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Some DeSantis allies feel growing urgency to launch 2024 bid

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Some DeSantis allies feel growing urgency to launch 2024 bid


Contained in the Florida statehouse, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Republican allies say they’re working “at warp pace” to complete their legislative enterprise.

In South Carolina and Nevada, early voting states which can be crucial in a presidential main, his operatives are shifting rapidly to construct out a political workforce that’s basically a marketing campaign in ready. And in Washington, his most vocal supporters are urging him to announce his White Home intentions now.

Simply six months after a dominant reelection despatched his nationwide inventory hovering, a palpable sense of urgency is rising amongst DeSantis’ allies as more and more emboldened critics inside his personal social gathering — significantly former President Donald Trump — work to undermine his presidential marketing campaign earlier than it begins.

“I would like him to be within the race proper now. In reality, I inspired him to get within the race proper now,” mentioned Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who hosted a go to by DeSantis to Washington final week that was overshadowed by Trump’s efforts to select off help amongst Florida’s congressional delegation.

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In an interview, Massie, who’s one among simply three members of Congress who has endorsed DeSantis for 2024, acknowledged the governor is dropping some political power.

Many GOP voters have rallied behind Trump within the wake of his current legal indictment in New York. Some DeSantis donors are pausing their donations, citing issues about his readiness for the nationwide stage. Different would-be supporters have begun to fret that the coverage victories he celebrates in Florida — together with the six-week abortion ban he signed earlier within the month and an ongoing crackdown on Disney, the state’s largest employer — might in the end grow to be political liabilities.

“If there may be any urgency, it’s to verify no third-place candidate emerges. Proper now, it’s a heads-up race between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis,” Massie mentioned. “The urgency I really feel is, the extra cats and canine that get within the race, the extra they may siphon from Ron DeSantis.”

The Republican Get together will not formally select its subsequent presidential nominee till August of subsequent yr at its nationwide conference. However with the primary presidential debate little greater than three months away, a number of Republicans have launched campaigns already. Extra are anticipated to hitch within the coming weeks.

For DeSantis, who has operated for a lot of the yr with a quiet confidence that he may enter the race on his phrases, some Republicans counsel it could be later than he thinks.

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Whereas all indicators level to a DeSantis run, he is not prone to make any bulletins till after the state legislature concludes its enterprise in early Might. Some allies initially believed he may wait till as late as early summer time to enter the race, however with the political panorama shifting, they now count on him to announce as early because the week of Might 8, however extra probably across the finish of the month.

DeSantis is spending his time overseas this week. Over the weekend, he launched what his workplace described as a world commerce mission to Japan, South Korea, Israel and the UK.

Technically, DeSantis could not enter the 2024 presidential contest now even when he wished to as a result of the Republican-controlled state legislature has but to overturn Florida’s so-called “resign to run” regulation, which bars officers from in search of one workplace whereas holding one other. Republican Home Speaker Paul Renner mentioned final week that he’s assured the change would make it by way of the Legislature within the coming weeks.

As DeSantis prepares to launch, the Republican statehouse supermajority has labored at a fast tempo to hold out the governor’s conservative cultural agenda. In an indication of their ongoing compliance, lawmakers final week started to maneuver laws that might additional solidify DeSantis’ management of Disney World’s governing physique, the newest spat within the Republican governor’s extraordinary feud with the non-public enterprise.

Florida state Rep. Spencer Roach, a Trump critic allied with DeSantis, famous that the state Legislature has been conducting its enterprise “at warp pace” this spring. The accelerated tempo, he mentioned, is prone to enable DeSantis to shift his consideration to the 2024 contest as quickly as doable.

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Roach downplayed any sense of urgency round DeSantis’s announcement, however acknowledged Trump’s cruel assaults in opposition to the Florida governor could also be taking a toll. Certainly, Trump has been nearly singularly centered on tearing down DeSantis, whom he calls “Ron DeSanctimonious” and “Meatball Ron.” The kitchen-sink assault on social media, in speeches and in paid adverts covers all the things from DeSantis’ previous insurance policies on Social Safety to his character and even his sexuality.

Trump’s jabs on Social Safety and Medicare have been significantly efficient, Roach conceded.

“I’ve had aged constituents and even members of my household say, ‘Hey, I’m somewhat fearful,’” Roach mentioned. “These assaults are touchdown.”

