If the weather forecast holds true, South Florida residents will have mostly clear skies to watch the next rocket launch in the modern-day space race. Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket, and its trajectory will bring it in sight for many in South Florida.
Where to See the SpaceX Starlink in the South Florida Skies
While South Floridians won't be able to see the actual liftoff, the rocket's trajectory will make it visible as travels southeast away from Cape Canaveral, according to spacelaunchscedule.com. The website estimates that the launch will cost about $52 million.The launch, like many others from the Space Coast, will be visible from parts of South Florida, including Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. Another Falcon 9 rocket was visible in the wee hours of Tuesday morning (April 29) after it launched around 2:34 a.m., according to rocket trackers at RocketLaunch.live. Space nerds won't have to stay up late for Wednesday night's launch, however.
When to Look for the April 30 SpaceX Starlink Launch
Scheduled launch time for Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is 10:17 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 30.
According to the National Weather Service, skies will be partly cloudy throughout the launch Wednesday night.
https://www.weather.gov/forecastmaps/
Wednesday Evening Weather Forecast
As of Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service forecast for late Wednesday evening calls for partly cloudy skies. Wednesday afternoon: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. East wind 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. East winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.
What Is the SpaceX Falcon 9 and What Does it Do?
SpaceX, short for Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is an Elon Musk-led venture focusing on advancements in rocket propulsion, reusable launch vehicles, human space flight, and satellite technology. Falcon 9 was the first orbital-class craft capable of landing and relaunching, according to the company. SpaceX claims the reusability factor saves money by preventing the need to replace the rocket's costliest parts.Wednesday night's launch is part of the company's Starlink (6-75) mission, a project SpaceX touts as providing space-based internet access around the world.
On Thursday, April 24, the company launched 28 Starlink satellites into low orbit from Cape Canaveral. The station has played integral role in the nation's space program. According to the National Parks Service, the facility has been the site of thousands of rocket launches since the 1950s and inspired the "Space Coast" nickname.
The station shows no signs of slowing down, with at least nine more Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rocket launches already scheduled for 2025, according to RocketLaunch.live. Other missions this year will focus on the International Space Station and satellite upgrades, according to the website.
