Florida’s 94th Rocket Launch Shatters Previous Record

Florida's Space Coast is poised to shatter its annual orbital rocket launch record for the fourth consecutive year, with the unprecedented 94th liftoff scheduled to occur this weekend. The milestone demonstrates how reusable rocket technology has revolutionized the space industry and transformed the regional economy.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to carry 29 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit at 7:10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. That Starlink mission would tie Florida's latest annual record of 93 launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.

Record-breaking launch arrives ahead of schedule

If SpaceX succeeds with Saturday's mission, the record-shattering 94th launch is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 9, a full 52 days ahead of last year's pace. Blue Origin plans to launch its second New Glenn rocket during a window extending from 2:45 p.m. to 5:11 p.m. from Launch Complex 36 at the Space Force installation.

The New Glenn rocket will send NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft to study the Martian magnetosphere. The enormous rocket represents Blue Origin's growing role in the commercial space industry alongside SpaceX's dominant position.

Reusable rockets transform launch frequency

SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rockets account for 87 of this year's 92 launches and feature first-stage boosters that return to land or touch down atop drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean. Vice President of Launch Kiko Dontchev explained that refurbishing and relaunching boosters accelerates the launch rate to a mission cadence the world has never seen before.

Dontchev illustrated the advantage of reusable technology during a fireside chat at The Economist's Space Economy Summit at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He compared older rocket technology to an airplane where the wings and fuselage fall off during flight, with only passengers reaching their destination.

Reusability has enabled massive launch cadence and unlocked a new mode of transportation similar to historical advances like railroads, interstate highways and the transition from sail ships to steamships. The technology has allowed an entire economy to be built in low-Earth orbit.

Federal curfew complicates future launches

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a rocket launch curfew Thursday via emergency order amid the ongoing shutdown in Washington. Starting Monday, Nov. 10, commercial launches and reentries will only be permitted between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Shifting launches to late-night hours is intended to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficiency of the National Airspace System. The new restriction could complicate scheduling for the numerous missions planned in coming months.

United Launch Alliance was poised to launch the record-tying 93rd rocket Thursday night but called a second straight scrub stemming from an issue with the Atlas V booster liquid-oxygen tank vent valve. That ViaSat-3 mission has yet to be rescheduled.

Dramatic increase from previous years

As recently as 2013, only 10 rockets launched from Cape Canaveral all year, according to Space Florida records. The rise of SpaceX drove new annual records in 2022 with 57 launches, 2023 with 72 launches and 2024 with 93 launches.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets have launched every mission from Florida's Space Coast this year except five. Those exceptions included Blue Origin's maiden New Glenn liftoff, three United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets and one ULA Vulcan rocket launch.

Dontchev said SpaceX officials have increased total Falcon 9 launches from 132 last year to 141 so far this year when including Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The company aims to achieve between 165 and 170 U.S. launches by year's end.

Future expansion promises more growth

Signs point toward even more launches accumulating in the next few years. Stoke Space recently raised $510 million from investors to scale manufacturing of Nova, its planned rocket with reusable first and second stages. The company is constructing new facilities at long-dormant Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Stoke Space CEO and co-founder Andy Lapsa noted that 150 domestic launches or 200 global launches still represents relatively few interactions with the space economy compared to other transportation logistics worldwide. However, the current number represents an order of magnitude higher than the industry has historically achieved.

Economic impact transforms Brevard County

SpaceX's Starlink internet satellite missions have accounted for 60 of this year's Florida launches, with a total of 1,521 satellites launched from the state. Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station has hosted the majority of liftoffs.

Ed Mango, a 34-year NASA veteran who leads Eastern Florida State College's aerospace technology program, said graduates land jobs with Blue Origin, ASRC Federal and Amentum. Just about every student who graduates and wants immediate employment gets a job either before graduation or right after.

Greg Autry, University of Central Florida's associate provost for space commercialization and strategy, said he would not be surprised to see the record increase to 294 launches or 394 launches in the near future. With New Glenn coming online and Starship arriving, the region will see not just more launches but much bigger launches.

U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos noted that Cape Canaveral was vacant 12 years ago and relied totally on NASA. The transformation represents not just a space race or American expertise but a sign that Brevard's economy is booming and attracting new residents. Every person in the county knows that launches occur every two or three days, marking a dramatic shift in the region's identity and economic prospects.