At 12:01 this morning, the federal government officially entered a shutdown after Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution funding key agencies. The shutdown’s ripple effects reach far, and here on the Space Coast, into the heart of America’s space program at KSC. According to many reports, NASA officials are scrambling to balance mission continuity, public access, and workforce impacts.
Since 1976, the U.S. has experienced shutdowns 20 times, with an average duration of just eight days. The most protracted one—from late 2018 into early 2019—spanned 34 days. Past events do not necessarily predict present ones, but one could expect the political pressure on both sides to ramp up steeply starting today.
The most visible impact is the furloughing of tens of thousands of NASA civil servants. According to agency estimates, more than 15,000 NASA employees have been sent home due to the funding lapse. A specific number of furloughed NASA employees here was not given, and Talk of Titusville has asked NASA for that number but has not heard back at the time of this writing.
Despite the disruption, NASA leadership and local officials have emphasized that the Artemis program will remain a priority and, to the extent possible, projects already in motion should not be derailed. “For the space industry, we want to make sure Artemis II goes off in spring. I’ve spoken to NASA — whether the government shuts or not, that is still on target,” said Congressman Mike Haridopolos, R-Brevard County.
What Is Affected?
As of today, across KSC and NASA, the nonessential components are largely in cold or idle mode. Budgetary and personnel constraints mean:
Research and development projects not already in “excepted” status are paused
Ground systems upgrades, facility maintenance, and infrastructure improvements are deferred
Administrative, planning, outreach, and educational activities are suspended
Many scientists, engineers, and support staff await instructions or return to work orders
Effects on KSC NASA Employees
Because of the funding freeze, NASA’s plans stipulate that when appropriations resume, back pay will be awarded retroactively under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019. That’s good for the workers, but again, depending on the length of the shutdown, many will undoubtedly undergo some financial stress until they resume receiving paychecks. That might ripple through the local economy as workers reduce discretionary spending in order to stretch their savings further.
Back at NASA, delays in funding or staffing could create schedule pressure. Without support testing, mission planning, ground support and other necessary background tasks for the Artemis II launch campaign will inevitably be delayed and that in turn will delay the flight of Artemis II.
Tours At KSC Are Still Running; Sands Museum Is Closed
In a somewhat surprising twist, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex remains open despite the federal shutdown. That’s due to Delaware North being a private contractor and the operator of KSCVC, and as such, they are not beholden to the federal budget.
At the same time, the shutdown may curtail some exhibit programs, tours, and demonstrations. Some behind-the-scenes access, such as bus tours, could be limited or suspended. Contact KSCVC for more information.
KSCVC Photo: Delaware North
On the other side of The Cape, the Sands Museum is closed, according to museum director James Draper, He posted this today on X.com:
The American Space Museum in Titusville is unaffected and will presumably operate on its normal schedule.
Playalinda Beach and other Cape Canaveral National Seashore facilities are closed, as are other national parks in the Sunshine State. Unlike 2013 there are no signs indicating the closure. There are some reports circulating that national parks across the country are operating in a “partially open” mode (whatever that means) so if you are interested in visiting one of the parks, call ahead first.
How Long Might This Last?
That’s a good question, and there is no certain answer other than “as long as it takes Congress to act like adults and do their jobs.” In other words, no one knows with any certainty. Congress is not well known for compromise and governing these days, so it is a matter of when they cave to political pressure.
Best we can tell, is that SpaceX and NASA are not permanently closing Playalinda Beach, but proposed launch‑related safety protocols could result in lockdowns of the area for 60–85 days yearly, raising resident concerns over tourism and the local economy. That is in the EIS Draft provided by the FAA, but nowhere in that document does it say that beach access will be permanently ended.
Still, effectively, the public could be shut out of Playalinda for 20-25% of the year once you figure in the inevitable weather scrubs that come with Florida launches.
That will have some effect on Titusville businesses and also its residents. How much remains to be seen.
What Are The Anticipated Closure Areas?
Map of closure areas on page 16 of DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SPACEX STARSHIP-SUPER HEAVY LAUNCH VEHICLE AT LAUNCH COMPLEX 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida
From the DRAFT EIS, Page 17 of 410:
Access restricted areas are cleared and any necessary roadblocks are established around 3 hours prior to launch/landing and dropped after the event concludes. In the event of a scrub, cleared areas and roadblocks remain until propellant is offloaded, with the duration variable depending on the percentage of propellant loaded; however, the maximum duration would be about 1 hour. Not all attempts load propellant before scrubbing and roadblocks are often dropped early.
