The Space Coast set a 2025 record with 108 orbital launches (plus one hypersonic test) through Dec. 16, led overwhelmingly by SpaceX’s ~100 Falcon 9 missions. ULA and Blue Origin also contributed Atlas V, Vulcan and New Glenn flights amid manifest reshuffles driven by Vulcan certification delays. Key upcoming missions include Artemis II, multiple CLPS lunar landers (Intuitive Machines, Blue Ghost, Draper), additional Kuiper and Starlink constellation launches, and the ongoing roll‑out of New Glenn and Vulcan operations.
Space Coast Launch Schedule — Record Year: 108 Orbital Launches in 2025 (Updated Dec. 16)
The Space Coast set a new high-water mark in 2025, surpassing the previous record of 93 launches in 2024 and reaching 108 orbital missions (plus one hypersonic missile test) by Dec. 16. SpaceX drove the tempo with roughly 100 Falcon 9 missions; United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin also contributed with Atlas V, Vulcan and New Glenn flights. Below is a cleaned, organized summary of totals, recent highlights and key upcoming missions. Dates, times and configurations are included where available; many flights remained subject to delay or re‑manifesting.
Fast Facts (Updated Dec. 16, 2025)
- Total (2025): 108 orbital launches + 1 hypersonic missile test
- By Launch Site: 83 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), 25 from Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
- By Provider: SpaceX — 100 Falcon 9 launches; ULA — 6 launches (5 Atlas V, 1 Vulcan); Blue Origin — 2 New Glenn flights (NG-1, NG-2)
- Human Spaceflights: 4 (Crew‑10, Fram2, Ax‑4, Crew‑11)
Recent Notable Launches (Selected)
Dec. 15 — SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 6‑82: 29 satellites from SLC‑40 at 12:25 a.m.; booster’s 9th flight and a droneship landing on A Shortfall of Gravitas. Marked SpaceX’s 100th Space Coast launch in 2025.
Dec. 16 (delayed from Dec. 15) — ULA Atlas V, Amazon Leo 4 (Project Kuiper): 27 Kuiper satellites launched in a 551 configuration at 3:28 a.m.; Kuiper constellation reached ~180 deployed sats.
Dec. 17 (delayed) — SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 6‑99: scheduled from LC‑39A; booster on its 6th flight targeting recovery on Just Read the Instructions.
Dec. 20 — SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 6‑88: first flight of that booster from SLC‑40 targeting recovery on A Shortfall of Gravitas.
Upcoming & Tentative Missions (High Priority)
- Artemis II (NASA) — As early as Feb. 5, no later than Apr. 2026: crewed 10‑day lunar orbital mission from LC‑39B (KSC).
- Blue Origin New Glenn — CLPS/Blue Ring/ESCAPADE follow‑ons: New Glenn made its debut in 2025 and is slated for more certification/operational flights carrying GEO/GTO and CLPS payloads.
- ULA Vulcan Centaur — USSF‑87 (GSSAP) and Vulcan Leo‑1 (Amazon Leo) remain TBD; Vulcan hardware awaiting stacking at CCSFS as of Dec. 1, 2025.
- CLPS Lunar Lander Missions — Intuitive Machines IM‑3 (PRISM), Blue Ghost Mission 2 (Firefly/Blue Ghost follow‑on), Draper Lunar Lander to Schrödinger basin, Astrobotic Griffin on Falcon Heavy — multiple launches planned 2026–2027.
- Vast Space Station — Vast Haven‑1 (uncrewed) and subsequent crewed missions (no earlier than May/June 2026) on Falcon 9/Crew Dragon.
- Dream Chaser — Sierra Space first operational Dream Chaser cargo flight on Vulcan (slipped to late 2026 or later).
Trends, National Security & Reuse Notes
SpaceX dominated the 2025 manifest on the Space Coast, including a growing share of national security missions after ULA’s Vulcan certification delays. Several NSSL Phase‑2 task orders were reshuffled — some missions moved from ULA to SpaceX. ULA continued flying Atlas V and ramping Vulcan as hardware became available; some remaining Atlas V vehicles were reserved for Kuiper and Starliner flights.
Blue Origin entered operational service with New Glenn certification flights and follow‑on missions for GEO/GTO and CLPS customers.
Reusability milestones were prominent: multiple boosters exceeded 20 flights; SpaceX achieved booster‑recovery milestones (300th/500th booster events and the company’s 500th Falcon 9 launch). Booster recoveries at sea (droneships) and land (Landing Zones) remained routine and critical to cadence.
How To Use This Schedule
Planned dates, launch windows and vehicle configurations change frequently. Delays, scrubs and manifest swaps are common. For the latest, consult official launch-provider announcements (SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin, NASA), the Space Launch Delta/Range status pages, and local range notices before traveling to watch a launch.
Note: This summary focuses on Space Coast (Cape Canaveral and KSC) activity in 2025 and selected past context (2023–2024). For full chronological logs and mission details, consult provider press releases and the centralized launch manifest maintained by the launch range.
