Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Well, That Didn’t Last Long

Overnight, the FAA announced that it had terminated its emergency orders reducing plane flights as well as commercial space launch hours.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford Announce Termination of FAA Emergency Order, Return to Normal Operations


The following restrictions will also end:

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Only three days earlier, on November 13, the FAA had “made permanent” the rules it rescinded yesterday.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!
OrganizationSpaceX
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketFalcon 9
PadSpace Launch Complex 40
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensTuesday, 11/18/2025 6:29:00 PM
Window ClosesTuesday, 11/18/2025 10:29:00 PM
DestinationLow Earth Orbit
Mission Description A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.
As of (Eastern)

Now they can.

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Good things come to those who wait, or so goes the old saying. For Blue Origin and the second flight of New Glenn, the second flight of New Glenn was definitely worth that wait: a flawless liftoff, flight to orbit and a booster safely landed aboard Jacklyn, the company’s landing platform stationed offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. Not a bad day’s work.

New Glenn’s seven BE-4 engines ignited at 3:55:01 PM ET Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and the rocket began its slow climb into space.

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ULA Atlas V ViaSat-3 liftoff. Credit: United Launch Alliance
ULA Atlas V ViaSat-3 liftoff. Credit: United Launch Alliance

On an Atlas V 551 rocket, United Launch Alliance successfully launched the ViaSat-3 Flight 2 (F2) mission for Viasat, Inc. Liftoff was at 10:04 p.m. ET from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission was a success.

This launch concluded a rare day at The Cape: two different rockets from two different manufacturers launching on the same day, with none of them being a Falcon 9. SpaceX is well known for launching twice in one day from the Eastern Range, but this time was a bit different: Blue Origin was launching New Glenn for only the second time, and later, ULA was launching Atlas V on its last mission past low-earth orbit. There are only 11 launches left for Atlas V: six Starliner flights (if they happen) and five Project Kuiper (now Amazon LEO) missions.

In a post-flight press release, Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Program said, “At ULA, we pride ourselves in delivering our customer’s spacecraft precisely to orbit and serving as the catalyst for our customers to enable global connectivity. We partner in the shared goals of connecting the world and this successful launch aligns with this core mission. Thank you Viasat for your trust in our shared visions and successful partnership.”

For this mission, the Atlas V 551 configuration placed the ViaSat-3 F2 ultra-high-capacity broadband satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). Once operational, the spacecraft is expected to substantially boost both the capacity and adaptability of Viasat’s global, multi-orbit network, which serves consumer, commercial and government users. Engineered to add 1 Tbps of throughput to that network, ViaSat-3 F2 will help meet rising demand for secure, dependable, high-bandwidth connectivity services across the Americas.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

SpaceX Falcon 9 — Starlink Launch (Cape Canaveral SFS)
OrganizationSpaceX
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketFalcon 9
PadSpace Launch Complex 40
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensFriday, 11/14/2025 10:01:00 PM
Window ClosesSaturday, 11/15/2025 2:01:00 AM
Streaming Official SpaceX mission webcast
Spaceflight Now YouTube live streams
DestinationLow Earth Orbit
Mission Description A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.
As of: November 14, 2025, 9:17 a.m. EST (local time)
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File photo of Atlas V at SLC-41. Photo: Charles Boyer

A rare launch doubleheader — one that does not involve SpaceX — is planned for today from Cape Canaveral. First, in the afternoon, Blue Origin will make another attempt to get New Glenn off of the pad at LC-36A, and later in the evening, ULA will make a second attempt to launch Atlas V and the ViaSat-3 mission.

Both missions were delayed from their original launch attempts by scrubs: Blue Origin because of weather, then solar storms, ULA by a faulty valve that the company replaced on the rocket.

