SpaceX and United Launch Alliance will launch two rockets within 12 hours on April 27 from Cape Canaveral, marking a rare event for the Space Coast. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy will lift off from Kennedy Space Center at 10:21 a.m. followed by an ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 8:52 p.m. The Falcon Heavy’s side boosters will land at Cape Canaveral, creating twin sonic booms audible to nearby residents. This is the first Falcon Heavy launch from the Space Coast since October 2024 when it carried NASA’s Europa Clipper mission. The Falcon Heavy will carry a Viasat broadband satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX has a 105-minute window for the morning launch, with a nominal time of 10:21 a.m. The rocket’s two side boosters will return to Cape Canaveral Landing Zones 2 and 40, producing sonic booms expected around 10:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. The Atlas V will launch 29 Amazon Kuiper Project satellites from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket will use five solid-fuel boosters, which will be jettisoned after liftoff. No sonic booms are expected from the Atlas V due to the boosters’ discard altitude. Both launches will be covered live by Florida Today’s Space Team starting 90 minutes before each liftoff at FloridaToday.com/Space. The last Falcon Heavy launch from the Space Coast occurred on Oct. 13, 2024, during the Europa Clipper mission. The Atlas V’s previous launch from Cape Canaveral was in February 2025 for a commercial satellite mission. Weather and range safety will determine final launch times, with updates available through NASA and ULA channels.