Launch Schedule for Cape Canaveral

Home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station where dozens of launches have taken place each year for more than half a century.  With private companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance providing the bulk of the spacecraft used for launches and others such as Blue Origin building additional facilities not only to launch spacecraft but to build and assemble them, the Space Coast is home to a massive multi-user spaceport that could see launches almost on a weekly basis in the future.

If you’re lucky enough to be in town when a launch is scheduled, you’ll be happy to know that there are a multitude of excellent viewing sites including; The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (admission and parking fees are required), Cape Canaveral National Seashore & Playalinda Beach (both require admission and can be closed depending on the launch), the Max Brewer Causeway in Titusville, several parks along US1 in Titusville, the 528 Causeway between Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral, Port Canaveral & Jetty Park, the Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier and of course anywhere along the beach (closer to Port Canaveral the better). That being said, depending on the cloud cover, you can easily view a launch without being in one of the prime viewing spots.

Regardless of the type of launch (manned or unmanned) and depending on the payload of the unmanned launches, you can expect some increased traffic in those prime areas and if it’s a manned launch or a special payload, traffic can be quite heavy before and after the launch so plan for it if you’re coming.

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L17

Launch time: 8:37 p.m EST

Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 20th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L17. Delayed from Jan. 29, Jan. 30, Jan. 31, Feb. 1, Feb. 2, Feb. 4, Feb. 5, Feb. 7, and Feb. 17.

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L20

Launch time: 10:41 p.m. EST
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 21st batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L20.

Upcoming …

Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L17
Projected Date: February 28
Launch time: 8:37 p.m EST
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 20th batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L17. Delayed from Jan. 29, Jan. 30, Jan. 31, Feb. 1, Feb. 2, Feb. 4, Feb. 5, Feb. 7, and Feb. 17.
Falcon 9 • Starlink V1.0-L20
Projected Date: March 7
Launch time: 10:41 p.m. EST
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 21st batch of approximately 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, a mission designated Starlink V1.0-L20.
Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2
Projected Date: April 2, 2021
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-082, will launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on second unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station. This mission was added after Boeing’s decision to refly the Starliner’s Orbital Flight Test before proceeding with the Crew Flight Test. The rocket will fly in a vehicle configuration with two solid rocket boosters and a dual-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from 3rd Quarter. Delayed from Jan. 4. Moved forward from March 29.
Falcon 9 • Crew 2
Projected Date: April 20, 2021
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Crew Dragon spacecraft on its second operational flight with astronauts on-board to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet will launch on the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Crew Dragon will return to a splashdown at sea. Delayed from March 30.
Atlas 5 • SBIRS GEO Flight 5
Projected Date: March 30, 2021
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the U.S. Space Force’s fifth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous satellite, or SBIRS GEO 5, for missile early-warning detection. The rocket will fly in the 421 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, two solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
Falcon 9 • SpaceX CRS 22
Projected Date: May 20, 2021
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its second cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 22nd mission by SpaceX conducted under a Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from March.
Falcon 9 • Turksat 5B
Projected Date: June 2021
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Turksat 5B communications satellite for Turksat, a Turkish satellite operator. Built by Airbus Defense and Space with significant Turkish contributions, the Turksat 5B satellite will provide broadband services over a wide coverage area, including Turkey, the Middle East and large regions of Africa.
Falcon 9 • GPS 3 SV05
Projected Date: July 2021
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will the U.S. Space Force’s fifth third-generation navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin.
Falcon Heavy • USSF 44
Projected Date: July 2021
Launch time: TBD
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the USSF 44 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The mission is expected to deploy two spacecraft payloads directly into geosynchronous orbit, one of which is the military’s TETRA 1 microsatellite. Delayed from late 2020 and 2nd quarter of 2021.
Atlas 5 • STP-3
Projected Date: Mid 2021
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the STP-3 mission for the U.S. Space Force. The STP-3 rideshare mission will launch the STPSat 6 satellite and several small satellites. STPSat 6 hosts several payloads and experiments, including the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System-3 (SABRS-3) payload, and NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) experiment. The rocket will fly in the 551 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, five solid rocket boosters, and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Feb. 26. [Jan. 26]
Atlas 5 • USSF 8 (GSSAP 5 & 6)
Projected Date: August 2021
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the USSF 8 mission with the fifth and sixth satellites for the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, or GSSAP, designed to help the military track and observe objects in geosynchronous orbit. The rocket will fly in the 511 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, one solid rocket booster and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from 4th Quarter of 2020 and March. [Feb. 16]