At A Glance

New Glenn

OrganizationBlue Origin
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketNew Glenn
PadLaunch Complex 36A
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensThursday, 11 / 13 / 2025 2:57 PM
Window ClosesThursday, 11 / 13 / 2025 4:25 PM
DestinationMars Orbit
Mission Description Second flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn carrying the EscaPADE dual-spacecraft mission (UC Berkeley) to study ion and sputtered escape from Mars, energy/momentum transport from the solar wind through Mars’ hybrid magnetosphere, and how energy and matter flow into and out of the collisional atmosphere.
Watch Live Blue Origin Official Stream (YouTube)  |  Mission Page

As of 8:59 AM Thursday November 13, 2025. Launch assignments and times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult BlueOrigin.com for updates.

Atlas-V

OrganizationUnited Launch Alliance
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketAtlas V 551
PadSpace Launch Complex 41
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensThursday, 11 / 13 / 2025 10:04 PM
Window ClosesThursday, 11 / 13 / 2025 10:48 PM
DestinationGeostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission Description The ViaSat-3 series comprises three Ka-band high-capacity satellites; each is designed for >1 Tbps of network capacity with flexible, regionally targetable coverage.
Watch Live ULA Official Stream (YouTube)  |  Spaceflight Now Coverage (YouTube)

Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time.

Weather

Oddly, at the time of this writing, the 45th Weather Squadron of the US Space Force’s Launch Delta 45 has removed their Launch Mission Execution Forecast for Blue Origin’s New Glenn. They do have yesterday’s LMEF for Atlas V:

Solar activity is still expected to be high, and Spaceweather.com is saying that, “Currently, storm levels are bouncing between category G1 (Minor) and G3 (Strong) as solar wind blows around Earth faster than 900 km/s. NOAA forecasters say there is also a lingering chance of severe G4-class storms on Nov. 13th.”

While that is an improvement from yesterday, it is still possible that mission managers for either launch may look at the current conditions and demur due to the impacts of Sunspot 2247. One thing is for sure: Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance and the 45th Weather Squadron have better space weather resources — experts, data, etc. — than the general public. If mission managers are confident, it’s with good reason.

As always, take a “we’ll see what happens” attitude, a comfortable chair and something cool to drink while you wait.

New Glenn standing on its launch pad at LC-36A in Cape Canaveral. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
New Glenn standing on its launch pad at LC-36A in Cape Canaveral. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Launch Viewing: In Person

LC-36A is clearly visible all the way down Cocoa beach, the closest being the pier at Jetty Park. Also close to SLC-36 is The Banana River Bridge. This will be a relatively big launch, and if you plan to go to one of the more popular spots for Blue Origin’s launch attempt, go early.

Spot Approx. Distance Sightline Amenities Notes
Jetty Park Beach & Pier (Cape Canaveral) ≈8–10 mi Clear ocean horizon; pad slightly south of due-east line Parking (fee), restrooms, concessions Fills early on major launches; allow extra time for port traffic.
SR-401 Observation Turnouts (Port Canaveral North Side) ≈7–9 mi Low coastal view across Canaveral harbor Limited shoulder parking; no facilities Arrive early; obey posted signs; bring water and sun protection.
Cherie Down Park (Cape Canaveral) ≈9–11 mi Beachline view; ascent over the ocean Parking, restrooms, beach access Neighborhood streets can clog; respect residential parking rules.
Cocoa Beach Pier ≈11–13 mi Open Atlantic horizon with pier foreground Food, restrooms, paid parking Good for photo framing; crowds vary by season and event size.
Alan Shepard Park (Cocoa Beach) ≈12–14 mi Broad shoreline horizon Parking (often paid), restrooms, beach access Arrive early on weekends; check for lot closures during events.
Lori Wilson Park (Cocoa Beach) ≈13–15 mi Unobstructed shoreline view Parking, restrooms, boardwalks Shade helps during long holds; wildlife area nearby.
SR-528/520 Causeway Pull-offs (Banana River) ≈13–17 mi Low river-level sightline; wide eastern sky No facilities Use only legal shoulder areas; stay well off traffic lanes.
The Space Bar — Courtyard Titusville ≈12–16 mi Farther angle but elevated rooftop view Food & beverage, restrooms Reservations may be required for big launches.

