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SpaceX nighttime rocket launch in Cape Canaveral: What time is liftoff of Starlink satellites?

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SpaceX nighttime rocket launch in Cape Canaveral: What time is liftoff of Starlink satellites?



SpaceX plans to launch a batch of Starlink satellites — ahead of Halloween night — from the Space Coast of Florida.

Halloween is on Thursday, Oct. 31 — but the Space Coast may get a nice treat the night before.

Less than a week after this coastal area of Florida that’s home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station broke the record for number of orbital rocket launches in a year, there’s another one on the books.

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SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, Oct. 30, to launch another payload of Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. Depending on weather and visibility, the Space Coast might see a nice streak in the sky.

The near-Halloween mission follows the Oct. 26 SpaceX rocket launch, which was the Florida Space Coast’s record-breaking 73rd orbital rocket launch of the year. The bulk of the 2024 missions came from SpaceX. In 2023, SpaceX also helped break the record of rocket launches per year — contributing to the 72 launches that were completed near Cape Canaveral.

Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch from this area and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.

For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Where can I see a rocket launch in Florida?

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, the SpaceX rocket launch should be visible from almost anywhere in Brevard County. And minutes after liftoff, there’s typically a rumble. Night launches, in particular, are easier to spot and beautiful to see.

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When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night 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.

Is there a rocket launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule from Florida

Is there a rocket launch from Florida? The next is Wednesday, Oct. 30: SpaceX Starlink 10-13

  • Mission: SpaceX is targeting Wednesday evening to launch another payload of Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows.
  • Launch window: 5:10 to 9:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 30
  • Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
  • 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.

Space Coast weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today?

Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast 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.

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.

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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)
  • 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



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Man convicted of 1991 fatal shooting of police officer is set to be executed in Florida

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Man convicted of 1991 fatal shooting of police officer is set to be executed in Florida


STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of fatally shooting a police officer with his own service weapon during a traffic stop is set to be executed Tuesday evening in Florida.

Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Kearse was initially sentenced to death in 1991 after being convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.

The Florida Supreme Court found that the trial court failed to give jurors certain information about aggravating circumstances and ordered a new sentencing. Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997.

This is Florida’s third execution scheduled for 2026, following a record 19 executions last year. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The highest number before then was eight executions in both 1984 and 2014, under former governors Bob Graham and Rick Scott, respectively.

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According to court records, Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish pulled over Kearse for driving the wrong way on a one-way street in January 1991. When Kearse couldn’t produce a valid driver’s license, Parrish ordered Kearse out of his vehicle and attempted to handcuff him.

A struggle ensued, and Kearse grabbed Parrish’s firearm, prosecutors said. Kearse fired 14 times, striking the officer nine times in the body and four times in his body armor. A nearby taxi driver heard the shots and used Parrish’s radio to call for help.

Parrish was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds, officials said. Meanwhile, police used license plate information that Parrish had called in before approaching Kearse to identify the attacker’s vehicle and home address, where Kearse was arrested.

Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals filed by Kearse. His attorneys had argued that he was unconstitutionally deprived of a fair penalty phase and that his intellectual disability makes his execution unconstitutional.

Final appeals were pending Tuesday before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis, far outpacing Alabama, South Carolina and Texas which each held five executions.

Besides the two Florida executions this year, Texas and Oklahoma have each executed one person so far.

Two more Florida executions have already been scheduled for this month. Michael Lee King, 54, is scheduled to die on March 17, and the execution of James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31.

All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

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Florida High School Boys Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (FHSAA) – March 2, 2026

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Florida High School Boys Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (FHSAA) – March 2, 2026


GRAY REID

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.



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South Florida reacts: Mixed emotions after U.S. and Israeli strikes kill Iran’s Supreme Leader

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South Florida reacts: Mixed emotions after U.S. and Israeli strikes kill Iran’s Supreme Leader


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.



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