The weather was quite iffy until the final hour before liftoff — in fact, there was a tornado warning nearby with heavy rain to start the morning. The skies dried and clouds lifted just enough for Falcon 9 to thread through them and head to space.
SpaceX Falcon 9 / Transporter 4 Launch, April 1 2022
As you might guess, photography conditions were not ideal, with flat, dull light, but this photo came out decently enough. Not long after liftoff, more rain came into the area, albeit with less lightning, thunder and high winds.
Later that evening, I was able to see SLC-40 from the sea as the sun was about to set. Again, serendipity gave us a break in the clouds and we were able to see the sun peaking through as it fell towards the horizon. The pad was busy as SpaceX workers began to recycle it post-launch, and it was lit brightly into the night as they continued their tasks.
I get asked this question all this time: what’s the best place for a visitor to the Space Coast to go see a SpaceX crewed launch to the International Space Station?
All launches to ISS from LC-39A follow a 45-50 degree trajectory. This rendering is looking due east.
The Best of the Best Views
The best answer is to plan ahead and buy tickets from the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center, because they will have the closest views on offer: The Apollo / Saturn V Center (see below). They do cost a good bit of money, however: the closest view of the April 4th, 2022 Axiom 1 private mission to ISS is $250 for a ~4.0 mile view.
That’s a lot of money, but if you’re only going to come here once, trust me, it is worth it. You will definitely hear the roar and see the best view of the launch, so think about whether it fits into your budget.
If $250 is beyond what you want to spend, the Visitors Center has cheaper tickets where you view from the Visitors Center grounds itself. It’s 7.5 miles to the launch pad, but you won’t see the rocket until it clears the trees. It’s still really close and you’ll hear the roar and see a lot, so it may be an alternative for you.
Star Fleet is a commercial tour operator out of the Cape Canaveral Port, and they are without a doubt the best one in town for viewing launches, bar none. That’s not to say the other guys are not good folks or a good value, but Star Fleet is a cut above.
They will give you outstanding views of launches from out on the water, but aren’t as close as the KSC Visitors Center tours because of the exclusion zone that extend from the launch pad and out several miles into the Atlantic.
That doesn’t matter, because you’ll see as much as you’d see anywhere off the base, and you’ll also get to view the launch from angles that very few people ever do.
As it is with the KSCVC, there is a cost associated with them, but it’s well worth the money and the time. Click the link above to view their site and definitely consider them.
(Note: I am not compensated by or represent Star Fleet Tours. This is just my honest opinion of them.)
There are are other choices off of KSC property.
Crewed SpaceX launches are from LC-39A, which is on the north end of Kennedy Space Center. Let’s start with the two I consider to be mistakes. Your mileage may vary, but I think you can get a better look at other spots.
his is considered a top-class viewpoint. Get there early and park across the street at the park. Walk to the top of the bridge on the south side. 11.5 miles away, with an elevated viewpoint, you will clearly see ignition and liftoff. You will also be able to see the rocket more clearly as it flies away.
Space View Park, Titusville: Google Maps Link 12.08 miles away, this is another great viewing area. The park is smaller, with less parking but at 6am there should be little issue getting in and out. Ignition and liftoff is visible.
12.05 miles away, and an excellent place to go see the launch. A bit south of Space View and the Max Brewer Bridge, this park is actually closer to the launch pad and you will be able to see the liftoff. Is on the Indian River and and is an excellent vantage point. There is a small parking lot and road-side parking.
KARS Park is an area normally reserved for NASA, on-site contractor and military guests and is a great complex for their enjoyment. While you probably don’t qualify to spend the night, you can still view launches from there. KARS is better for SLC-40 and SLC-41 launches, but it also serves as solid secondary choice for launch spectators.
It’s close to 528 (The Beachline), it’s safe and secure and easy to park. They do charge $10 for crewed launches, but that’s per car and that makes things very reasonable.
Check their Facebook page for more information, but I can say that I have seen over 100 launches from here (including Artemis I) and it was a great view every time.
The causeway that extends over the Indian and then the Banana Rivers between Cocoa and Cape Canaveral are really good places to watch a launch, albeit at a long way away. You won’t hear the sound of the liftoff for over thirty seconds after ignition, but you will be able to see ignition and Falcon 9 for a good while as it heads to space. Here’s a view of a launch from LC-39A seen from the Causeway on A1A/528
For this site for viewing launches from LC-39A (or B) I recommend binoculars and for photography, you’ll need a really long zoom lens. If you want to take closer-in photos, cell phones are not that great to take pictures with from this spot, and I recommend at least a 300mm telephoto on a good DSLR or mirrorless. Even then you’ll be cropping in when you look at the shots on your computer later.
Bennett Causeway, FL-528 / A1A
Here’s a closer view.
If you are coming in from I-95, go to the exit for the port (the cloverleaf above) and then head back west on A1A (it’s the same road as Florida-528.) Cross the first bridge (views are better there,) and pull off and park. Unless you are getting there super-early, you’ll see cars and tracks (and some campers) and fellow launch-watchers on the shore of the river.
While you wait, you’ll no doubt see pelicans, probably osprey hunting, and other waterbirds. More often than not folks will also enjoy seeing dolphins swimming just off shore. This is a wild area, so beware of wildlife. I’ve never seen an alligator at this site, but your mileage may vary. Just keep your eyes open and remember you’re in a natural area and you won’t have any problems.
Not That Great Views (IMO)
Most visitors ask me about these two places the most: Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral and the Cocoa Beach Pier. They’re great spots to visit, but are only okay for crewed launches.
You’ll definitely see the rocket in flight, but they are not what I would consider the best views for KSC-side launches. They’re a little better for launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, but even then, not the best of the best.
(Note: when Blue Origin starts launching New Glenn, Jetty Park will be a prime time spot. Stay tuned.)
Views of the launchpad are pretty good, but it is 13 miles to LC-39A from there. More than likely, there will be surf mist between you and the rocket. Since it is flying NE and away from you.
Here’s a story in the Huntsville (Alabama) Times from 1958 talking about my grandfather and my uncle and their jobs with the space program. V.L. Pinson, my grandfather, was a senior engineer and manager with the Army Ballistic Missile Agency, which was later merged into NASA in 1960.
George Pinson, my uncle, joined Boeing shortly after this article was written, and during his time there, he was an engineer, director and senior manager. When he retired, he had over 300 patents, some of which can be found here. One of the main projects he worked on was the Saturn V S-IC first stage, as well as military rocketry systems.
They were both very intelligent men, and literal rocket scientists who taught me a great deal — not the least of which was how to learn and how to go about solving problems.
United Launch Alliance launched the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-T advanced weather satellite for the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at 4:28pm local time on an Atlas V 541 from Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rises in the sky, carrying NOAA’s GOES-T weather observation satellite on March 1, 2022
Storms cleared just in time for SpaceX to launch more Starlink satellites tonight from Cape Canaveral. Perfect launch but a photo fail here, I think. The launch itself was totally blown out — too bright — but I learned something and had a little fun. That’s really all that matters. FWIW, this is unfiltered straight out of the camera.
— at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40.
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