Watching a rocket launch on the beach is a total “so Florida,” very Instagram-worthy thing to do.
Though rockets here launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, people from Jacksonville and the surrounding Duval County area can sometimes see this #SoFlorida phenomenon.
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast could be visible from Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach to Vero Beach and West Palm Beach. When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.
Below is more information on rocket launches from NASA and Cape Canaveral and suggestions on where to watch them from Jacksonville, Florida.
Rocket launch tally: Here’s a list of all the missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida (psst, there’s a lot)
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.
In Florida, we can best see a rocket launch in person if you’re anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County) or certain spots in the First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County) or the Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County). However, people in Jacksonville, far north of Cape Canaveral, and West Palm Beach, far south of Cape Canaveral, have posted rocket launch photos and video on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram (see below). Pro tip: If you do watch it in person, especially on Florida’s Space Coast, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic.
Can a rocket launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Once again depending on weather and on cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach.
A rocket launch can be a treat for the ears, too: On the Space Coast, a “rumble” can be heard or window-shaking can be expected in some parts of Brevard County after liftoff. And some rocket launches have had an added bonus: The SpaceX boosters return to a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean or, occasionally, to the company’s landing zone at Cape Canaveral. If a booster returns to the landing zone, there’s a sonic boom.
When is Florida rocket launch? Monday, April 21: NASA-SpaceX CRS-32
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Mission: NASA and SpaceX will launch a Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket on the 32nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station.
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Launch time and day: 4:15 a.m. EDT Monday, April 21, 2025
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Location of rocket launch: Launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center
When is SpaceX rocket launch in Florida? Monday, April 21: SpaceX Bandwagon-3
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Mission: SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rideshare mission carrying dozens of small satellites and nanosatellites for an array of commercial and governmental customers, the Space Coast Office of Tourism reported.
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Launch window: 8:43 p.m. to 9:23 p.m. EDT Monday, April 21, 2025
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Location of rocket launch: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida
Live weather radar: Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?
Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.
Whenever there is a rocket launch in Florida, check the live weather radar above to see conditions around the Space Coast and surrounding areas.
Where to see SpaceX, NASA or Atlas V rocket launch in Jacksonville, Florida. Can you see rocket launch in Duval County, Florida?
Depending on trajectory, weather and cloud cover, there have been sightings of a SpaceX Falcon 9 or United Launch Alliance Delta Heavy rocket launch over the skies of Jacksonville, Florida, which is north of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Keep scrolling to see Instagram photos and tweets posted by people in Jacksonville, Florida, and their unique view of a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral or Kennedy Space Center.
Where to see a rocket launch in Jacksonville, Florida, area:
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Jacksonville Beach, Florida
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Neptune Beach, Florida, which blends into Atlantic Beach
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Atlantic Beach and West Atlantic Beach, Florida
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Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which touches south Jacksonville Beach
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St. Augustine, Florida, which is less than an hour away and considered by some locals as part of the Jacksonville, Florida, area (even though it’s not).
What does rocket launch in Jacksonville, Florida, look like? Photos of Jacksonville rocket launch from Twitter, Instagram
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Can I see NASA, SpaceX rocket launch in Jacksonville from Cape Canaveral
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