South Florida Local News

Today is Friday, Feb. 20, the 51st day of 2026. There are 314 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 20, 1939, more than 20,000 people attended a rally held by the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi organization, at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Also on this date:

In 1792, President George Washington signed an act creating the United States Post Office Department, the predecessor of the U.S. Postal Service.

Related Articles

• Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ star, dies at 53
• Prosecutors stand by former Black Panther’s conviction but accuse judge of misconduct when he prosecuted the case
• Judge orders takeover of health care operations in Arizona prisons after years of poor care
• Memorial services for Rev. Jesse Jackson expanded to include South Carolina and Washington, DC
• Rescue group in Las Vegas tries to catch a toucan that escaped its owner before it’s too late

In 1862, William Wallace Lincoln, the 11-year-old son of President Abraham Lincoln and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, died at the White House from what was believed to be typhoid fever.

In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Jacobson v. Massachusetts, upheld, 7-2, compulsory vaccination laws intended to protect the public’s health.

In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an immigration act which excluded “idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, epileptics, insane persons,” among others, from being admitted to the United States.

In 1962, astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, circling the globe three times aboard Project Mercury’s Friendship 7 spacecraft in a flight lasting 4 hours and 55 minutes before splashing down safely in the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1965, America’s Ranger 8 spacecraft crashed into the moon’s surface, as planned, after sending back thousands of pictures of the lunar surface.

In 1998, American Tara Lipinski, age 15, became the youngest-ever Olympic figure skating gold medalist when she won the ladies’ title at the Nagano (NAH’-guh-noh) Olympic Winter Games; American teammate Michelle Kwan took silver.

In 2003, a fire sparked by pyrotechnics broke out during a concert by the rock group Great White at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, killing 100 people and injuring over 200 others.

In 2016, a Michigan man shot and killed six strangers and wounded two others over several hours in the Kalamazoo area in between picking up passengers for a ride service. (Jason Dalton pleaded guilty in 2019 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.)

Today’s birthdays:

• Racing Hall of Famer Roger Penske is 89.
• Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito is 84.
• Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is 84.
• Film director Mike Leigh is 83.
• Actor Brenda Blethyn is 80.
• Actor Sandy Duncan is 80.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is 63.
• Model Cindy Crawford is 60.
• Actor Andrew Shue is 59.
• Actor Lili Taylor is 59.
• Singer Brian Littrell (Backstreet Boys) is 51.
• Actor Lauren Ambrose is 48.
• Actor Jay Hernandez is 48.
• MLB pitcher Justin Verlander is 43.
• Comedian-TV host Trevor Noah is 42.
• Actor Miles Teller is 39.
• Singer Rihanna is 38.
• Singer-actor Olivia Rodrigo is 23.

By MARIA SHERMAN

NEW YORK (AP) — Eric Dane, the celebrated actor best known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria” and who later in life became advocate for ALS awareness, died Thursday. He was 53.

His representatives said Dane died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known also as Lou Gehrig’s disease, less than a year after he announced his diagnosis.

“He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,” said a statement that requested privacy for his family. “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received.”

Dane was born on November 9, 1972 and raised in California. His father, a Navy man, died of a gunshot wound when he was 7. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles to purse acting, landing guest roles on shows like “Saved by the Bell,” “Married…With Children,” “Charmed” and “X-Men: the Last Stand,” and one season of the short-lived medical drama “Gideon’s Crossing.”

His big break arrived in the mid-2000s, when he was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan, a.k.a. McSteamy, on the ABC medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” a role he would play from 2006 until 2012 and reprise in 2021. In 2019, he did a complete 180 and became Cal Jacobs, a troubled married man, in HBO’s provocative drama, “Euphoria,” a role he continued in up until his death.

Dane also starred as Tom Chandler, the captain of a U.S. Navy destroyer at sea after a global catastrophe wiped out most of the world’s population, in the TNT drama “The Last Ship.” In 2017, production was halted as Dane battled depression.

In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body.

ALS gradually destroys the nerve cells and connections needed to walk, talk, speak and breathe. Most patients die within three to five years of a diagnosis.

Dane became an advocate for ALS awareness, speaking a news conference in Washington on health insurance prior authorization. “Some of you may know me from TV shows, such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” which I play a doctor. But I am here today to speak briefly as a patient battling ALS,” he said in June 2025. In September of that year, the ALS Network named Dane the recipient of their advocate of the year award, recognizing his commitment to raising awareness and support for people living with ALS.

A memoir by Dane is scheduled to be published in 2026. “Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments” will be released by Maria Shriver’s The Open Field, a Penguin Random House imprint. According to Open Field, Dane will look back upon key moments in his life, from his first day at work on “Grey’s Anatomy” to the births of his two daughters and learning that he has ALS.

“I want to capture the moments that shaped me — the beautiful days, the hard ones, the ones I never took for granted — so that if nothing else, people who read it will remember what it means to live with heart,” Dane said in a statement around the book’s announcement. “If sharing this helps someone find meaning in their own days, then my story is worth telling.”

The Space Coast ended 2025 with a record 109 launches from SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin. 2026 could see a similar number as all three ramp up plans plus NASA launches the Space Launch System rocket on Artemis II.

Check back for the latest information on upcoming launches.

By The Numbers:

2026: 11 Space Coast orbital launches (updated Feb. 19) | 11 from Cape Canaveral, 0 from KSC | 10 from SpaceX (10 Falcon 9), 1 from ULA (0 Atlas V, 1 Vulcan), 0 from Blue Origin (0 from New Glenn) | 1 human spaceflight (Crew-12)

2025: 109 Space Coast orbital launches, 1 hypersonic missile | 83 from Cape Canaveral, 26 from KSC | 101 from SpaceX (101 Falcon 9), 6 from ULA (5 Atlas V, 1 Vulcan), 2 from Blue Origin (New Glenn on NG-1, NG-2) | 4 human spaceflights (Crew-10, Fram2, Ax-4, Crew-11)

2024: 93 Space Coast launches | 67 from Cape Canaveral, 26 from KSC | 88 from SpaceX (86 Falcon 9, 2 Falcon Heavy), 5 from ULA (2 Vulcan, 1 Delta IV Heavy, 2 Atlas V) | 5 human spaceflights (Axiom Space Ax-3, SpaceX Crew-8, Boeing Crew Flight Test, Polaris Dawn | Crew-9)

2023: 72 Space Coast launches | 59 from Cape Canaveral, 13 from KSC | 68 from SpaceX (63 Falcon 9s, 5 Falcon Heavy), 3 from United Launch Alliance (1 Delta IV Heavy, 2 Atlas V), 1 from Relativity Space | 3 human spaceflights (Crew-6, Ax-2, Crew-7)

Details on past launches can be found at the end of file.

MOST RECENT LAUNCHES

Feb. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-36 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:41 p.m. This was the 26th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic off the coast of the Bahamas, only the second time for the more southern landing destination. Read more.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2026

Feb. 21-22: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-104 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during 9:04 p.m.-1:04 a.m. launch window. This will be the fleet-leading 33rd flight of the first-stage booster, which will aim for a recovery landing downrange on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic.

Feb. 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-110 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during launch window from 3:56-7:56 p.m. This will be the 10th flight of the first-stage booster, which will aim for a recovery landing downrange on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic.

Feb. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-108 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during a launch window TBD. This will be the 30th flight of the first-stage booster, which will aim for a recovery landing downrange on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic.

March 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-41 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during a launch window TBD. This will be the 26th flight of the first-stage booster, which will aim for a recovery landing downrange on a droneship stationed in the Atlantic off the coast of the Bahamas.

TBD, As early as March 3: NASA Artemis II mission to send four crew on 10-day orbital mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said March 3 is a possibility, but the next official launch window would give options on March 6 at 8:29 p.m. with additional windows on March 7, 8, 9 and 11. After that, opportunities fall to April 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and then a new set of opportunities that begin April 30 (PDF of launch times). Read more.

TBD: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on the Amazon Leo – Vulcan Leo 1 mission to carry 44 operational Amazon Leo satellites, the first Vulcan mission to proliferate the constellation formerly known as Project Kuiper. The Vulcan booster and Centaur second stage are at CCSFS awaiting stacking for launch as of Dec. 1, 2025. The launch will use six boosters, the most powerful configuration for Vulcan.

TBD : SpaceX Falcon 9 on Intuitive Machines IM-3 mission with Nova-C lander for NASA’s CLPS task order. Also called PRISM to carry four NASA payloads to the Reiner Gamma region of the Moon, as well as a rover, a data relay satellite, and secondary payloads to be determined. Scientific objectives include gaining an understanding of the Reiner Gamma swirl mini-magnetosphere region and its magnetic and plasma properties.

TBD, Late February: Blue Origin New Glenn on the NG-3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 36 with payload of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellite headed to to low-Earth orbit.

April 3: NG-24 resupply mission on SpaceX Falcon 9, a cargo mission from Northrop Grumman using its Cygnus spacecraft.

TBD : Blue Origin New Glenn carrying Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1), a single-launch, lunar cargo lander that remains on the surface. Will fly one scientific instrument awarded under NASA’s CLPS initiative.

TBD, no earlier than April 2026: Boeing Starliner-1 on ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 41. NASA updated Boeing contract announcing this mission will be uncrewed. This Starliner previously flew on Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Read more.

TBD: Spring 2026: Blue Origin New Glenn mission on payload Blue Ring’s first mission with initial injection into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), with additional services performed in Geostationary Orbit (GEO).  Scout Space to integrate one of its flagship next-generation space domain awareness (SDA) Owl sensors onboard the first mission of Blue Ring,

TBD: Early 2026: SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lander and Elytra Dark orbiting transfer vehicle on Blue Ghost Mission 2 to land on the far side of the moon and take advantage of the radio-quiet environment to deploy an array of antennas, comprising a low-frequency (0.1 to 50 MHz) radio telescope. The telescope will be used to observe the radio sky at frequencies below 50 MHz and will measure the low-frequency foreground of the universe. It will also help evaluate the far side of the moon as a radio-quiet environment, test the hypothesis of the late heavy bombardment of the moon, and test the hypothesis that a major rearrangement of planet distances and the beginning of life on Earth occurred at about the same time. The mission consists of the Blue Ghost lunar lander, the Elytra Dark orbital vehicle, and the Lunar Surface Electromagnetic Explorer Night system (LuSEE Night). Elytra Dark will serve as a transfer vehicle to bring the Blue ghost lander to the moon. Blue Ghost will land on the lunar far side carrying LuSee Night, which will deploy directly from the spacecraft.

TBD, No earlier than May 2026: SpaceX Falcon 9 with Vast Haven-1 uncrewed space station.

TBD, No earlier than June 2026: SpaceX Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon spacecraft with commercial customers for Vast.

TBD, no earlier than July 2026: SpaceX Falcon Heavy flying Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. No longer taking the canceled VIPER rover mission. The Griffin lander will demonstrate its ability to land with no official NASA payload, but will touch down on Mons Mouton near the western rim of Nobile crater close to the lunar south pole. As of October 2026, the payloads are Astrolab’s FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) rover, Astrobotic’s own CubeRover, and several additional payloads to the moon.

TBD, no earlier than late 2026: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on the first Sierra Space Dream Chaser flight to the International Space Station. Mission slipped into 2025 because ULA needed more Vulcan rocket hardware beyond Cert-2 and the two USSF missions that took priority over the Dream Chaser flight. Still on NASA’s manifest for 2025 as of June, but not mentioned on ISS manifest before the end of the year. Read more.

TBD, no earlier than late 2026: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the Starliner-2 mission, which could be the first operational, crewed mission for Boeing’s Starliner under the Commercial Crew Program. Mission is contingent on successful certification of Starliner after completing Starliner-1.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2027 and Beyond

TBD, before end of 2028: NASA Artemis III mission to send four crew on lunar landing mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. Read more.

TBD, 2027: SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the Draper Lunar Lander headed for the moon’s Schrödinger basin on the lunar far side. It will carry three NASA-sponsored science payloads to make geophysical measurements as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Draper Laboratories provides the launch and lander and is partnering with ispace with its APEX 1.0 lander which also will deploy relay satellites into orbit in order to allow communication with Earth from the far side of the moon. Schrodinger basin, a large impact crater near the moon’s south pole, shows evidence of geologically recent volcanic activity. The science payload to be landed there includes seismometers, a drill to allow emplacement of heat flow and electrical conductivity probes, and instruments to study the magnetic field and surface weathering.

