive payloads quickly.
Next Up: More Testing And Modifications
With these steps complete, Dream Chaser is expected to enter its final acoustic testing campaign in December 2025. After that, the company plans to pursue modifications in Colorado to support national security missions. These upgrades are intended to broaden the vehicle’s role and show it can meet a wide range of defense requirements.
Dream Chaser at KSC. Credit: Sierra Space
Dream Chaser remains on schedule for its first trip to low Earth orbit in the fourth quarter of 2026 under the CRS-2 contract, ending with a runway landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“Every milestone reflects the grit, creativity and commitment of our team,” said Fatih Ozmen, Executive Chair at Sierra Space. “Dream Chaser is moving steadily toward its first flight and toward supporting the nation’s highest priority space needs.”
Dream Chaser Program Milestones
Year
Milestone
2004
Dream Chaser concept introduced by SpaceDev, inspired by NASA’s HL-20 lifting body design.
2008
Sierra Nevada Corporation acquires SpaceDev and continues development of Dream Chaser.
2010
Dream Chaser selected for NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program funding.
2013
First free flight approach and landing test of Dream Chaser Engineering Test Article at Edwards AFB.
2014
Completion of additional wind tunnel and structural tests, refining Dream Chaser’s aerodynamic design.
2016
NASA awards Sierra Nevada Corporation a Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract for Dream Chaser cargo missions to the ISS.
2017
Captive carry test of Dream Chaser at Edwards AFB to validate flight characteristics and systems.
2019
Final design reviews and major structural assembly progress for the first orbital Dream Chaser vehicle.
2021
Sierra Space (spun out from Sierra Nevada Corporation) continues integration and testing of Dream Chaser “Tenacity.”
2023
Major environmental and vibration tests completed on Dream Chaser and its Shooting Star cargo module.
2025
Pre-flight campaign at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, including EMI/EMC, tow tests, TDRSS command & telemetry checks, and recovery rehearsal; preparation for final acoustic testing in December 2025.
2026 (target)
Planned first launch of Dream Chaser to Low Earth Orbit under the CRS-2 contract, with runway landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Limits on some general aviation operations at 12 airports
Limits on some visual flight rule approaches at facilities with staffing triggers
Limits on commercial space launches and reentries to the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time
Limits on parachute operations and photo missions near facilities with staffing triggers
Only three days earlier, on November 13, the FAA had “made permanent” the rules it rescinded yesterday.
“Today’s decision to rescind the order reflects the steady decline in staffing concerns across the NAS and allows us to return to normal operations,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “I am grateful for the hard work of the FAA safety and operations teams and for their focus on the safety of the traveling public.”
Good News For SpaceX Especially
The rescission of the emergency order is good news for all launch services companies, but especially for SpaceX. They have a high cadence of Starlink launches on both coasts, and while they usually launch in the late hours of the evening or early hours overnight, there are many times when orbital mechanics demand a launch between 6am and 10pm — the hours formerly restricted.
Tomorrow’s Starlink launch, for example. The launch window opens at 6:29 PM ET, and extends until 10:29 PM ET the same day. While SpaceX could have waited until 10 PM to launch Starlink 6-94, they would undoubtedly prefer to have the ability launch earlier legally.
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 6-94 — 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
Tuesday, 11/18/2025 6:29:00 PM
Window Closes
Tuesday, 11/18/2025 10:29:00 PM
Destination
Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description
A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project
for space-based Internet communication system.
Now that the federal shutdown is over, the FAA has issued a new Emergency Order that replaces the one issued November 7th. This new order makes the limitation on the hours during which commercial space launches can occur more or less permanent, stating that it will be “continuing until this Order is cancelled”.
Background
On November 7, 2025 the FAA issued an emergency order to impose operating limitations on U.S. airspace to protect safety of the national air‐traffic system, due to staffing and other disruptions in air traffic control centers. This new November 12 order cancels and replaces that November 7 order. It took effect at 6AM this morning.
Effect On Space
Under section IV.b.3 of the Order: For commercial space launches and re‑entries, beginning November 13, 2025 at 6:00 a.m. EST and until further notice, the FAA is ordering that commercial space launches and re‑entries will only be permitted between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM local time.
This is justified by the FAA as necessary “to accommodate reduced ATC services” and “ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of airspace” in a time of stress for the system.
From a policy perspective, this event might raise questions within the industry: Will the FAA lift or modify this restriction once staffing/ATC stability improves? The document states the FAA will continue to monitor and may amend the order. How resilient is the air traffic control system as commercial space operations ramp up? Should space launches have separate contingency mechanisms? Does the field need more dedicated corridor management to reduce the impact of conventional aviation staffing issues on daytime launches? And most importantly, who would pay for all of those changes, if they were made?
For the time being, commercial space operators may have fewer launch windows, more schedule uncertainty, and potential added costs that will almost certainly be passed on to their customers.
Starlink 12-18 lifts off on February 18, 2025 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The first SLS rocket, Artemis I, sits on the launch pad at KSCs LC39B in 2022
Business is picking up here on the Space Coast, and we’re heading into a very busy stretch on the Eastern Range with missions to Mars, the Moon, low Earth orbit and of course ISS all set to launch here. Best of all, they’ll ride aboard a wide array of rockets and we’ll see some rare birds taking flight from here in Florida.
Those flagship and keystone launches will be mixed in with the regular Starlink and Project Kuiper missions along with some commercial satellite missions. In short, if you like watching rocket launches, the next few months here at The Cape are going to be a treat. Get your bug spray and lawn chair ready.
