A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Monday, April 27, 2026, at 8:53 p.m. The launch was visible in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina; and Howell, New Jersey, according to a visibility map provided by ULA. The rocket, carrying 29 broadband satellites for the Amazon Leo 6 mission, rose to the northeast after liftoff from Launch Complex 41.
The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch attempt from Kennedy Space Center on the same day was scrubbed due to weather, with the next opportunity scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The ULA launch proceeded hours later, drawing attention on social media with photos and videos shared by observers across several states.
The Atlas V rocket, equipped with five solid rocket boosters, illuminated the night sky as it ascended. The mission marked the first launch of the year from Cape Canaveral and was part of a broader schedule of spaceflight activity in Brevard County.
SpaceX is set to attempt another Falcon Heavy launch on April 29, this time from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center, carrying a Boeing-built Viasat broadband satellite. The ULA mission and the rescheduled SpaceX attempt highlight continued commercial and government space operations in the region.