If you live in Brevard County and plan on an early bedtime Saturday, you may want to set an alarm instead. SpaceX is targeting no earlier than 9:12 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15, for a Falcon 9 liftoff from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket will carry the Globalstar 2-R mission — a batch of Globalstar communication satellites — into orbit.
The launch window is tight at just 15 minutes, so timing matters. If conditions force a scrub, SpaceX has a backup opportunity lined up for Sunday, Aug. 16, starting at 8:54 p.m.
The real showstopper comes roughly eight minutes after liftoff, when the Falcon 9's first-stage booster turns around and heads back to Landing Zone 40, located close to the launch pad. Spectators on the ground will actually see the booster touch down before the sound catches up — then come the sonic booms that have become a signature of Cape Canaveral's booster-return launches.
Whether you're watching from your backyard or a viewing spot along the Space Coast, the combination of a night launch and a booster landing makes this one worth staying up for. Florida Today's Space Team will stream live coverage beginning 90 minutes before liftoff at FloridaToday.com/Space.
Reporting on this launch comes from Florida Today.