The restricted areas shown are estimated and provide only a representative depiction; exact restricted areas would be determined prior to pre-launch activities and launch/landing. For planning purposes to support this EIS, SpaceX and NASA used conservative assumptions to develop these restricted areas. Ultimately, each restricted area is mission specific and will be determined by Range Safety and the FAA through the FAA license or license modification process.
After receiving license or license modification materials, the FAA will determine the appropriate restricted areas to protect public safety and compare those areas to the assumptions provided in the EIS. The FAA would address any discrepancies or gaps, if found, in the environmental analysis.
Static fire tests would result in restricted access to areas not currently accessible to the public and would last approximately 3 hours each time; these would mostly affect land management and mission-related activities on MINWR and KSC. Restricted access associated with launches and landings would be expanded to also affect the northern portion of CCSFS, which would include Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41 (leased to United Launch Alliance) and SLC-40, and publicly accessible areas in the southern portion of MINWR and CANA that includes Playalinda Beach. Restricted areas in areas accessible to the public would be closed to the public during the identified operations due to safety concerns. All closures, whether dictated by public safety concerns (i.e., the Range or the FAA require the closure) or by the NPS due to visitor volumes exceeding capacity, would be temporary.
While restricted access requirements are limited to the duration that the access restricted area is in effect (i.e., between 3 and 3.5 hours), the actual duration of a closure associated with publicly accessible areas may be longer due to logistical aspects. Based on information provided by the NPS, duration of closures for portions of CANA and Playalinda Beach is affected by the time of day/night that the test or launch occurs. Due to logistics of closures (e.g., NPS personnel clearing the park of visitors, etc.), midday (or later) launches or tests could result in the need to close portions of the park for the entire day; tests or launches occurring very early in the morning may result in the park being closed for a portion of the day.
Based on information provided by NPS, it is estimated that there could be between 33 and 44 (using the most conservative estimate) full-day closures and up to 33 half-day closures, which equates to up to 60.5 total “closure days” per year (44 full days + 33 half days = 60.5 “full days”). Launch scrubs and weather delays could affect the length and/or number of closures; however, the extent of these occurrences cannot be quantified at this time. Table ES-1 provides a summary of pre-launch and closure-related activities and notional closure times/durations. As mentioned previously, it is anticipated that, similar to other launch vehicles like Falcon, associated closure areas would reduce in size and duration as the program matures, more data is available, and the reliability of the vehicle improves.
Playalinda’s Role In The Titusville Economy
Playalinda and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge are a critical component of Titusville’s economy:
Playalinda draws approximately 1.16 million of Canaveral National Seashore 2.1 million annual visitors, contributing significantly to businesses and jobs in jobs in Titusville. Visitor spending in the area totaled $62.5 million, supporting over 800 jobs and channeling an $83 million economic benefit to gateway communities like Titusville, according to numbers compiled by the National Park Service.
Talk of Titusville reached out to NASA’s Public Affairs Office for a definitive statement concerning Playalinda access, but they have not responded by press time. SpaceX has also not responded by press time either.
Congressman Mike Haridopolos of Florida’s Distric 8, which represents Titusville posted recently, “You can’t be No. 1 on Earth if you’re No. 2 in space. This executive order cuts red tape to speed up launch permits and infrastructure development for our commercial space industry,” the Indian Harbour Beach Republican said. “President Trump is cementing America’s dominance in commercial space exploration.”
Local Opposition Mounting
Local residents have been increasingly vocal about Starship, with their chief complaints being noise, sonic booms and reduced access to MINWR and Playalinda. There are numerous online chats, threads and even groups on social media — Facebook, Reddit and others where people normally gather — raising their concerns.
A new Change.org Petition started by Robyn Memphis lists their concerns about Playalinda’s future, namely that in Texas, where SpaceX is testing Starship, there is a smaller area of exclusion than the one being planned for LC-39A and Playalinda thereby.
In the petition, they take the FAA’s chart and illustrate their point:
The petition asks for the same safety exclusion distances as those used in Texas, as they have proved to be safe and effective and if matched in Florida, Playalinda access would be preserved.
