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2025 Space Coast Launches
SpaceX Launched Booster For the 32nd Time Today
“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.
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.
Fleet Leaders by Flight Count
| Rank | Booster | Flights | Notable Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B1067 | 32 flights | Current record holder • Guinness World Record • First to reach 30 flights |
| 2 | B1071 | 30 flights | Most spacecraft to orbit: 1,001 • Vandenberg workhorse • 5 NRO missions |
| 3 | B1063 | 29 flights | Oldest surviving booster in fleet • First flight Nov 2020 • Launched NASA DART |
| 4 | B1069 | 28 flights | Most mass to orbit: 401,140 kg • Carried FIFA World Cup balls to space |
| 5 | B1077 | 25 flights | 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.
DAF Releases Final Environmental Review for SpaceX Starship at Cape Canaveral’s LC-37
It’s A Go.
The Department of the Air Force has released its long-awaited Final Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s plan to bring Starship–Super Heavy operations to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The 214-page report, published this week, clears a major hurdle for the company as it pushes to launch and land its next-generation rocket from Space Launch Complex-37.
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.
Final Environmental Impact Statement
Some Issues
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.
| Source / Environment | dBA |
|---|---|
| Jet engine at 100′ | 140 |
| Pain Begins | 125 |
| Pneumatic chipper at ear | 120 |
| Chain saw at 3′ | 110 |
| Power mower | 107 |
| Cape Canaveral – Starship/Superheavy Max | 98 |
| Brightline at 100′ | 95 |
| Airpods on 5/10 | 94 |
| Titusville – Starship/Superheavy Max | 93 |
| Cocoa Beach – Starship/Superheavy Max | 92 |
| Rockledge – Starship/Superheavy Max | 90 |
| 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:
| 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. |
Source: SpaceX Starship/Superheavy CCSFS Final Environmental Impact Statement (PDF)
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.
FAA Terminates Emergency Order Limiting Commercial Space Launch Hours
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.
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!
| 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 they can.
How To Find Launch Hazard Area Maps
Maps of controlled areas when there is a rocket launch from the Eastern Range are available and easily found if one knows where to look.
Big Birds Are About To Fly From The Cape
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
11th Starship Test Mission Soars From Texas
The rocket was clearly visible from The Cape as it passed to the south.
SpaceX launched its eleventh integrated flight of the Starship and Super Heavy booster system on Monday evening from Boca Chica in southeast Texas close to the Mexican border. Today’s mission tested core Starship systems including flight operations, launch, stage separation, engine relight, and controlled splashdowns among many other objectives. It was largely successful and marked a transition point for the company’s vehicle development program.
Photo: Chris Leymarie, Florida Media Now
Liftoff occurred at 6:23 PM Central Time. Shortly after launch, the Super Heavy booster separated from the upper stage as planned and performed a controlled descent before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico. There was no attempt to catch the booster using the tower’s mechanical arms. Before the launch SpaceX had reported that the descent data would inform future recovery efforts. In any event, the descent and landing of the booster appeared to be nominal in all respects until the rocket splashed down.
Ship 28, Starship’s upper stage, continued on a suborbital trajectory and deployed eight Starlink satellite simulators. It also successfully restarted its Raptor engines in space—an important test for missions that require multiple burns. The vehicle later reentered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Indian Ocean off of the northwest coast of Australia.
This flight is expected to be the final mission using the current version of the Starship hardware, as SpaceX prepares to introduce a more advanced variant, Version 3, with updated systems and structures. Engineers also gathered data on heat shielding and aerodynamic performance, which are critical for future operational flights.
Elon Musk watched the launch from outside mission control, describing the view as a different experience from past launches. No official statements were made during the live broadcast beyond brief technical updates.
NASA is monitoring the Starship program closely, as the vehicle is planned to serve as a lunar lander for future Artemis missions. While timelines remain uncertain, successful flights like this one move the system closer to the performance levels required for human-rated missions.
Another group watching closely were Space Coast residents. Starship is expected to heavily utilize the Eastern Range for many of its flights once it is operational, and tonight’s flight served as a preview of things to come in the area, probably sooner rather than later.
Video credit: Michael Lynch of Talk of Titusville
Falcon Heavy Set To Launch Once in 2025, Maybe Not At All In 2026
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Since its first flight in 2018, Falcon Heavy has demonstrated exceptional lift capacity and mission flexibility. After the retirement of the venerable Delta IV Heavy, Falcon Heavy is the only three-liquid booster-core combination in operation at the Cape. SLS uses solid rockets as its side cores.
So far this year, Falcon Heavy has not been on SpaceX’s launch schedule. The last Heavy launch was on October 14, 2024, but at least one is tentatively set for late 2025, and as of now, there are no confirmed Falcon Heavy launches with a fixed date before 2027.
Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 Set For NET December
Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One is a lunar lander contracted by NASA as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, and it is slated to head for the Moon aboard a Falcon Heavy. It is reportedly on schedule for a December launch from Kennedy Space Center, assuming that payload preparation and rocket availability remain on track.
Two Potential Flights For Falcon Heavy In 2026
For other Falcon Heavy missions, the schedule is far more nebulous. There are two potential Falcon Heavy missions scheduled for next year, but no specific target dates for launch have been announced.
That said, it is possible that after the Griffin launch late this year that SpaceX might launch Starship from LC-39A before a Falcon Heavy. Possible, sure, but launch schedules have a funny way of changing without notice, so as always, keep an eye on the schedule trackers for the latest information.
First, the USSF launches recently granted (plus Griffin). After that, it gets interesting.
| Expected Falcon Heavy Launches — Now through January 1, 2027 | ||||
| Mission / Payload | Launch Vendor | Rocket | Estimated / NET Date | Remarks / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffin Mission 1 | SpaceX | Falcon Heavy | Late 2025 | Listed on multiple tracking sites as the next Falcon Heavy launch from LC-39A. |
| USSF-75 | SpaceX | Falcon Heavy | 2027 | Appears in SpaceX manifest as a future Falcon Heavy mission. |
| USSF-70 (ROOSTER-5 & TETRA) | SpaceX | Falcon Heavy | 2027 | Listed in 2027 manifest; details subject to change. |
| NROL-97 | SpaceX | Falcon Heavy | 2027 | Manifest sources list as planned Falcon Heavy mission. |
| USSF-186 | SpaceX | Falcon Heavy | 2027 | Manifest shows “planned” status for late-decade launch. |
As of October 6, 2025. Launch dates are subject to change or cancellation.
Others:
There is no current launch schedule for launching the ViaSat-3 F3 (Asia-Pacific) satellite; the satellite’s launch is planned for late in 2026, after its sister satellite, ViaSat-3 F2, is in service. It will be carried to orbit aboard Falcon Heavy.
Astrobotic’s third lunar mission is targeted for launch in 2026 aboard Falcon Heavy. No date for liftoff has been given as of yet.
Nancy Roman Grace Telescope: presumed to be in 2027.
Artemis Gateway PPE & HALO: presumed to be in 2027 if program not canceled.
That tells me that if I want to witness the raw power and fury of a Falcon Heavy any time soon that I should make plans for the Astrobotic launch later this year. It might be a while after that before the heavy lifter flies from The Cape.
SpaceX, NASA IMAP Rideshare, September 24, 2025
more below…
SpaceX Launches IMAP Rideshare Mission For NASA and NOAA
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX and NASA launched the IMAP Rideshare mission early Wednesday morning from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. After an apparently event-free countdown, liftoff was at 07:30 AM ET.
The flight appeared to be nominal, and Falcon 9 entered into a parking orbit around eight minutes after liftoff. The rocket and payload are now in a coast phase prior to to payload deployment, after which the three scientific satellites carried to orbit this morning will make their own way to the Lagrange 1 point, about one million miles from the Earth in the direction of the Sun.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
About 7.5 minutes after liftoff, Booster B1096 touched down safely downrange aboard ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions.’ Both barge and booster will now return to Port Canaveral, after which the booster will be offloaded and transported to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center, where it will be inspected, refurbished as necessary and prepared for its next mission.
Payload
Three space weather satellites were launched this morning: the NASA IMAP, Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the NOAA) Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) instruments.
IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) is designed to study the boundary of the heliosphere, a bubble-like region of space dominated by the solar wind. Positioned about one million miles from Earth at the L1 Lagrange point, IMAP will capture and analyze particles that stream into the solar system from interstellar space. Its goal is to map how the solar wind interacts with the interstellar medium, shedding light on how cosmic rays are filtered and how the heliosphere protects our solar system from galactic radiation.
SWFO (Space Weather Follow-On) is a NOAA satellite mission focused on monitoring solar activity that could impact Earth’s space environment. Scheduled to launch alongside IMAP, SWFO will also be stationed at L1, where it will provide continuous data on solar wind, magnetic fields, and solar energetic particles. Its primary purpose is to support real-time space weather forecasting, helping to protect satellites, power grids, GPS, and other technologies from solar storms and other space weather events.
Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a NASA mission named after astrophysicist George Carruthers, aimed at studying the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere—the geocorona. This layer of hydrogen extends thousands of miles into space, and Carruthers will observe it in ultraviolet light to understand how Earth’s atmosphere escapes into space and interacts with solar radiation. By providing detailed imaging of the geocorona, the probe will help scientists refine models of atmospheric loss, which has implications for both Earth and exoplanet habitability studies.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Next Launch
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Mission | Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-15 — 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 | Thursday, 09/25/2025 4:36 AM |
| Window Closes | Thursday, 09/25/2025 8:36 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 9:01 AM Wednesday September 24, 2025. Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for more information.
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