Launches on Florida’s Space Coast

Melbourne, Florida is about an hour south of Cape Canaveral. One of the more interesting things to do here is watch a rocket space launch. 

After we returned from our trip home for the holidays, both our son and the Melbourne harbor host for AGLCA, told us about this past week’s upcoming launches. We now know the website for all Cape Canaveral space launches - and I will share it with you:  Cape Canaveral Space Launch Schedule

The two launches we have seen were Space X launches, one at 2pm and the other at 9pm.  For the first one, we drove an hour to the outskirts of Titusville, the closest that the general public can get to Cape Canaveral. As we were driving north on Route 1, we came to a small grass area just on the side of the road with several cars parked there. It’s where locals go to watch. 

SpaceX daytime launch

By the time of the launch, so many cars and people were there that it disrupted traffic. But a police officer drove by and didn’t do anything, so I guess they just put up with it. If you are specifically interested in the Space X launches, their website is very good at showing them live.  Space X Rocket Launches 🚀

The night launch was incredible. We stayed in Melbourne, but drove down to the pier to watch. We are about 40 miles away, but there was nothing to impede our view. The water was the only thing in between. There was a beautiful full moon:

Space X night launch

And the video of the launch as we saw it:


I’m sure we will see several more launches during our time here. The locals told us that it never gets old. 

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