TBD, No earlier than 2027: Intuitive Machines on IM-4 mission with Nova-C lander under NASA CLPS initiative with a lander headed to the south pole region of the moon, currently planned for the Mons Mouton region. It will carry a suite of six science payloads, with a total mass of 79 kg, to the surface. These include the Compact Infrared Imaging System, which is an imaging radiometer to make mineralogical and thermophysical measurements on the lunar surface; the Surface and Exosphere Alterations by Landers (SEAL) instrument designed to study the chemical response of the lunar regolith to the lander, as well as to characterize the lunar exosphere at the surface; the Fluxgate Magnetometer (MAG) to characterize the magnetic field of the Moon at low altitudes and on the surface; and a laser retroreflector. It will also carry the Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications (LEIA) science suite, which will study the biological response of yeast to the lunar environment and measure the radiation levels at the lunar surface. In addition, there is a European Space Agency payload, the Package for Resource Observation and in-situ Prospecting for Exploration, commercial exploration and Transportation (PROSPECT), designed to assess the potential use of resources for human exploration.

TBD: Firefly Aerospace with Blue Ghost lander under NASA CLPS initiative. Will feature an orbital transfer vehicle and rover headed to the Gruithuisen Domes on the moon. The objective is to study the composition and origin of the domes and surroundings. It will have a Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering & Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR) robotic arm. The mission will carry a suite of instruments, the Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE). Lunar-VISE includes three instruments on the rover, the Visible Near-InfraRed (VNIR) Imaging Camera, the Compact InfraRed Imaging System, and the Gamma Ray and Neutron Spectrometer. It also has two cameras on the lander, the Context Camera and the Descent Camera. It will also carry the Heimdall imaging suite, a Radio-wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES) radio telescope, the Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS), and the Neutron Measurements at the Lunar Surface (NMLS).

LAUNCHED IN 2026

Jan. 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-88 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:48 a.m. This was the first flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Jan. 9 (Delayed from Jan. 8): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-96 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:41 p.m. This was the 29th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

Jan. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-97 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:08 p.m. This was the 25th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Jan. 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-98 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:08 p.m. This was the 13th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This set a record turnaround for SLC-40 coming 45 hours after a Jan. 12 launch, besting previous record by more than five hours that was set Dec. 9-11, 2025. Read more.

Jan. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-100 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:41 p.m. This was the 24th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic.

Jan. 27 (Delayed from Jan. 26): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the NSSL GPS III mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:53 p.m. Mission was moved from United Launch Alliance to speed up launch (ULA gets a future launch in exchange). Payload is Space Vehicle SV09. Read more.

Jan. 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-101 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:22 a.m. This was the fifth flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on a droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.

Feb. 12, (Delayed from 2024): United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on USSF-87, the rocket’s second planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 4:22 a.m. One of four boosters suffered what looked like a burn through of one of its nozzles about 30 seconds into launch, similar to what a Vulcan launch suffered in 2024 on its second ever flight. ULA said it was able to get its payloads on the proper trajectory, though. They include the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) spacecraft. It’s one of two NSSF Phase 2 contracts awarded to ULA in 2021 originally targeting a launch by the fourth quarter of FY23 with the other launch, USSF-112 originally targeting a launch by the third quarter of FY23. Combined, the two mission task orders had an original contract value of $225 million. Read more.

Feb. 13: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:15 a.m. This was the second crewed launch from SLC-40 after 2024’s Crew-9 debut. All four of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launches in 2025 were from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. Crew are NASA astronauts, commander Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway, mission specialist and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot and mission specialist and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, The Crew Dragon Freedom made its 5th flight. Crew-12 will join Expedition 74 crew members currently aboard the space station. The first-stage booster made its second flight with a return landing for the first time at SpaceX’s new pad at SLC-40 called Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40). The mission is targeting an eight-month stay with an October return. Read more.

Feb. 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-103 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:59 a.m. This was the 10th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic.

LAUNCHED IN 2025

Jan. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Thuraya-4 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:27 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 20th flight and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Jan. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-71 mission with 24 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:43 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 17th flight, having previously launched the Crew-5 human spaceflight and 15 other missions. It made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Jan. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-11 mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 10:27 a.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight with a landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Jan. 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-12 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:11 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for a record 25th time with landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Jan. 13: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-4 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:47 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 15th time with landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Jan. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 1:11 a.m. with both the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost moon lander on Blue Ghost Mission 1, the third of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions, and the Japanese company ispace’s Hakuto-R Mission-2 lunar lander. Blue Ghost is designed to deliver 10 NASA payloads. Blue Ghost is slated to arrive to the moon 45 days after launch for a 14-day mission on the moon. The ispace lander named Resilience won’t arrive for 4 1/2 months after launch. On board is a micro rover built by ispace called Tenacious as well as several commercial payloads. Read more.

Jan. 16 (Delayed from Jan. 10, 12, 13): First launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket on the NG-1 Blue Ring Pathfinder mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 36 at 2:03 a.m. This would be the first of two certification flights for NSSL missions required by the Space Force. Payload will be Blue Origin Blue Ring pathfinder. Originally targeted to be 2nd launch of new rocket. New Glenn’s first launch was planned to be NASA’s Mars-bound ESCAPADE twin satellite mission, but that has been delayed to potentially spring 2025 or later. New debut launch then targeted November, but FAA only gave launch license on Dec. 27, same day as the rocket’s first test hot fire on the pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 36. Jan. 10 and 12 launch windows were waved off because of high seas for booster recovery, and then Jan. 13 attempt scrubbed “to troubleshoot a vehicle subsystem issue” with no new launch date announced. Read more.

Jan. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 13-1 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 12:24 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 8th time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

Jan. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-7 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:05 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 20th time with a landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Jan. 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SpainSat NG 1 mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 8:34 p.m. The first-stage booster made a successful 21st liftoff, but was expended to get the satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Read more.

Feb. 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-3 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:15 a.m. This was the 21st launch for the first-stage booster, which made a  landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

Feb. 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Maxar Digital Globe 3 mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A with a pair of satellites headed to min-inclination orbit at 6:13 p.m. This was the fourth launch of the first-stage booster that made a recovery landing on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. It was the first LZ-1 landing of the year after 12 in 2024 and 6 in 2023. Read more.

Feb. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-9 mission carrying 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:18 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 17th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

Feb. 11: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-18 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:53 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 18th time and made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Feb. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting at 1:14 a.m, This was a record 26th launch for the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

Feb. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-12 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:21 p.m. The was the 16th launch of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in Exuma Sound off the coast of the Bahamas. SpaceX has warned that residents in the Bahamas may hear one or more sonic booms during the first-stage landing. Read more.

Feb. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-14 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:19 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 21st time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Feb. 26: Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:16 p.m. Flying is the company’s second Nova-C lander named Athena featuring NASA’s PRIME-1 drill, to land a drill and mass spectrometer near the south pole of the moon in order to demonstrate the feasibility of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and measure the volatile content of subsurface samples. Also flying is the Lunar Trailblazer, a mission selected under NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, a small satellite designed to provide an understanding of the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the moon, as well as the lunar water cycle. A secondary payload is the AstroForge Odin spacecraft headed for a a near-Earth asteroid named 2022 OB5. The first-stage booster made its ninth flight landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, marking its 100th booster catch. Read more.

Feb. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-13 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:34 p.m. The first-stage booster flew its debut launch and made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

March 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-20 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:24 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the fifth time landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. A fire after landing, though, caused the booster to tumble and be destroyed.

March 12: SpaceX Falcon on the Starlink 12-21 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 10:35 p.m.  The first-stage booster made its 22nd flight with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

March 14 (delayed from March 12): SpaceX Crew-10 mission on SpaceX Falcon 9 in the Crew Dragon Endurance at 7:03 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A. Delayed from a planned February launch because of more time needed for a new Crew Dragon from SpaceX, but then the decision to switch to Endurance moved up the mission by about two weeks. The Crew-10 and a planned summer launch of Crew-11 were awarded in lieu of the now-delayed Boeing Starliner-1 mission after issues with 2024’s Boeing Crew Flight Test mission. Booster flew for the second time with landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Scrubbed March 12 attempt. Read more.

March 15: SpaceX Falcon on the Starlink 12-16 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:35 a.m. The launch came just two days, eight hours, 59 minutes since the previous launch at SLC-40, setting a turnaround record. The first-stage booster flew for the 18th time landing on the Just Read the Instructions droneship.

March 18: SpaceX Falcon on the Starlink 12-25 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:57 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 19th time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

March 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the classified NROL-69 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:48 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the second time with recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. This was the 25th launch of the year. Read more.

March 31 (delayed from March 30) SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-80 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:52 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 17th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

March 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon on the Fram2 private human spaceflight mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A in the Crew Dragon Resilience at 9:46 p.m. It marks the first time humans have flown on a polar orbital mission. Named Fram2 in deference to the ship “Fram” built in Norway that helped explorers get to the Arctic and Antarctica. The crew includes Chinese-born Chun Wang of Malta, an entrepreneur who made a fortune in cryptocurrency and an avid adventurer. Along for the ride will be fellow adventurers Eric Philips of Australia, Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway and Rabea Rogge of Germany. Mikkelsen will take the role of mission commander and Philips the role of pilot. The first-stage booster made its sixth flight with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Resilience is on its fourth trip to space and will land off the coast of California. Read more.

April 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-72 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:07 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 19th time landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

April 12 (Delayed from April 11): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 12-17 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A during at 8:54 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 10th time. It previously flew crewed missions Crew-8, Polaris Dawn and IM-2. It made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

April 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-73 mission carrying 27 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12 a.m. This marked the fleet-leading 27th launch of the first-stage booster that made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 30th launch of the year.

April 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the CRS-32 resupply mission to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 4:15 a.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight with a recovery landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. This was the fifth flight on the Dragon spacecraft. It will dock with the ISS after a 28-hour flight targeting 8:20 a.m. Tuesday. Read more.

April 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Bandwagon-3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:48 p.m. On board this mission were ADD’s 425Sat-3, Tomorrow Companies Inc.’s Tomorrow-S7, and Atmos Space Cargo’s PHOENIX re-entry capsule. This was the third flight for the first-stage booster and it made a recovery landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 2. Read more.

April 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-74 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:52 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for its 23rd time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

April 25: The Army and Navy performed a test launch of the hypersonic missile defense system Dark Eagle from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 46. Read more.

April 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-23 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:09 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 20th time making a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

April 28 (Delayed from April 9, 14): United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 on the Kuiper 1 at 7:01 p.m. on the inaugural launch of Amazon’s Project Kuiper with 27 satellites for the constellation headed for low-Earth orbit. ULA has only 14 more Atlas V rockets including seven more set aside for Amazon. This was ULA’s first launch of the year and the Space Coast’s 35th overall. Read more.

April 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-10 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A at 10:34 p.m. The first-stage booster made its first flight with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic.

May 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-75 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:51 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 18th flight with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.

May 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-84 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A  4:55 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 20th flight making a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

May 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-93 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during four-hour launch window from 8:22 p.m. to 12:22 a.m. May 7, and backup later on May 7 from 7:56-11:56 p.m. This is the seventh flight for the first-stage booster that will attempt a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

May 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-91 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:28 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 11th time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This was the 40th launch of the year.

May 13 (Delayed from May 11): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-83 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 1:09 a.m. Scrubbed May 11 because of high winds. This was the record-leading 28th launch of the first-stage booster, which flew the Crew-3 and Crew-4 missions among 27 previous. It made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. This also marked the 100th Falcon 9 launch from 39-A.

May 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-67 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:38 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the fourth time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

May 20: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-15 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 At 11:19 p.m. This was the debut flight of the first-stage booster that made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

May 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-22 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40  at 1:19 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 24th time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

May 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-32 mission with 27 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 9:30 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 19th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 45th launch of the year. Read more.

May 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the GPS III-7 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40  at 1:37 p.m. This is one of the missions originally awarded to United Launch Alliance under the NSSL Phase 2 contracts, but shifted to SpaceX after delays in ULA’s Vulcan certification. The first-stage booster flew for the fourth time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

June 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 12-19 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:43 a.m. The first-stage booster flew its 21st time with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.

June 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on SiriusXM-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:54 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the eighth time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

June 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 12-24 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:05 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 12th time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

June 13: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-26 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:29 a.m.  The first-stage booster made its 21st launch with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This was the 50th orbital launch of the year from the Space Coast. Read more.

