The Space Coast saw a record number of launches from the two facilities with 57 in 2022. Space Launch Delta 45 commander Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy said in January that there could be between 86 and 92 potential launches in 2023.
Check back for the latest information on upcoming launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
By The Numbers:
9 Space Coast launches in 2023 (updated Feb. 18) | 7 from Cape Canaveral, 2 from KSC | 9 from SpaceX (8 Falcon 9, 1 Falcon Heavy)
Details on past launches can be found at the end of file.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-1 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SpaceX announced on Twitter it was pushing the launch that had been slated for Thursday afternoon to no earlier than Sunday.
Feb. 27: Crew-6 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching Crew Dragon Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 1:45 a.m. with backup opportunity on Feb. 28. Flying will be NASA astronauts mission commander Stephen Bowen and pilot Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, heading to the International Space Station for around a six-month stay. It’s the sixth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Read more.
MARCH
March 8: Relativity Space Terran-1, a 3D-printed rocket awaiting company’s first-ever launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 16. Launch window runs from 1-4 p..m.: Read more.
No earlier than March 10: After arrival of Crew-6 and departure of Crew-5 to make room for a Cargo Dragon, SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a cargo Dragon spacecraft on CRS-27, the 27th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A.
APRIL
April 8: SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch of ViaSat-3 Americas’ communications satellite from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A. All three boosters will be expended.
TBD, as early as mid-April: Boeing CST-100 Starliner atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station. Read more.
MAY
May 4: First-ever launch of United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Certification-1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41: Slated to carry commercial company Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the moon, and the first two test satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet constellation. Also flying will be another human remains payload for Celestis Inc.,, this time brining the ashes of more than 150 people to space including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan who played “Scotty” on the TV series. Read more.
TBD, as early as May: Officially targeted for the 2nd quarter of the year, Axiom 2 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with a Crew Dragon to be named from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A: The second Axiom Space private mission to the International Space Station following 2022’s Axiom 1 mission. Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will command with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni.
JUNE
TBD In June: SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch a cargo Dragon spacecraft on CRS-28, the 28th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A.
TBD, summer: Polaris Dawn mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with the Crew Dragon Resilience from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The private orbital mission will bring billionaire Jared Isaacman to space for a second time after 2021’s Inspiration4 mission. It’s the first of up to three planned Polaris missions, and will feature a tethered spacewalk. Also flying are Scott Poteet, given the title of mission pilot, specialist Sarah Gillis, and specialist and medical officer Anna Menon. Both Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees. Read more.
OCTOBER
As early as Oct. 10: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy to send NASA’s Psyche probe into space launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A. The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029. Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away. Read more.
UPCOMING: TBD IN 2023
TBD, the first half of 2023: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A on USSF-52, the third mission for the Space Force.
TBD, the first half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on USSF 51 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, fall 2023: Crew-7 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching a Crew Dragon from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A. It’s the seventh SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Flying are NASA astronaut and mission commander Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut and pilot Andreas Mogensen, and two more passengers yet to be announced.
TBD, second half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on first of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, second half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on second of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD, second half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on third of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.
TBD before end of 2023: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. Read more.
TBD, before end of 2023: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A to launch a telecom satellite for Hughes Network Systems called the Jupiter 3
TBD, before end of 2023: United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on the NROL-68 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37-B.
ALREADY LAUNCHED IN 2023
Jan. 3: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-6 mission carrying 114 payloads for a variety of customers blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:56 a.m. Read more.
Jan. 9: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb at 11:50 p.m. Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Read more.
Jan. 15: The fifth-ever flight of SpaceX’s powerhouse Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off at 5:56 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A on a mission for the Space Force dubbed USSF-67. Read more.
Jan. 18: A SpaceX Falcon 9 on the GPS III Space Vehicle 06 mission for the Space Force rose through the pink, orange and blue horizon at 7:24 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Read more.
Jan. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 5-2 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launched at 4:32 a.m. sending up 56 Starlink satellites. Read more.
Feb. 2: Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-3 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 2:43 a.m. 200th successful flight of Falcon 9 on mission to send up 53 Starlink satellites. Read more.
Feb. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Amazonas-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 lifted off at 8:32 p.m. Payload is communications satellite for Hispasat known also as the Amazonas Nexus. Read more.
Feb. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-4 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 launched 55 Starlink satellites at 12:10 a.m. Read more.
Feb. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Inmarsat’s I-6 F2 satellite launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:59 p.m. The second of six planned communication satellite launches, the first of which came in 2021 with the final coming by 2025. Read more.
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