November marked a remarkable achievement for Florida’s Space Coast, with the launch of 101 orbital rockets, surpassing the previous annual record of 93 launches. As 2025 approaches, space enthusiasts are eager to see how much higher this number will rise from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The upcoming launch schedule promises to be exciting, featuring a series of SpaceX Starlink internet satellite missions along with significant national security and commercial projects. The highlighted missions for December include:
– On December 2, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 will deploy 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with launch set for 3:16 p.m., trajectory direction being southeast.
– December 7 will see another Falcon 9 mission launch 29 additional Starlink satellites, with a launch window from 4:40 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, specifically from Pad 39A.
– A significant national security mission, NROL-77, is planned for December 9 at 2:16 p.m., also from Launch Complex 40. The mission will be executed for the Space Force’s Space Systems Command and the National Reconnaissance Office, and sonic booms are expected during this launch.
– The month will conclude with the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket set to lift a batch of Amazon Leo broadband satellites into orbit on December 15, launching at 3:35 a.m. from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.
Looking further ahead into 2024 and beyond, NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to take place no later than April, where four astronauts will circle the moon to facilitate future lunar exploration efforts. Additionally, Boeing’s Starliner-1 is anticipated to launch around the same timeframe, transporting cargo to the International Space Station while validating system upgrades.
In a forward-looking move, Sierra Space’s uncrewed Dream Chaser space plane is set for a fourth quarter 2026 launch from Cape Canaveral atop a ULA Vulcan rocket, marking another significant milestone for the space industry.
Stay informed on the latest launch updates and space developments by visiting floridatoday.com/space. Your support helps ensure continued comprehensive coverage of Florida’s space ventures.