“AA safety radius is 3.11 miles, yet Playalinda is outside of this radius from LC-39A and still targeted for closure, while some sites inside the hazard zone remain open. This is for convenience versus safety,” says the Petition’s authors.
Whether the opposition is a large percentage of locals is hard to say without completing a scientific poll, but simply judging by online activity, the group seems to capture a substantial portion of the local population.
Have Your Say!
No matter how you feel about the planned Starship program, Talk of Titusville urges you to make your voice heard in the final official public meetings before the Final Decision being issued.
Here are the details for the final‐draft public hearings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for SpaceX’s Starship‑Super Heavy operations at LC‑39A:
A recent Executive Order signed by President Trump aims to reshape the regulatory landscape for the U.S. commercial space industry. There are some huge potential implications for the Eastern Range in Florida — and its residents.
Titled “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry” and signed on Wednesday, August 14, 2025, the EO aims to cut through red tape, lower environmental and regulatory hurdles as well as speed up launch licensing.
The order calls for a streamlined process across multiple federal agencies to reduce delays in launch approvals, environmental reviews, and spaceport development. It also encourages deregulation of emerging space activities and infrastructure, with the goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in commercial space operations.
Some important aspects of the EO:
Faster environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses.
Eliminating outdated regulations that hinder new space tech and infrastructure.
Assessing state-level barriers to spaceport development under the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA).
Streamlining federal reviews between NASA, Department of Defense, and Department of Transportation to remove duplication.
Establishing new leadership roles at the Department of Transportation and FAA to drive reform.
Strengthening U.S. leadership in space to stay ahead of global competitors, especially in defense, aerospace, and satellite industries.
Effects On The Eastern Range
As the world’s busiest spaceport, the new Executive Order will have an effect on both Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. Since the Eastern Range operates under coordination between the U.S. Space Force and NASA, the directive’s push for interagency alignment could help eliminate overlapping permitting processes. That may translate to fewer bureaucratic hurdles and quicker project approvals.
The Starship Tower (right) under construction at LC-39A. SpaceX has also begun construction for support facilities on Roberts Road inside KSC. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
More launches means more jobs, and the Space Coast area will benefit from that. It is said that a rising tide floats all boats, and in this case, more activity on the Eastern Range will greatly benefit the area’s economy across the board.
Part 450 Changes Ordered
The Executive Order directs the DOT Secretary to reevaluate and amend or rescind 14 CFR Part 450 of Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the current regulatory structure for launch licenses and re-entries. Originally, Part 450 was intended to streamline launch and reentry in the era of commercial spaceflight, but it is widely seen as having failed to meet its objective.
Launch operators often face delays due to reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). By streamlining or eliminating redundant checks, the Eastern Range could see faster launch timelines and increased throughput.
Slow and ponderous consideration and disposition of license requests have long generated complaints by operators, something the EO is designed to speed up and simplify. Details are forthcoming regarding any changes that will be made, as is the timeline for their release. At this point in time, the DOT Secretary has just received the order.
State Environmental Laws To Be Examined
The Executive Order also calls for a review of how state compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) may be affecting spaceport development. This review could lead to reduced friction between Florida’s regulatory agencies and federal space operators, potentially easing constraints on new infrastructure.
If implemented, the changes could allow companies such as Blue Origin, SpaceX, Firefly, and Relativity Space to expand more rapidly and with greater ease. With fewer regulatory delays, the Eastern Range could support more launch pads, more missions, which would bring additional economic activity in the region.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn on its debut launch in January. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
On the other hand, more launches, more launch pads, and fewer regulations might put an additional burden on already strained resources in the region. Port Canaveral, for example, is nearly bursting at the seams with cruise ship business, freighters, and in the past ten years, SpaceX returning boosters to port regularly.
The Local Effect
Local residents will hear the roar of rocket launches more often, and as the industry shifts towards rocket reusability generally, they will will hear more sonic booms when spacecraft return to The Cape. SpaceX, for example, is planning dozens of flights a year of its new Starship Heavy when it goes operational, and each booster return to launch site mission will have a sonic boom. There will be a second sonic boom after the given mission’s conclusion and the Ship — the second stage and payload bay for Starship — returns to land at The Cape as well.
