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SpaceX rocket launch this week: List of Florida beaches, parks & best views to watch

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SpaceX rocket launch this week: List of Florida beaches, parks & best views to watch


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Anyone up for a rocket launch to start the week? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will potentially lift off this Monday, carrying Starlink internet satellites.

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Weather permitting, the rocket launch will be visible in the night sky above the Space Coast and the Treasure Coast on Monday, April 22.

Below is a calendar for upcoming rocket launches and how to watch the SpaceX rocket launch this week.

Is there a rocket launch in Florida today? Rocket launch calendar for Florida

Here’s what we know about the rocket launch missions, mentioned in FLORIDA TODAY’s rocket launch calendar for the month, which is updated frequently. (Check that link often for rocket launch times and dates because they are routinely subject to change for a variety of reasons.)

FLORIDA TODAY, a USA TODAY Network-Florida newspaper, provides interactive launch coverage at floridatoday.com/space with frequent updates on launches at least 90 minutes in advance, sometimes longer, depending on the mission.

For questions or comments, email Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or tweet him @rickneale1 on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

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Is SpaceX launching from Florida? Monday, April 22: SpaceX Starlink

Though SpaceX has not publicly confirmed this mission’s existence, a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warning shows a rocket launch window will open Monday night.

Here are some details about the upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch:

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  • Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink internet satellites from the Space Coast.
  • Launch window: 6:40 p.m. to 11:11 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 22.
  • Trajectory: Southeast.
  • Local sonic boom: No.
  • Booster landing: Drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you’ll get a view of the rocket launch. 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:

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

The best views to watch a rocket launch from neighboring Brevard County, aka the Space Coast, is along the beach.

Visibility in Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County, all part of the Treasure Coast, 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. Look due north. Here are some recommended spots, from closest to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center to farthest:

Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you’ll get a view of the rocket launch. That includes Melbourne Beach, which borders Indian River County, or from Grant-Valkaria along the Indian River Lagoon.

  •  Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)
  •  Wabasso Beach Park, 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso
  •  Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)
  •  South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)
  • Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach
  •  Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach
  •  Fort Pierce Inlet, 905 Shorewinds Drive
  •  Blind Creek Beachside North and South, South Ocean Drive or SR A1A on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce
  •  Blue Heron Beach, 2101 Blue Heron Blvd., Fort Pierce
  •  Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, 3600 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
  •  Dollman Park Beachside, 9200 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
  •  Herman’s Bay Beach, 7880 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
  •  John Brooks Park Beachside, 3300 S Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
  •  Middle Cove Beach, 4600 South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce
  •  Normandy Beach in Jensen Beach
  •  Pepper Park Beachside, 3302 N. SR A1A, Fort Pierce,
  •  Walton Rocks Beach, which has a dog park, 6700 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
  •  Waveland Beach, 10350 S. Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach
  •  House of Refuge and beach, 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart
  •  State Road A1A causeway in Stuart

Watching a rocket launch or waiting for that launch window while at the beach is a pretty Florida thing to do.

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.

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The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

  •  South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An eclectic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the “Shark Bite Capital of the World,” New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

Dinner and a launch: Perfect for a SpaceX or NASA rocket launch, best waterfront restaurants in Volusia County

  •  Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk, according to Volusia County’s site. The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.
  •  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. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.
  •  Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.
  •  Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.
  •  A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.
  •  Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.





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Golf roundup: Austin Smotherman plays ‘boring, simple’ to expand lead in Florida

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Golf roundup: Austin Smotherman plays ‘boring, simple’ to expand lead in Florida


Austin Smotherman will carry a three-stroke lead into the weekend at the Cognizant Classic at The Palm Beaches.

Smotherman followed his opening 62 with a 2-under-par 69 on Friday at PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. That brought him to 11 under, comfortably clear of Taylor Moore, who is in second after his second straight 4-under 67.

Cognizant Classic scoreboard

“Yeah, leading a PGA Tour event, come on, pretty awesome,” Smotherman said.

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Smotherman, 31, is in fine position for his first win on the PGA Tour since turning pro a decade ago. He has won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour, including last June.

Afterwards, he credited himself with playing “Austin Smotherman golf.” When asked what that meant, he responded, “as boring and simple as it can be.

“That’s what I want to do out there. I feel like I ball strike it good enough to have that kind of boring golf, a bunch of fairways ideally,” he said.