More or less the same spots will work later in the evening for Atlas V, but given that SLC-41 is further north than LC-36A, the southern Titusville Parks or roadside off of 528W at the Banana River bridge might be a wee bit better than the beaches.

Free Advice

Watch the YouTube streams for the latest/greatest information. Things change pretty fast as the countdown heads towards zero, and Will Robinson-Smith on Spaceflight Now or the announcers on Blue Origin’s live stream will keep you up to date.

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.

The Next Spaceflight mission page is an excellent resource to follow the countdowns.

Launch Viewing: Online

Streaming Source Availability
Blue Origin YouTube (Official) Typically ~30 minutes before liftoff
Blue Origin — Mission/Live Page Updates + embedded stream when live
NASA Live (if simulcast) TBD; often ~30–60 minutes prior
Spaceflight Now About one hour prior to liftoff
NASASpaceflight Live coverage one hour prior to launch
NextSpaceflight — Launch Page Comprehensive launch info

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Timelapse of Falcon 9 lofting Starlink 6-81 from Cape Canaveral on November 5 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Timelapse of Falcon 9 lofting Starlink 6-81 from Cape Canaveral on November 5 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Timelapse of Falcon 9 lofting Starlink 6-81 from Cape Canaveral on November 5
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

On a rare night when two different companies were set to launch hours apart from adjacent launch pads, SpaceX launched Starlink 6-81 from Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:31 pm ET. Falcon 9 flew on a southeasterly trajectory, and completed a trouble-free mission that saw the company deploy another 29 Starlink satellites into the megaconstellation now in low Earth Orbit.

Next up was United Launch Alliance, with the venerable Atlas V on the pad at Space Launch Complex 41. It was set to lift off at 10:24 pm ET, but it was not to be. Everything looked fine until it didn’t, and despite the effort of ULA engineers to solve an issue with a sticky valve, the launch was “Scrubbed […] due to an issue encountered while cycling the booster liquid oxygen tank vent valve during final checkouts.”

ULA added in a statement to the press that “The team will require additional time for troubleshooting and is setting up for a 24-hour recycle.

“The launch is now planned for Thursday Nov. 6th at 10:16 p.m. ET at the opening of a 44-minute window.”

SpaceX Payload

Tonight’s payload for Falcon 9 was 29 Starlink satellites that will now join the other Starlink satellites from Group 6 in the Starlink constellation.

That array of satellites provides Internet connectivity globally to over seven million customers in over 125 countries and territories, spanning all seven continents.

SpaceX Launch Replay

Next Launch

Atlas V 551 | ViaSat-3 F2 (ViaSat-3 EMEA)
OrganizationUnited Launch Alliance
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketAtlas V 551
PadSpace Launch Complex 41
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensThursday, 11 / 06 / 2025 10:16 PM
Window ClosesThursday, 11 / 06 / 2025 11:00 PM
DestinationGeostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission Description The ViaSat-3 is a series of three Ka-band satellites expected to provide very high service speed and flexibility; each ViaSat-3 class satellite targets >1 Tbps of network capacity and can dynamically direct capacity to where customers are located.

As of 12:00 AM Thursday November 6, 2025. Launch assignments and times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult ULA.com for updates.

Atlas V ViaSat 3 on the launch mount at SLC-41 Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Photo': Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville
Atlas V ViaSat 3 on the launch mount at SLC-41 Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Photo’: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville
Liftoff of Starlink 6-81 from SLC-40 on November 5, 2025 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Liftoff of Starlink 6-81 from SLC-40 on November 5, 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

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United Launch Alliance provided this photo of Viasat 3 being stacked for launch in Cape Canaveral.
United Launch Alliance provided this photo of Viasat 3 being stacked for launch in Cape Canaveral.

United Launch Alliance is set to fly their last commercial payload on an Atlas V (* other than Project Kuiper) this week from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The payload is ViaSat-3 — or VS-3 F2 in ViaSat parlance — is a telecommunications satellite that the company expects to more than double the bandwidth capacity of their entire existing fleet. The launch is currently scheduled for 10:24 PM EST on Wednesday, November 5th.

