CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Much of Central Florida could hear sonic booms on Thursday morning amid another SpaceX launch.
SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, taking the Maxar 2 mission into orbit, according to company officials.
Thursday’s launch window runs from 9-10 a.m., with a backup opportunity available on Friday at 9 a.m.
When the launch does happen, Falcon 9′s first-stage booster is expected to land on SpaceX’s landing zone at the Space Force station about eight minutes after liftoff, a release from SpaceX states.
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As a result, residents in the following counties could hear one or more sonic booms during the landing:
Brevard County
Indian River County
Okeechobee County
Orange County
Osceola County
Polk County
Seminole County
St. Lucie County
Volusia County
“What residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions,” SpaceX said.
This won’t be the first time that a space launch prompted sonic booms in the region.
When the Ax-3 crew returned back in February, many Central Florida residents reported hearing a sonic boom as the crew plummeted down toward Earth.
As boosters and spacecraft fall through the atmosphere at supersonic speeds, they spark shockwaves that travel through the air — sometimes heard by people on the ground as a sonic boom.
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For Thursday’s launch, the 45th Weather Squadron is forecasting a mere 20% chance of weather getting in the way. That falls to only 10% if pushed to Friday.
Either way, News 6 will stream the launch live at the top of this story when it happens.
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Gray Reid has spent most of his career in basketball and sports media. He began as a student manager for the Nevada men’s basketball team, then went on to coach overseas in China and later joined the LC State men’s basketball program as a graduate assistant. After coaching, Gray joined SBLive Sports as a videographer and video editor, eventually moving into his current role as Regional Marketing Director.
As tensions escalate overseas, locals in South Florida express a complex mix of concern, hope, and fear—especially for loved ones in Israel and Iran. Community leaders and families share their perspectives on uncertainty, security, and what the future holds.
This Week in South Florida Full Episode: March 1, 2026
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — On the latest episode of “This Week in South Florida” host Janine Stanwood welcomes President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Broward County Audra Berg, Secretary General of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, Division Director of Flood Control and Water Supply Planning for the South Florida Water Management District Carolina Maran, State Rep. Juan Carlos Porras and State Rep. Kevin Chambliss.
The full episode can be seen at the top of this page.
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Janine Stanwood
Janine Stanwood is a Emmy award-winning reporter and anchor. She joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor.