While space launch activities are not a particularly large contributor to pollutants in the Indian River Lagoon, there is always the possibility of a spill or leak from support infrastructure or during construction. More activity means more opportunity for that to happen, though it should also be said in the same breath that does not mean it will happen, but instead, that it could. NASA, the Space Force and launch companies are very good stewards of their facilities and surrounding land, and the KSC/CCSFS area is a bright spot for wildlife and fauna in the Space Coast region.
Bottom line is that there are many other pain points and growth issues at the Eastern Range, all of which will need to be remediated as growth there continues.
What About The LC-39A and LC-37 Environmental Studies Underway?
This Executive Order could potentially affect Starship’s development at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) and Launch Complex 37 (LC-37), but how much depends on how the implementing agencies interpret the “streamline environmental reviews” directive.
Both LC-39A and LC-37 are currently in the middle of Environmental Impact Studies (EISs) with final drafts expected in the coming months. After that, Final Decisions on both sites will be rendered, and given the ongoing construction at LC-39A for Starship, it would appear that the decisions are fait accompli and that Starship will be a regular on The Cape’s launch calendar.
The Executive Order specifically directs the Secretary of Transportation (through the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation) to eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses. In theory, this could allow the FAA to shorten the review process, remove redundant steps, or rely on less time-intensive environmental assessments instead of full EISs.
However, EIS timelines are also influenced by other agencies—including NASA (which owns LC-39A) and the U.S. Space Force (which oversees LC-37 at Cape Canaveral). The EO also instructs these agencies to align their processes and eliminate duplication, which could expedite the process if multiple reviews are being conducted for the same project. Whether this will affect the two EISs that are nearing their final phases is an open question. It would seem that the studies are already completed and that final reports and decisions on adoption are not far away.
One complicating factor: environmental review requirements come from statute (NEPA) as well as agency policy. The EO can direct agencies to streamline within the law, but it can’t waive NEPA entirely. That means some level of review is still required, especially for projects with substantial potential environmental such as methane-fueled launches. Stoke Space, Relativity and other launch vendors might see some benefit. SpaceX probably won’t need it.
At the end of the day, it’s fair to say that the new Executive Order is smoothing the path for growth that was already coming, and that it will limit the ability of outside organizations (like environmental groups) to have much effect on decision-making regarding space launches. Whether that is a good thing remains to be seen.
The FAA has announced that the public meeting for the SpaceX SLC-40 Enviromental Assessment that was originally scheduled for April 16th has been rescheduled to May 8, 2025. The original meeting was postponed due to a nationwide Zoom outage on that date earlier this month. Additionally, the public comment period has also been extended to May 15th.
For a summary and links to all original documents, please click here:
The FAA previously issued a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing SpaceX’s proposal to increase Falcon 9 operations from 50 up to 120 per year from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The draft EA also reviews the construction of a first-stage booster landing zone at the site with up to 34 landings per year.
Due to technical difficulties associated with the nationwide Zoom platform outage, the virtual public meeting scheduled for April 16, 2025, was cancelled. The new meeting date is scheduled for May 8, 2025. In addition, the public comment period is extended and will close on May 15, 2025.
Registration is required to join the virtual public meeting. Those who registered for the cancelled meeting must re-register.
NASA and SpaceX are set to launch the 32nd Commercial Resupply mission to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center on Monday. Launch time is set for 04:15:34 AM Monday morning in an instantaneous window.
File photo of a Falcon 9 in Dragon configuration on launch LC-39A at KSC Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The flight Falcon 9’s first stage will land a few miles south at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral about 7-8 minutes after liftoff. That being said, a sonic boom will rattle the Space Coast area not long after the rumble of the liftoff fades.
This mission marks the 12th under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract with SpaceX.
SpaceX CRS-32 Mission Details
Mission
SpaceX CRS-32
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
Monday, 04/21/2025 4:15:34 AM EDT
Window Closes
Monday, 04/21/2025 4:15:34 AM EDT
Destination
Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description
The 32nd Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. This flight, conducted under NASA’s CRS-2 contract, will deliver approximately 6,700 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support science and research investigations onboard the orbiting laboratory. Notable experiments include studies on nanomaterial production, drug manufacturing advancements, and novel materials for aerospace, defense, energy, and robotics. The Cargo Dragon spacecraft, C209, is scheduled to autonomously dock to the station’s Harmony module and remain for about one month before returning to Earth with research and hardware for analysis.
