SpaceX

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo craft awaits its capture by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, commanded by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick on Aug. 6, 2024.
Credit: NASA

SpaceX is planning to launch Falcon 9 and the Northrup-Grumman CRS-2 mission towards low Earth orbit and the International Space Station this evening. Shortly afterward, the Space Coast will hear a sonic boom as the booster returns to land at Cape Canaveral.

Launch time is scheduled for 6:11:48 PM ET in an instantaneous window. As is standard for most launches to Station, should weather or technical reasons prevent a launch at the time, SpaceX will be forced to stand down and wait for the next window tomorrow.

Payload

Tonight’s mission will be the Cygnus XL variant of Northrup-Gruman’s cargo delivery spacecraft. The XL is a “stretched” version that offers significantly more cargo volume and payload mass compared to earlier Cygnus versions. Specifically, it increases the cargo-carrying capacity by approximately 1,250 kg (roughly 33%) over the baseline, bringing its total payload capacity to around 5,000 kg (11,000 pounds) of pressurized cargo.

Among the research payloads are experiments for growing semiconductor crystals in microgravity, tools to refine technologies for cryogenic fuel tanks (which are critical for future space missions), and a UV light system designed to limit microbial growth in the station’s water systems. Also aboard are supplies for pharmaceutical crystal development with implications for cancer and other disease treatments. No ice cream this time, we checked and did not see it mentioned in NASA’s manifest.

Weather

Compared to other missions of late, the Launch Mission Execution Forecast from the 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 is almost optimistic: 75% GO at launch time.

Trajectory

Northeast on the well-worn path to ISS:

Streaming Options

NASA will livestream the launch on NASA-TV. Coverage starts about 20-30 minutes before liftoff.

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

Please note that there is a delay between the launch stream and the actual countdown clock if you are watching in person. 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.

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 available online at nextspaceflight.com.

A Falcon booster returning to land at Cape Canaveral
Photo: Charles Boyer

Launch Viewing: In Person

Since the launch is during the early evening, a lot of options are available for spectators: Jetty Park, the Banana River Bridge on FL 528 W or the southern Titusville parks on Washington Avenue / US-1 are your best bets. Jetty Park will have the best view of the booster return, but not as spectacular a view of liftoff. On the other hand, Titusville parks will have the opposite: a great view of liftoff but not as close as Jetty Park for the landing.

Playalinda Beach is several miles north of the launch pad, but ignition and of course the flight of the rocket and its return are visible from that location. If you go, go early in case the crowds are heavy.

Other options include The Space Bar, a rooftop bar at the Courtyard By Marriott in Titusville. It offers great views of the launches and a full bar and menu. Other options include New York, New York on the Indian River in Titusville, but if you want to grab a bite, go early, because their kitchen usually closes for the day around 6:30 PM.

File photo of a Falcon 9 lifting off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station,
Photo: Charles Boyer
Read more

This week, weather has definitely not been SpaceX’s friend. Due to a stalled frontal boundary to the north of the Space Coast, thunderstorms have been nearly continuous for several days, keeping Falcon 9 and the Nusantara Lima mission on the pad waiting for its launch. Tonight, the company plans its third attempt.

At A Glance

Details
Mission Falcon 9 Block 5 | Nusantara Lima — 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 Wednesday, 09/10/2025 8:00 PM
Window Closes Wednesday, 09/10/2025 9:55 PM
Destination Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Satellite Operator PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), Indonesia
Mission Description Nusantara Lima is an Indonesian geostationary communications satellite with a capacity of more than 160 Gbps.

As of 12:18 PM Wednesday September 10, 2025. Launch times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult SpaceX.com for more information.

Weather

Not great, but improving: the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron of Launch Delta 45 is calling for a 40->60% probability of acceptable weather. Essentially, they are saying that weather will improve through the launch window — it will be 40% at 8:00pm and by the end of the window that will increase to 60%.

Of course, that’s just a forecast, and the launch probabilities will be calculated continuously through the launch window until Falcon 9 lifts off or SpaceX calls off the launch.

Trajectory

Launch Viewing: In Person

The best free options are available for spectators: Jetty Park, the Banana River Bridge on FL 528 W or the southern Titusville parks on Washington Avenue / US-1 are your best bets.

The Space Bar will be open through the launch window. 

Launch Viewing: Online

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.