He suffered three bogeys Friday after a bogey-free opening round, but the key stretch for him after starting on the back nine was between Nos. 17 and 3. He birdied four holes in that stretch, starting with a 54-foot bomb at the par-3 17th hole.

“Anything under par I thought would have been (good) following up a round like yesterday, which was a special one,” he said, “and try not to get too far ahead of myself thinking I’m going to make every long putt I’m looking at, like kind of was the feeling yesterday, and then today I still make a 55-footer on 17.”

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Moore overcame a bogey in each half of his round with three birdies on either nine, more than counterbalancing the rough patches to earn his second straight solid score.

“I think very different 67s,” Moore said when comparing his rounds. “I didn’t hit many fairways yesterday, kind of grinded a lot, had a couple chip-ins, which obviously helps. I thought I struck the ball much better today. Drove it in the fairways on the par-5s, I felt like. Yeah, still had a few up-and- downs, obviously, with the tough windy conditions this afternoon, but overall I thought it was solid.”

Canadian A.J. Ewart had the round of the day, a 64 that powered him to 7 under for the week. He’s tied with Colombia’s Nico Echavarria (72), and Joel Dahmen is in fifth at 6 under after a second consecutive 68.

Ewart, who played for nearby Barry University in college, came in with some familiarity.

“We used to come and watch this tournament when I was at school. I think I came up here twice, maybe three times and watched,” Ewart said. “I had never actually played the golf course, but I felt like I knew it just from watching it.”

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Irishman Shane Lowry, one of the most recognizable players in the field, is in a large knot for sixth at 5 under after posting a 67. Defending champion Joe Highsmith made the cut on the number at even par.

Notable players who missed the cut included Webb Simpson (1 over), Gary Woodland (2 over), Matt Kuchar (2 over) and Canada’s Adam Hadwin (3 over).

Kim maintains narrow lead in Singapore

Auston Kim maintained a narrow lead over three seasoned competitors with a 3-under-par 69 on Friday at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore.

Kim carded five birdies and a double-bogey at the par-5 16th hole at Sentosa Golf Club to move to 9-under par, one shot ahead of major champions Minjee Lee of Australia (64 on Friday) and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn (67) and three- time LPGA Tour winner Haeran Ryu of South Korea (68).

Lurking two shots back at 7-under in the no-cut event are Australia’s Hannah Green (66), Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen (68), Sweden’s Linn Grant (69) and England’s Mimi Rhodes (69).

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Kim, an LPGA Tour member since 2024, has been knocking on the door of her first tour win. The American has eight finishes in the top 10 and was the runner-up at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last season.

“I think just sticking to my process. I’m trying to earn each shot and win each shot and win each day,” Kim, 25, said of her strategy heading into the weekend. “I can put a hundred percent of my focus into every single shot and try my best to execute each time, I’ll do well.”

Lee soared into contention with an eagle at the par-4 second hole and six birdies in a bogey-free round.

“I think just I holed a few more putts out there,” Lee said of the difference between Friday’s play and her opening-round of 72. “I holed a few long ones and I also holed out for eagle on the second. That always helps the score.”

Jutanugarn had six birdies, including three straight from holes Nos. 5-7, and one bogey.

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Ryu collected four birdies in a round free of bogeys, but not free from pain.

“Today, my neck was so bad and I cannot turn it around, it’s so hard, my neck,” Ryu said. “But yeah, golf is not perfect. I just think about it, just hit the fairway and the green. Yeah, that’s good for me. There’s a lot of birdies, and yeah, I’m so happy.”

Angel Yin matched Lee for the low round of the day with a 64 to move into a tie for ninth at 6-under.

Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand (72) remained a 2-under posting four birdies and four bogeys.

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand is tied for 33rd at 1-under after a round of 70.

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FuelFest kicks off at South Florida Fairgrounds this weekend

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FuelFest kicks off at South Florida Fairgrounds this weekend


One of the hottest car shows in South Florida kicks off this weekend at the South Florida Fairgrounds. FuelFest Founder Cody Walker and actor and singer Tyrese Gibson joined CBS News Miami on Friday morning to break down what you can expect to see at the popular event.



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Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing

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Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court filing


Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was named in a Florida court order that is connected to a robbery and kidnapping case. Court records show that the robbery and kidnapping were allegedly orchestrated by 23-year-old Boakai Hilton, by an associate of Arnold, in retaliation for two robberies that happened at an Airbnb Arnold was renting in Largo.



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