June 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-18 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:55 a.m. The mission included the 9,000th Starlink flown since the first operational mission in 2019. The first-stage booster flew for the fifth time landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

June 23 (Delayed from June 16): United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the Kuiper 2 mission with 27 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. at 6:54 a.m. Launch was ULA’s 2nd of the year following the April 28 launch of Kuiper 1 to put 27 satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper into space, the first of dozens of launches lined up to help build out a constellation of more than 3,200 satellites by 2028 and compete with SpaceX’s Starlink service. Read more.

June 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-23 mission with 27 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting the opening of window from 1:58 a.m. The first-stage flew for the 25th time with a landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

June 25 (delayed from June 10, 11): SpaceX Falcon 9 with unnamed Crew Dragon on Axiom Space Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 2:31 a.m. The crew assigned to Ax-4 includes Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański of ESA/Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. This would be Whitson’s second trip on an Axiom mission to the ISS, and part of NASA’s requirement that former NASA astronaut command commercial mission visits to the ISS. The commercial flight brings four crew for a short stay on the ISS. This mission is targeting a 14-day stay, and will fly up the fifth SpaceX Crew Dragon, which was named Grace once on orbit. This was the second flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing back at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

June 25: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-16 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:54 p.m. carrying 27 more Starlink satellites to orbit. The first-stage booster flew for the 20th time landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. This was the 55th launch of the year.

June 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-34 mission with 27 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:26 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the fifth time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortffall of Gravitas. The launch set a pad turnaround record for SpaceX, coming two days, eight hours, 31 minutes after the Starlink 10-16 launch on June 25.

July 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the MTGS1 mission with the second of EUMETSAT’s third generation of weather satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 5:04 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for its ninth flight with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. MTG-S1 will sample the atmosphere at hyperspectral resolution. Its core instrument, the Infrared Sounder, collects temperature profiles and humidity profiles. The satellite also hosts the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission, which aims to monitor key air quality trace gases and aerosols over Europe in support of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) at high spatial resolution and with a fast revisit time. The mission is part of the European Earth Observation Program “Copernicus” which is run by the European Union together with the European Space Agency (ESA) in cooperation with the European Environment Agency (EEA). Read more.

July 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-25 mission with 27 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:28 a.m. This marked the 500th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket and the fleet-leading 29th launch of the first-stage booster that landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

July 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-28 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:21 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 22nd time making a landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

July 13: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Commercial GTO 1 mission with an Israeli communications satellite called Dror 1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:04 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It marked the 500th successful Falcon 9 launch, with only two failures from 502 missions flown since 2010. Those were in 2015 and 2024. This was the 60th launch on the Space Coast in 2025. Read more.

July 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the KF-01 mission to bring up 24 more satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during at 2:30 a.m. This was the third launch of operational satellites for Amazon’s broadband internet constellation, which is seeking to become a competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink service. The previous two launches were on ULA Atlas V rockets with 27 satellites each. This was the first launch of the booster for this mission, which made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

July 22 (Delayed from July 21): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the mPOWER-D mission with two more communication satellites for Luxembourg-based SES from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:12 p.m. The July 21 attempt aborted with just under 15 seconds on the clock ahead of a 5:27 p.m. liftoff attempt. These are the ninth and 10th O3b mPOWER satellites built by Boeing Space for the company. The are headed to medium-Earth orbit at about 5,000 miles altitude. This was the sixth flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-26 mission with 28 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:01 a.m. This was the 22nd flight of the first-stage booster, which made recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic.

July 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-29 mission with 27 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:37 p.m. This was the 26th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic.

Aug. 1 (Delayed from July 31): SpaceX Crew-11 mission on SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 11:43 a.m. Crew is NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov. This is the first spaceflight for Cardman and Platonov, the fourth trip for Fincke, and the second for Yui, to the orbiting laboratory. The first-stage booster made its third flight having previously flown on a Starlink mission and the Ax-4 mission It made SpaceX’s final landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1 (although SpaceX may still use LZ-2 before new landing sites are created at its SLC-40 and LC-39A sites). This is a record sixth flight for Crew Dragon Endeavour, which made SpaceX’s debut human spaceflight in May 2020 on the Demo-2 mission. This was the 65th launch of 2025. Read more.

Aug. 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-30 mission with 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during launch window at 3:57 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 21st flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It was the 450th reuse of a first-stage booster.

Aug. 11 (Delayed from Aug. 7, 8, 9, 10): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the KF-02 mission to send up next batch of Amazon Project Kuiper satellites, the second of three contracted missions for SpaceX with its Starlink competitor, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:35 a.m. This was the first flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Scrubbed initially for rocket checkouts. Aug. 9 attempt scrubbed because of weather at the launch site. Aug. 10 attempt scrubbed for weather at booster recovery site. This was the 50th CCSFS orbital launch of the year. Read more.

Aug. 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-20 mission with 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:29 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 10th flight and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

Aug. 12 (Delayed from 2024): United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on USSF-106, the rocket’s first Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 8:56 p.m. Payload is two satellites, including the Navigation Technology Satellite-3 headed to geostationary orbit. Built by L3Harris, it’s funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory and potential replacement technology for GPS. USSF-106 is the 2nd of two NSSF Phase 2 contracts awarded to ULA in 2020 originally targeting a launch by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022 (FY22). The first, USSF-51, launched in summer 2024, originally slated to be on Vulcan, but moved to Atlas V, and originally to have been launched  by the second quarter of FY22. Combined, the two mission task orders had an original contract value of $337 million. Read more.

Aug. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the USSF-36 mission with the Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehcile (OTV-8) spacecraft on its eighth mission to space from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 11:50 p.m. The X-37B program, which first launched in April 2010, has accrued 4,208 days in operation. The first-stage booster flew for the sixth time and made a recovery landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 2. This was the 70th launch of the year. Read more.

Aug. 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the CRS-33 resupply mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:45 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for its seventh time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This is the third flight of the cargo Dragon that will be outfitted with reboost capacity for the International Space Station for the first time. Read more.

Aug. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-56 mission with 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 during launch window at 7:10 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 2nd flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

Aug. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-11 mission with 28 satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 1:12 a.m. The first-stage booster made its fleet-leading 30th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

Aug. 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-14 mission with 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:49 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 23rd flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It was SpaceX’s 70th launch of the year from the Space Coast. Read more.

Sept. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-22 mission with 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:56 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 14th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.This was the 75th launch of the year

Sept. 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-57 mission with 28 satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 8:32 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 27th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It marked the 500th recovery of a Falcon booster. .

Sept. 11 (Delayed from Sept. 8, 9, 10): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Nusantara Lima mission headed to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:56 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 23rd flight with a planned recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Sept. 14: Northrop Grumman Cygnus on NG-23 resupply mission to the ISS on SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:11 p.m. This was the fourth flight of the first-stage booster, making a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2. Read more.

Sept. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-61 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:30 a.m. The first-stage booster made its seventh flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 75th launch from SpaceX on the Space Coast for the year and 60th from CCSFS from all providers.

Sept. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-27 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:53 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 11th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 80th launch of the year on the Space Coast and 20th of the year from KSC. Read more.

Sept. 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 7:30 a.m. with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Follow On–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) Observatory and two NASA observatories: the IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory spacecraft.  The first-stage booster made its second flight to space with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.  Read more.

Sept. 25: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-15 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:39 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 22nd flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Sept. 25: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the Kuiper 3 mission with 27 more satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 8:09 a.m. Read more.

Oct. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-59 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:46 a.m. The first-stage booster made its eighth flight and recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Oct. 13 (Delayed from Oct. 9): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the KF-3 mission to launch 24 more satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation lifting off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:58 p.m. This was the third of three contracted Project Kuiper flights Amazon has with SpaceX, and sixth overall flight to put operational satellites into orbit. The other three have been from ULA Atlas V launches this year. This batch would bring Amazon’s satellite total to 153 of the planned 3,236 total needed to be in orbit by July 2029 (Half of which are supposed to be in orbit by July 2026). The first-stage booster flew for second time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 85th launch from the Space Coast in 2025. Read more.

Oct. 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-52 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:27 a.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. It marked the 500th successful landing of a Falcon 9 booster. This marked a record turnaround at SLC-40 coming two days, seven hours, 29 minutes since a launch on Oct. 13. Read more.

Oct. 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-17 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting at 1:39 p.m. The first-stage booster made its fleet-leading 31st flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Oct. 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SpainSat NG II Mission flying a communications satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:30 p.m. This was the 22nd flight for the first-stage booster, but had no recovery because of extra power needed to get the payload to its destination. Read more.

Oct. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-21 mission carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 24th flight with recovery landing downrange on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Oct. 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-37 mission carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:36 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 15th time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 90th Space Coast launch of the year, with all but five coming from SpaceX. Read more.

Nov. 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Bandwagon-4 mission at 1:09 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Carrying 18 payloads for KOREA ADD, Exolaunch, Fergani, Tomorrow Companies Inc., Starcloud, and Vast. This was the third flight for the first stage booster with a land recovery at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2. Read more.

Nov. 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-81 mission carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:30 p.m. This was the fifth flight of the first stage booster that made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Nov. 9 (Delayed from Nov. 8): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-51 mission carrying 29 satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 3:10 a.m. This was the 28th flight of the first stage booster with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. The Saturday launch attempt scrubbed under a minute before liftoff because of bad weather in the booster recovery area. This was the 93rd launch of the year, tying the record on the Space Coast. It’s also the 21st launch from KSC. Read more.

Nov. 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-87 mission carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:21 p.m. This was the third flight of the first stage booster that made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. This marked a record 94th orbital launch for 2025. Read more.

Nov. 13: (Delayed from Oct. 13, 2024, Nov. 9, 12 2025): Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket of the twin spacecraft for ESCAPADE, which stands for Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, for NASA and the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory. Launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 36 at 3:55 p.m. The first-stage booster named “Never Tell Me The Odds” made a successful landing downrange in the Atlantic on recovery vessel Jacklyn. Read more.

Nov. 13: (delayed from Nov. 5,6): ULA Atlas V on the ViaSat-3 F2 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 10:04 p.m. After this launch, all remaining Atlas V rockets are set aside for Amazon’s Project Kuiper (5) or Boeing’s Starliner (6). Read more.

Nov. 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-89 mission carrying 29 satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A. at 10:08 p.m. This was the eighth flight of the first stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Nov. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-85 mission carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:44 a.m.  This was the third flight of the first stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Nov. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-94 mission carrying 28 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:12 p.m. This was the 12th flight of the first stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 99th orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2025.

Nov. 20: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-78 mission carrying 29 satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 10:38 p.m. This was the 23rd flight of the first stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 100th orbital launch from the Space Coast in 2025. Read more.

Nov. 22: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-79 mission carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:53 a.m. This was the ninth flight of the first stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 150th Falcon 9 launch for SpaceX including California missions in 2025.

Dec. 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-86 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 2:44 a.m. This was the fourth launch of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic.

Dec. 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-95 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:18 p.m. This was the 25th flight for the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

Dec. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-92 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 5:26 p.m. This was the fleet-leading 32nd flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. This batch of Starlinks included the 3000th launched in 2025. Read more.

Dec. 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the NROL-77 mission with a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:16 p.m. This was the fourth launch of the first-stage booster, with a recovery at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2, the final planned use of the landing site before SpaceX’s lease at LZ-2 ends on Dec. 31. SpaceX had warned ahead of launch that parts of Central Florida could experience one or more sonic booms. This was the 3rd national security launch for SpaceX in 2025. The mission patch is a flying squirrel, “a symbol of hard work and endurance — always active gathering foundational knowledge from the space domain for the nation and its allies.” NROL-77 was awarded to SpaceX during the NSSL Phase 2 contract task orders in fiscal 2024, the final year of task orders from the Phase 2’s 2000-2024 order years. Read more.

Dec. 11: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-90 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:01 p.m. This was the 16th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This sets a turnaround record between launches for SLC-40, coming 2 days, 2 hours, 44 min since the Dec. 9 NROL-77 mission. Read more.

Dec. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-82 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:25 a.m. This was the ninth flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This was SpaceX’s 100th launch on the Space Coast in 2025. Read more.

Dec. 16 (Delayed from Dec. 15): United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the Amazon Leo 4 mission (formerly Project Kuiper) at 3:28 a.m. The Atlas V was in a 551 configuration launching 27 satellites in Amazon’s seventh overall operational launch (and fourth with ULA). This would increase the constellation to 180 of the planned 3,236 total needed to be in orbit by July 2029. This was ULA’s 6th launch of the year, fifth Atlas V (the other was a Vulcan) and fourth for Amazon. Read more.