To that finish, the DeSantis-sanctioned tremendous PAC, By no means Again Down, is taking aggressive steps to construct out what seems to be a marketing campaign in ready throughout a number of key states. The tremendous PAC, which has reported $30 million within the financial institution to this point, relies in an Atlanta workplace with roughly two dozen paid workers.

As of Friday, the group mentioned it had put in no less than six paid staffers on the payroll in every of the primary 4 states on the Republican presidential main calendar: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Every state includes a director, political director and a discipline director, amongst others.

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The tremendous PAC has additionally established 28 College students for DeSantis chapters throughout 18 states, together with the primary 4 on the calendar and others in subsequent main states like Alabama, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. A number of extra are already within the works.

Many of the introduced candidates do not have that a lot manpower on the bottom to this point.

“This actually relies on people who find themselves excited and in these states craving motion now,” mentioned Kristin Davison, By no means Again Down’s chief working officer. “We wish to give them a automobile and infrastructure to transform their enthusiasm into motion.”

Davidson pushed again in opposition to the destructive narrative creating round DeSantis, who is not even an introduced candidate. “A few of the D.C. headlines are simply disconnected from the truth of what we’re seeing on the bottom,” she mentioned.

As DeSantis wraps up his enterprise in Florida, the tremendous PAC has begun to provide him safety from Trump’s assaults on the airwaves.

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The group’s first paid advert, which ran earlier this month on Fox Information, knocked Trump for attacking fellow Republicans: “Trump ought to combat Democrats, not lie about Gov. DeSantis,” the narrator says.

However the group invested far more in a constructive advert highlighting DeSantis’ background and report in Florida, which ran on broadcast tv in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina final week. The tremendous PAC believes that DeSantis’ identify is well-known amongst main voters, however most do not learn about his origins.

To that finish, the group distributed its first mailer final week to probably main voters in the identical 4 states noting the DeSantis household’s “humble beginnings” in Pennsylvania and Ohio, his participation within the Little League World Sequence, his army service and his political victories in Florida.

“Ron DeSantis: A blue-collar spine solid with metal,” reads the primary headline on the mailer, a replica of which was obtained by The Related Press.

And whereas the tremendous PAC is spending tens of millions to make sure DeSantis has momentum when he will get into the race, DeSantis himself has solely simply begun to introduce himself to voters past Florida.

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He made one journey to Iowa final month, however he hasn’t returned since, at the same time as his rivals flock to the first-in-the-nation main voting state. DeSantis was notably absent this weekend as Iowa’s spiritual conservatives gathered for the state’s Religion and Freedom Coalition spring assembly.

Steve Scheffler, the Republican Nationwide Committee member who leads the group, described DeSantis as “a reasonably interesting” potential candidate. He mentioned the Florida governor paid to assist sponsor the occasion and had representatives on web site, however he nonetheless inspired DeSantis to spend extra time with Iowa voters — particularly within the rural elements of the state.

“It may have to occur before later,” Scheffler mentioned.

___

Related Press author Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.

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Copyright 2023 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.



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Florida

Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for Dec. 27, 2024

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Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for Dec. 27, 2024


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The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

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Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

03-07-37-49-55, Mega Ball: 06, Megaplier: 3

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

08-18-21-23-34-39

Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

10-11-21-28-51, Cash Ball: 04

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Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 09-16-17-21-27

Evening: 04-07-11-31-35

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Morning: 15

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Matinee: 11

Afternoon: 12

Evening: 07

Late Night: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 2 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 8-9, FB: 6

Evening: 8-0, FB: 7

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 2-3-9, FB: 6

Evening: 4-7-0, FB: 7

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Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 3-8-3-8, FB: 6

Evening: 5-5-0-3, FB: 7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 27 drawing

Midday: 0-8-9-4-2, FB: 6

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Evening: 6-4-1-2-5, FB: 7

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
  • Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
  • Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

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  • Full name
  • City of residence
  • Game won
  • Date won
  • Amount won
  • Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
  • Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
  • Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
  • Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.



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When to watch the sky in 2025: Florida Space Coast rocket launch schedule

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When to watch the sky in 2025: Florida Space Coast rocket launch schedule


Florida is gearing up for a busy 2025 in space exploration, with a packed schedule of rocket launches planned. From high-profile NASA missions to ambitious commercial projects, the launches are poised to push the boundaries of space exploration and technology.

