How, where to watch this week’s launch
Anyone up for a morning rocket launch? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will lift off Thursday morning, carrying the BlueBirds. But there will be no real birds in the rocket. “BlueBird” refers to the type of satellite.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be carrying the first five AST SpaceMobile satellites, called BlueBirds. According to the press release, BlueBirds is part of “the first and only online streaming service that is accessible directly from everyday smartphones designed for commercial and government use.”
Weather permitting, the launch of the rocket can be seen in the sky above the Space Coast on the morning of Thursday, September 12. Here’s how to watch the launch of the SpaceX BlueBird-1 rocket this week.
Is SpaceX launching from Florida today? Thursday, September 12: SpaceX BlueBird-1
- Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the first five AST SpaceMobile satellites, called BlueBirds. According to the press release, BlueBirds is part of “the first and only online streaming service that is accessible directly from everyday smartphones designed for commercial and government use.”
- Launch window: 4:52-9:21 am EDT, according to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s navigational warning.
- Location: Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
- News directly: You can watch the rocket launch from the USA TODAY Network’s Space Team, featuring FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visual reporters Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Short. Our Space team will provide updates on an easy-to-access blog, with a countdown clock, at floridatoday.com/space, starting two hours before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, available from the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.
Just about anywhere in Brevard, you’ll see a rocket launch. A great view to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast near the beach. However, visibility will depend on weather conditions and people should make sure they do not obstruct traffic or rights of way on bridges and follow the rules set on the beaches.
If you’re looking at the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park, look directly east across the river.
If you are farther south near the Indian River, look northeast.
Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest place to watch the launch because it is almost adjacent to Launch Pad 39A. On the beach, look south along the beach, (you can see the pad from some places).
Other hotspots to check out:
- Jetty Park Beach and Pier400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Note, there is a parking fee.
- Playalinda Beach1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note, there is a parking fee, and access to Canaveral National Seashore is not always available depending on the size and time of day.
- Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note, parking is available on both sides of the Max Brewer Bridge.
- A place to look8 Broad St., Titusville
- Sand Point Park10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville
- Rotary Riverfront Park4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville
- Alan Shepard Park299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Note, there may be a parking fee.
- 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. Note, there may be a parking fee.
- Sebastian Inlet Park9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (entry fee applies)
- Ambersands Beach Park12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking lots)
- South Beach Park1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free tours)
- Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach
- Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach
The best vantage point to watch a rocket launch is from neighboring Brevard County, called the Space Coast, along the coast.
Appearance in Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County, the rest of the Treasure Coast, will depend on the weather, and people should make sure not to block traffic or the right of way on bridges and follow the posted rules on the beaches. Look north. Here are the recommended locations, from the closest to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center to the farthest:
Just about anywhere in Brevard, you’ll see a rocket launch. That includes Melbourne Beachon the border of Indian River County, or from Grant-Valkaria near the Indian River Lagoon.
- Sebastian Inlet Park9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (entry fee applies)
- Wabasso Beach Park1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso
- Ambersands Beach Park12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking lots)
- South Beach Park1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking lot)
- Merrill Barber Bridge in the Vero Beach area
- Alma Lee Loy Bridge in the Vero Beach area
- Fort Pierce Inlet905 Shorewinds Drive
- Blind Creek Beach Beach North and South, South Ocean Drive or SR A1A on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce
- Blue Heron Beach2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce
- Frederick Douglass Memorial Park3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
- Dollman Park Beachside9200 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- Herman’s Bay Beach7880 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- John Brooks Park Beachside3300 S Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
- Middle Cove Beach4600 South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
- Normandy Beach in the Jensen Beach area
- Pepper Park Beachside3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce,
- Walton Rocks Beachwith dog park, 6700 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- Waveland Beach10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
- House of Refuge and the beach301 SE MacArthur Blvd., Stuart
- State Road A1A highway to Stuart
Watching a rocket launch or waiting for that launch window while on the beach is a great Florida thing to do.
In Volusia County, just north of Brevard County – home to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station – you can get a good view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch.
The best places to watch the rocket from here are on the beach. Look south. Readers also reported seeing rocket launches from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are the recommended reasons:
- South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be a parking fee. New Smyrna Beach has 17 miles of white sand beaches. A quaint and luxurious beach town, despite its reputation as the “Shark Bite Capital of the World,” New Smyrna Beach has long been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.
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- Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, located 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and 1 mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and about 800 feet of beach, according to the Volusia County site. A riverside park across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river near the park can be a great place to watch manatees, dolphins and pelicans.
- Apollo Beach At Canaveral State Beach (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida’s East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 from exit 249, then head east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.
- Oak Hill River is a southern city in South Volusia County.
- Sunrise Park275 River Road, Oak Hill
- Goodrich’s Seafood and Oyster House rear deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill
- Seminole Rest National Historic Site211 River Road, Oak Hill
- Riverbreeze Park250 HH Burch Road, Oak Hill
- Mary Dewees Park178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.
- Nancy Cummings Park232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.
- Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park275 River Road, Oak Hill. The area has about 350 feet of well-restored beach, according to the city of Oak Hill’s website. Facilities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launch equipment.
- AC Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered benches, in downtown Oak Hill.
- Bird Watching Area on River Road across from the AC Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.
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