Dec. 17, (Delayed from Dec. 15): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-99 mission with 29 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 8:42 a.m. This was the 6th flight of the first-stage booster, which made  a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

LAUNCHED IN 2024

Jan. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Ovzon 3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:04 p.m. This was the first launch of 2024. The 3,968-pound Ovzon 3 satellite is the first privately funded and developed Swedish geostationary satellite ever to be launched, headed for a geostationary transfer orbit where it will then propel itself to its geostationary orbit over 3-4 months at 59.7 degrees east at 22,236 miles altitude. The first-stage booster flew for the 10th time with a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

Jan. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-35 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:35 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 16th flight having previously flown on two crewed and two cargo missions to the International Space Station among others. It managed its recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Jan. 8 (Delayed from May 4, Dec. 24-26): First-ever launch of United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Certification-1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 2:18 a.m. Primary payload was commercial company Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander headed to the moon. Also flying will be another human remains payload for Celestis Inc., this time brining the ashes of more than 200 people to space including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan who played “Scotty” on the TV series. Read more.

Jan. 14 (Delayed from Jan. 13): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-37 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 23 Starlink satellites at 8:52 p.m. The first-stage booster flew its 12th mission and with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. This was the fourth launch from the Space Coast in 2024. Read more.

Jan. 18 (Delayed from Jan. 17): SpaceX Falcon 9 with a Crew Dragon Freedom for Axiom Space’s Axiom-3 mission launched at 4:49 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The crew includes one astronaut each from Italy, Turkey and Sweden while the mission is led by Axiom’s chief astronaut Michael López-Alegría who is making his sixth trip to space. The customers are Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, who will act as pilot. In the two mission specialist roles are Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey and ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden. All three have served in their respective nations’ air forces. The commercial flight brings four crew for a short stay on the ISS. This mission is targeting a 14-day stay with docking planned for Saturday at 5:15 a.m. The first-stage booster made a landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

Jan. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-38 mission with 23 Starlink satellites at 8:10 p.m. liftoff on a southerly trajectory from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A. The first-stage booster made its 18th flight, with past missions including the crewed flights of Inspiration4 and Ax-1, and had a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Jan. 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 with Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft on the NG-20 mission to resupply the International Space Station at12:07 p.m.. This was the first ISS launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40, which SpaceX has been redeveloping to support future crewed missions in addition to KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. This was the first of at least three SpaceX flights of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft as part of a deal after its 10-year run of launches atop Antares rockets ended with the Aug. 1 launch from Wallops Island, Virginia because of issues with Russian- and Ukrainian-made rocket engines and first stage parts that are being redeveloped with Firefly Aerospace for a future Antares rocket not expected until at least 2025. Following launch, the space station’s Canadarm2 will grapple Cygnus no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 1, and the spacecraft will attach to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port for cargo unloading by the Expedition 70 crew. The first-stage booster made its 10th flight and returned for a touchdown at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

Feb. 8 (Delayed from Feb. 6, 7): NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol Cloud Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:33 a.m. PACE will advance the assessment of ocean health by measuring the distribution of phytoplankton, tiny plants and algae that sustain the marine food web, as well as clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere. The first-stage booster flying for the fourth time made a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

Feb. 14: A SpaceX Falcon 9 on the USSF-124 mission launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:30 p.m. Payloads included two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency to track hypersonic missiles and four more satellites for the Tranche 0 constellation for the Space Development Agency. The first-stage booster flew for the seventh time with a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2. Read more.

Feb. 15 (Delayed from Nov. 14, Jan. 12, Feb. 14): SpaceX Falcon 9 for the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission with the company’s Nova-C lunar lander Odysseus from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 1:05 a.m. This could end up being the first NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) mission to land on the moon after the failure of Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander. The IM-1 has a suite of six NASA payloads as part of a CLPS delivery and another six privately organized payloads. Landing would take place Feb. 22.Read more.

Feb. 20: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Merah Putih 2 mission, a communications satellite for Telkom Indonesia, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:11 p.m. into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. This was the 11th launch from the Space Coast in 2023 and 300th successful Falcon 9 launch since its debut in 2010, having only had one mid-launch failure in 2015. This was the 17th launch of the first stage booster, and it made a recovery landing downrange on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Feb. 25 (delayed from Feb. 24): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-39 mission sending up 24 Starlink satellites launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:06 p.m. This was the 12th launch from the Space Coast in 2024. The first-stage booster for the mission flew for the 13th time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

Feb. 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-40 mission with 23 Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:30 a.m. This was the 13th launch from the Space Coast in 2024. The first-stage booster for the mission flew for the 11h time and made recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

March 3 (delayed from Feb. 22, 28, March 1, 2): SpaceX Crew-8 on Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A  at 10:53 p.m. Bad weather on the ascent corridor took the first three launch options on March 1 and 2 off the table. It’s the eighth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Its four crew members are NASA astronauts Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin. They flew up in the Crew Dragon Endeavour making its fifth trip to space. The first-stage booster made its first flight. The mission had originally been targeting Feb. 22, but that was the target day for the Intuitive Machines attempt to land on the moon, and NASA chose to move the launch to “deconflict” NASA support operations that day. Read more.

March 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-41 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:56 p.m. The first stage booster flew for the 13th time and made a recovery landing on the droneship  A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

March 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-43 mission sent up 23 more Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:05 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 11th time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 16th launch from the Space Coast in 2024. Read more.

March 15 (Delayed from March 13, 14): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-44 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 8:21 p.m. after scrubbing launches on both Wednesday and Thursday with about 2 minutes on the countdown clock. The booster flew for a record-tying 19th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

March 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the CRS-30 resupply mission with a Cargo Dragon to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:54 p.m. This was the first Dragon launch from SLC-40 since the addition of a crew access arm to support Dragon launches from more than one Space Coast pad and augment normal launches from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The first-stage booster made a recovery landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

March 23 (delayed from March 22): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-42 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 11:09 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for 19th time.

March 25: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-46 mission sending up 23 more Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:42 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the eighth time and landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship.

March 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Eutelsat-36X mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 5:52 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 12th time with a landing on the Just Read the Instructions droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This was 20th SpaceX launch from the Space Coast in 2024 and 21st among all companies. Read more.

March 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-45 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:30 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 18th time with a landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

April 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-47 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:12 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 14th time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. It was the 275th recovery of a Falcon 9 booster for SpaceX. Read more.

April 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the the Bandwagon-1 mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 7:16 p.m, The first-stage booster flew for the 14th time and made a recovery landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. The 11 satellites on board are flying to a mid-inclination orbit. This is the first of a new type of rideshare program flying to that orbit that augments SpaceX’s Transporter program that flies to SSO. Read more.

April 9 (Delayed from March 28): United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on the NROL-70 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37 at 12:53 p.m. This was the final Delta IV Heavy rocket launch ever, and last of any Delta rocket, which has been flying for more than 60 years. The Space Force has one more launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket before future missions transition to ULA’s new Vulcan Centaur. Read more.

April 10: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-48 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:40 a.m. The first-stage booster made its second flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

April 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-49 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:40 p.m. The launch set a turnaround record for launches from SLC-40 at two days and 20 hours since the Aug. 10 launch. The previous record was Aug. 3-6, 2023 at three days, 21 hours, 41 minutes. The first-stage booster also flew for a record 20th time making a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

April 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-51 mission with 23 Starlink satellites launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 5:26 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 12th flight and landed downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

April 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-52 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:40 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the seventh time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

April 23 (Delayed from April 22): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-53 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:17 p.m. This was the 30th Space Coast launch of the year, with all but two coming from SpaceX. It also marked the 300th successful recovery of a first-stage booster among Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. Of note, the launch came 16 minutes ahead of a Rocket Lab launch from New Zealand. Read more.

April 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Galileo L12 mission carrying satellites for the European Commission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 8:34 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for a record-tieng 20th time, but was expended getting the payload to medium-Earth orbit. Read more.

April 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-54 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:08 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

May 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-55 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:37 p.m. This was the 19th flight of the first-stage booster, which launched both Crew 3 and Crew 4 human spaceflight missions. It’s recovery landing was on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic.

May 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-57 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 2:14 p.m. The first-stage booster for the flight made its 15th trip to space with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic Ocean on SpaceX’s droneship Just Read the Instructions.  Read more.

May 8 (Delayed from May 7): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-56 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 2:42 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the third time having launched Crew-8 and a Starlink mission. It made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

May 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-58 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:53 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 15th time with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

May 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-59 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral SLC-40 at 8:32 p.m. This marked the 21st flight for the first-stage booster, the most in the booster fleet, having previously flown on human spaceflight missions Inspiration4 and Axiom Space’s Ax-1 among others. It made another recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

May 22: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-62 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral SLC-40 at 10:35 p.m. This was the eighth flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

May 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-63 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 10:45 p.m. This was the 13th flight of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

May 28 (Delayed from May 27): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-60 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral SLC-40 at 10:24 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 10th time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

May 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-64 mission carrying 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral SLC-40 at 10:37 p.m. The booster flew for the 14th time making a landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, a record turnaround for droneship recovery coming less than 84 hours since the previous recovery landing on May 28. Read more.

June 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink g8-5 mission carrying 20 Starlink satellites including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:16 p.m.  This was the 20th flight of the first-stage booster that made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

June 5 (Delayed from June 1, May 6, 17, 21, 25 2024; July 21, 2023; April 22, 2024): Boeing CST-100 Starliner atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 10:52 a.m. on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) carrying NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station followed by a parachute-and-airbag-assisted ground landing in the desert of the southwestern United States. The May 6 attempt was scrubbed two hours before liftoff because of valve on ULA’s upper Centaur stage that teams continue to investigate. Teams deemed the valve needed to be replaced and the rocket needed to be rolled back from the pad to Boeing’s Vertical Integration Facility. A helium leak in the Starliner capsule further delayed it from a planned May 17 target to May 21 and then May 25. A June 1 attempt scrubbed with less than 4 minutes on the countdown clock. Read more.

June 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-1 mission carrying 22 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:56 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 16th time landing on the droneship  A Shortfall of Gravitas. It also marked the 300th landing of a Falcon 9 booster.

June 20 (Delayed from June 18, 19): SpaceX Falcon 9 on SES 24 mission flying the ASTRA 1P communication satellite for Luxembourg-based communications company SES for TV markets in Germany, Spain and France from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:35 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the ninth time making another recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, the 250th time SpaceX had used a droneship for a successful recovery. Read more.

June 23 (Delayed from June 12,13,14): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-2 mission with 22 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:15 p.m. An abort at T-0 on June 14 forced SpaceX to delay its launch nine days and change out the first-stage booster. The new booster made its 11h flight with a landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

June 25: SpaceX Falcon Heavy on its 10th launch ever with payload of the GOES-U satellite for the NOAA from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 5:26 p.m. The two side boosters returned for a land landing at Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station while the center core stage fell into the ocean. Read more.

June 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-3 mission with Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:14 a.m. The booster for the flight made a record 22nd launch with a landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 8-9 mission carrying 20 Starlink satellites including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:55 a.m. This was the 16th flight of the first-stage booster, which was previously on the pad for the Starlink 10-3 mission, but was changed out after an issue when it hit T-0 during a launch attempt. It made a landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. Read more.

July 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Turksat 6A mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:30 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 15th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-9 mission launching 23 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 1:45 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 17th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic. The launch was the first since a California Starlink launch that ended up with a second-stage failure that grounded the Falcon 9. Read more.

July 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-4 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:09 a.m. This was the 14th flight of its first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This marked the 300th successful reflight of a booster. Read more.

July 30: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on USSF-51 with classified payload from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 6:45 a.m. One of 16 remaining Atlas V rockets for ULA. Read more.

Aug. 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-6 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 1:01 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 12th time with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. It was SpaceX’s 50th launch from the Space Coast for the year. Read more.

Aug. 4 (Delayed from Aug. 3): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the NG-21 resupply mission taking up the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft with cargo to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:03 a.m, The first-stage booster flew for the 10th time and made a land recovery at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. This was the 2nd time SpaceX has flown the Cygnus spacecraft. Weather led to a scrub of the Aug. 3 attempt, but SpaceX was able to launch despite Tropical Storm Debby churning off Florida’s southwest coast. Read more.

Aug. 10 (Delayed from Aug. 9): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-3 mission with 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:50 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 21st time, one of four boosters with more than 20 flights among the SpaceX fleet. It landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Was scrubbed from Friday because of bad weather in the launch recovery zone in the Atlantic.  Read more.