New Glenn NG-1 lifts off in January from LC-36. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Regulars who watch pad activity or track transport moves out of Astrotech or the Blue Origin integration facility off Space Commerce Way are already seeing the signs: New Glenn’s first stage is at LC-36 being integrated to GS-2 (New Glenn’s second state) and preparing for an integrated static firing as part of its launch campaign. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is on the manifest again, albeit in lightly written pencil. And NASA’s Artemis II stack is inching toward flight, with some saying that the crew of that mission will be heading to moon as soon as February 2026. Best we can tell, here’s what’s real, what’s rumor, and what’s sitting on the pad right now:
New Glenn
Starting things off, Blue Origin rolled out its GS-1 booster — Never Tell Me The Odds — to Launch Complex 36 on October 8th. This is a sure sign of the impending second flight of Blue’s New Glenn, a 320-foot tall behemoth of a rocket that the company will use to power the multiple missions it is currently working on.
David Limp of Blue Origin posted this photo on X.com on October 10 with the caption: “Welcome to LC-36, “Never Tell Me The Odds.” Next up: GS1+GS2 stage mate and integrated launch vehicle hotfire.”
The rollout from Blue’s factory on Exploration Way kicked off final pad integration for the flight. Following completion of that and culminating in a static firing of GS-1, it’s fair to say that the launch campaign has kicked off for NG-2, carrying NASA’s EscaPADE dual spacecraft, bound for Mars orbit to study solar wind interactions, plus a secondary payload for Viasat.
The static fire is expected in the next 7–10 days according to unofficial sources, and that will be the final greenlight before range clearance. The company already has a launch license, so there will be no need to wait for any FAA approvals.
While Blue Origin hasn’t publicly confirmed a date, multiple launch tracking sites now list November 9, 2025, as the likely target. That may change, of course, so stay tuned.
Falcon Heavy In December?
Assuming a November New Glenn flight, eyes will turn from one end of The Cape to the other, for a rare SpaceX Falcon Heavy mission, this time flying Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One under NASA’s CLPS program. The lander will ferry the VIPER lunar rover to the south pole of the Moon.
The mission is notable not just for its science payload and is a critical mission for Astrobotic, the mission’s operator. Their first attempt at a lunar landing was not successful, but after applying lessons learned from its Peregrine Mission One, which launched in January 2024 but experienced an anomaly that prevented it from reaching the Moon.
Liftoff of Falcon Heavy of June 25, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Tot
The window opens in early December, though final pad dates haven’t been published.
Frankly, a delay into 2026 would not be terribly surprising. Nothing on Astrobotic’s or NASA’s websites indicates the lander is in Florida for final launch preparation and payload integration. Add in the current shutdown state of the federal government and you can see this mission shifting right on the calendar fair easily.
Artemis II
With the recent transportation of the Orion capsule stack to the VAB and the SLS rocket that awaits it there, things are literally coming together nicely for America’s first crewed mission beyond low-Earth orbit in over fifty years.
NASA is saying that Artemis II is now tracking toward a no-earlier-than February 2026 launch, with an official “no later than” window of April 2026. The mission will send four astronauts around the Moon aboard Orion and riding atop the SLS Block 1 rocket. This will be the first crewed flight of Orion and will raise the count of crewed American spacecraft systems to three, if one includes the Starliner program.
Photo: NASA
Artemis II will bring the excitement and the crowds that go along with it, so this is a launch to watch closely.
Starship – Mid 2026 If All Goes Well
While Starship continues testing from Boca Chica, SpaceX is working feverishly at LC-39A and is progressing to bring full-stack launches to the Cape.
Starship Flight 11 rising in Texas earlier in October. Photo: Chris Leymarie / Florida Media Now
No launch license yet for Florida flights, and no integration tower ready for Super Heavy booster ops. That said, groundwork is active.
Expect a first Florida-based Starship no earlier than mid-2026, contingent on pad completion and FAA approval. That launch would be key to fulfilling the Artemis HLS lander contract. After Artemis II, all eyes will turn to Artemis II, and there are going to be literally dozens of Starship launches from here and in Boca Chica to the support that mission.
First though, a lot has to happen here at The Cape: Starship must gain approval from the FAA, and secondly, the construction at LC-39A and at Hangar X must be completed. Flight hardware will be manufactured in Texas and transported to the Cape by water, and after all of that, all of the pieces need to be put together into an integrated flight system. Sounds daunting, with a lot of potential potholes, but it is foolish to ever bet against SpaceX and their capability to get things done.
So, mid-2026 optimistically. If there are delays, any time after that. Time will tell, but be sure of this: Starship is coming as NASA and the DoD both want it.
Mixed In With It All
Falcon 9, Atlas V and Vulcan will all stay busy with constellation-building, government missions and commercial missions.
They may be overshadowed for a time by the big missions set to fly from here in Florida, but the bread-and-butter rocket launches will continue apace and will be increasing: SpaceX is looking to raise its Falcon 9 pace from The Cape and launching more Starlink satellites thereby, Vulcan is now operational and with a notable backlog of flights, and New Glenn is not far behind. Let’s not forget the venerable Atlas V, it will be carrying Kuiper Project satellites to orbit at a fair steady pace as well.
So if you like rocket launches, this is going to be like Christmas for you. Good thing it’s almost Christmas!
Starship Rising: initial ascent from the Texas coast went exactly as planned.
Photo: Chris Leymarie, Florida Media Now
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