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

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12 months ago

December 27, 2024

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

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ORLANDO, Fla. – 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:

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: January 2025

Starlink Group 12-3:

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

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.

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)

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: February 2025

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

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.

Rocket: Blue Origin New Glenn

Projected: March 2025

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.

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551

Projected: March 2025

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

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.

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551

Projected: March 2025

Dragon CRS-2 SpX-32:

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: April 2025

May

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

Projected: May 2025

Dream Chaser CRS 2 Flight 1:

First flight of the Dream Chaser Spaceplane to the ISS.

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Vulcan VC4L

Projected: May 2025

June

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

Projected: June 2025

Winter Park couple launches with Blue Origin

Blue Origin launched its ninth space tourism flight on Friday. A Winter Park couple was onboard that flight for their second trip to space.

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

Project Kuiper (Falcon 9 #1):

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

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: June 2025

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

Projected: July 2025

MTG-S1:

Second of EUMETSAT’s third generation of weather satellite.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: July 2025

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: September 2025

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

Projected: September 2025

SpaceX uses giant arms to grab Falcon Heavy on landing

NASA and SpaceX launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft towards Jupiter on Monday, the largest spacecraft ever built for a planetary mission. A day earlier in Texas, SpaceX celebrated an engineering win — using giant metal arms to literally grab one of its Falcon Heavy Boosters mid-air after returning to Earth after a test flight.

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Projected: October 2025

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

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.

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Projected: November 2025

SpaceX rocket launch of 23 Starlink satellites

SpaceX has launched another Falcon 9 carrying 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

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

Muslim rights group sues Florida Gov. DeSantis over ‘foreign terrorist’ label

Published

4 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Muslim rights group sues Florida Gov. DeSantis over ‘foreign terrorist’ label

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A leading Muslim civil rights group in the U.S. has sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his order designating it and another organization as a “ foreign terrorist organization,” saying the directive was unconstitutional.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, has more than 20 chapters across the United States and its work involves legal actions, advocacy and education outreach.

The lawsuit was filed late Monday by the CAIR-Foundation and CAIR-Florida, its affiliate in the state. The suit asked a federal judge in Tallahassee to declare DeSantis’ order unlawful and unconstitutional and prevent it from being enforced.

“He has usurped the exclusive authority of the federal government to identify and designate terrorist organizations by baselessly declaring CAIR a terrorist organization,” the lawsuit says.

DeSantis’ order was among a series of recent actions or statements made by Republican elected officials which target U.S. Muslims or their groups.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Sunday posted on social media that “Islam is not a religion. It’s a cult.”

A day later, CAIR designated Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, as an anti-Muslim extremist for his “increasingly hateful and dangerous attacks on Alabama Muslims.” The group said it was the first time it had given a U.S. senator that designation. Tuberville responded on social media that it was a “badge of honor.” When asked Tuesday about his statements, Tuberville spokesman Mallory Jaspers repeated what Tuberville had said.

U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., also posted Monday on social media about his support for “a Muslim travel ban, radical deportations of all mainstream Muslim legal and illegal immigrants, and citizenship revocations wherever possible.”

“Mainstream Muslims have declared war on us. The least we can do is kick them the hell out of America,” Fine wrote.

Anti-Muslim bias has persisted in different forms since Sept. 11, 2001, and there’s been a rise in Islamophobia during more than two years of war in Gaza.

During a news conference about the Florida lawsuit, Charles Swift, a lawyer for the Muslim Legal Fund of America, called the elected officials’ statements dangerous and bigoted.

“The Constitution protects people’s rights to be bigoted, not the government’s rights,” said Swift, whose group is one of the legal organizations representing CAIR. “When a governor issues an executive order to silence Muslims, that’s a different question altogether because if you can do that, you can silence anyone.”

CAIR said in the Florida lawsuit that it has always condemned terrorism and violence. The lawsuit alleges DeSantis targeted the group for defending the free speech rights of people in cases where state officials and officials elsewhere tried to punish or silence those who expressed support for Palestinian human rights.