Here is a list of the scheduled and projected missions for 2025:

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January

Thuraya 4-NGS:

Thuraya 4-NGS is a communication satellite built by Airbus Defense and Space for the UAE-based Yahsat. The satellite will incorporate a 12-meter L-band antenna and a payload with on-board processing. This processing will provide advanced routing flexibility of up to 3200 channels with dynamic power allocation over many spot beams.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Scheduled: January 2, 2025 | 12 a.m. – 12:53 a.m.

SpainSat NG I:

SpainSat NG I is the first of two ‘new-generation’ satellites built by Airbus. These satellites were created to secure communications with the Spanish government, their allies and other international organizations. 

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Scheduled: January 27, 2025 | 11 p.m.

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Blue Ghost Lunar Lander Mission 1 & Hakuto-R M2 “Resilience”:

Blue Ghost is a commercial lunar lander by Firefly Aerospace for NASA’s CLPS program. It can carry up to 155 kg of payload to the Moon and will land in the Crisium Basin’s Mare Crisium. The mission is designed to last 14 days before the lander succumbs to the lunar night.

Resilience is the second mission of the Hakuto-R lunar lander, developed by the Japanese company ispace. The lander will carry a small rover designed to study the Moon’s surface. As part of a 2020 NASA contract, the rover will also collect lunar soil (regolith) and transfer its ownership to NASA directly on the Moon.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: January 2025

Starlink Group 12-3:

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A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: January 2025

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February

Nova-C IM-2:

This will be the second mission for the Nova-C lunar lander, which was developed and built by Intuitive Machines. This mission will carry a NASA payload called PRIME-1, known as the “Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1”. PRIME-1 is anticipated to be the first demonstration of in-situ resource utilization on the Moon. In-situ resource utilization is the practice of using materials found on other planets or moons to create consumables for human or autonomous activities. 

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Scheduled: February 27, 2025 | Time TBD

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is raised into a vertical position on the launch pad (Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images). (Getty Images)

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Bandwagon 3:

A dedicated rideshare mission delivering dozens of microsatellites and nanosatellites to a mid-inclination orbit, serving both commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: February 2025

Transporter 13:

A dedicated rideshare mission transporting dozens of microsatellites and nanosatellites to a sun-synchronous orbit, supporting both commercial and government customers.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: February 2025

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March

Crew-10:

SpaceX Crew-10 is the tenth crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

  • Commander: Anne McClain (American)
  • Pilot: Nichole Ayers (American)
  • Mission Specialist: Kirill Peskov (Russian)
  • Mission Specialist: Takuya Onishi (Japanese)

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Scheduled: March 25, 2025 | Time TBD

Blue Moon Pathfinder:

First flight of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander which focuses on robotic exploration.

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Rocket: Blue Origin New Glenn

Projected: March 2025

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A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket launches from Launch Site One in West Texas north of Van Horn on March 31, 2022. The NS-20 mission carries Blue Origin’s New Shepard Chief Architect Gary Lai, Marty Allen, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Jim Kitchen, and Dr

Project Kuiper (Atlas V #2):

Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km altitude.

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Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551

Projected: March 2025

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Fram2:

Fram2, the first astronaut mission to polar orbit, will launch from Florida aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft, named after the Norwegian polar research ship Fram. The mission will reach a 90° circular orbit at an altitude of 425–450 km, marking the first human spaceflight over Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit. Equipped with a cupola for Earth observation, the 3-to-5-day mission will study atmospheric phenomena like STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) and conduct research on the effects of spaceflight on the human body, including capturing the first x-ray images in space and examining behavioral health. The crew includes Chun Wang as mission commander, Jannicke Mikkelsen as vehicle commander, Eric Philips as pilot, and Rabea Rogge as mission specialist.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: March 2025

ViaSat-3 EMEA:

The ViaSat-3 series consists of three advanced Ka-band satellites designed to deliver exceptional service speed and flexibility. Each satellite is capable of providing over 1 Terabit per second of network capacity, with the ability to dynamically allocate bandwidth to areas with the highest customer demand.

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Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551

Projected: March 2025

Dragon CRS-2 SpX-32:

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The 32nd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station, operated by SpaceX under NASA’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract, will use the Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft. It will deliver supplies and critical materials to support ongoing science and research aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: March 2025

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April

Axiom Space Mission 4:

This mission is a Crew Dragon flight for Axiom Space. The mission will carry a professional commander and three astronauts to the International Space Station. The crew will stay aboard the space station for at least eight days. 

