Space Coast braces for rare Oct. 1 doubleheader: Crew-13 by day, Falcon Heavy NROL-97 by night

Florida's Space Coast is lined up for an uncommon same-day stretch Thursday: a crewed Falcon 9 launch in the late morning, then a Falcon Heavy national-security flight near midnight from a different pad.

NASA is targeting no earlier than 11:10 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 1, for SpaceX Crew-13 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Hours later, NROL-97 — a Falcon Heavy carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload — is set for about 11:53 p.m. ET from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. If NROL-97 needs an extra day, Hoodline reports a backup opportunity for Friday, Oct. 2, at about 11:48 p.m. ET; a specific Friday backup time for Crew-13 was not confirmed in the sources checked for this story.

For Brevard residents, that means two windows to watch, and, if both flights stick and return boosters as planned, a chance some Central Florida neighborhoods could hear landing-related sonic booms. No Oct. 1-specific boom advisory naming affected towns was identified in the sources reviewed, so treat boom talk as conditional.

Crew-13: morning crew flight from SLC-40

Crew-13 is NASA’s next long-duration Commercial Crew trip to the International Space Station. The four-person roster, confirmed by NASA, is commander Jessica Watkins (NASA), pilot Luke Delaney (NASA), mission specialist Joshua Kutryk (Canadian Space Agency), and mission specialist Sergey Teteryatnikov (Roscosmos).

NASA, SpaceX, and international partners polled "go" after a Flight Readiness Review at Kennedy on Friday, Sept. 25. The Falcon 9 with Dragon spacecraft on top rolled out Sunday, Sept. 27, and was raised vertical at SLC-40. A NASA update dated Sept. 28 said teams had completed an integrated static fire and data reviews and were awaiting liftoff no earlier than 11:10 a.m. EDT Oct. 1.

The Dragon spacecraft flying this mission, Grace, previously flew in summer 2025 in support of private astronaut mission Axiom Mission 4, NASA says. The agency also describes the Falcon 9 booster for this flight as making its third flight. Hoodline reports a planned booster landing at Landing Zone 40 on the Cape.

If Crew-13 lifts off on Oct. 1, NASA has said docking is planned for about 8 p.m. at the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module, less than nine hours after liftoff.

NROL-97: near-midnight Falcon Heavy from 39A

The night half is a different vehicle and pad: a Falcon Heavy from LC-39A, not a crew Falcon 9 from SLC-40. Liftoff is set for about 11:53 p.m. ET Oct. 1, with side-booster landings planned at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The payload is a classified NRO mission; public materials reviewed for this story do not describe what the spacecraft does, and 321 Daily is not guessing.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex notes that evening NROL-97 viewing there is offered only through its separate Feel the Heat package; Crew-13 tickets do not cover the Heavy flight.

What locals may see, hear, and hit on the road

Playalinda / Canaveral National Seashore: Check current park hours and access notices before setting out. During launches, the National Park Service says Playalinda Beach Road between the entry gate and parking lot No. 1 closes to vehicles, foot and bicycle traffic 30 minutes before liftoff and reopens after a successful launch or confirmed cancellation. NASA can also close park areas without notice. A scheduled launch does not guarantee access to a viewing location.

Sonic booms: If Crew-13 and Falcon Heavy’s side boosters return to the Cape as planned, Central Florida residents may hear booms during booster reentries. Whether they are audible depends on conditions. The sources reviewed do not establish which towns would hear them; treat this as a possibility, not a guarantee.

Weather (public forecast only): A National Weather Service forecast for the Cape area, checked Tuesday morning, calls for a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday, with a high near 88 degrees. That is ordinary public weather, not the 45th Weather Squadron’s official range launch Probability of Violation.

Two pads, one calendar day: SLC-40 for Crew-13 late morning, LC-39A for NROL-97 near midnight. Times remain targets until T-0; NROL-97’s listed backup sits on Oct. 2, weather, range, and last-minute holds permitting.