The order by DeSantis last week also gives the same “foreign terrorist” label to the Muslim Brotherhood, a pan-Arab Islamist political movement. President Donald Trump last month issued an executive order that sets in motion a process to designate certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization.

The governor’s order instructs Florida agencies to prevent the two groups and those who have provided them material support from receiving contracts, employment and funds from a state executive or cabinet agency.

Florida has an estimated 500,000 Muslim residents, according to CAIR.

When reached by email for comment on Tuesday, the governor’s press secretary, Molly Best, referred to DeSantis’ recent social media posts on the topic in which he said he looked forward to a trial. In one post, DeSantis said, “I look forward to discovery — especially the CAIR finances. Should be illuminating!”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a similar proclamation in Texas. CAIR last month asked a federal judge to strike down Abbott’s proclamation, saying in a lawsuit that it was “not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law.”

___

Associated Press writers Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, and Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social

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Florida

24 endangered sea turtles recovering in Florida after cold stunning off Cape Cod

Published

16 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

24 endangered sea turtles recovering in Florida after cold stunning off Cape Cod

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — Two dozen Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are rehabilitating in Florida after the frigid waters off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, left them struggling with frostbite, pneumonia and abrasions.

The 24 endangered sea turtles arrived at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, on Dec. 9, thanks to the nonprofit organization LightHawk. Last year, the center welcomed another bunch of cold-stunned turtles that were released into the Atlantic months later.

They are expected to remain at the facility until spring, when they’ll be released into the Atlantic Ocean to make their way back to New England, said Heather Barron, chief science officer and veterinarian at Loggerhead.

She said the turtles suffered from a conditioned called cold stunning, which requires treatment with antibiotics, fluids and nebulization.

Cold stunning occurs in extremely frigid temperatures and causes the cold-blooded sea turtles to become lethargic and lose mobility, and Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead and green sea turtles are typically affected.

The turtles migrate north in the summer and many get stuck while heading south in the hooked peninsula of Cape Cod, according to a New England Aquarium fact sheet. As the ocean temperatures drop, the turtles become lethargic, emaciated and hypothermic. They begin washing ashore, where volunteers rescue them and take them to the sea turtle hospital.

A number of turtles were sent to Florida to relieve overcrowding at the New England Aquarium, said Pam Bechtold Snyder, director of marketing and communications for the Boston facility. Most of those turtles were stranded during a strong westerly wind event on Nov. 28 and went through the triage process at the Boston facility, Snyder said.

They were sent to Florida to make room for more turtles coming in from Cape Cod, she said. So far during the annual cold-stunning phenomenon that began on Nov. 7, they’ve treated 472 hypothermic turtles.

The hospital staff works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service to transfer the turtles to various sea turtle hospitals, including Loggerhead, Snyder said.

“These guys are very critically ill when they get here, and they are undergoing extensive treatment,” Barron said of the turtles sent to Juno Beach. “They’re getting nebulized where they actually breathe in medicine. That helps their lungs do their job better.”

When turtles arrive in groups at Loggerhead, the staff gives them names, following a theme, Barron said.

“And in this case, it is Greek mythology,” Barron said. “So we have Pandora and Gaia and Persephone and Helios and all those guys.”

____

Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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Florida

Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays

Medical marijuana is legal for Florida residents with a state-issued card and a qualifying condition.
Possession of marijuana without a medical card can lead to penalties ranging from fines to felony charges.

Can Floridians or those traveling to Florida for the holidays light one up while taking part in festive activities? Doing so will result in your name being added to the state’s naughty list.

While it’s legal in about half the country, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida.

An amendment last year to make recreational marijuana legal in the Sunshine State came close and got a majority of the vote, but it failed to hit Florida’s required 60% threshold. The group behind it is trying again in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know about marijuana laws in Florida before the holiday.

