Space Force projects 107 Florida launches this year; SpaceX targets two more Falcon 9 liftoffs
(Editor's note: The second Starlink mission has moved to Tuesday night, and the 4½-hour launch window opens at 8:22 p.m.)
In 2019, a mere 18 rockets launched into orbit from Florida's Space Coast. That number has already more than doubled thus far this year, with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's neighboring Kennedy Space Center hosting 37 liftoffs.
Now, Space Launch Delta 45 officials project a record-breaking 107 launches may rack up this year. And two more SpaceX Falcon 9 liftoffs may occur on back-to-back days May 4 and 5.
SpaceX has yet to publicly announce these Sunday-Monday Starlink missions, which will likely lift roughly 50 broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. Both Falcon 9 first-stage boosters will target landings atop drone ships hundreds of miles from Cape Canaveral, so no Central Florida sonic booms should occur.
Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral
Details on both upcoming launches:
SpaceX is targeting liftoff at 4:53 a.m. May 4 to send up 29 Starlink satellites from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Backup launch opportunities are available until 8:48 a.m., if needed.
Then May 5, a 4½-hour Starlink launch window should open from 8:48 p.m. to 1:19 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory indicates.
Those twin SpaceX missions will lift off on the heels of a Thursday, April 30, nighttime Falcon 9 launch, which took flight at 9:51 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The Space Coast's record of 93 annual launches was established last year.
On a related note, the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct a May 8 virtual meeting on environmental impacts from SpaceX's request to increase yearly Falcon launches from 50 to 120 at the Space Force installation.
The FAA has determined that SpaceX's increased launch manifest would not result in significant terrestrial or marine wildlife and habitat effects, meeting materials show. Factors analyzed in the study include air quality, biological resources, climate, coastal resources, cultural resources, noise and water resources.
Space Force Launch Delta 45's projection of 107 launches this year was announced in a news release highlighting updated security infrastructure and procedures at Patrick Space Force Base, in light of expanding launch tempo and strategic importance.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Space Force predicts 107 Florida launches in 2025; SpaceX eyes liftoffs May 4-5
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