Weather Forecast
Weather forecasts for Cape Canaveral on Monday indicate mostly cloudy conditions with a high of 81°F (27°C) and a low of 68°F (20°C). These conditions are generally favorable for a successful launch.
Jimmy Taeger, a Launch Weather Officer of the 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 said today that “Weather is looking really good for early next week. There’s a small chance of a cumulus cloud rule violation.”
“[That chance is] only about 10% for the primary launch day and the backup day, but that means 90% chance that the weather could be good,” Taeger concluded.
Trajectory
Online Viewing
NASA_ will have a livestream of the launch on their website and on YouTube: CRS-32 Launch. 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.
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 options for watching the launch: Northern Titusville parks on Washington Avenue / US-1 are your best bets: Space View Park, Sands Park, Rotary Riverfront Park.
The best options for watching the landing: beaches Cherie Down Park or 528W at the Banana River Bridge.
File photo of a Falcon 9 booster beginning its landing burn at LZ-1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Lockheed Martin has closed a $383 million contract modification to their existing contract to develop the next generation of the sea-based Trident II Strategic Weapons System (SWS) D5 missile, and many components for the updated variant, dubbed the Trident II D5 Life Extension 2, or D5LE2, will be built at a new Lockheed plant in Titusville.
Lockheed’s Titusville Plans
Expected to open in 2027, Lockheed Martin will soon start building a new 225,000 square-foot facility in Titusville, to produce components for the D5LE2. The new facility expands Lockheed’s presence on the Space Coast and according to the company the facility will create “approximately 300 highly-skilled new jobs [here.]”
The facility will be built at 1103 John Glenn Boulevard, across from the Titusville Police Department.
“Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to invest in our aerospace and aviation, and military and defense industries – bringing high-skill, high-wage jobs to the state,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “Strategic investments like continue to propel Florida’s workforce, adding 300 new jobs and bringing economic success to Florida communities.”
About the D5LE2
Current Trident D5 Photo: Lockheed Martin
D5LE2 will be an integrated, modernized missile that will be carried aboard ballistic missile submarines (both American and British navies currently deploy older Trident missiles) to provide nuclear deterrence.
“The second life extension of the Trident D5 missile will enable the United States and United Kingdom, through the Polaris Sales Agreement, to maintain credibility deterring evolving threats,” said Jerry Mamrol, vice president of Fleet Ballistic Missiles at Lockheed Martin. “We are proud to continue our critical partnership with the U.S. Navy to take deterrence into this new era.”
United Launch Alliance’s CERT-2 rocket on its way to the launch mount at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral on September 30, 2024. Photo: United Launch Alliance
United Launch Alliance has moved its second Vulcan Rocket from their Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 to the launch mount. Final preparations can now begin for a launch scheduled for NET (not earlier than) Friday morning. Launch time is unofficially expected to be between 06:00 AM – 009:00 AM EDT, but ULA has not yet announced an official time for T-0.
Test Mission
This mission, dubbed “CERT-2” will not carry a customer payload. Originally slated to launch Sierra’s Dream Chaser on its maiden voyage to the International Space Station, ULA and Sierra agreed to remove the payload because Sierra would not have Dream Chaser flight-ready this fall. Instead, ULA will fly an inert “dummy” to simulate a payload with the goal being to further prove out the Vulcan system and also to achieve certification from the Department of Defense for Vulcan to launch national defense payloads.
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan CERT-1 lifting off on January 8, 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Vulcan is the first rocket designed wholly by United Launch Alliance. The Delta and Atlas family of rockets were legacy designs created by Boeing and Lockheed Martin respectively prior to the founding of the company in 2006. ULA is a joint venture between the two aerospace giants, and has successfully launched more than 157 missions since its inception.
According to the company, “This second Certification (Cert-2) launch will demonstrate Vulcan’s high-energy rocket architecture by achieving an Earth-escape trajectory and placing the Centaur V with an inert, non-deployable payload into deep space where it will orbit the sun for the rest of time. Cert-2 follows Vulcan’s successful inaugural launch on Jan. 8, 2024.”