Aug. 12 (Delayed from Aug. 10, 11): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 10-7 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 6:37 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 17th time landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Aug. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Maxar 2 mission flying two of Maxar Techologies’ WorldView Legion Earth-observation satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 lifting off at 9 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 16th time with a recovery at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. This was the 199th Falcon 9 launch from SLC-40. Read more.

Aug. 20: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink g10-5 mission carrying 22 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit, launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:20 a.m. This was the first flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Aug. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 8-6 mission carrying 21 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting at 3:48 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for a record 23rd time, but did not make a successful landing. Its previous missions included the Inspiration4 and Axiom Space Ax-1 crewed launches. It tipped over during its recovery landing attempt downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. The FAA grounded Falcon 9 pending a SpaceX investigation. Read more.

Aug. 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 8-19 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 21 Starlink satellites at 3:43 a.m. Its first-stage booster made its 18th flight and stuck the landing without issue on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Sept. 5 (Delayed from Sept. 4): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 8-11 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:33 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 15th flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. A Sept. 4 launch attempt was scrubbed because of poor weather conditions downrange for the booster recovery. Read more.

Sept. 10: (Delayed from Aug. 28, Aug. 27, July 31, summer 2023): Polaris Dawn mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with the Crew Dragon Resilience from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A at 5:23 a.m. 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.

Sept. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the BlueBird mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:52 a.m. on a mission to place five BlueBird satellites for Midland, Texas-based AST SpcaeMobile. The satellites are part of a space-based cellular broadband network in low-Earth orbit to be accessible by everyday smartphones for both commercial and government use across the U.S. and in select global markets. Beta test users will be for AT&T and Verizon. The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time making a return landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. This was the 60th Space Coast launch of the year for SpaceX. Read more.

Sept. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Galileo L-13 mission for the European Commission headed to medium-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:50 p.m. The payload’s MEO orbital needs required a previous mission to expend its booster back in April, but SpaceX has adjusted design to recover this mission’s booster making its 22nd flight with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Sept. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Crew-9 mission flying aboard the Crew Dragon Freedom, flying for its fourth time, on the first human spaceflight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:17 p.m.  Crew was only two to make room for Boeing Starliner CFT crew astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the return flight next February. Commander is NASA astronaut Nick Hague, the first active Space Force member to launch to space on his third launch, and Roscomos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov making his first flight. Original crew members, NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, who was originally slated to be commander but would have been making her first spaceflight, and Stephanie Wilson, a veteran of three space shuttle flights, were pulled from the mission. This is Hague’s third launch, although his first was an aborted Soyuz mission. This is Gorbunov’s first spaceflight. They mission is slated to return with four in February 2025. Of note, this will also be the first human spaceflight from SLC-40 as KSC’s pad will be in preparation for the Europa Clipper launch in October. The first-stage booster made a recovery landing on land at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

Oct. 4: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on the Cert-2 mission at 7:25 a.m. Originally supposed to fly Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight, but payload switched to an inert mass simulator because of potential Dream Chaser delays beyond October launch date. Launch was from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. Read more.

Oct. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch the Hera mission for the European Space Agency (ESA) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:52 a.m. Hera will visit the asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos as part of the NASA/ESA Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) collaboration. The initial mission of the collaboration, the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will have visited the asteroids earlier and impacted Dimorphos with sufficient momentum to effect a measurable change in its orbit. The first-stage booster flew for a record-tying 23rd time, but it did not attempt a landing as it was expended to get Hera into an interplanetary transfer orbit. Read more.

Oct. 14 (Delayed from Oct. 10): SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 12:06 p.m. on the Europa Clipper mission to travel 1.8 billion miles to investigate Jupiter’s moon Europa to determine whether there are places below Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life. The mission’s detailed investigation of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. NASA and SpaceX stood down from Oct. 10 opportunity to allow for Hurricane Milton to pass. The first-stage boosters made their 6th and final flights with no recovery. Read more.

Oct. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:10 a.m. The booster flew for the 11th time and landed on A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Oct. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 8-19 mission with 20 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:31 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 17th time landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Oct. 23 (Delayed from Oct. 22): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-61 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:47 p.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 18th time landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. The mission marked the 72nd from all launch service providers on the Space Coast in 2024, tying the record set in 2023. Read more.

Oct. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:47 p.m. The first-stage booster made its 19th launch with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It was the record-setting 73rd launch from the Space Coast for the year. Read more.

Oct. 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 10-13 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:10 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission made its 14th launch with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic Ocean on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This was a record 69th launch for SpaceX from the Space Coast for the year, although not a record for SLC-40, which had 55 launches in 2023, and only 51 so far in 2024.  Read more.

Nov. 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the CRS-31 mission flying up a Cargo Dragon with supplies to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 9:29 p.m. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight (Flew Crew-8, Polaris Dawn, 2 Starlink missions) and with a recovery landing on land back at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. This is fifth flight of the Dragon spacecraft having flown CRS-21, CRS-23, CRS-25 and CRS-28. It has a 13-hour flight to the ISS with plans to dock Nov. 5 at 10:15 a.m. It’s carrying 6,000 pounds of food, supplies and equipment along with new experiments including the solar wind Coronal Diagnostic Experiment, Antarctic moss to observe cosmic radiation and microgravity on plants, a device to test cold welding of metals in microgravity, and an investigation that studies how space impacts different materials. Read more.

Nov. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-77 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 3:17 p.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Nov. 11: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Koreasat-6A mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 12:22 p.m. This was the 23rd mission for the first-stage booster, which made a record recovery return to nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. It became the first SpaceX booster to successfully make 23 landings, although two previous boosters launched 23 times. One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion. Read more.

Nov. 11 (delayed from Nov. 10): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-69 mission with 24 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:28 p.m. The first-stage booster for this mission made its 12th flight and made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. The launch came 4 hours and 6 minutes after the Koreasat-6A mission at neighboring KSC. Read more.

Nov. 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-68 mission with 24 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:21 a.m. The first-stage booster for the mission made its 18th flight with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Nov. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Optus-X mission to launch a geostationary communication satellite built by Northrop Grumman for the Australian company Optus from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A during window at 5:28 p.m. This was the 16th mission for the first-stage booster, which was used on Crew-5, CRS-28 and NG-20 among other missions, making another recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Nov. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the GSAT-20 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:31 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission flew for the 19th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

Nov. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-66 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:07 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 20th time and made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Nov. 25: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starliner 12-1 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:02 a.m. with 23 Starlink satellites including 12 with Direct to Cell capabilities. The first-stage booster made its 13th flight landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. The booster turnaround from its last flight set a record for SpaceX coming at 13 days 12 hours 44 minutes.

Nov. 26 (Delayed from Nov. 25): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-76 mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 11:41 p.m. This was the 15th flight for the first stage booster with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

Nov. 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-65 mission with 24 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12 a.m. First-stage booster flew for the 6th time making a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

Dec. 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-70 mission with 24 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:13 a.m. This was the record 24th launch of the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Read more.

Dec. 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Sirius XM-9 mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 11:10 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 19th time landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions, which had its 100th booster landing. The mission was the 3rd in less than 30 hours for SpaceX among its 2 Florida and 1 California launch pads. Read more.

Dec. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-5 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:12 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the second time having been one of the two used on the GOES-U Falcon Heavy mission. It made a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

Dec. 12: Army and Navy hypersonic missile launch test from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 46. Read more.

Dec. 16 (Delayed from Dec. 13): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the RRT-1 mission of a GPS III satellite under a National Security Space Launch contract that switched from United Launch Alliance because of delays in Vulcan rocket certification. Launch occurred from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:52 p.m. This was the fourth launch of the first-stage booster that made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. The mission was one of five awarded in 2023 to ULA under the NSSF Phase 2 task orders worth $566 million, but the individual value was not released by the DOD. SpaceX that year had been awarded three missions worth $280. With the switch, the five years’ worth of orders under NSSF Phase 2 have ULA with 25 missions ordered to SpaceX’s 23 missions, for what was originally targeted to be a 60% to 40% order ration in favor of ULA. Read more.

Dec. 17 (Delayed from Dec. 15): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the mPower-E Mission with two telecom satellites for Luxembourg-based SES from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 5:26 p.m. This was the first launch of the first-stage booster with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. It marked the 90th launch in 2024 from all providers on the Space Coast. Read more.

Dec. 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-2 mission from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 12:35 a.m. First-stage booster made its 14th flight landing on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic.

Dec. 29 (Delayed from Dec. 20, 22): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Astranis MicroGeo mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at midnight. The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster. The new one flew for the 7th time, having also flown on the Crew-8, Polaris Dawn, CRS-31 and three Starlink missions. It made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic. This was the 92nd launch of the year on the Space Coast. Read more.

Dec. 31 (Delayed from Dec. 30): SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 12-6 mission with 21 Starlink satellites including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 12:39 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 16th time having previously flown the Crew-6 mission among its 15 other flights. It made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. This was the 93rd and final launch of the year on the Space Coast. Read more.

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. This set a then-record turnaround between launches from the same pad for SpaceX coming just five days, three hours, and 38 minutes since the Feb. 6 launch. 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.

Feb. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-1 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:13 p.m. carrying 21 of the second-generation Starlink satellites. Read more.

March 2: Crew-6 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching Crew Dragon Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 12:34 a.m. A Feb. 27 attempt was scrubbed with less than three minutes before liftoff. Flying were 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 9: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb launched at 2:13 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

March 14: After arrival of Crew-6 and departure of Crew-5 to make room for a cargo Dragon, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a cargo Dragon spacecraft on CRS-27, the 27th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at 8:30 p.m. Read more.

March 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES 18 and 19 mission, a pair of communication satellites set to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Set a record for SpaceX mission turnaround with launch only four hours and 17 minutes after a Starlink launch from California. Read more.

March 22: Relativity Space Terran-1, a 3D-printed rocket awaiting company’s first-ever launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 16 at 11:25 p.m. While first stage successfully separated, the second stage engine did not get it into orbit. Read more.

March 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:43 a.m. carrying 56 Starlink satellites to orbit. The booster made its 10th flight. Read more.

March 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station launched at 4:01 p.m. The booster making its fourth flight landed on Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

April 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Intelsat 40e mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:30 a.m. Read more.

April 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Starlink 6-2 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:31 a.m. with 21 Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its eighth flight with a recovery on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

April 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES 03b mPOWER-B mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 6:12 p.m. Read more.

April 30: SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch of ViaSat-3 Americas’ communications satellite from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 8:26 p.m. All three boosters were expended, so no sonic boom landings. Also flying were payloads for Astranis Space Technologies and Gravity Space headed for geostationary orbits. It’s the sixth-ever Falcon Heavy launch. The launch pad endured a lightning strike on April 27, but SpaceX said the rocket was healthy for the attempt. Read more.

May 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with 56 Starlink satellites at 3:31 a.m. The first-stage booster making its eighth flight was recovered once again on the droneship called A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

May 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launnched at 1:03 a.m. Read more.

May 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:19 a.m. carrying 22 second-gen Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight and landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in Atlantic. Read more.

May 21: Axiom 2 mission with four private passengers launched to the International Space Station for an eight-day visit flying on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with Crew Dragon Freedom from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at 5:37 p.m.  The first-stage booster flew for the first time with a return to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. This is only the second crewed mission from the U.S. in 2023 following March’s Crew-6 mission. 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 is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni. Read more.

May 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the ArabSat BADR-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:30 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 14th flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

June 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-4 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 22 second-generation Starlink satellites at 8:20 a.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight and was able to land down range on droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. The launch came 13 years to the day since the first Falcon 9 launch in 2010. It was the 229th attempt of a Falcon 9 launch with 228 of the 229 successful. Read more.

June 5 (Delayed from June 3, 4): SpaceX Falcon 9 on CRS-28 launched a cargo Dragon spacecraft, the 28th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at at 11:47 a.m. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight and SpaceX recovered it downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. This is the fourth flight of the crew Dragon, which will be bring up nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies, dock to the station 41 hours after launch and remain on the station for three weeks. Read more.

June 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-11 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 53 of the company’s internet satellites at 3:10 a.m.  The first stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

June 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the PSN MSF mission to launch the Satria communications satellite for the Indonesian government and PSN, an Indonesian satellite operator. This satellite will provide broadband internet and communications capability for public use facilities in Indonesia’s rural regions. Liftoff was at 6:21 p.m. with the first-stage booster making its 12th flight and once again landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

June 22: United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on NROL-68 for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command and the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37B lifted off at 5:18 a.m. This was the second-to-last Delta IV Heavy launch with the final one expected in 2024. Read more.

