A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:55 a.m. Thursday, April 2, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on a Starlink broadband satellite mission. The launch came hours after NASA’s Artemis II moon rocket departed the Kennedy Space Center, marking a busy start to the week for Florida’s spaceports. The Falcon 9’s first stage landed at Cape Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1, while the second stage continued to orbit with 52 Starlink satellites aboard.
The Space Force station will host another major launch this weekend. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to lift off at 1:45 a.m. Saturday, April 4, from Launch Complex 41. The mission, known as Amazon Leo 5, will carry 29 broadband satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper. The launch window spans 29 minutes, allowing for flexibility if weather conditions change.
ULA officials delayed the Atlas V mission on March 29 due to poor weather and waited until after Artemis II’s crewed moon launch before resuming preparations. The rocket’s five solid rocket boosters will provide extra power for the mission, which aims to expand Amazon’s low-Earth orbit broadband network.
Residents and visitors in Brevard County can watch the Atlas V launch from viewing areas near Launch Complex 41, though the early hour may limit public attendance. For updates on launches from Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space or sign up for the 321 Launch newsletter.
The back-to-back launches highlight the region’s role as a hub for commercial and government space missions. With SpaceX, ULA, and NASA all operating from Brevard County, the area continues to see frequent rocket activity. The next major launch after Amazon Leo 5 is expected in late April, though details are not yet confirmed.