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: April 2025

May

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Bandwagon 4:

This mission is a dedicated rideshare flight to a mid-inclination orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: May 2025

Dream Chaser CRS 2 Flight 1:

First flight of the Dream Chaser Spaceplane to the ISS.

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Rocket: United Launch Alliance Vulcan VC4L

Projected: May 2025

June

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EscaPADE:

Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle will make its maiden flight, carrying the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) mission. This dual-spacecraft mission will study ion and sputtered escape from Mars, aiming to understand the processes shaping Mars’ hybrid magnetosphere, how it directs ion flows, the transport of energy and momentum from the solar wind, and the flow of energy and matter into and out of Mars’ atmosphere.

Rocket: Blue Origin New Glenn

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Projected: June 2025

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WorldView Legion 5 & 6:

WorldView Legion is a constellation of Earth observation satellites built and operated by Maxar. Constellation is planned to consist of 6 satellites in both polar and mid-inclination orbits, providing 30 cm-class resolution.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: June 2025

O3b mPower 9-11:

Last three of a constellation of eleven high-throughput communications satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) built by Boeing and operated by SES.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: June 2025

Project Kuiper (Falcon 9 #1):

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First of three launches apart of the contract for Amazon’s Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation. 

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: June 2025

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Transporter 14:

A dedicated rideshare mission to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites that will be used by commercial and government customers. 

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: June 2025

Cygnus CRS-2 NG-22:

This mission falls under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. It will be the 22nd flight of the Northrop Grumman unscrewed resupply spacecraft Cygnus and the 21st flight to the International Space Station. 

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: June 2025

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July

Crew-11:

SpaceX Crew-11 will be the eleventh crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station. The mission is apart of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: July 2025

MTG-S1:

Second of EUMETSAT’s third generation of weather satellite.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: July 2025

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September

IMAP & other NASA payloads:

IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) is a NASA mission to study interactions between solar wind and local interstellar medium. Carrying a suite of 10 scientific instruments, IMAP is able to investigate how particles are accelerated, their composition and can help to advance space weather forecasting models. The launch will also include several payloads from NASA.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: September 2025

KOMPSAT-7A:

KOMPSAT-7 and 7A are advanced follow-up satellites to KOMPSAT-3A, designed to provide high-resolution satellite imagery to meet the governmental and institutional needs of South Korea.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: September 2025

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SpainSat NG II:

Second of two new-generation satellites built by Airbus to provide secure communications to the Spanish government, its allies, and various international organizations.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: September 2025

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October

Transporter 15:

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Projected: October 2025

TSIS-2:

The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor 2 (TSIS-2) is a NASA satellite that measures the Sun’s energy reaching Earth. It has two key instruments: the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), which measures the Sun’s overall brightness, and the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM), which measures energy across different wavelengths covering 96% of the solar spectrum. These instruments are similar to those used in the TSIS-1 mission on the International Space Station.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

Projected: October 2025

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Dragon CRS-2 SpX-33:

The 33rd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station, operated by SpaceX, is part of NASA’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract. The Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft will deliver supplies and payloads, including essential materials to support science and research conducted on the station.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 

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Scheduled: October 30, 2025

November

Griffin Mission One:

The Astrobotic Griffin lander will undergo a demonstration flight to test its capabilities and engines. This mission was originally planned for NASA’s now-canceled VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission.

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Rocket: SpaceX Falcon Heavy 

Projected: November 2025

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Florida’s spaceports are at the heart of 2025’s exciting space missions. From ISS resupply flights to lunar landers and advanced satellites, the state continues to lead the way in space exploration. With more launches ahead, Florida’s skies will stay busy, driving us toward a bright future in space.

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Florida condo owners look at higher costs as new regulations take effect in the new year

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Florida condo owners look at higher costs as new regulations take effect in the new year


MIAMI (AP) — Florida condominium owners are looking at higher costs from condo associations in the new year, a consequence of a safety law passed by state lawmakers in 2022.

It requires associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs and to conduct a survey of reserves every decade. Because of the law, older condos — found largely in South Florida, according to state records — are facing hefty increases to association payments to fund the reserves and repair costs.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law in response to the partial collapse of Champlain Towers South, which killed 98 people in Surfside in June 2021. New regulations require condo associations for buildings with three or more stories to file an inspection report focused on structure, maintenance and expected costs for repairs or renovations by Dec. 31.