Is marijuana legal in Florida?

Yes, but only for some people.

Medical marijuana is legal in Florida for residents diagnosed with a specific set of conditions who have applied for and received a Medical Marijuana ID Card or caregivers who have received a Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card.

Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?

No. During the 2024 General Election, an amendment that called for legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida failed to get the 60% of votes needed to pass.

Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?

Medical marijuana is legal here, but only for Florida residents with the following conditions who apply for and receive a Medical Marijuana Card:

Cancer
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
Crohn’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Comparable medical conditions or status to the above
A terminal condition
Chronic nonmalignant pain

Note that under a new Florida law as of July 1, medical marijuana registration will be revoked if a patient or caregiver is convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to drug trafficking, sale or manufacture.

Can I bring weed if I have a medical marijuana card from another state?

No. The state of Florida does not offer reciprocity. A bill in this year’s legislative session that would have changed that died in committee.

Can I get busted for possessing weed in Florida?

Without a Medical Marijuana Card (or Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card, for people assisting medical marijuana patients who are minors or who need help), if you are caught with pot, you will be penalized. Marijuana advocacy group NORML lists the following penalties under Florida Statutes:

Possessing 20 grams or less: First-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
Possession of paraphernalia: Misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
Possessing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park or other specified areas: Felony, mandatory three-year sentence and maximum $10,000 fine.
Possessing from 20 grams: to 25 pounds: Felony, up to five years in jail and maximum $5,000 fine.
Possessing from 25 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from three to 15 years in jail and $25,000 fine.
Possessing from 2,000 to 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from seven to 30 years and $50,000 fine.
Possessing more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from 15 to 30 years and $200,000 fine.

However, many communities and municipalities have decriminalized possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana, meaning if you’re busted, you’ll get a fine (which will go up each time). You may be required to attend a drug education program or do community service.

Areas that have decriminalized pot include Alachua County, Broward County, Cocoa Beach, Hallandale Beach, Key West, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, Orlando, Osceola County, Palm Beach County, Port Richey, Sarasota, Tampa and Volusia County.

Is it legal to sell weed in Florida?

Only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries may sell marijuana in the state of Florida. Even with a medical marijuana card, you may not buy your pot anywhere but at a licensed dispensary.

People charged with selling marijuana can face the following:

25 grams or less, without renumeration: Misdemeanor, maximum 1 year in jail, $1,000 fine.
20 grams to 25 pounds: Felony, maximum 5 years in jail, $5,000 fine.
25 to less than 2,000 pounds or 300-2,000 plants: Felony, three to 15 years, maximum $25,000 fine.
2,000 to less than 10,000 pounds or 2,000-10,000 plants: Felony, seven to 30 years, maximum $50,000 fine.
10,000 pounds or more: Felony, 15 to 30 years, maximum $200,000 fine.
If within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park, or other specified areas: An additional 3-15 years, $10,000 fine.

Are low-THC products like delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 or THC-O legal in Florida?

Assorted different types of so-called “diet weed” cannabinoids, such as delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 and THC-O, which are derived from hemp and not marijuana and contain lower levels of THC, are legal here under the 2018 federal Farm Bill that allows farmers to grow industrial hemp.

Last year, the Florida Legislature passed SB 1698, a bill that effectively banned delta-8 and delta-10 products and set a 5-milligram-per-serving limit for delta-9 THC, but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it, reportedly to protect small businesses.

However, they remain federally illegal.

Can you get a DUI in Florida on marijuana?

Yes. Drivers under the influence of drugs, including marijuana, face the same penalties as drunk drivers in Florida.

That ranges from up to six months of jail time, a fine between $500 and $1,000, a license suspension, 50 hours of community service and a 10-day vehicle impoundment (for the first offense) to up to five years in prison, up to $5,000 in fines, lifetime license revocation and more for the fourth offense.

Penalties go up fast if there is a minor in the vehicle or you cause property damage, injury or death.

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