Watching a rocket launch on the beach is a total “so Florida,” very
Instagram-worthy thing to do
.
Though rockets here launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, people from Palm Beach County can sometimes see this #SoFlorida phenomenon.
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast
could be visible from Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach to Vero Beach and West Palm Beach
. 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.
Below is more information on rocket launches from NASA and Cape Canaveral and suggestions on where to watch them from this part of Florida.
For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at [email protected] or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at [email protected]. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit
floridatoday.com/space
.
Where can I see a rocket launch in Florida
? Can you see a rocket liftoff in West Palm Beach, Florida?
In Florida, we can best see a rocket launch in person if you’re
anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County
) or certain spots in the
First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County
) or the
Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County
). However, people in Jacksonville, far north of Cape Canaveral, and West Palm Beach, far south of Cape Canaveral, have posted rocket launch photos and video on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram (see below).
Pro tip:
If you do watch it in person, especially on Florida’s Space Coast, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic.
Can a rocket launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen
outside
of Florida? Depending on weather and cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on
social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy
, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach.
A rocket launch can be a treat for the ears, too: On the Space Coast, a “rumble” can be heard or window-shaking can be expected in some parts of Brevard County after liftoff. And some rocket launches have had an added bonus: The SpaceX boosters return to a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean or, occasionally, to the company’s landing zone at Cape Canaveral. If a booster returns to the landing zone, there’s a sonic boom.
When is Florida rocket launch? Thursday, April 24: SpaceX Starlink 6-74
-
Mission:
SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 on the latest Starlink mission, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Space Coast Office of Tourism. -
Launch time and day
: 9:32 p.m. EDT Thursday, April 24, to 2:06 a.m. EDT Frnday, April 25 -
Location of rocket launch:
Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. -
Sonic booms:
No -
Trajectory
: Southeast -
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage:
Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at
floridatoday.com/space
.
When is Amazon rocket launch in Florida? Monday, April 28: UPA Project Kuiper KA-01
-
Mission:
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with five solid boosters will launch the first batch of Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet satellites to low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. -
Launch:
Two-hour window opens at 7 p.m. Monday, April 28, 2025 (an initial launch attempt April 9, 2025, was scrubbed due to poor weather) -
Location of rocket launch:
Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida -
Trajectory
: Northeast -
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage:
Starts two hours before liftoff at
floridatoday.com/space
.
Live weather radar: Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?
Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando 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.
Whenever there is a rocket launch in Florida, check the live weather radar above to see conditions around the Space Coast and surrounding areas.
Where to see a Florida rocket launch in Palm Beach County: What does a West Palm Beach rocket launch view look like?
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes, some rocket launches from the Space Coast can be visible in Palm Beach County. When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, with a southeast trajectory, there’s an opportunity for unique photos. Some examples include United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket launch and SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
From Cape Canaveral, Florida, to West Palm Beach, Florida, it’s about 150 miles.
Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral can often be seen from Palm Beach County, and it can be as easy as walking out of your house and looking north. Try to get away from any obstructions, such as trees, tall buildings, and bright lights. Obviously, cloud cover can also get in the way.
If the forecast is for clear skies and you want a better view, some good places to watch the rocket launch from Palm Beach County include:
-
Juno Beach Pier
:
14775 U.S. Highway 1, Juno Beach -
South Cove Natural Area boardwalk
:
Downtown West Palm Beach, 620 South Flagler Drive -
Town of Palm Beach’s Midtown beach
:
300 block of South Ocean Boulevard -
Bingham Island
:
If you don’t know, this is the island that connects Palm Beach and West Palm Beach on Southern Boulevard. There’s a bridge with a pedestrian walkway over Bingham Island, on Southern Boulevard. -
Lake Worth Pier
:
10 South Ocean Boulevard, Lake Worth Beach -
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
:
10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach -
South Beach Park
:
400 North State Roat A1A, Boca Raton
Rocket launch photos from X, Instagram from around West Palm Beach, Florida
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network
. Follow her on
Twitter
or Instagram at
@byjensangalang
. Support local journalism.
Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper
.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post:
SpaceX, Amazon rocket launch in Florida: What time is liftoff, where to watch in West Palm Beach
