Blue Origin’s New Glenn (NG‑2) Launch May Be Visible Across Florida — Including West Palm Beach and Mar‑a‑Lago

Blue Origin launch could be seen across Florida and into the Southeast

Blue Origin is preparing to launch its large New Glenn rocket on mission NG‑2 from Cape Canaveral. The company has targeted Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, with a launch window from 2:45 p.m. to 4:13 p.m. ET. Depending on weather and cloud cover, the ascent — and the rocket's exhaust plume — may be visible across much of Florida and even into neighboring states.

What’s launching

Vehicle: New Glenn (NG‑2)
Height: 322 feet
Payload: NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft bound for Mars to study solar wind, space weather and the Martian magnetosphere
Propulsion: Seven BE‑4 engines on the first stage; two BE‑3U engines on the upper stage (vacuum‑optimized)
Reusability: First stage designed for at least 25 flights, per Blue Origin
Launch site: Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Visibility — what to expect

Blue Origin published a trajectory and visibility graphic the day before launch showing estimated regions and times when the rocket or plume could be visible. These are estimates and depend heavily on atmospheric conditions, cloud cover, and time of day.

• Launch + 0–30 seconds: Space Coast (including Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island and Melbourne), parts of east Orlando near UCF, Bithlo, and northern Treasure Coast locations such as Sebastian and Vero Beach.
• Launch + 60–90 seconds: Broader Central Florida areas including Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Sanford, Kissimmee, St. Augustine, Ocala and parts of the Lakeland/Sanford corridor.
• Launch + 120–150 seconds: Coverage may extend across both coasts of Florida — including Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Clearwater and West Palm Beach — and into Palm Beach County communities such as Lake Worth Beach, Wellington and Jupiter.
• Launch + 150–240 seconds: On clear days, the plume may be visible well beyond Florida: southeastern Georgia, coastal South Carolina (including Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach), parts of North Carolina’s coast, and possibly farther afield (Alabama, Bermuda and some Caribbean locations) depending on conditions.

These time markers are approximate snapshots of the flight path; local visibility will vary. Blue Origin notes the launch "may be visible to those in the regions below, depending on weather conditions."

How to watch

Live coverage from Blue Origin and media outlets typically begins about two hours before liftoff and includes webcasts, commentary and social updates. Local Florida outlets will also stream pre‑launch coverage; for regional updates many viewers reference floridatoday.com/space or the broadcaster of their choice. Check the published Blue Origin trajectory map and your local weather forecast if you plan to watch from afar.

Viewing tips

• Look toward the eastern sky shortly after liftoff; the rocket becomes easier to spot as it climbs and the plume expands.
• Clear skies and low cloud cover improve visibility dramatically — if it’s overcast, you may not see the ascent even if you are within a suggested viewing zone.
• Bring binoculars or a camera with zoom to capture more detail, but avoid looking directly at the sun if it’s low in the sky.

Note: All visibility guidelines above are estimates based on Blue Origin’s published flight‑path graphic and should be treated as approximate. For official updates, follow Blue Origin’s channels and local launch coverage on the day of the event.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post and was adapted for broader coverage. For continuous live updates and local reporting, consult your preferred news outlet or Blue Origin’s official streams.