2025 was a landmark year for the Space Coast with roughly 109 launches, the return of Starliner crewmembers and major progress for Blue Origin’s New Glenn. Port Canaveral became the world’s busiest cruise port with more than 8.6 million passengers, while Brevard approved a record $2.5 billion budget. Infrastructure failures — notably a Palm Bay sewage-pipe collapse — and high-profile legal developments, including the release of Jeff Abramowski after 23 years behind bars, will shape local priorities in 2026. Voters may soon consider a renewal of the ½-cent Indian River Lagoon tax, and the region will watch key spaceflight and Artemis timelines next year.
Record Launches and New Frontiers: What the Space Coast Will Face in 2026
Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are pictured addressing the media
The New Year is nearly here, and on the Space Coast 2025 closed with major milestones in aerospace, tourism and local government — and a few stark reminders about aging infrastructure and public safety. Below is a clear, readable review of the year’s biggest stories and what residents can expect in 2026.
Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey in under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for allegedly using his dead brother's credit card.
Space: Starliner, New Glenn and Artemis Timelines
The year’s first headline involved Boeing’s Starliner crewmembers Butch Willmore and Sunita Williams, who returned to Earth on March 18, 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon after an extended stay on the International Space Station. NASA continues to view Starliner as an important redundancy to SpaceX’s Dragon. While SpaceX has completed a dozen NASA missions, Starliner remains in certification — and an uncrewed Starliner cargo flight is expected in 2026. If successful, Starliner could conduct additional crew rotations before the ISS is slated for decommissioning in 2030.
A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off on its inaugural launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday morning, January 16, 2025. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
On Nov. 13, 2025, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket launched its second mission from Cape Canaveral carrying NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to study Mars’ magnetosphere. Industry attention focused on the first-stage booster: on only its second recovery attempt it executed a controlled landing on Blue Origin’s recovery vessel Jacklyn, and the booster returned to Port Canaveral on Nov. 18 to public fanfare. Blue Origin plans more New Glenn activity in 2026, including a flight carrying the Mark 1 uncrewed lunar lander (Blue Moon Pathfinder). Meanwhile, NASA’s Artemis timeline — including Artemis II’s crewed lunar flyaround test and the schedule for Artemis III — should become clearer in 2026.
Mitzie Norman watches raw sewage drift past her home along Turkey Creek in Palm Bay. Untold volumes of raw sewage spilled from a broken sewer pipe near the city's main sewer plant off Clearmont Street late Sunday. City officials were still trying to stop the spill Monday.
Port Canaveral, Tourism and Local Economy
Port Canaveral surpassed PortMiami in 2025 to become the world’s busiest cruise port, handling more than 8.6 million passengers. The port expects roughly 9 million passengers in 2026 as it expands operations: about $255 million in capital projects planned for 2026 and roughly $912 million over the next five years. Port leaders are also negotiating to add a liquid natural gas (LNG) processing facility to support LNG-powered cruise ships and possibly benefit the commercial space industry.
Just after 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 18th, Jeff Abramowski walked out of the Brevard County Detention Center with his arms around his two children, daughter Jamie LeBlanc and son Jesse. Abramowski's release from prison with the help of attorney Kevin McCann, was one of the top stories of 2025. The state dropped his conviction, all charges and vacated his life sentence after new DNA was presented in court.
Local Government and Budget
The Brevard County Commission approved a record-setting $2.5 billion budget in 2025, which included pay raises for law enforcement and firefighters. The budget underscores continued local investment amid growth in aerospace and tourism.
Melissa Calhoun spoke at her family’s home in Central Brevard about how she handled Brevard Public Schools’ decision not to renew her contract over her use of a student’s chosen name.
Infrastructure and Environment
In June, Palm Bay experienced a major sewage spill after a 20-foot section of pipe developed a 2–3 inch crack that released raw sewage along Turkey Creek. Residents reported foul odors inside homes and dead fish in waterways — a stark example of how aging infrastructure is affecting the Indian River Lagoon. Brevard County commissioners voted on Nov. 18, 2025 to begin steps toward a voter referendum to renew the ½-cent Indian River Lagoon sales tax, which raises more than $50 million annually for dredging, septic-to-sewer conversions and stormwater projects. Public workshops are scheduled for Jan. 5 (Titusville City Hall) and Jan. 12 (Palm Bay City Hall), with a possible ballot date of Nov. 3, 2026.
Ashley Phipps and her 10-month-old daughter Abigail at opening day for Brevard County’s first Trader Joe’s, located at 2221 Town Center Ave. at the Avenue Viera.
Crime, Justice and High-Profile Cases
Brevard’s death-row population decreased in 2025 after the state executed Bryan Jennings, convicted of a 1979 rape and murder on Merritt Island. A more recent justice development saw Jeff Abramowski released after prosecutors agreed to retest murder-scene weapons and new DNA evidence led to his conviction and life sentence being overturned; Abramowski spent 23 years in prison. Local attorney Kevin McCann secured the retest; State Attorney Will Scheiner dropped charges after testing but did not declare Abramowski innocent. An evidentiary hearing on compensation for wrongful conviction was held in late 2025, with a written decision expected early in 2026.
Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas, sailed into Port Canaveral early Saturday morning, Aug. 9, officially becoming one of the two largest cruise ships in commercial operation. Star of the Seas matches its Royal Caribbean sister ship, the Miami-based Icon of the Seas, as the world's largest cruise ship.
Homicides fell sharply in 2025, with 22 reported cases by mid-December compared with 45 the previous year. Officials note the decline mirrors national post-pandemic trends, though factors like economic pressure and firearm prevalence could influence future trends. The retrial of accused murderer Erica Dotson — whose first trial ended in a 2025 mistrial after prosecutors were found to have withheld evidence — is expected in 2026.
Education and School Board Developments
In spring 2025, former Brevard Public Schools AP Literature teacher Melissa Calhoun did not have her contract renewed after using a then-senior’s chosen name without written parental consent, a violation of a 2023 Florida Board of Education rule. Calhoun reached a settlement with the state Department of Education that includes a one-year probation should she return to teaching; the district declined to rehire her. In 2026 the school board will consider whether to close Cape View Elementary School in Cape Canaveral and consolidate it with Roosevelt Elementary in Cocoa Beach. School board races will also take place in districts 1, 2 and 5.
Business, Retail and Dining Scene
Brevard’s food and retail landscape expanded in 2025 with more than 50 new restaurants and notable grocery growth — including ALDI, a second Sprouts, and the arrivals of Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Permits indicate additional entrants for 2026 such as Dutch Bros Coffee, Culver’s and CAVA, plus a brewery in Melbourne and a food-truck park in Viera.
We’ll continue tracking these stories into 2026 as the Space Coast balances rapid aerospace and tourism growth with infrastructure, environmental and civic challenges.
