The skies over Florida’s Space Coast stayed busy today, as a SpaceX Falcon 9 thundered away from Cape Canaveral with 29 Starlink satellites on board, keeping the region on a torrid launch streak after a record-setting year.
According to Spaceflight Now, liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 came at about 2:06:10 p.m. EDT, sending the 29‑satellite batch, Starlink Group 10‑38, into low Earth orbit. The outlet notes that the first‑stage booster, B1069, was on its 31st flight and aimed for a droneship recovery on “A Shortfall of Gravitas.” The 45th Weather Squadron had given the launch window favorable odds going in.
As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, the Space Coast has already chalked up 32 orbital launches in 2026 and closed out 2025 with a record 109 liftoffs. Those numbers show just how crowded the Eastern Range calendar has become for commercial and government missions alike.
The quick tempo has also drawn extra eyes from regulators and local planners. WFTV reports that the FAA and state transportation officials are studying how frequent launch windows affect air traffic and public safety, while Space Launch Delta 45 issues “Launch Hazard Area” and “Airspace Closure” notices so boaters, pilots and residents can plan around the activity.
What’s Next on the Schedule
Tourism and mission schedules point to several more launches still on deck, including a Dragon CRS resupply mission in mid‑May and an Atlas V slated to carry Amazon’s low‑Earth constellation later in the month. The Space Coast Launches calendar is updated daily with tentative launch windows and viewing tips, and Hoodline previously previewed an earlier Starlink flight this winter in its 29‑Satellite Starlink Blastoff coverage.
How To Watch and What To Know
Prime viewing spots run from Cocoa Beach up through Titusville, and a mix of apps and official maps can help visitors and locals zero in on the best vantage point. For definitive word on restrictions and when the range is open, check with Space Launch Delta 45, which releases “Launch Hazard Area” and “Airspace Closure” notices ahead of every attempt.
If this pace keeps up, observers say 2026 could approach or even surpass last year’s 109 launches, with ripple effects on tourism and infrastructure across Brevard County. For last‑minute timing changes and scrub notices, the safest bets remain the official range updates and the Space Coast launch calendar linked above.
