Make your coffee or favorite caffeinated beverage – there’s a terribly late evening or possibly early morning, rocket launch planned this holiday week.
Just before July 4, SpaceX has another Starlink mission scheduled from Cape Canaveral, and most people will be asleep during the launch window.
The bright side, however, is this: Night launches offer a different kind of view and allow for creativity in space photography. But don’t just take our word for it, click on the video playlist of this story or check out one of the photo galleries attached here.
Can you see a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral in Daytona Beach or New Smyrna Beach?
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, rocket launches from the neighboring Space Coast may be visible in the Volusia County area.
Below are suggestions for where to watch them, and photos of past rocket launches as seen from the Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange areas in Florida. If there are any changes to the launch, this story will be updated.
Is there a rocket launch from Florida? The next one is Wednesday, July 3: SpaceX Starlink 8-9
While SpaceX has not publicly confirmed the launch, a new 4½-hour Starlink mission window will open early Sunday morning, according to navigational alerts from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will fire a new batch of Internet-bundling Starlink satellites. These are located in the hood on top of the 70 meter long rocket.
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Home window: 02:01 to 06:31 Wednesday, July 3
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Place: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
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Procedure: Northeast
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Live coverage: If you want to watch live coverage of rocket launches, FLORIDA TODAY’s Space Team will provide updates at floridatoday.com/space beginning 90 minutes before launch. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, available on the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space in your browser.
Weather radar for Daytona Beach, Florida. Will it cancel another rocket launch?
Here you can see the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows real-time conditions for the Fun Coast and other parts of Florida. The current date and time are shown in the lower right of this radar embed; otherwise you may need to clear your cache.
Live beach webcam for Ormond Beach, Florida
Can’t see the Ormond Beach North webcam? Click this link
In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County – home to the Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station – you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch.
The best view to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Readers have also reported seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and Ormond Beach. Here are a few recommended spots:
• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), parking fees may apply. New Smyrna Beach has 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An eclectic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the ‘Shark Bite Capital of the World’, New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.
Dinner and a launch: Perfect for a SpaceX or NASA rocket launch, best waterfront restaurants in Volusia County
• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of boardwalk, according to the Volusia County website. A nearby riverfront park across South Atlantic Avenue has tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, a playground, a fishing pier and restrooms. The river at the park can be a great place to spot manatees, dolphins and pelicans.
• Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along the east coast of Florida in Volusia County and Brevard County. To reach Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249 and then drive east until it becomes State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.
• Oak Hill riverbank is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.
• Sunrise ParkRiver Road 275, Oak Hill
• Goodrich’s Seafood and Oyster House aft deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill
• Seminole Rest National Historic Site211 River Road, Oak Hill
• River Breeze Park250 HH Burch Road, Oak Hill
• Mary Deweespark178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.
• Nancy Cummings Park232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, an outdoor pavilion and restrooms.
• Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location features approximately 330 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Amenities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launch facilities.
• Municipal pier AC Delbert Dewees243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, according to the city of Oak Hill’s site.
• Birdwatching Pier on River Road across from the AC Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 30-metre observation pier.
Rocket launch photo from Port Orange, Florida
Rocket Launch Photos from New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Rocket Launch Photos from Daytona Beach, Florida
Rocket launch photo from Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her up Tweet or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX night launch may be visible in Daytona, New Smyrna and Oak Hill
