Florida's Space Coast set a record in 2025 with 109 orbital launches. January 2026 at Cape Canaveral opens with multiple SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink flights (29 satellites each) and lists major upcoming missions including NASA's Artemis II lunar flyby and NASA's Crew‑12 mission to the ISS. Most launches originate from Launch Complex 40 and Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B; times are EST and frequently change. Live coverage typically begins 90–120 minutes before liftoff.
Launch Watch: Cape Canaveral Kicks Off January With Multiple Starlink Flights — Artemis II and Crew‑12 Also on the Manifest
NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 members are (from left to right) NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Florida's Space Coast shattered records in 2025 with an unprecedented 109 orbital launches — by far the busiest year on record for Cape Canaveral. As January 2026 begins, the Cape's manifest features a string of SpaceX Starlink missions and several high‑profile upcoming flights, including NASA's crewed Artemis II lunar mission and NASA's Crew‑12 mission to the International Space Station.
An artist's rendering of Sierra Space's Dream Chaser uncrewed space plane.
Below are the latest planned missions from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center. All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST) and subject to change for operational or weather-related reasons. For the freshest timing and range‑safety updates, check official mission pages and floridatoday.com/space.
Upcoming Missions (Selected)
SpaceX — Falcon 9 (Starlink Batch)
Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low‑Earth orbit.
Launch window: 12:00 a.m. to 3:17 a.m. (EST)
Trajectory: Southeast
Location: Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Begins ~90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
SpaceX — Falcon 9 (Starlink Batch)
Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will deploy 29 Starlink internet satellites to low‑Earth orbit.
Launch window: 1:55 p.m. to 5:55 p.m. (EST)
Trajectory: Southeast
Location: Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Begins ~90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
SpaceX — Falcon 9 (Starlink Batch)
Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will loft 29 Starlink internet satellites into low‑Earth orbit.
Launch window: 1:34 p.m. to 5:34 p.m. (EST)
Trajectory: Southeast
Location: Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Begins ~90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
NASA — Artemis II (Crewed Lunar Flyby)
Mission: Four NASA astronauts will fly around the Moon on a roughly 10‑day Artemis II mission designed to advance human lunar exploration.
Launch window: To Be Announced (TBA)
Trajectory: TBA
Location: Kennedy Space Center, Pad 39B
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Coverage begins several hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
SpaceX/NASA — Crew‑12 (Crewed ISS Mission)
Mission: Four crew members from three agencies are scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft bound for the International Space Station.
Launch window: TBA
Trajectory: TBA
Location: TBA
Sonic booms: TBA
Live coverage: Coverage begins about two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
ULA — Vulcan (National Security Payload)
Mission: A ULA Vulcan rocket is planned to carry a national security satellite into geosynchronous orbit.
Launch window: TBA
Trajectory: TBA
Location: Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Coverage begins roughly two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
Blue Origin — New Glenn (Blue Moon Demo)
Mission: Blue Origin's New Glenn is scheduled to launch the Blue Moon lunar lander carrying NASA payloads on a demonstration flight.
Launch window: TBA
Trajectory: TBA
Location: Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Sonic booms: No
Live coverage: Coverage begins about two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
Boeing — Starliner (Uncrewed Cargo/Validation Flight)
Mission: An uncrewed Boeing Starliner will deliver cargo to the ISS and validate a series of in‑flight system upgrades.
Launch window: TBA
Trajectory: TBA
Location: TBA
Sonic booms: TBA
Live coverage: Coverage begins roughly two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
Sierra Space — Dream Chaser (Uncrewed)
Mission: Sierra Space plans to launch its uncrewed Dream Chaser spaceplane atop a ULA Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral.
Launch window: TBA
Location: Launch Complex 41
Live coverage: Begins approximately two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space
Note: Launch dates and windows frequently change. For the latest mission updates and live‑stream information, visit floridatoday.com/space. For questions or comments, contact FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com.
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