Spaceport Canaveral Is Quite Busy

SpaceX also has a Starlink launch scheduled for Wednesday, but will likely yield the Eastern Range to ULA for their launch if ULA is ready to proceed. Stay tuned — it sounds like Wednesday will have a rocket launch of some kind, whether it be a Falcon 9 or an Atlas V.

Meanwhile, south of ULA and SpaceX’s launch complexes, Blue Origin continues to prepare New Glenn for its planned launch next week. It’s hard to recall a time when this many different rockets from different companies are all heading to the pad to launch in the space of only a few days.

At A Glance

Atlas V 551 | ViaSat-3 F2 (ViaSat-3 EMEA)
OrganizationUnited Launch Alliance
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketAtlas V 551
PadSpace Launch Complex 41
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensWednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 10:24 PM
Window ClosesWednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 11:08 PM
DestinationGeostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission Description The ViaSat-3 is a series of three Ka-band satellites expected to deliver >1 Tbps of network capacity with flexible, dynamically directed service to where customers are located.

As of 10:30 AM ET Monday November 3, 2025. Launch assignments and times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult ULA for updates.

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 has released their official Launch Mission Execution Forecast: 95% GO throughout the launch window:

Trajectory

The target orbit for the ViaSat-3 mission is believed to be ~11,700 × 23,600 km, with an inclination of ~6.0 °. After payload separation, the satellite will move to its final operational position in a sun-synchronous orbit under its own power.

Launch Viewing: In Person

Given that this is a launch from Cape Canaveral’s SLC-41, Jetty Park, The Banana River Bridge and southern Titusville Parks are your best bets.

Cocoa Beach and the northern Titusville parks will have an excellent view as well.

For official updates regarding launch times, the ULA mission page is the best source of information: ViaSat-3 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.

Speaking of streaming, if possible, watch one of the YouTube streams for the latest/greatest information. Things change pretty fast as the countdown heads towards zero, and the dulcet tones of Will Robinson-Smith on Spaceflight Now or the announcers on ULA’s live stream will keep you up to date.

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.

Best Public Viewing Spots for SpaceX Launches from SLC-40 (Cape Canaveral)
Area Spot Distance to SLC-40 Notes
Port Canaveral SR-528 Bennett Causeway pull-offs ~11–12 mi Free roadside shoulder; arrive early; bring chairs.
Port Canaveral SR-401 / Port waterfront ~11–13 mi Free public areas; sightlines toward pads; occasional security closures. Port launch viewing info.
Port Canaveral Jetty Park (pier & beach) ~12–13 mi Park fee; restrooms & concessions; popular & crowded. Jetty Park fees/passes.
Cape Canaveral (city) Cherie Down Park ~13–14 mi Free public beach access; small parking lot.
Cocoa Beach Cocoa Beach Pier ~17–20 mi Public beach; shops & restrooms; tourist crowds. Parking fees (city).
Cocoa Beach Alan Shepard Park ~18–19 mi Paid parking; restrooms; easy beach access. Parking fees (city).
Cocoa Beach Lori Wilson Park ~19–20 mi Free parking; restrooms & boardwalks; large lot.
Titusville / US-1 Max Brewer Bridge & Parrish Park ~12–14 mi Free public area; elevated views; fills quickly.
Titusville / US-1 Space View Park ~13–15 mi Free public park; historical displays; occasional audio feeds.
Titusville / US-1 Rotary Riverfront Park ~13–15 mi Free public park; open river views; moderate parking.
Titusville / US-1 Kennedy Point Park ~13–15 mi Free public park; long riverfront; good tripod space.
Titusville / US-1 Space Bar (Rooftop) ~12–14 mi Rooftop bar at Courtyard by Marriott with launch views; seating fills quickly. official hours.
Note: Distances are approximate straight-line measures. Access, hours, fees, security zones, and closures change by mission—verify on launch day.

Launch Viewing Online

Links to streaming sources for the launch are below.

