A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A on Sunday, August 30, 2026, carrying NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope just after sunrise. The launch marked the 55th orbital flight from the Space Coast this year, with 48 from SpaceX, 5 from United Launch Alliance, 1 from Blue Origin and 1 from NASA's Space Launch System on Artemis II. The mission is the first for the SLS rocket since 2022.
The Space Coast ended 2025 with 109 orbital launches, a record set by SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin combined. That total included 83 from Cape Canaveral and 26 from Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX alone conducted 101 Falcon 9 launches in 2025, while ULA flew 6 missions and Blue Origin launched twice. The year also featured four human spaceflights, including Boeing's Crew Flight Test and Axiom's Ax-4 mission.
2026 is shaping up to be another busy year, with projections of 55 orbital launches through August 30. SpaceX has accounted for 48 of those flights, including 46 Falcon 9 and 2 Falcon Heavy missions. ULA has five launches planned, with four Atlas V and one Vulcan rocket. Blue Origin is set for one New Glenn flight on the NG-3 mission. NASA's Artemis II mission, scheduled for late 2026, will carry the first crewed test flight of the Space Launch System.
The Space Coast's launch activity has steadily increased since 2023, when 72 launches were recorded. In 2024, the region saw 93 launches, including 88 from SpaceX and 5 from ULA. The growth reflects expanding commercial space operations and NASA's Artemis program. As of August 2026, the Space Coast has seen 54 launches this year, with more missions planned through the end of the year.