The report is just a small sector of the large-scale issue in Florida’s condo and property insurance crisis. A May report from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation noted that the average homeowner’s insurance premium is approximately $3,600, about $1,000 more than the national average, according to the National Association of Realtors.

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In Hallandale Beach, condo owner Kelli Roiter sympathizes with people having trouble paying the higher fees, but she said she supports rules requiring associations to maintain reserves for repairs if it means her oceanfront building — built in 1971 — gets the repairs it needs.

She said her building, a few miles from Champlain Towers South, is showing some of the same problems that were visible before that building collapsed.

“I’m concerned that this building will collapse,” Roiter said. “There are nights I wake up hearing a creak, and I jump. And then I remind myself that, no, no, no, we’re safe. But am I safe?”

Rick Madan, president of the Biscayne Neighborhoods Association, which represents 22 condo associations, said the law is bringing condo owners strife by forcing buildings to take full coverage and bringing forth a blanket solution that doesn’t holistically address the crisis.

Madan said the law puts newer condos in the same category of needing reserve funds, inspection reports and recertifications as much older buildings at the expense of the condo owners.

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That’s especially tough for people who retired in South Florida on fixed incomes, Madan added.

“You’re making us do all these reserve studies. You’re making us fund our reserves more, so we have to come up with more money,” Madan said of the Florida Legislature. “On top of that, you’re not giving us any flexibility on the insurance side where the insurance companies are basically making so much profit because they write a policy for $100 million, which they know they’ll never have to pay a claim on.”

Democratic State Sen. Jason Pizzo, who represented Surfside at the time of the collapse, said he agrees with Madan’s point about property insurance.

Pizzo and state Sen. Jennifer Bradley, a Republican, held a condo summit in early December where he warned of transparency among associations about the required projects for repair costs to prevent structural damage.

Pizzo told The Associated Press it is important for associations to have that transparency with condo owners to ensure that the rising payments are truly related to repairs and not to amenity costs, and that it is done within a reasonable timeframe for residents’ safety.

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He said it’s understandable to worry about anticipatory costs but that is why objective inspections of older buildings are necessary.

Nearly 90% of the 1.6 million condos in Florida are more than 30 years old, and Pizzo said it is concerning that they haven’t had critical inspections.

“They’re going to get a milestone inspection, and they may find some immediate repair or replacement requirements as a result of it,” Pizzo said. “That’s not really by operation of law. That’s by operation of common sense.”

Luis Konski, a Miami attorney who deals with construction and commercial liability cases, said previous condo regulations kept fees low by failing to save money for future repairs, and then owners were hit with special assessments when repairs finally needed to be done. Konski said this encouraged many associations to ignore necessary but expensive maintenance, which is what likely led to the Surfside building collapse.

He said he’s not sure whether the state has committed enough staff to actually make sure associations are following the new rules. Pizzo echoed similar concerns, saying the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation might require legislative changes so it can start reviewing structural integrity and inspection reports while continuing to regulate all parts of business in Florida, including licensing and enforcing rules.

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Konski said that if associations can continue to delay maintenance with inaccurate surveys and minimal oversight, it’s only a matter of time before another disaster.

“It’s a question of do you save money or do you save lives?” Konski said. “You can’t do both.”

Real estate agent Rebeca Castellon, who owns a condo in Coral Gables, said she agrees with the idea of requiring condo associations to maintain reserves for future repairs but acknowledges that the timing is bad when the increased fees are combined with higher insurance costs and recent inflation.

“I think part of the challenge is that right now there is tsunami of things that are really making it very challenging for condo owners,” Castellon said.

The condo market has cooled with the uncertainty created by additional fees and regulations, but Castellon said condos are still the most affordable form of home ownership and the new regulations will just give buyers more information going forward.

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“I would not be surprised if in the future buyers are going to demand to see the structural inspection that the towers are going through right now and take that into consideration, as far as whether or not that’s the right property for them to move forward and put an offer,” Castellon said.

Real estate agent Gatien Salaun, who owns a waterfront condo in Miami Beach, said what appears to be a recent reduction in average sale prices is largely just buyers negotiating with sellers to eat some of the costs.

“They are simply asking for price reductions that are commensurate with that exact amount that they will have to pay over the next 20 years, 30 years in assessments,” Salaun said. “And the sellers are somewhat stuck in terms of negotiating with the buyer or just paying for the cost themselves.”

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