Atlas 5 rocket launch Thursday, September 8th Cape Canaveral, FL United Launch Alliance plans to launch an Atlas 5 rocket this Thursday, September 8, 2016 from Cape Canaveral. The two-hour window opens at 7:05pm.The mission will send a spacecraft to an asteroid near Earth, Bennu, and it will return with a sample in 2023.Since this launch is different and time critical, if the launch does not go on Thursday as planned, the next launch attempt would be on Friday, September 9th at 7:10pm with Saturday, September 10th at 7:05 pm as a backup time.The reason for the advance scheduling is that if the rocket does not launch by October 12th, the launch would be delayed for a year until the next window opens.Plan now to bring the family and watch history in the making!   09/06/2016

SpaceX Rocket and Satellite Destroyed in Explosion The SpaceX rocket and satellite that was scheduled to launch early Saturday morning, September 3rd, were destroyed in an explosion at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station this morning.No one was injured when the rocket exploded on the launch pad during a prelaunch test a little after 9:00am DST.Information is still sketchy but Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, said that the failure happened while the rocket was being fueled to test fire the main engines.He added that the problem originated around the upper stage oxygen tank but the cause is still unknown. SpaceX confirmed earlier that the satellite owned by SpaceCom, an Israeli company, was also destroyed.I will post an update as more information becomes available.   09/01/2016

SpaceX is planning on launching a rocket from Cape Canaveral early tomorrow morning. At 1:26 am SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape with a Japanese JCSAT-16 communications satellite aboard. This launch will see an attempt to land the space ship on a ship out in the Atlantic Ocean. The weather has been beautiful today, and there is an 90% chance of a successful launch at the time of this writing.In depth coverage of the launch with start at 12:30 am EST. If you are interested in seeing the launch, you can click this link at approximately 1:00am tomorrow to tune in. Go Elon Musk and SPACEX!  08/13/2016

There will be another launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station this coming Thursday July 28, 2016. United Launch Alliance will launch an Atlas V rocket Thursday and carry a classified satellite into orbit for the U S NationalReconnaissance Office. The launch is scheduled for 8:37am EDT. The weather on the Space Coast has been picture perfect lately, so I would think that there is little chance at this point of that time being delayed. 07/26/2016

An Atlas V rocket is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral this morning. The weather here on the Space Coast is picture perfect, so the odds are that the launch will proceed as planned when the launch window opens at 10:30am EST. The rocket will be carrying a satellite for the US Navy. If you are interested in seeing a launch live, I am inserting a link for from United Launch Alliance for you. Click here to open the window, they will start broadcasting at 10:10am. Happy launch viewing!  06/24/2016

 Atlas V rocket launch Friday, June 24, 2016 at Cape Canaveral AFS Are you ready for another launch? The “Space Coast” is gearing up for the launch of an Atlas V rocket on Friday, June 24, 2016 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.The window is short, only 44 minutes and liftoff is currently set for 10:30am with an 80% chance of favorable weather.Plan now to watch the launch and bring your camera to take some great souvenir pictures! Atlas V rocket launch Friday, June 24, 2016 at Cape Canaveral AFS        06/21/2016

UPDATE: Falcon 9 launch now Wednesday June 15, 2016 Cape Canaveral AFS The window opens at 10:29am and lasts for 44 minutes. There is an 80% chance of good weather at launch time.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Falcon 9 launch Tuesday June 14, 2016 Cape Canaveral AFS The launches just keep on coming and the Space Coast is booming...literally! The Delta IV-Heavy rocket launched right on time today after being scrubbed due to weather the other day. The next rocket launch will be a Falcon 9 on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This rocket will launch a communications satellite into orbit.  The window opens at 10:32am and ends at 11:17am.  The weather forecast for next week currently calls ... 06/11/2016

Well it certainly doesn't appear that a Delta IV rocket will be launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station today. The weather has simply not cooperated. The Delta IV rocket carrying a classified spy satellite was supposed to lift off early this afternoon. But, the Space Coast has been plagued with heavy rains all afternoon. Due to the nature of the payload, NASA has not given out much information on the launch and unlike other launches this one is not anticipated to be broadcast. The next possible launch date would be Saturday when the forecast expected to be better. This will be the 32nd launch of a Delta IV rocket since 2002. This launch marks the start of a busy month for launches as a SpaceX Falcon 8 rocket is scheduled to launch on June 14th. Atlas V's are scheduled for both J... 06/09/2016

Delta IV rocket launch is Thursday, June 9, 2016 Cape Canaveral AFS A Delta IV rocket is set to lift off at 1:59pm on Thursday, June 9, 2016 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Florida’s Space Coast.The Delta IV Heavy will carry a classified U.S. spy satellite. It is thought that it is a large eavesdropping satellite that will fly more than 22,000 miles above the equator.Due to the secrecy of this mission, the full launch window for Thursday has not been released. It is expected that about 5 minutes into the flight, ULA will black out its launch broadcast.There is currently a 40% chance of good weather at launch time.If the launch attempt on Thursday is scrubbed, the next attempt would be on Saturday, when the weather conditions are expected to be better.    06/08/2016

Well, it's about time for another for another rocket launch from the Cape! This coming Thursday March 26th, SpaceX (that's Elon Musks company) will launch a communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. This satellite will have 24 transponders that will serve for 15 years. Just as with past SpaceX launches, the reusable first stage of the rocket is scheduled to land on a platform out in the Atlantic ocean. The launch window for this launch opens at 5:40 pm and goes through 7:40 pm. There is rain in the forecast for Thursday, so we will have to see when the rain appears. Around here, it can be sunny and clear one minute and 5 minutes later you would think you were in the middle of a hurricane! Then, 20 minutes later it's sunny and clear again. Only time will tell!  05/23/2016

