The Space Coast’s usual rhythm of weekly rocket launches has slowed, with the next SpaceX mission not expected until May 12. SpaceX has shifted all Falcon 9 operations to a single launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station while finishing work on the Starship launch site at Kennedy Space Center. This, combined with investigations by Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance into recent rocket issues, has created an unusual gap in Florida’s launch schedule. The last liftoff occurred on May 1, and no launches are planned before May 12.
SpaceX typically averages two Falcon 9 launches weekly, but as of early May, the Space Coast has seen only about 30 launches this year. Last year, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 accounted for 101 of Florida’s 109 total launches. The upcoming mission, SpaceX CRS-34, will send a Dragon spacecraft loaded with supplies to NASA’s crew aboard the International Space Station from Launch Complex 40 at 7:16 p.m. on May 12. This is the first NASA resupply mission since March.
The shift to a single launch pad has forced SpaceX to consolidate operations. In February, the company removed the crew access arm from the Falcon 9 tower at Kennedy’s Pad 39A, a move that has redirected all astronaut launches to the Cape Canaveral site. Engineers are working to complete Starship infrastructure at Pad 39A, with a potential launch from there by year’s end. However, this transition has limited SpaceX’s capacity in the short term.
Blue Origin and ULA have also contributed to the slowdown. Both companies are analyzing recent in-flight anomalies with their rockets, though specific details remain undisclosed. For now, the Space Coast’s focus remains on SpaceX’s May 12 mission, which will mark the first launch from Florida since the gap began. The pause highlights the challenges of maintaining a high launch cadence while balancing infrastructure upgrades and safety reviews.