Make your coffee or favorite caffeinated beverage – there’s a terribly late night rocket launch planned for this festive week.
Just before July 4, SpaceX has scheduled a new Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral. The launch will take place at a time when most people are asleep.
The bright side, however, is this: Night launches offer a different kind of view and creativity in space photography. But don’t just take our word for it, click on the video playlist with this story or check out one of the photo galleries attached here.
Should there be any changes to the launch, this story will be updated.
Is there a rocket launch from Florida? The next one is Wednesday, July 3: SpaceX Starlink 8-9
While SpaceX has not publicly confirmed the launch, a 4½-hour Starlink mission window opens early Sunday morning, according to navigational alerts from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.
- Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a new batch of internet-bundling Starlink satellites, housed in the canopy atop the 70-meter-long rocket.
- Home window: 02:01 to 06:31 EDT Wednesday, July 3
- Place: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Procedure: Northeast
- Live coverage: If you want to watch the rocket launch live, FLORIDA TODAY’s Space Team will be providing updates at floridatoday.com/space beginning 90 minutes before launch. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, available on the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space in your browser.
Space Coast Weather Radar: Will it rain today in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida?
Here you can see the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows real-time conditions for the Space Coast and other parts of Florida. The current date and time are shown in the lower right of this radar embed; otherwise you may need to clear your cache.
You can see a rocket launch from almost anywhere in Brevard. Certain areas offer great views of SpaceX rocket boosters returning to their launch pads. The best vantage point to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach. However, visibility is subject to weather conditions and people should be careful not to block traffic or bridge rights-of-way and follow beach rules.
If you are viewing the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park, look due east, directly across the river.
If you are further south along the Indian River, look northeast.
Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest place to view the launch, as it runs almost parallel to Launch Pad 39A. From the beach, look south along the shoreline (you can even see the platform from some spots).
Some hotspots to visit:
- Jetty Park beach and pier400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Please note, parking is subject to a fee.
- Playalinda Beach1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Please note that parking is subject to a fee and access to Canaveral National Seashore is subject to availability and time of day.
- Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Please note, parking is available on both sides of Max Brewer Bridge.
- Space View Park8 Broad St., Titusville
- Sand Point Park10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville
- Rotary Riverfront Park4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville
- Riverfront Park at Cocoa Village, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa (just before State Road 520 Causeway)
- Cocoa Village, close to parks and shops or close to the docks
- Several parks on Merritt Island
- Rotary Park1899 S. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island
- Kiwanis Park on Kiwanis Island Park Road on Merritt Island
- Port Canaveral, with ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean in the port
- Alan Shepard Park299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Please note that parking fees may apply.
- Cocoa Beach Pier401 Meade Ave. Parking fees vary.
- Lori Wilson Park1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Lori Wilson Park has a dog park, by the way.
- Sidney Fischer Park2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Please note, parking fees may apply.
- Downtown Cocoa Beachalong Minutemen Causeway
- Tables Beach197 SR A1A, Satellite Beach
- The tides on SR A1A in Satellite Beach
- Several parks, including the Pelican Beach Clubhouse, in Satellite Beach
- Pineda Dike
- Eau Gallie dike
- Front Street Park near Melbourne (US 192) Causeway and US 1 in Melbourne
- Indialantic Promenade at Melbourne Causeway and SR A1A
- Paradise Beach Parkalso known as Howard Futch Park, 2301 SR A1A, Melbourne (this is a beachfront park)
- Sebastian Inlet Park9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is an entrance fee)
- Ambersands Beach Park12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)
- South Beach Park1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)
- Merrill Barber Bridge on Vero Beach
- Alma Lee Loy Bridge on Vero Beach
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.