June 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 5-12 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 carrying 56 Starlink satellites at 11:35 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the ninth time and landed on a droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

July 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the ESA Euclid space telescope mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:12 a.m. The European Space Agency telescope is designed to make a 3D map of the universe by looking at billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away across one third of the sky. Read more.

July 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:58 p.m. The booster made a record 16th flight and was recovered again downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-15 mission with 54 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:50 p.m. (early Friday scrubbed 40 seconds before launch, and early Saturday option passed over) Booster made a record-tying 16th fligh landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

July 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:50 p.m. carrying 22 of its v2 mini Starlink satellites. The booster flew for the sixth time and made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-7 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:01 a.m. with 22 Starlink satellites. Booster flew for the 15th time including crewed launches Inspiration4 and Ax-1, and made recovery landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. The launch set a record for turnaround time for the company from a single launch pad coming four days, three hours, and 11 minutes since the July 23 launch. The previous record was set from Feb. 6-12 at five days, three hours, and 38 minutes. Read more.

July 28: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A that launched a telecom satellite for Hughes Network Systems called the Jupiter 3 EchoStar XXIV at 11:04 p.m. The two side boosters were recovered at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This was the third Falcon Heavy launch of 2023 and seventh overall. Read more.

Aug. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Intelsat G-37 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1 a.m. The first-stage booster made its sixth flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Aug. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:41 p.m. with 22 Starlink V2 minis. The first-stage booster made its fourth flight with another recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. The turnaround time between the Aug. 3 Intelsat G-37 mission and this mission broke SpaceX’s previous record for time between launches from a single launch pad. Previous record was from July 24-28 with a turnaround of four days, three hours, and 11 minutes. This one came in at three days, 21 hours, 41 minutes. Read more.

Aug. 11: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-9 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:17 a.m. Payload is 22 of the V2 mini Starlink satellites. First-stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

Aug. 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 22 of the V2 mini Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its 13th flight and SpaceX was able to recover it again on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

Aug. 26: SpaceX Crew-7 mission on a Falcon 9 launching the Crew Dragon Endurance from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A lifted off at 3:27 a.m. liftoff. 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, mission specialist JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and mission specialist Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. This will be Endurance’s third spaceflight after having been used on the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions. The launch will use a new first-stage booster. The crew will arrive at 8:50 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 27. with hatch opening about two hours later. It will stay docked about 190 days. Read more.

Aug. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-11 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:05 p.m. with 22 Starlink satellites. The first stage flew for the third time and landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Aug. 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-13 mission carrying 22 of the v2 Starlink minis from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:21 p.m. It was SpaceX’s ninth launch of the calendar month matching the record nine launches it had in May. It was the company’s 60th orbital launch of the year. The first-stage booster flew for the seventh time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

Sept. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-12 mission carrying 21 of the v2 Starlink minis from Kennedy Space Center’s Space Launch Complex 39-A at 10:47 p.m. It marked the 62nd SpaceX orbital launch in 2023 besting the 61 launches the company performed in 2022. The first-stage booster on the flight made its 10th launch and was able to make its recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Sept. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-14 mission carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 took off at 11:12 p.m. The first-stage booster made its seventh flight with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

Sept. 10 (delayed from Aug. 29): United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 for the National Reconnaissance Office and Space Force from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 8:47 a.m.. Delayed because of Tropical Storm Idalia. This was the second ULA launch of 2023. SILENTBARKER’s classified mission is to improve space domain awareness to support national security and provide intelligence data to U.S. senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. It will provide the capability to search, detect and track objects from space-based sensors for timely custody and event detection. Read more.

Sept. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-16 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launching at 11:38 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission made its fifth flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. It marked SpaceX’s 65th orbital launch of the year including missions from Canaveral, KSC and California. Read more.

Sept. 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-17 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launching at 11:38 p.m. This was a record reuse flight for the first-stage booster flying for a 17th time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Short Fall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Sept.23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-18 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:38 p.m. The first-stage booster made a record-tying 17th flight with a recovery landing down range on droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Sept.29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-19 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10 p.m. The booster on this flight made its 10th launch having flown on CRS-24, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13F, OneWeb 1, SES-18 and SES-19 and five Starlink missions. It made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. This was SpaceX’s 69th launch of the year, its 49th from the Space Coast, 39th from Cape Canaveral and the other 10 from KSC. With only three non-SpaceX flights this year, it was the Space Coast’s 52nd overall. Read more.

Oct. 5: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-21 mission with 22 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:36 a.m.  The booster made its eighth flight with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. This was SpaceX’s 70th launch of the year, its 50th from the Space Coast, 40th from Cape Canaveral. With only three non-SpaceX flights this year, it is the Space Coast’s 53rd overall. Read more.

Oct. 6: United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 2:06 p.m. Payload was Amazon’s two test Project Kuiper satellites that were set to fly on ULA’s first Vulcan Centaur rocket, but switched to one of the nine Atlas rockets Amazon had previously purchased from ULA as Vulcan had been delayed to no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2023. Read more.

Oct. 13 (Delayed from Oct. 12): A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launched NASA’s Psyche probe into space launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A at 10:19 a.m. 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. The two side boosters returned for a land landing at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Read more.

Oct. 13 (Delayed from Oct. 8): SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-22 mission with 22 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:01 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission is making its 14th flight, and made another recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas down range in the Atlantic. The launch came 8 hours and 42 minutes after the Falcon Heavy launch from nearby KSC earlier in the day. Read more.

Oct. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-23 mission with 22 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:36 p.m. This is the first-stage booster made its 16th flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. This marked the Space Coasts’ 57th launch of the year, which matched the total it had in 2022. Read more.

Oct. 21: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-24 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:17 p.m. The first-stage booster made its fourth flight with a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. This became the record 58th launch from the Space Coast for the year. Read more.

Oct. 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-25 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:20 p.m. This was the 59th launch from the Space Coast for the year. The first-stage booster flew for the eighth time and made a  recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed down range in the Atlantic. Read more.

Nov. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-26 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:37 p.m. This was the 60th launch from the Space Coast for the year. The first-stage booster flew for a record 18th time and made a  recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed down range in the Atlantic. Read more.

Nov. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-27 mission with 23 of its Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 12:05 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 11th flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 61st launch from the Space Coast for the year. Read more.

Nov. 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 with cargo Dragon on the CRS-29 mission to carry supplies to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-B at 8:28 p.m. It’s the 29th resupply mission for SpaceX with its cargo Dragon filled with 6,500 pounds of supplies for the Expedition 70 crew with an expected arrival to the ISS about 5:20 a.m. Saturday. It includes NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) science experiment to measure atmospheric gravity waves and how it could affect Earth’s climate and the Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low-Earth-Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T), a technology demonstration for laser communications among the ISS, an orbiting relay satellite and a ground-based observatory on Earth. The first-stage booster flew for the second time and landed back at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

Nov. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES O3b mPOWER mission to medium-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40  at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 4:08 p.m. First stage made its 9th flight with a recovery landing on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Nov. 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-28 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:05 a.m. with 23 Starlink satellites. First-stage booster flew for the 11th time and landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions This was the 64th launch from the Space Coast in 2023. This launch came hours ahead of the Starship and Super Heavy launch attempt in Texas. Read more.

Nov. 22: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-29 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:47 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the 15th time and landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. This marked the 65th launch from the Space Coast in 2023. Read more.

Nov. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-30 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40at 11:20 p.m. This was a southerly trajectory launch. The booster flew for the 17th time (3rd booster to do so) and landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. It was the 66th launch of the year from the Space Coast, 62nd from SpaceX in Florida, and 87th orbital launch from SpaceX including California missions. Read more.

Dec. 2: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-31 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11 p.m. First stage booster flew for the sixth time and landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. It marked the 67th launch of the year from the Space Coast, 63rd from SpaceX in Florida, and 89th orbital launch from SpaceX including California missions.

Dec. 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-32 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:07 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 68th launch from the Space Coast in 2023. Read more.

Dec. 18 (Delayed from Dec. 11, 12, 13) SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-34 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:01 p.m. Read more.

Dec. 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-32 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:33 a.m.  This was a record 19th flight for the first-stage booster having flown previously on Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3 and 13 Starlink missions. It made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions downrange in the Atlantic. This was the 70th Space Coast launch of the year. Read more.

Dec. 28 (Delayed from Dec. 10, 11, 13): SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A on USSF-52, the third mission for the Space Force, launching the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on its seventh trip to space at 8:07 p.m. The side boosters flew for the fifth time, previously used on the Psyche mission, two Space Force missions and one commercial flight with another double land landing at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Read more.

Dec. 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-36 mission with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 11:01 p.m. This was the 12th flight for the first-stage booster with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. This was a record turnaround among SpaceX launches from Space Coast launch pads at 2 hours and 54 minutes besting October’s double launch that saw a Falcon 9 launch at CCSFS just eight hours, 42 minutes after a Falcon Heavy launch at KSC. Read more.

Follow Orlando Sentinel space coverage at Facebook.com/goforlaunchsentinel.

Sun Sentinel Miami Dolphins columnist Chris Perkins and reporter David Furones discuss the upcoming NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis and what to expect.

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Sun Sentinel Miami Dolphins columnist Chris Perkins and reporter David Furones discuss what to do with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

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By KATE BRUMBACK

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia prosecutors defending the 2000 murder conviction of a onetime Black Panther leader known as H. Rap Brown say new DNA evidence still points strongly to his guilt in the shooting of two sheriff’s deputies. However, they also accuse the case’s original lead prosecutor, now a Fulton County judge who has handled several high-profile political cases, of “grave and clear” misconduct.

The striking Wednesday filing by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office acknowledges serious wrongdoing by the former prosecutor and an FBI agent involved in the original investigation. But it argues that modern DNA testing, combined with ballistic evidence and trial testimony, leaves little doubt that Brown — by then known as Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin — was responsible for the attack that killed one deputy and wounded another outside of Al-Amin’s Atlanta home.

The former prosecutor, Robert McBurney, is a superior court judge and has been involved in some of the most politically charged cases in the country. Prosecutors described his conduct in Al-Amin’s trial as “the most egregious” issue in the case.

FILE – Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is seen at the Georgia State Capitol on Dec. 17, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Despite standing by the conviction, Willis’ office said it does “not object to a hearing to evaluate the case in its entirety,” potentially keeping alive a public reexamination of a prosecution that has long divided civil rights advocates and law enforcement.

Al-Amin died in prison in November, but his family wants a hearing to clear his name, their attorney Mawuli Davis said, adding, “His legacy is still at the center of this.”

The lead prosecutor

McBurney oversaw the special grand jury Willis used in her investigation that eventually resulted in the indictment of Trump and others over allegations that they illegally tried to overturn the president’s narrow 2020 election loss in Georgia. Notably, though, McBurney barred Willis from seeking charges against then-state Sen. Burt Jones because she had hosted a fundraiser for his Democratic opponent in the lieutenant governor’s race, which McBurney ruled created an “actual and untenable” conflict of interest.

FILE – Chief Judge Robert McBurney, of the Superior Court of Fulton County, sits in his courtroom, Aug. 14, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

McBurney also declared Georgia’s restrictive abortion law unconstitutional — a finding the state Supreme Court has vacated in a case that is ongoing.

“A trifecta of issues”

“This case had a trifecta of issues which undermined the process and the public’s confidence in justice,” the filing says.

During closing arguments at trial, McBurney displayed a chart titled “Questions for the defendant” and asked questions meant to focus the jury’s attention on the fact that Al-Amin didn’t testify. Al-Amin also had court permission to remain seated during the trial for religious reasons, including not standing when the jury entered. McBurney implored the jury, “Don’t stand for him.”

Federal courts have ruled that McBurney violated Al-Amin’s constitutional rights, but that it’s unlikely his actions substantially affected the verdict.

This week’s filing says McBurney “crossed the line from aggressive advocacy into misconduct that undermined the core principles of justice,” accusing him of misrepresenting evidence and withholding critical information from the defense, among other things.

“These were not minor oversights; they reflected a troubling pattern of behavior that prioritized winning over truth, and conviction over justice,” the filing says.

McBurney did not immediately respond to an email Thursday seeking comment.

FBI Special Agent James Campbell approached Al-Amin while he was on the ground in handcuffs, kicked and spit on him, and said, “This is what we do to cop killers,” the filing says. A reprimand of Campbell “did not clear SA Campbell’s stain on the investigation,” it says.

Lawyers for Al-Amin have also maintained that Campbell planted the guns used to shoot the deputies at the site where Al-Amin was arrested.

