Doubleheader rocket launches from Florida on Monday, best places to watch

Lianna Norman, Jennifer Sangalang, Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

Sun, December 14, 2025 at 9:59 AM UTC

8 min read

Who's up for a potential doubleheader rocket launch? Two rockets from Cape Canaveral, Florida, are scheduled to lift off on the same day.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is expected to lift the next batch of Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit in the early hours of Monday, Dec. 15. And later the same day, a SpaceX Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit.

Rockets here launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and people in and around Brevard County usually have the best chance at seeing this phenomenon in the sky.

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover and trajectory, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast is sometimes visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach and as far south as Vero Beach and West Palm Beach.

When there’s a nighttime launch window 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 the next rocket launch from Florida and suggestions on where to watch it in person (or virtually via the USA TODAY Network’s Space Team).

Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, ULA launch schedule in Florida

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.

When is the next SpaceX rocket launch in Florida? Monday, December 15: ULA Amazon Leo 4

Mission: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will lift the next batch of Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper) broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Launch window: 3:49 a.m. ET Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, with the window lasting until 4:18 a.m.
Launch trajectory: Northeast
Launch location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space: You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network’s Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at floridatoday.com/space, starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.

Monday, December 15: SpaceX Starlink 6-99

Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Launch window: 8:11 a.m. to 12:11 p.m. ET Monday, Dec. 15, 2025
Launch trajectory: Southeast
Launch location: launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or 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.

Where to watch SpaceX rocket launch from Space Coast of Florida

Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket launch − in certain areas, you can get an amazing view of SpaceX rocket boosters returning to the pads. The best view to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach. However, visibility will depend on weather conditions and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches.

If you are viewing the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park, look east directly across the river.

If you are farther south along the Indian River, look northeast.

Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest spot to view liftoff because it is almost parallel to Launch Pad 39A. On the beach, look south along the coastline, (you can even see the pad from some spots).

Some hotspots to check out:

Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Note, there's a charge to park.
Playalinda Beach, 1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note, there's a charge to park, and access to Canaveral National Seashore isn't always granted depending on capacity and time of day.
Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note, parking is available on both sides of Max Brewer Bridge.
Space View Park, 8 Broad St., Titusville
Sand Point Park, 10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville
Rotary Riverfront Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville
Riverfront Park at Cocoa Village, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa (just before State Road 520 Causeway)
Cocoa Village, near the parks and shops or near the docks
Various parks on Merritt Island
Rotary Park, 1899 S. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island
Kiwanis Park on Kiwanis Island Park Road on Merritt Island
Port Canaveral, with ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean at port
Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.
Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. Parking fee varies.
Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Lori Wilson Park has a dog park, by the way.
Sidney Fischer Park, 2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.
Downtown Cocoa Beach, along Minutemen Causeway
Tables Beach, 197 SR A1A, Satellite Beach
The Tides on SR A1A in Satellite Beach
Various parks, including the Pelican Beach Clubhouse, in Satellite Beach
Pineda Causeway
Eau Gallie Causeway
Front Street Park near Melbourne (U.S. 192) Causeway and U.S. 1 in Melbourne
Indialantic boardwalk at Melbourne Causeway and SR A1A
Paradise Beach Park, aka Howard Futch Park, 2301 SR A1A, Melbourne (this is a beachside park)
Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)

Where to watch a rocket launch in Indian River County, Florida

Sebastian Inlet State Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach, Florida (cost to enter)
Wabasso Beach Park, 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso, Florida
Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach, Florida (free parking)
South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, Florida (free parking)
Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach, Florida
Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach, Florida

Where to watch a rocket launch in St. Lucie County, Florida

Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, 905 Shorewinds Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Blind Creek Beachside North and South, 5460 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Blue Heron Beach, 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce, Florida
Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Dollman Park Beachside, 9200 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida
Herman's Bay Beach, 7880 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida
John Brooks Park Beachside, 3300 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Middle Cove Beach, 4600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida
Normandy Beach in Jensen Beach, Florida
Pepper Park Beachside, 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce, Florida
Walton Rocks Beach, 6700 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida (dog park)
Waveland Beach, 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, Florida

Where to watch a rocket launch in Martin County, Florida

State Road A1A causeway in Stuart, Florida
House of Refuge and beach, 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart, Florida

Where to see Florida rocket launch in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach area

In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look due south. Recommended spots:

• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore)

• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park.

• Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.

• Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.

• Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

• Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill

• Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill

• Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill

• Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill

• Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill

• Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

• A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill

• Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above)

• Rose Bay in Port Orange, Florida

• beaches along New Smyrna Beach, Florida