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2025 Space Coast Launches
SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-90, December 11, 2025
The Space Force doesn’t do press viewing for Starlink launches, a good thing since there are so many of them. That said, there are some really interesting views from public viewing spots, like this one on 528W in Cape Canaveral. Click here to see my favorite public viewing spots.
SpaceX added to its roster of Starlink satellites when it launched the Starlink Group 6-90 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. Liftoff was at 3:26 PM ET and into clear skies with temperatures hovering around 70ºF (21ºC)
SpaceX Launches Secret Squirrel NROL-77 Payload Aboard Falcon 9
SpaceX launched a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office on December 9, 2025, aboard Falcon 9. Liftoff was at 02:16:25pm ET into leaden skies, with the rocket quickly behind the clouds, probably much to the delight of NRO. The launch direction was northeast.
At T+08:17s was NROL-77 was in its initial orbit and roughly eleven seconds later, Booster 1096 returned to land safely at LZ-2 inside Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at T+08:28s.
SpaceX Launches Secret Squirrel NROL-77 Mission Aboard Falcon 9 Today
Photo: Charles Boyer
SpaceX launched a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office today aboard Falcon 9.
Liftoff was at 02:16:25pm ET into leaden skies, with the rocket quickly behind the clouds, probably much to the delight of NRO. The launch direction was northeast.
At T+08:17s was NROL-77 was in its initial orbit and roughly eleven seconds later, Booster 1096 returned to land safely at LZ-2 inside Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at T+08:28s.
That, in a nutshell, is pretty much all that’s publicly known about the mission.
At 6:00 PM NRO announced the mission was a success.
Photo: Charles Boyer
Launch Replay
Next Launch
Next Launch: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 6-90
Go for Launch • Cape Canaveral SFS • SLC-40
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Mission | Starlink Group 6-90 (29 satellites) |
| Organization | SpaceX |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 |
| Launch Site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) |
| Window Opens | Thursday, 12/11/2025 1:59:00 PM (ET) |
| Window Closes | Thursday, 12/11/2025 5:59:00 PM (ET) |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Mission Description | A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation — SpaceX’s space-based Internet communication system. |
| Countdown (to window open) | — |
As of: — (your local time)
Launch times are subject to change due to weather, range operations, and mission requirements.
SpaceX Launching NROL-77 Today; Expect A Sonic Boom
SpaceX will be launching a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office today from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral. Liftoff is at 2:16:25 PM, in an instantaneous window, and about 8.5 minutes later, the booster used for the mission will land at LZ-2 inside Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Expect a sonic boom to rattle the windows a short time afterwards as the booster heralds its return.
At A Glance
Launch Preview — At a Glance
| Mission | Falcon 9 Block 5 | NROL-77 |
|---|---|
| Status | Go for Launch Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 (Block 5) |
| Operator | SpaceX |
| Launch Site | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) |
| Window |
Opens: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 — 2:16:25 PM ET Closes: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 — 2:16:25 PM ET (Instantaneous window)
|
| Destination | Unknown (classified) |
| Mission Notes | Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). |
Tip: Times are shown in Eastern Time (America/New_York). Launch schedules can change quickly due to weather and range operations.
Weather
Weather is just about perfect, according the 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45. Their Launch Mission Execution Forecast gives a greater than 95% chance of acceptable weather at launch time:
Trajectory
NROL-76 is expected to have a launch azimuth of ~43–45°, or northeast.
Online Viewing
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: NROL-77 This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about fifteen minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
If you are watching in person on the Space Coast, 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.
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.
SpaceX Launches Starlink 6-81, ULA Scrubs ViaSat 3
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
| Organization | United Launch Alliance |
| Location | Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA |
| Rocket | Atlas V 551 |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 41 |
| Status | Go for Launch |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Window Opens | Thursday, 11 / 06 / 2025 10:16 PM |
| Window Closes | Thursday, 11 / 06 / 2025 11:00 PM |
| Destination | Geostationary 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.
Photo’: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX, Falcon 9, Bandwagon 4, November 2, 2025
When Falcon 9 is on a night launch with RTLS, a gorgeous post-staging nebula is the result.
It is a shimmering, beautiful event in the sky, maybe 50% bigger than a full moon overhead.
SpaceX Launches Bandwagon-4, Booster Returns To Cape
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.
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
| 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
| Organization | United Launch Alliance |
| Location | Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA |
| Rocket | Atlas V 551 |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 41 |
| Status | Go for Launch |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Window Opens | Wednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 10:24 PM |
| Window Closes | Wednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 11:08 PM |
| Destination | Geostationary 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.
SpaceX Set For Overnight Launch Of Bandwagon 4
Booster Landing Planned for LZ-2, Expect a Sonic Boom Around 1:15 AM ET
SpaceX is set to launch Bandwagon 4 tonight from SLC-40 in Cape Canaveral around 1:09 AM EDT. The window is short, only three minutes. B1091 will be returning to Cape Canaveral and Landing Zone 2 after the Main Engine Cutoff and booster separation. As such, anticipate a sonic boom to reverberate across the Space Coast shortly afterward.
At A Glance
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Bandwagon 4 (Dedicated Mid-Inclination Rideshare)
| Organization | SpaceX |
| Location | Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 40 |
| Status | Go for Launch |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Window Opens | Sunday, 11 / 02 / 2025 1:09 AM (05:09 / 06:09 UTC*) |
| Window Closes | Sunday, 11 / 02 / 2025 1:12 AM (05:12 / 06:12 UTC*) |
| Destination | Low Earth Orbit |
| Mission Description | Dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers. |
| Watch Live | SpaceX Webcast (YouTube) (15 minutes before launch) |
| Watch Live | Spaceflight Now Coverage (YouTube) (30 minutes before launch) |
*Times cross a U.S. daylight saving transition on Sunday, Nov 2, 2025; 1:00–1:03 AM local can map to either 05:00–05:03 UTC (EDT) or 06:00–06:03 UTC (EST).
As of Saturday November 1, 2025, 10:06 AM. Launch assignments and times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for updates.
Weather
The 45th Weather Squadron of the US Space Force’s Space Delta 45 has released their Launch Mission Execution Forecast for tonight’s launch attempt: 95% GO.
Trajectory
Southeastward, with Booster B1091 returning to Cape Canaveral. The planned orbit is ~510 x ~510 km (approx. 317 x 317 miles), ~45 degrees inclination.
Payload
There are 18 known payloads aboard tonight’s mission, with the keystone customer being the South Korean Defense “425 Project.”
| 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 Viewing: In Person
As always, if you plan to watch the launch in person, arrive early and settle in at your chosen location. It’s going to a late night by most standards, so be sure to bring a jacket and a flashlight.
Follow the latest launch information on Spaceflight Now’s coverage, as well as SpaceX’s X.com feed and website.
Launch times can and do change quickly, especially when weather is a concern.
Finally, keep in mind that streaming coverage on YouTube or the X platform runs slightly behind the actual countdown — usually about 5-10 seconds. That’s simple physics – it takes some time for the signal to go through the Internet and the servers hosting it. The Next Spaceflight app displays the real countdown, so it is a good choice in the last few minutes.
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
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Bandwagon-4. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about five minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
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.
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