Read more

File photo of a Falcon 9 launching from SLC-40 in 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer

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

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

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

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

Falcon LC40 LZ and Launch Increase EADownload

FAA Approval Enables New Landing Zone, Expanded Launch Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

Falcon 9 Operations at SLC-40
Figure 2-5. Proposed Landing Zone
Final Environmental Assessment 2-7 August 2025

Environmental Effects

Water & Wetlands

Florida Scrub Jay in MINWR. Photo: Charles Boyer

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

Noise and Sonic Booms

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

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

From Appendix B “Final Environmental Assessment Falcon 9 Operations at SLC-40” via the FAA

Public Input

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

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

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

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

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

Read more

ULA Vulcan – Kuiper KF-02 liftoff, August 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer

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

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

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

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

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

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

AstroTech worker preparing the IMAP satellite in August 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

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

The Future Looks Bright…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more

starship-flight-10-leymarie
Starship Rising: initial ascent from the Texas coast went exactly as planned.
Photo: Chris Leymarie / Florida Media Now

SpaceX’s Starship took a step closer to Florida when it carried out the tenth test flight of the new launch system yesterday in Texas. The massive Super Heavy–Starship vehicle lifted off from the Starbase facility in South Texas at 7:30 PM ET into partly cloudy skies. That was a pleasant change for both SpaceX and launch spectators, as yesterday’s attempt was scrubbed in the last minute due to janky weather and the risk of rocket induced lightning.

A Good Flight

Despite a Raptor engine shutting down during ascent, the booster’s descent trajectory was controlled, and it splashed down as planned in the Gulf of Mexico with no issues, despite a test regimen designed to further define the envelope within which the vehicle can operate successfully.

The upper stage, Ship, achieved its designed suborbital attitude with few if any visible problems, where it deployed eight Starlink simulator satellites using a new dispenser mechanism, executed an in‑space Raptor engine relight, and descended under control to splash down in the Indian Ocean.

During descent, there was one issue: structural damage occurred to its aft heat shield and engine skirt during the vehicle’s descent, but to its credit, Starship remained on course until splashdown. Undoubtedly, SpaceX engineers are analyzing that event closely with an eye to future improvements on future iterations of Starship.

This mission diverged from a string of setbacks in 2025 for the Starship program. Flight 7 ended with the upper stage lost mid‑flight, as did Flight 8. Flight 9 failed to deploy its payload and lost control during reentry. In contrast, Flight 10 executed its key procedures with relatively minor damage, signaling forward progress in the program’s development and its eventual deployment here in Florida on the Atlantic Range.

Questions

While Flight 10 was successful, some issues arose during the flight, with one potentially being a serious issue that required a great deal of Starship’s resilience to overcome. Fortunately, Ship continued

Three items that were obvious to viewers of the flight jump out:

First, why did the skirt of Ship fail as it did in the video above?

Via SpaceX livestream

This photo shows two questions in one: first, what is the rust color where the thermal protection tiles are? Second, why is Ship’s nosecose white?

SpaceX engineers are no doubt poring over the flight data received from Flight 10, look at every aspect of vehicle performance during its mission.

Hearings Underway

Meanwhile, here on the Space Coast, the FAA public meetings regarding the Environmental Impact Statement for Starship at LC-39A are continuing tomorrow.

  • Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025; two meetings: 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. ET at the Radisson Conference Center, Grande Caribbean, 8701 Astronaut Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
  • Virtually on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025; 6-8 p.m. ET

Talk of Titusville urges all interested Space Coast residents to attend and make their voices heard — no matter how you feel about Starship launching from The Cape.

Read more

SpaceX’s Starship Tower under construction at LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

The FAA is holding the first two of its give public meetings for Starship at LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center this afternoon and this evening at the KSC Visitors Center. You will not need to pay admission or parking to attend.

Information provided by the FAA:

IMPORTANT: Print this parking pass for KSCVC. You may download it here or below. It is on Page 3 of the document.

FAA Public Meeting Directions and Parking PassDownload

The Draft EIS is here: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

Zoom link for online meetings: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2aotlSQERXCHC5yJjOvm5A

Zoom can be downloaded at https://www.zoom.com/

These five public meetings are the last chance the public can participate in the EIS process in person.

See Also

Talk of Titusville has covered Starship at LC-39A for quite some time. Here is a list of some of the best articles:

Read more

CRS-33 launches aboard Falcon 9
Falcon 9 lifts off from SLC-40 and starts the CRS-2 SpX33 mission in Cape Canaveral last night.
Photo: SpaceX

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

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

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

Cargo

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

Launch Replay

Next Launch

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

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

Read more

Falcon 9
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 launching from SLC-40
Photo: Charles Boyer

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

At A Glance

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

Cargo Dragon 2 brings supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations that occur onboard the orbiting laboratory.

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

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

The Tortilla Express

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

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

Planned Reboost Test For Cargo Dragon

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

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

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

Booster: B1090

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

Weather

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

Trajectory

Northeast, on the usual ISS route.

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

Online Viewing

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

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

A night-time SLC-40 launch as seen from Kennedy Point Park in Titusville.
A night-time SLC-40 launch as seen from Kennedy Point Park in Titusville.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

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

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

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

Launch Viewing: In Person

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

Read more

SpaceX USSF-36 OTV-8
SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the USSF-36 OTV-8 mission lifting off from Launch Complex 39-A at Kennedy Space Center last night.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

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

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

A post-staging “nebula” appeared above Kennedy Space Center last night as Booster B1092 began its RTLS maneuvers that would guide the vehicle to Landing Zone 2.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Payload

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

Launch Replay

Next Launch

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

Cargo Dragon 2 brings supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations that occur onboard the orbiting laboratory.

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

Read more