The Associated Press was unable to find contact information for Campbell to seek comment.

Campbell had been transferred to Atlanta after shooting an unarmed Muslim man in the back of the head, the filing says. That man’s supporters accused Campbell of planting a gun found at the scene.

The judge did not allow the jury to hear about the prior shooting after the defense presented newspaper articles about it, wanting to use that shooting to demonstrate bias and motive to plant guns. If defense attorneys had presented recently interviewed witnesses rather than relying on articles, the judge likely would have allowed the jury to consider that information, the new filing argues.

New DNA evidence

Al-Amin’s lawyers argued that nothing connected Al-Amin to the guns used to shoot the deputies. Willis’ office used DNA testing that wasn’t available at the time of the trial to test the guns and related items.

The tests excluded Al-Amin from the DNA found on both guns. But Al-Amin’s DNA was identified on a leather belt wrapped around one of the guns, the filing says. That evidence is a strong indication of his guilt, especially when paired with prior ballistics evidence and testimony, the filing says.

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As a radical activist in the 1960s, Al-Amin once said violence was “as American as cherry pie” and that Black people would use violence, if needed, to fight oppression.

He converted to Islam during a prison stint and moved to Atlanta in the 1970s, becoming the leader of one of the nation’s largest black Muslim groups, the National Ummah.

On March 16, 2000, Fulton County sheriff’s deputies Ricky Kinchen and Aldranon English went to Atlanta’s West End neighborhood, where Al-Amin lived, was an imam and owned a grocery store, to serve a warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of driving a stolen car and impersonating a police officer during a traffic stop the previous year.

English testified at trial that Al-Amin fired a high-powered assault rifle when the deputies tried to arrest him. Then, prosecutors said, he used a handgun to fire three shots into Kinchen’s groin as the wounded officer lay in the street.

He was arrested four days later in White Hall, Alabama, a small town where he had helped develop a Muslim community.

By JACQUES BILLEAUD

PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a takeover of health care operations in Arizona’s prisons and will appoint an official to run the system after years of complaints about poor medical and mental health care.

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The decision on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver came after her 2022 verdict that concluded Arizona had violated prisoners’ rights by providing inadequate care that led to suffering and preventable deaths.

Silver wrote that the state hasn’t gotten a semblance of compliance with court-ordered changes and the Constitution after nearly 14 years of litigation, saying “this approach has not only failed completely, but, if continued, would be nothing short of judicial indulgence of deeply entrenched unconstitutional conduct.”

The judge said prisoners still remain exposed to “an intolerable grave and immediate threat of continuing harm and suffering because the systemic deficiencies pervade the administration of health care.”

The Associated Press left a message for the corrections department after the order was issued. The state and attorneys representing prisoners have 60 days to submit a list of candidates to run health and mental health care operations in prisons.

“This decision means that an independent authority will be able to implement the systemic changes necessary to ensure that medical and mental health care meets constitutional standards,” said David Fathi, one of the lawyers representing the prisoners. “This is a life-saving intervention, and it brings hope that the preventable suffering and deaths that have haunted Arizona’s prison system for over a decade can finally end.”

Lawyers for prisoners say Arizona has made few improvements since the verdict and asked the judge for the more drastic remedy of creating such a “receivership,” arguing system remains broken and prisoners who need care are still in danger.

For over a decade, state government has been dogged by criticism that its health care system for the 25,000 inmates in Arizona’s state-run prisons was run shoddily and callously.

The state had vowed to overhaul medical and mental health services for prisoners in a 2014 settlement, but was soon accused of failing to keep many of those promises. That led to $2.5 million in contempt of court fines against the state and, eventually, the revocation of the agreement by Silver, who explained that corrections officials had shown little interest in making the changes.

The judge then ruled against the state at a 2022 trial, issuing an injunction requiring corrections authorities to fix the constitutional violations.

While attorneys for prisoners say the state lacks the leadership to comply within a reasonable amount of time, the corrections department said it has transformed the prison health care system over the last two years, such as expanding access to treatments, increasing staff and opening medical housing units.

Corrections officials say the opposing side refuses to acknowledge their progress and “focus on the reputation and circumstances of the past rather than recognizing or even supporting the good work of the present.” Lawyers for the department say the agency’s leadership has been acting in good faith with the court’s orders.

In September 2019, lawyers representing the prisoners made a similar request for a takeover, but Silver shied away from it, saying she would revive that possibility if the state acts in bad faith or fails to comply with the court-ordered changes. Past receiverships have been ordered for prisons in other states. In California in 2005, a federal judge seized control of the prison medical system after finding that an average of one inmate a week was dying of medical neglect or malpractice.

The Arizona lawsuit does not cover the nearly 10,000 people incarcerated in private prisons for state convictions.

By SOPHIA TAREEN

CHICAGO (AP) — Memorial services honoring the life of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. will be expanded beyond Chicago with events in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina, the late civil rights leader’s organization announced Thursday.

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Jackson, a protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate, died earlier this week at age 84 after battling a rare neurological disorder that affected his ability to move and talk.

Jackson will still lie in repose next week at the Chicago headquarters of his Rainbow PUSH Coalition with a public celebration of life and homegoing services to follow, though dates for Chicago events have been changed. Formal services were added, scheduled from March 1 to March 4 in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina, where Jackson was born and raised.

Rainbow PUSH did not offer further details.

Jackson’s adult children gathered outside the family home in Chicago on Wednesday, saying the funeral services would be large gatherings where everyone would be welcomed. They also vowed to continue his decades of advocacy.

“Although his body is absent from us, his spirit suffuses and infuses us, and it charges us to continue with the work,” said Santita Jackson, his eldest child.

• Santita Jackson speaks during a news conference regarding the death of her father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
• Jesse Jackson, Jr. stands near a picture of his father, the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, during a news conference outside the family home in Chicago, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
• Yusef Jackson speaks during a news conference regarding the death of his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Show Caption1 of 3Santita Jackson speaks during a news conference regarding the death of her father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, outside the family home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) Expand

In Chicago, a public celebration of life will be held at House of Hope, a 10,000-seat church, on March 6, followed by private homegoing services the next day at Rainbow PUSH, which will be livestreamed.

Jackson rose to prominence six decades ago as a protégé of King, joining the voting rights march King led from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. King later dispatched Jackson to Chicago to launch Operation Breadbasket, a Southern Christian Leadership Conference effort to pressure companies to hire Black workers. Jackson was with King on April 4, 1968, when the civil rights leader was killed.

By REGINA GARCIA CANO, Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s legislature on Thursday approved an amnesty bill that could lead to the release of politicians, activists, lawyers and many others, effectively acknowledging that the government has held hundreds of people in prison for political motivations.

The approval marks a stark turn for the South American nation, where authorities have for decades denied holding any political prisoners. It is the latest policy reversal following the stunning U.S. military raid in the country’s capital, Caracas, to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who proposed the bill late last month, is expected to sign the measure.

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The bill could benefit opposition members, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and many others who were targeted by the ruling party over the past 27 years. The debate was suspended last week after lawmakers were unable to agree on some issues, including whether people who left the country to avoid detention can be granted amnesty, and laid bare the resistance from some ruling-party loyalists to see opposition members be granted relief.

Rodríguez proposed the bill weeks after the U.S. military captured Maduro on Jan. 3 in Caracas and took him to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

Venezuela’s government has been quick to comply with orders from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, including last month’s overhaul of the country’s oil

As presented last week, the bill’s purpose is to grant people “a general and full amnesty for crimes or offenses committed” during specific periods since 1999 that were marked by politically-driven conflicts in Venezuela, including “acts of politically motivated violence” in the context of the 2024 presidential election. The aftermath of that election led to protests and the arrest of more than 2,000 people, including minors.

Lawmakers voted in favor of the measure’s purpose, but they paused the debate over disagreements on who it would cover, such as people whom the government has accused of various offenses but have evaded trial by hiding in Venezuela or seeking exile abroad. Ruling party lawmakers, including Maduro’s son, insisted during last week’s debate that those individuals should appear before the justice system first to qualify for amnesty as Venezuela’s law does not allow people to be tried in absentia.

“When one sins, I don’t absolve myself at home; I must go to church, I will go to confession (and say), ’Father, I confess that I have sinned,” Nicolás Maduro Guerra said, comparing the church with Venezuela’s justice system. “Therefore, the ritual of saying, ‘I came to the rule of law, and I acknowledge that we are under the law, under strong institutions that have endured and upheld the republic’ … is important.”

His statement, however, ignores that many of the accused, including people currently in prison, often face trumped up charges, are denied attorneys and lack access to any evidence against them. It also overlooks that cases are overseen by rubber-stamping, ruling-party faithful judges.

General amnesty has long been a central demand of Venezuela’s opposition and human rights organizations, but they have viewed the proposal with cautious optimism and raised several concerns about eligibility and implementation.

Venezuela-based prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal estimates more than 600 people are in custody for political reasons.

In the days after Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez’s government announced it would release a significant number of prisoners. But relatives and human rights watchdogs have criticized the slow pace of releases. Foro Penal has tallied 448.

Families hoping for the release of their loved ones have spent days outside detention facilities. A few began a hunger strike on Saturday.

General Daily Insight for February 20, 2026

Our illusions are likely to come into contact with reality today. At 11:54 am EST, structured Saturn chases down dreamy Neptune in bold Aries, demanding accountability where imagination has roamed too recklessly. Disappointing realizations are possible, but this is also a great opportunity to simplify big dreams into doable steps. The emotional Moon then squares expansive Jupiter, potentially adding mood swings to this mix. We don’t have to solve all the world’s problems today, but we can look for manageable ways to start!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Aries, start fresh with clear, honest intent. Serious Saturn pairs up with imaginative Neptune in your 1st House of Identity, urging you to shape a vision with honest limits. You may feel torn between a bold leap and a misty plan. Perhaps you can’t know the whole picture at this time, so look for a first step that makes sense. With the information you gather from that, you can decide what to do next. Still, try to have a basic idea of where you’re going!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Quiet structure could currently give your thoughts room to unfold. Karmic Saturn conjoins spiritual Neptune in your 12th House of Spirituality, calling for a routine that protects your rest time. If you notice old worries surfacing in strange dreams, write them down, and try to dig into what’s bringing them up right now. Perhaps you won’t be as available to your friends as you’re used to being — you need to deal with your own stuff, and no one else can do that for you.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

What future are your friendships building now? Responsible Saturn checks in with spacey Neptune in your 11th House of Friendship and Aspirations, asking you to turn hopes into plans your community can rely on. You may feel scattered by options, so pick a shared goal and outline who does what, because clarity keeps enthusiasm supportive rather than chaotic. If an organization proposes a costly event, suggest a pilot version with clear roles before committing funds. Clarify promises so teamwork stays joyful and genuinely supportive today.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Making a public statement could currently be necessary. As results-driven Saturn nudges nebulous Neptune in your 10th House of Career and Status, others might need you to give a progress update on a significant project. Although you may prefer the safety of keeping things vague, a proposal naming specific dates and resources shows care for the people who rely on your leadership. Offering them an opportunity to provide feedback could ultimately help you too. Set clear milestones to protect your reputation and reduce stress now.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your horizon shimmers with practical promise. Practical Saturn meets idealistic Neptune in your 9th House of Travel and Learning, encouraging you to turn a quest into a structured path. Although you may want to maximize the potential for excitement, a realistic timeline and savings plan can support your adventure without draining your fire. If a course or trip sounds vague, request the syllabus or itinerary before you enroll or buy tickets. Build the map so your courage reaches real places soon.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Deep trust grows through careful, kind agreements. Restrictive Saturn unites with elusive Neptune in your 8th House of Shared Resources, asking you to firm up boundaries around money and closeness. You may sense fuzzy expectations, so put numbers and roles in writing while keeping your tone warm and your analysis practical. If a partner suggests merging accounts, start with a shared budget and agree on a schedule for regularly reviewing it together. Set fair terms so closeness feels safe and generous today.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Finding a comfortable balance in your relationships could be challenging now. As boundary-setting Saturn conjoins compassionate Neptune in your 7th House of Partnership, you may want to be treated better, but you also probably don’t want to come down hard on someone who still has good in them. Perhaps the solution is not all or nothing. You don’t have to kick a frustrating person out of your life entirely — just spending less time with them might provide the relief you need!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Knowing your limits could currently be crucial. Disciplined Saturn encounters illusory Neptune in your 6th House of Work and Health, pushing you to define tasks and protect your focus from distractions. You may feel pulled into others’ crises, so set priorities early and channel your depth into finding meaningful solutions. If a colleague drops a project on your desk, ask for a deadline and confirm what success looks like before accepting. The last thing you need is a moving target!