Vulcan CERT-2 will be externally identical to the CERT-1 vehicle: along with the methane-oxygen fueled first stage powered by two Blue Origin BE-4 engines (the same engine Blue Origin will use with New Glenn) the first stage will also have two GEM solid-rocket boosters attached to give it additional lifting power. Together, the methane-fueled main engines and SRBs will provide the 2 million pounds (8.9 kilo-Newtons) of thrust generated at liftoff to power Vulcan off the launch pad.
Mark Peller, ULA’s senior vice president, Vulcan Development and Advanced Programs said in a press release that, “After the key objectives necessary for certification are completed, the mission will evaluate additional changes to the design of the upper stage and how it is operated over long coast periods to further increase its endurance.”
In other words, ULA plans to first meet the requirements of DoD certification, and afterwards, work on iterative improvements on the new vehicle.
The United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket is transported from the Vertical Integration Facility-G (VIF-G) to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, in preparation for the second certification mission (Cert-2). Photo credit: United Launch Alliance
SpaceX Falcon 9 on the launch pad Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Update, 12:06 PM EDT August 9: SpaceX waived off their attempt today due to weather in the landing zone. The company said they plan to launch tomorrow. The launch window opens at 08:50 AM EDT
SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 Friday morning. The launch window opens 08:13 AM EDT, and closes at 11:17 AM EDT the same day. Weather is 90% GO at the beginning of the launch window and dips slightly to 80% GO later in the morning.
If needed, SpaceX has a backup window opening at 8:50 AM EDT.
At A Glance
Mission: Starlink 8-3
Date: NET August 8, 2024
Launch Window: 08:13 AM EDT – 11:17 AM EDT
Weather: 90% GO at the opening of the launch window
Organization: SpaceX
Rocket: Falcon 9
Trajectory: Northeastward
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Booster Landing: Offshore on ASDS Just Read The Instructions
Payload: Communications satellite to geosynchronous orbit.
Destination: Low-Earth Orbit
* consult SpaceX website for the specific target for exact T-0.
Trajectory
Northeastward
Payload
The payload for this mission is a familiar one: twenty-three Starlink satellites. Once deployed and operational, the satellites will join SpaceX’s Starlink constellation that provides Internet connectivity to over three million subscribers in over 100 countries globally.
90% GO. The main concern is the Cumulus Cloud Rule. There is a notation of weather in the vicinity near ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’ having a low to moderate risk:
Landing
After completing its part of the mission, the first stage booster will land offshore on the Automated Spaceport Drone Ship ‘Just Read The Instructions.’
As such, there will be no sonic boom on the Space Coast.
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Starlink 10-9. 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.
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 Launch 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.
Live Viewing
Jetty Park, The Banana River Bridge on FL 528W, Cocoa Beach, and the southern Titusville parks are your best bets.
Starship Heavy on its launch pad in Texas. Photo: Richard Gallagher / Florida Media Now
During those meetings, people can learn more about the proposed activity in an open house information station format, where the FAA will provide information describing the purpose of the scoping meetings, project schedule, opportunities for public involvement, Proposed Action and alternatives summary, and environmental resource area summary. The meetings will not be hearings, instead, they are designed to provide information.
That said, written and oral comments will be accepted, so it is your chance to make your voice heard, yay or nay. Talk of Titusville encourages you to take the time to attend, learn, and if you are so inclined, to leave your comments.
Public Information Session at The Radisson in Cape Canaveral in March for the SLC-37/50 Pads at Cape Canaveral. The ones for KSC / LC-39A will be much the same. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Official Document from FAA
Here is the official document for the Proposed Action. Interested parties should take the time to read it. You can either download it from here, or if you prefer, from the FAA directly at www.faa.gov/media/80626. Reading the information beforehand may give you better insight to ask more informed questions if you attend one of the informational meetings.
The meetings will be informational, and not public hearings. The public hearings will come later in the process.
That’s important to keep in mind — if you want to make your voice heard, the best way to do so is in writing at the address mentioned below. You can submit written comments at the informational sessions, and a court reporter will also be present to transcribe your comments, as well.
June 12, 2024, 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm (Eastern) IN-PERSON Radisson Cape Canaveral, Jamaica Room 8701 Astronaut Blvd Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
According to today’s press release, “The FAA invites interested agencies, organizations, Native American Tribes, and members of the public to submit comments to inform the FAA on the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS (e.g., range of actions, alternatives, environmental impacts). The public scoping period starts with the publication of the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS in the Federal Register. To ensure sufficient time to consider issues identified during the public scoping period, comments should be submitted by one of the methods listed below no later than June 24, 2024. All comments will receive the same attention and consideration in the preparation of the EIS.”
