These Space Launches Will Soon Lift Off In FL: Where To Watch

Florida will be launching rockets as often as gators cruise backyards.

Multiple rocket launches are planned in the Sunshine State as soon as 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, when SpaceX will send a Falcon 9 drone ship into orbit to complete NASA's IMAP mission.

IMAP stands for interstellar mapping and acceleration probe. Liftoff will take place at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, about 57 miles east of Orlando.

A day later, the astronautics company's Falcon 9 will skyrocket 28 mini Starlink satellites around 4:36 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station long the central Atlantic coast in Florida.

Sunday was the last time SpaceX put a spacecraft into orbit. A drone ship set out to fulfill a Starlink mission, according to SpaceX's launch schedule.

Also on Thursday, around 8:09 a.m., a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 551 rocket will send 27 Amazon Project Kuiper broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral, according to a Space Flight Now schedule.

The ULAA rocket will reached 280 miles high and will ultimately touch 392 miles. If the launch is successful, Amazon will have 129 satellites in space, according to Space Flight Now. (See a list of other upcoming launches from Florida.)

Here's Where To Catch The Action

SpaceX broadcasts its liftoffs five minutes before the launch starts on its X profile and on a webcast via the X TV app.

But if you want to catch Wednesday's launch in person at Kennedy, the space center will open up a viewing space about 3.9 miles from the launch pad.

Buses that will be taking guests to the visitor complex will begin boarding at 4:30 a.m., with an arrival time of no earlier than 4:15 a.m. Tickets are $75 for admission.

To view Thursday's launch, you may get lucky in Volusia County at FIrst Coast or Fun Coast, St. Lucie County, Martin County and Indian River County, Florida Today reported.

The areas of Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach and Melbourne are Florida's sonic boom hotspots for the state's space coast, Florida Today reported.

According to Kennedy, viewing information for the Blue Origin New Glenn NG-2 launch sometime this month will be available at a later date.

Viewers may want to protect their ears from the thundering sound of the launch. Florida Today reported windows may rattle in Brevard County due to liftoff.

Here are some other places to catch liftoff, as compiled by Florida Today:

• Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Note, there's a charge to park.
• Playalinda Beach, 1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note, there's a charge to park, and access to Canaveral National Seashore isn't always granted depending on capacity and time of day.
• Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note, parking is available on both sides of Max Brewer Bridge.
• Space View Park, 8 Broad St., Titusville
• Sand Point Park, 10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville
• Rotary Riverfront Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville
• Riverfront Park at Cocoa Village, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa (just before State Road 520 Causeway)
• Cocoa Village, near the parks and shops or near the docks
• Various parks on Merritt Island
• Rotary Park, 1899 S. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island
• Kiwanis Park on Kiwanis Island Park Road on Merritt Island
• Port Canaveral, with ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean at port
• Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.
• Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. Parking fee varies.
• Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Lori Wilson Park has a dog park, by the way.
• Sidney Fischer Park, 2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.
• Downtown Cocoa Beach, along Minutemen Causeway
• Tables Beach, 197 SR A1A, Satellite Beach
• The Tides on SR A1A in Satellite Beach
• Various parks, including the Pelican Beach Clubhouse, in Satellite Beach
• Pineda Causeway
• Eau Gallie Causeway
• Front Street Park near Melbourne (U.S. 192) Causeway and U.S. 1 in Melbourne
• Indialantic boardwalk at Melbourne Causeway and SR A1A
• Paradise Beach Park, aka Howard Futch Park, 2301 SR A1A, Melbourne (this is a beachside park)
• Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)
• Sebastian Inlet State Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (cost to enter)
• Wabasso Beach Park, 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, Wabasso
• Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)
• South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)

View the full list on Florida Today.