SpaceX will launch a rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Saturday, Aug. 15, with liftoff scheduled for no earlier than 9:12 p.m. The Globalstar 2-R mission aims to deploy communication satellites into orbit, and the launch window is limited to 15 minutes. The Falcon 9 rocket will travel northeast after liftoff, potentially offering views of the ascent to residents north of the Cape. The mission is the first for SpaceX’s new Launch Complex 40, which has been under construction since 2024. Local officials say the launch could be visible from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and nearby coastal areas if weather conditions are favorable. The rocket’s first-stage booster is expected to return to Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 40 about eight minutes after liftoff. If the landing proceeds as planned, residents near the landing zone may hear twin sonic booms as the booster descends. The booms are likely to be loudest within a 10-mile radius of Landing Zone 40, according to SpaceX. The launch comes as Brevard County continues to see increased commercial space activity, with SpaceX and Blue Origin both operating regularly from the Space Coast. The Globalstar 2-R mission is part of a $1.2 billion contract with the U.S. government to expand satellite-based communication networks. Residents are advised to check for updates on SpaceX’s website 90 minutes before the scheduled launch time. Brooke Edwards, a Space Reporter for Florida Today, said the event will be a rare opportunity to witness a Falcon 9 landing on the Space Coast. The launch is the first of three planned Globalstar missions this year, with the next one expected in early September.