If you're anywhere near Cape Canaveral on Saturday night, don't be alarmed by a pair of loud booms — it's just SpaceX bringing a rocket booster home. The Globalstar 2-R mission is scheduled to lift off no earlier than 9:12 p.m. on August 15 from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with a tight 15-minute launch window to work within.
The Falcon 9 will carry Globalstar communication satellites into orbit, heading out on a northeast trajectory after liftoff. Residents living north of the Cape may catch a clear view of the rocket climbing into the night sky, weather permitting.
About eight minutes after launch, the rocket's first-stage booster is set to return and touch down at Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 40. That landing is the source of the sonic booms — the characteristic double crack that has become a familiar, if still surprising, sound for locals who live near the Space Coast. Clear skies could also offer a dramatic view of the booster firing its engines on the descent.
It's worth stepping outside ahead of time if you're in the area — a nighttime booster return is one of the more visually striking events the Space Coast regularly delivers, and this one comes with a built-in sound effect.
This story is based on reporting by Brooke Edwards for Florida Today.
