The SpaceX rocket is likely to launch just before the end of the week.
The space agency will send two Maxar WorldView satellites into space via Falcon 9 rocket launch. The Fun Coast will likely get a good view.
Is there a rocket launch today?SpaceX and NASA’s Upcoming Launch Schedule From Florida
Can you see a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Daytona Beach or New Smyrna Beach?
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes, rocket launches can be seen from the nearby Space Coast in Volusia County.
Below are suggestions for places to watch and photos of past rocket launches as seen from the Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange areas of Florida. There’s also a real-time weather radar to check for rainy conditions around the Fun Coast and other surrounding areas. For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY space reporter Rick Neale at [email protected]. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Although SpaceX has not yet announced the mission, a navigational advisory from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency indicates that a Falcon 9 rocket will launch two Maxar Intelligence WorldView Legion satellites on Thursday, August 15, from Cape Canaveral Space Station.
- Launch window9:00 a.m. to 12:28 p.m. EST on Thursday, August 15
- location: Launch Complex 40
- Live coverage: You can watch live coverage of the missile launch from USA TODAY Space Teamwhich includes FLORIDA TODAY space correspondents Rick Neal and Brooke Edwards and visual journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denmark and Tim Short. Our space team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog on floridatoday.com/spaceStarts 90 minutes before takeoff. You can download the free version Florida Today Appand is available in App Store or Google PlayOr type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.
Weather radar in Daytona Beach, Florida. Will weather cancel a rocket launch?
Pictured is the National Weather Service’s radar in Melbourne, showing real-time conditions for the Fun Coast and other parts of Florida. The current date and time are shown in the lower right of this embedded radar; otherwise, you may need to clear the cache.
In Volusia County, just north of Brevard County — home to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of Rocket launches by SpaceX, NASA, or United Launch Alliance.
The best views of the rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look directly south. Readers have also reported seeing the launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:
• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), parking may apply. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. Despite its reputation as the “shark bite capital of the world,” New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.
• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Located 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore, Bethune Beach has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and about 800 feet of beachfront pier. According to the Volusia County websiteThe park area adjacent to the river is located across South Atlantic Avenue and includes tennis courts, basketball and volleyball courts, a children’s playground, a fishing pier, and restrooms. The river adjacent to the park can be a great place to see manatees, dolphins, and pelicans.
• Apollo Beach in Canaveral National Seashore (South of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along the east coast of Florida in Volusia County and Brevard County. To reach Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to Exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow Highway A1A south to the park entrance.
• Oak Hill River Banks Is it The southernmost city in southern Volusia County..
• Sunrise Park275 River Road, Oak Hill
• Goodrich Seafood & Oyster Bar Back Deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill
• Seminole Rest National Historic Site211 River Road, Oak Hill
• Riverbreeze Park250 H.H. Birch Rd, Oak Hill
• Mary Dewees Garden178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Amenities include a rental building, children’s playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas, and grills.
• Nancy Cummings Garden232 Cummings Street, Oak Hill. Facilities include a children’s playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.
• Jimmy Van Sunrise Park275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has approximately 350 feet of beautifully restored beach, according to the city of Oak Hill website. Amenities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.
• AC Delbert Dewees Municipal Dock243 River Road, Oak Hill. Amenities include a 520-foot observation deck with two covered decks and seating, according to the city of Oak Hill website.
• Bird Watching Pier On River Road across from the AC Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100′ observation pier.
Rocket launch photo from Port Orange, Florida
Rocket launch photos from New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Rocket launch photos from Daytona Beach, Florida
Photo of the rocket launch from Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida.
Sangalang is a senior digital producer for the USA TODAY Network in Florida. You can follow her on twitter Or Instagram on @byjensangalangSupport local journalism. Consider subscribing to a newspaper in Florida..
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