Launch Streaming Links
Streaming Source Availability
Spaceflight Now One hour prior to liftoff
ULA YouTube One half hour prior to liftoff
ULA Mission Page One half hour prior to liftoff
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A “nebula” of gases from Booster B1091 is illuminated by the plume of the departing second stage during last night’s launch. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX launched the Bandwagon-4 mission aboard Falcon 9 this morning in a beautiful launch that flew into mostly cloudy skies. Liftoff was at the first 01:09:59 AM of the night; daylight savings time ended less than an hour after the launch and it was 1am all over again.

At the Booster B1091 put on an incredible display after staging as it turned to return to Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral. Shortly after touching down at the T+07:46 mark, a familiar pair of sonic booms washed over the Space Coast, heralding the return of the booster while Stage 2 continued on to orbit. It and the payload of some eighteen assorted satellites achieved that orbit at T+09:38 after liftoff.

Liftoff of Bandwagon 4 on November 2, 2025. Photo: SpaceX

Orbit is estimated to be ~510 × 510 km (± 20 km), at a 45º ±1º mid-inclination Low Earth Orbit.

At 1:28 AM EST, SpaceX confirmed the deployment of all payloads, indicating another successful mission for the company. This was SpaceX’s 585th mission overall, its 145th mission of 2025 and the 558th Falcon 9 mission to date.

Payloads

Bandwagon-4 Payload Details
Payload Name Operator/Customer Description Integrator
KOREA ADD (Satellite 1) Agency for Defense Development (ADD), South Korea Reconnaissance satellite KOREA ADD
KOREA ADD (Satellite 2) Agency for Defense Development (ADD), South Korea Reconnaissance satellite KOREA ADD
Starcloud-1 Starcloud (part of Vast) AI satellite testing on-orbit AI capabilities with NVIDIA H100 GPU Starcloud/Vast
Lumen-1 Vast Technology demonstration satellite for in-orbit data center operations and edge computing capabilities Vast
Tomorrow-R3 Tomorrow Companies Inc. (Tomorrow.io) Weather radar satellite for Earth observation and weather forecasting Tomorrow Companies Inc.
Tomorrow-R4 Tomorrow Companies Inc. (Tomorrow.io) Weather radar satellite for Earth observation and weather forecasting Tomorrow Companies Inc.
Orbit Guard #2 EPIC Aerospace Technology demonstration satellite for in-orbit inspection/servicing (via CHIMERA OTV) Exolaunch
Fergani-DEMO 1 Fergani Technology demonstration satellite Fergani
TAURUS 1 Türkiye Picosatellite for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and technology validation Exolaunch
TAURUS 2 Türkiye Picosatellite for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and technology validation Exolaunch
TAURUS 3 Türkiye Picosatellite for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and technology validation Exolaunch
TAURUS 4 Türkiye Picosatellite for Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and technology validation Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 1 Exolaunch Customer (Argentina) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 2 Exolaunch Customer (Czechia) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 3 Exolaunch Customer (Finland) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 4 Exolaunch Customer (Netherlands) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 5 Exolaunch Customer (United States) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 6 Exolaunch Customer (International) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch
Unnamed Payload 7 Exolaunch Customer (International) Earth observation, IoT, or science/technology demonstration CubeSat Exolaunch

Links are included only where publicly available official pages exist; unnamed Exolaunch customers currently have no public payload pages.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

Atlas V 551 | ViaSat-3 F2 (ViaSat-3 EMEA)
OrganizationUnited Launch Alliance
LocationCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
RocketAtlas V 551
PadSpace Launch Complex 41
StatusGo for Launch
Status InfoCurrent T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window OpensWednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 10:24 PM
Window ClosesWednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 11:08 PM
DestinationGeostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission Description The ViaSat-3 is a series of three Ka-band satellites expected to deliver >1 Tbps of network capacity with flexible, dynamically directed service to where customers are located.

As of 4:58 PM Sunday November 2, 2025. Launch assignments and times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult ULA for updates.

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