“Comments, statements, or questions concerning scoping issues must be identified with the Docket Number FAA-2024-1395 and may be provided to the FAA as follows:
Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Retrieve the docket by conducting a search for “FAA-2024-1395” and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Please note that the FAA will post all comments on the Internet without changes, including any personal information provided.
By U.S. mail to Ms. Eva Long, FAA Environmental Protection Specialist, c/o Leidos, 2877 Guardian Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.”
Falcon 9 lifts from the Eastern Range’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2024. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
One does not have to work in the space industry to know that the Eastern Range is a very busy place these days. Less than ten years ago, the gaps between rocket launches were often measured in weeks or months. For example, in 2016, there were 23 launches from the Space Coast, and only 16 in 2017.
Today, in 2024, there are often two or more orbital launches per week and sometimes as many as two in one day from the combined facilities of Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. There were 73 launches from here in 2023, and as many as 111 could happen this year. As such, bottlenecks and competing priorities for launch times and resources are rising, leading Congress to possibly instruct the US Space Force to consider offloading some national security launches to other sites.
The House Armed Services Committee’s draft fiscal 2025 defense policy bill has an interesting requirement: to study the possibility of launching NSSL (national security) payloads from other ranges than Vandenberg SFB and Cape Canaveral SFS as soon as 2025. Remember that this is a draft of the bill in committee and that it has a long way to go before it becomes law if, indeed, Congress and the current Administration can agree on a budget in the first place.
Spaceports in the United States
There are some twenty spaceport-designated facilities in the US today. Only five of them are capable of supporting vertical rocket launches: the Eastern (Cape Canaveral / KSC) and Western (Vandenberg SFB) Ranges, Alaska’s Pacific Spaceport Complex, Spaceport America near southeast of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and the combined areas of Wallops Island — Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. That in mind, the House committee’s draft bill says those sites must be considered for additional NSSL launches.
Western Range / Vandenberg SFB
SpaceX launch from Vandenberg Photo: SpaceX
SpaceX and United Launch Alliance already use this facility for many launches, with the frequency of those launches expected to rise drastically over the next few years. SpaceX plans to launch 90 rockets into space from the Western Range by 2026, while ULA is working towards certification of the once-launched Vulcan for national security payloads that would include the Western Range as a launch point.
According to many reports, those plans—especially the SpaceX plans—are running into local opposition. The California Coastal Commission, a powerful agency in the State of California, and other environmental groups have questioned whether the planned increase should be allowed. This is an ongoing issue with no resolution in the foreseeable future.
Wallops Island
Rocket Lab Electron launching from Wallops Island Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
Wallops Island is an active spaceport where Rocket Lab and Northrup Grumman have conducted orbital launches in recent years. Rocket Lab is building a new launch pad for its future Neutron reusable rocket. NG is working with Firefly Aerospace to create a new variant of the Antares rocket it inherited from its acquisition of Orbital Sciences in 2018. That rocket is set to fly as soon as 2025.
Wallops makes logical sense for additional NSSL work, especially when Neutron and Antares enter service. They also have the land to develop new launch pads for new customers, giving that site great growth potential.
Pacific Spaceport Complex, Alaska
Despite PSCA having the largest launch azimuth range of any spaceport in the US that can access high-inclination, polar, and sun-synchronous orbits between 59° and 110° inclination, the Pacific Spaceport Complex has been mainly a development site for startups — ABL and Astra have been its main users the past few years, to mixed results. Previous users have included Northrup Grumman, but the aerospace giant has not launched from the facility since 2011.
The site opened in 1998 and has hosted 31 launches. It has hosted Athena I, Minotaur IV, Astra Rocket, and the RS1 rockets, with one successfully orbiting: on 19 November 2021, Astra’s LV0007 rocket achieved orbit.
That may be partly due to the facility being in Alaska and the cool local climate: located near the Bering Sea, Kodiak summers are short and mostly cloudy, and winters are long, very cold, wet, windy, and partly cloudy. Rocket launches depend on calm weather with no rain or high winds at launch time, and there, PCSA may struggle even compared to the infamously capricious weather on the Eastern Range.