I have blogged about how much I admire Elon Musk and SpaceX before. Well, this past week SpaceX launched a rocket from the Cape in the middle of the night. The rocket launched a Japanese communications satellite into orbit. Night launches are always spectacular. As you can see from the video below, the excitement of rocket launches doesn't get old even for the crew at Cape Canaveral. After the satellite was launched, the first stage of the Falcon rocket landed safely on a floating platform out in the Atlantic ocean, thus allowing it to possibly be reused. As the rocket touched down on the barge the launch commentator said "The Falcon has landed". After landing, Elong Musk tweeted:" May need to increase size of rocket storage hanger"Way to go SpaceX!    05/09/2016

You've probably heard a fair amount about SpaceX developing a reusable rocket. You've possibly heard about it from me since I am a big, huge fan of Elon Musk and everything he does in terms protecting our environment. Well, here is a short video (less than a minute) of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that landed on the barge out in the Atlantic making it's way back to the SpaceX facility for testing and re-use. This is definately the closest I would ever get to one of these bad boys!  Enoy this video courtesy of D J LePan!  04/20/2016

I still am amused by the number of people that think that because the Space Shuttles are no longer launching out of Cape Canaveral that nothing takes off here. Nothing could be further from the truth!Tomorrow, April 8th, SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Dragon space capsule for a resupply mission to the International Space Station ISS. At this point in time the weather looks great, but, if Mother Natures chooses not to cooperate the date could be postponed. The really cool thing about this launch is that SpaceX (Elon Musk's company) will attempt to land this rocket for reuse. You may remember that a little over a year ago in January of 2015 another attempt was made at landing a rocket for reuse and that ended in failure.Being a huge proponent of recycling, I personally am all for reusing... 04/07/2016

OK all you star gazers out there, tonight there will be a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch from the Cape tonight carrying one of the last 2 Cygnus resupply missions to the International Space Station.The launch window opens at 11:00pm and I heard on the news last night that the lift-off time will be 11:05pm. Night launches are always a spectacular sight. So I don't know about you, but I'll be out waiting for the brilliant arch flaming through the night sky!   03/22/2016

After several delays lasting more than a week SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral last night as the evening sun was setting. Rocket launches are quite common here on the Space Coast, but it just never gets old! At launch time, I was meeting friends for dinner. As the nearly 12,000 pound satellite was launched into space, there was a group of diners and restaurant employees alike gathered in the parking lot to watch the firey ball soar into the early evening sky and arc out over the ocean and into space. It's final orbit over 22,000 miles above Mother Earth ...it was beautiful. See for yourself below!    03/05/2016

OK, I understand that this is almost at the comical level, but, after four previous attempts to launch a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, the fifth attempt is scheduled for tonight at 6:35 pm ET. Here is the rundown on the previous scrubbed launches.1st Launch Date - February 24th at 6:17pm ET - No reason for scrub announced2nd Launch Date - February 25th at 6:47pm ET - Reason for scrub - there were issues with the rocket's propellant. 3rd Launch Date - February 27th at 1:12pm ET - No reason for scrub announced 4th Launch Date - February 28th at 7:36pm ET - Scrubbed due to a boat within launch range.The satellite from this launch will be sent into a very high orbit. It is one of the heaviest satellites that SpaceX has ever launched weighing in at over 11,000 pounds. SpaceX wi... 03/04/2016

So could the 4th attempt at launching a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into space be the charm? We will know this evening when the launch window from Cape Canaveral opens up at 6:35 pm this evening. The payload on this rocket is a telecommunications satellite that will serve northeast Asia, Indonesia and the Indian Ocean. I will give you all an update when I have one. Keep your fingers crossed!     03/01/2016

 UPDATE! SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is now set for tomorrow, Friday March 4, 2016 at Cape Canaveral AFSSpaceX will make a fifth (5th) attempt to launch the Falcon 9 rocket tomorrow, Friday, March 4th.  The window opens at 6:35pm and lasts about 1-1/2 hours. This launch is a bit unique since the first stage of the rocket will land on an unmanned barge about 400 miles off the coast of Florida.  Come enjoy TGIF here on the beach then watch the rocket launch and start your weekend with a blast...literally!!! UPDATE!!! LAUNCH SCRUBBED DUE TO UPPER LEVEL WINDS! WILL UPDATE WHEN NEW DATE IS ANNOUNCED...   SpaceX Falcon 9 launch is Today, March 1, 2016 at Cape Canaveral AFS    Living on Cocoa Beach offers many perks and one of the favorite activities is watching rockets launch from Cape Canaveral A... 03/01/2016

The launch from Cape Canaveral was postponed last night due to stupidity. Yes, you read that right...stupidity. Moments before Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket was to lift off from the Capoe, a boat wandered into the launch area off the coast. The launch was postponed with literally 1 second left before blast off. We don't know who the culprits were, but I imagine they were looking for a really great view of the launch. Hmmmmm, I wonder what they thought after the Coast Guard descended on them. I wouldn't have wanted to be them that's for sure!Anyway, the launch is set for this evening. The launch window is once again set to open at  6:46pm. 02/29/2016

Well it appears that today is the day...The SpaceX Rocket that we have been waiting to launch has again been re-scheduled for this evening. The launch is from Cape Canaveral and the launch window will open at 6:44pm and run through 8:20pm. The weather has been superb today, so I do think that today is the day! 02/28/2016