A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled to launch NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center, pending weather conditions, according to Florida Today. The launch, originally planned for August 29, 2026, may be visible from areas beyond Cape Canaveral, including parts of Central Florida and coastal regions. The mission aims to deploy the telescope, which will study dark energy and exoplanets from orbit.
The launch window remains subject to delays caused by cloud cover or high winds, as per SpaceX’s usual protocols. If the rocket lifts off as planned, observers along the Space Coast, from Titusville to Cocoa Beach, may see the Falcon Heavy’s plume and the phenomenon known as 'space jellyfish'—a luminous contrail caused by the rocket’s exhaust interacting with atmospheric moisture.
Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network, is asking residents to submit photos or videos of the launch for potential publication. The newspaper’s Space Team has covered every rocket launch from the Cape Canaveral area since 2020, but reader submissions from locations like Orlando, West Palm Beach, and even other states have occasionally been used. Submissions must include the submitter’s full name, city, and state for credit.
To submit media, readers can fill out a form on floridaToday.com/space. All content is reviewed by an editor before publication. The newspaper has previously used reader footage for stories about SpaceX launches, Starlink satellite deployments, and NASA missions. The Falcon Heavy launch will be the first mission for the telescope, which is named after the first American woman to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy.
The telescope’s deployment is expected to take place approximately 30 minutes after liftoff, once the rocket reaches low Earth orbit. Florida Today will provide updates on the launch status and any changes to the schedule as they become available.