Adding to PCSA’s difficulties is its remote nature with little infrastructure in the region. No rail service connected to the mainland or interstate highways leaves air shipment and the seaport at Kodiak as the major shipping options available to PCSA.
Nevertheless, Kodiak could easily become an area that supports NSSL launches during seasons when the weather allows for them. The Alaska Aerospace Corporation, a corporation owned by the state Government of Alaska, has been working diligently to attract new clients to its facilities, and in many ways, PCSA ticks many boxes for becoming a larger player in the launch business.
Spaceport America
With cities like Amarillo, Lubbock and even Dallas / Ft. Worth to the east and Albequerque to the north, orbital launches from Spaceport America seem to be a long way away.
Spaceport America is interesting because it has not been the launch site for any orbital attempts since its inception in 2011. The site in southern New Mexico is landlocked, meaning that early flight would be over land and possibly people and populated areas, leaving persons and property potentially exposed to the aftermath of a launch failure—namely, components from the rocket crashing down on them or potentially unburned toxic propellants descending from a failed rocket.
Virgin Galactic is a tenant at Spaceport America. Photo: Virgin Galactic
“I’m disappointed in is that the Space Force and others are very focused on the Cape and Vandenberg and Wallops,” said Scott McLaughlin, executive director of Spaceport America, in an interview published in February 24th by spacenews.com. “There’s no emphasis on making launches safe enough to fly over humans. I think that’s a natural progression and it just doesn’t seem to be on anybody’s radar right now.”
Currently, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 has 99.4% success rate, with 343 full successes out of 345 launches over 14 years of service. One failure was during static fire testing, and probably should not be counted, given the rocket never left the launch pad. The one in-flight failure Falcon 9 did have was explosive, meaning that shrapnel and uncombusted fuel from the second stage and payload were not contained and fell into the sea after the launch failure.
That would naturally be a major concern for everyone downrange, and while the chances of another failure happening are quite remote, clearing Falcon 9 for overland flight would be a major political sticking point with an uncertain path to approval — especially when safer areas like the Eastern Range, Western Range, Kodiak and Wallops do not have those worries.
Other rockets, like the soon-to-be-retired Atlas V and the once-flown Vulcan (both United Launch Alliance products), also do not have any contingencies for launch failures over populated areas other than to self-destruct before such an event occurs. The same is true for Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket. Nor does New Glenn, Blue Origin’s long-awaited orbital rocket.
In short, no modern rocket in the West is designed to have the capability to fly over populated areas safely, meaning that barring a political sea change or technological advances not yet on the drawing boards, Spaceport America is likely to be many years, if not a decade or more, away from supporting orbital flight.
RIP Spaceport Camden
Camden, Georgia, was an area considered by NASA in the late 1950s and early 1960s when it sought to build the facility that eventually became the Kennedy Space Center, and civic boosters and entrepreneurs have worked to make Camden a working launch site since that time.
After it accepted an Environmental Impact Statement, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a launch site operator license for Spaceport Camden with a flight trajectory limited to a 100-degree azimuth. It was planned to be a vertical launch facility, but voters scuttled the idea in 2022 in a spending referendum, effectively ending the current efforts to bring the area only as a potential orbital rocket spaceport. For now, Spaceport Camden as an option is dead.
The “800 Lb. Gorilla” Not Mentioned
Interestingly, the House committee did not mention another active spaceport as a potential site for NSSL launches: SpaceX’s facility at Boca Chica, Texas, where it is currently building and testing its huge Starship Heavy rocket.
SpaceX has conducted suborbital test launches from Boca Chica, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Once Starship becomes operational, it could easily support NSSL launches from Boca Chica, so long as the supported azimuths from the facility match the mission profile of the payload. SpaceX could even add a Falcon 9 / Falcon Heavy launch pad to the site if it had the mind to and enough land to work with. This does not appear to be the case at this time, and perhaps that is the reason the House committee did not mention Boca Chica.
Azimith Limited: Two paths from Boca Chica would would avoid overflight of most far downrange landmasses, though they may also require performance reducing “dogleg” maneuvers to avoid other landmasses and achieve proper orbit. The red areas show previous Falcon 9 drop zones. Cape Canaveral can accommodate a much more diverse set of launch inclinations without overflying populated areas.
Challenges For A South Texas Spaceport.pdf
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