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Tending a creative spark could currently help it grow into a roaring fire. Ambitious Saturn collaborates with fanciful Neptune in your 5th House of Creativity and Play, asking you to shape inspiration into something you can finish. Although you may want to say yes to every idea, picking one that you’re able to bring to life today is probably the best way to get yourself motivated to do more going forward. Choose focused fun to build confidence and lasting delight.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Your domestic life may call for grounded choices at this time. As realistic Saturn meets dreamy Neptune in your 4th House of Home and Family, you might need to either let go of a particular fantasy or commit to making it happen. Are you trapped by nostalgia for the past or by a longing for a perfect future that hasn’t taken place yet? Neither desire is easy to deal with, but older relatives could at least offer you a more balanced take on historical events.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Which words truly match your intentions? Crystallizing Saturn joins forces with elusive Neptune in your 3rd House of Communication, asking you to shape wispy ideas into clear messages that travel well. As you draft and redraft, read your work aloud and remove flourishes. Simple language carries your originality further, and it shows respect for busy listeners. The full range of emotions that your subject matter stirs in you isn’t necessarily relevant to your audience. Say less with care to be heard and trusted widely.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Security can grow as wise boundaries shape dreams. Authoritative Saturn conjoins nebulous Neptune in your 2nd House of Resources, helping you anchor tender values in a realistic budget. You may drift toward magical thinking, so separate needs from nice-to-haves, and price your time honestly. If someone asks for volunteer work, offer a smaller window or a fairer rate to prevent burnout — even when you’re supporting a good cause, your gifts deserve care! Honor your worth to protect stability and gentle generosity today.

Today is Thursday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2026. There are 315 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 19, 1878, inventor Thomas Edison was issued a patent for the phonograph.

Also on this date:

In 1473, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland.

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In 1847, the first rescuers reached members of the Donner Party, who had been snowbound in the Sierra Nevada near the California-Nevada border for nearly four months.

In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the internment of 125,000 people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens.

In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as the first wave of U.S. Marines landed at Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful monthlong battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces.

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the 1942 internment order for people of Japanese ancestry “a sad day in American history,” signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.

In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all 275 people on board.

In 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raúl was later named to succeed him. Fidel Castro died in 2016 at the age of 90.

In 2025, the ocean liner SS United States, which shattered the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, departed Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront under tow for Mobile, Alabama, for prep work before officials sink it off Florida’s Gulf Coast to create the world’s largest artificial reef.

Today’s birthdays:

• Singer Smokey Robinson is 86.
• Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) is 78.
• Author Amy Tan is 74.
• Actor Jeff Daniels is 71.
• Actor Ray Winstone is 69.
• Actor Leslie David Baker is 68.
• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is 67.
• Tennis Hall of Famer Hana Mandlíková is 64.
• Singer Seal is 63. Actor Benicio Del Toro is 59.
• Author-cartoonist Jeff Kinney is 55.
• NBA center Nikola Jokić is 31.
• Singer-songwriter Chappell Roan is 28.
• Actor David Mazouz is 25.
• Actor Millie Bobby Brown is 22.

When Paul Reillo learned the endangered mountain bongo antelopes that he had cared for since birth were stranded in a cargo plane on an airport tarmac ahead of their journey to a new home in Kenya, he took matters into his own hands.

At 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, 2026, a chartered Boeing 767F carrying eight critically endangered mountain bongo antelopes aborted its departure while taxiing at Palm Beach International Airport after the captain detected a mechanical issue. The animals were en route from South Florida to Kenya as part of a decades-long international effort to rescue the species from extinction.

Transporting the animals halfway around the world requires months of preparation and a tightly choreographed schedule. From Palm Beach to a protected sanctuary on Mount Kenya, the journey takes about 30 hours. Any major delay can be catastrophic.

Read more at Miami Herald.

Haitians in Florida with Temporary Protected Status can continue renewing their driver licenses, Miami-Dade County said, citing updated state guidance.

But the directive only applies until March 15 or when a court makes a decision in the ongoing appeal process filed by the Trump administration following the decision by a federal judge earlier this month to halt the end of the protections. TPS has allowed more than 300,000 Haitians to live and work in the United States on a temporary basis due to ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis in their homeland.

The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s Office said it is assisting eligible residents in accordance with a directive from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Individuals with TPS or a pending application and present an expired Employment Authorization Document will remain eligible for a driver’s license through March 15. Those seeking issuance beyond that date must provide alternative proof of lawful presence, consistent with the advisory.

Read more at Miami Herald.

Here are the top stories for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Get the weather forecast for today here.

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By JON GAMBRELL

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States leaned into gunboat diplomacy Thursday as nuclear talks between the nations hung in the balance, with Tehran holding drills with Russia and the Americans bringing another aircraft carrier closer to the Mideast.

The Iranian drill and the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea underscore the tensions between the nations. Iran earlier this week also launched a drill that involved live-fire in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow opening of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes.

The movements of additional American warships and airplanes don’t guarantee a U.S. strike on Iran — but it does give President Donald Trump the ability to carry out one should he choose to do so. He’s so far held off on striking Iran after setting red lines over the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran holding mass executions, while reengaging Tehran in nuclear talks earlier disrupted by the Iran-Israel war in June.

“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website, seeking to pressure the United Kingdom over its plans to settle the future of the Chagos Islands with Mauritius.

Meanwhile, Iran struggles with unrest at home following its crackdown on protests, with mourners now holding ceremonies honoring their dead 40 days after their killing by security forces. Some of the gatherings have included anti-government cries, despite threats from authorities.

Iran holds drill with Russia

The drill Thursday saw Iranian forces and Russian sailors conduct operations in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported. The drill will be aimed at “upgrading operational coordination as well as exchange of military experiences,” IRNA added.

China had joined the “Security Belt” drill in previous years, but there was no acknowledgment it participated in this round. In recent days, a vessel that appeared to be a Steregushchiy-class Russian corvette had been seen at a military port in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas.

Iran also issued a rocket-fire warning to pilots in the region, suggesting they planned to launch anti-ship missiles in the exercise.

Meanwhile, tracking data showed the Ford off the coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean midday Wednesday, meaning the carrier could transit through Gibraltar and potentially station in the eastern Mediterranean with its supporting guided-missile destroyers.

Having the carrier there could allow American forces to have extra aircraft and anti-missile power to potentially protect Israel and Jordan should a conflict break out with Iran. The U.S. similarly placed warships there during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip to protect against Iranian fire.

Anti-government chants made at mourning ceremonies

Mourning ceremonies for those killed by security forces in the protests last month also have increased. Iranians traditionally mark the death of a loved one 40 days after the loss. Both witnesses and social media videos showed memorials taking place at Tehran’s massive Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. Some memorials included people chanting against Iran’s theocracy while singing nationalistic songs.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 at Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar, initially over the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, then spread across the country. Tensions exploded on Jan. 8, with demonstrations called for by Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi.

Iran’s government has offered only one death toll for the violence, with 3,117 people killed. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous rounds of unrest in Iran, puts the death toll at over 7,000 killed, with many more feared dead.

___

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and STEVEN SLOAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — In another era, the scene would have been unremarkable. But in President Donald Trump’s Washington, it’s become increasingly rare.

Sitting side by side on stage were Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat. They traded jokes and compliments instead of insults and accusations, a brief interlude of cordiality in a cacophony of conflict.

Stitt and Moore are the leaders of the National Governors Association, one of a vanishing few bipartisan institutions left in American politics. But it may be hard for the organization, which is holding its annual conference this week, to maintain its reputation as a refuge from polarization.

Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner. He has called Stitt, the NGA’s chair, a “RINO,” short for Republican in name only, and continued to feud with Moore, the group’s vice chair, by blaming him for a sewage spill involving a federally regulated pipeline.

The break with tradition reflects Trump’s broader approach to his second term. He has taken a confrontational stance toward some states, withholding federal funds or deploying troops over the objections of local officials.

With the Republican-controlled Congress unwilling to limit Trump’s ambitions, several governors have increasingly cast themselves as a counterweight to the White House.

“Presidents aren’t supposed to do this stuff,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said about the expansion of executive power in recent administrations. “Congress needs to get their act together. And stop performing for TikTok and actually start doing stuff. That’s the flaw we’re dealing with right now.”

Cox, a Republican, said “it is up to the states to hold the line.”

Moore echoed that sentiment in an interview with The Associated Press.

“People are paying attention to how governors are moving, because I think governors have a unique way to move in this moment that other people just don’t,” he said.

Still, governors struck an optimistic tone in panels and interviews Wednesday. Stitt said the conference is “bigger than one dinner at the White House.” Moore predicted “this is going to be a very productive three days for the governors.”

“Here’s a Republican and Democrat governor from different states that literally agree on probably 80% of the things. And the things we disagree on we can have honest conversations on,” Stitt said while sitting beside Moore.

Tensions over the guest list for White House events underscored the uncertainty surrounding the week. During the back-and-forth, Trump feuded with Stitt and said Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis were not invited because they “are not worthy of being there.”

Whether the bipartisan tone struck Wednesday evening can endure through the week — and beyond — remains an open question.

“We can have disagreements. In business, I always want people around me arguing with me and pushing me because that’s where the best ideas come from,” said Stitt. “We need to all have these exchange of ideas.”

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City man who attempted to claim ownership of the New Yorker Hotel has pleaded guilty to fraud, ending a lengthy legal saga involving an obscure tenant law that allowed the man to live rent-free for years in the storied Manhattan hotel.

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Mickey Barreto entered the plea on Wednesday, admitting that he had forged property records in an effort to take ownership over the hotel. That effort was, at least on paper, partially successful.

In Barreto’s telling, he and his boyfriend paid $200 in 2018 to rent one of the more than 1,000 rooms in the towering, oft-photographed Art Deco hotel. Barreto then requested a lease, claiming his one night stay entitled him to protections under a city housing law that applies to single-room occupants of buildings constructed before 1969.

When the hotel rebuffed him, he took his case to housing court. After the hotel failed to send a lawyer to a key hearing, Barreto was awarded “possession” of the room.

But Manhattan prosecutors said Barreto then went a step further, defrauding the state by uploading a fake deed to a city website that purported to transfer ownership of the entire building to himself.

The property is currently owned by the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which was founded in South Korea by a self-proclaimed messiah, the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The church did not respond to an e-mailed inquiry.

Barreto then attempted to collect rent from a hotel tenant and demanded the hotel’s bank transfer its accounts to him, according to prosecutors.

He was eventually evicted from the premises in 2024 and charged with multiple counts of felony fraud. He was later found unfit to stand trial and ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment.

As part of the plea, Barreto was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence that he has already served, along with five years of probation, according to a spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney.

Brian Hutchinson, an attorney for Barreto, didn’t immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.

Barreto previously told the AP that the judge who granted him “possession” of his room indirectly gave him the entire building because it had never been subdivided.

“I never intended to commit any fraud. I don’t believe I ever committed any fraud,” Barreto said at the time. “And I never made a penny out of this.”

Just days before a deadly avalanche killed eight backcountry skiers near Tahoe, the guiding company leading the trip warned on social media that unstable snowpack could trigger “unpredictable avalanches.”

Blackbird Mountain Guides posted a video Sunday on Instagram cautioning that recent snow conditions around Tahoe were creating atypical layering in the snowpack — a combination that could lead to abnormal avalanche behavior.

The company was leading 15 backcountry skiers on a three-day trek to the Frog Lake Huts when they were caught in a football field-sized avalanche Tuesday near Castle Peak.

Six people survived. Eight were killed. One skier remains missing and is presumed dead as rescue efforts shift to recovery operations amid continued storm conditions and high avalanche danger.

Three of the four guides leading the trip were among those killed.

The Instagram post, published ahead of a major winter storm expected to dump several feet of snow across the Tahoe region, warned that recent dry periods followed by new snow had created a “particularly weak layer” within the snowpack.

In the video, guides on skis dig through layers of snow at Mount Rose on the Nevada side of Tahoe, identifying what they described as a “microcrust” and a layer of “sugary weak facets.” At higher elevations, they said, the crust was “almost nonexistent.”

“This weak layer could lead to some unpredictable avalanches!” text on the screen reads as a guide sifts soft snow through his fingers.

The company explained that the snowpack was forming “atypical layering” for this point in the season.

“Typically, we’d expect small amounts of faceting between big storms, but with a crust and extended dry period for the month of January into February, faceting has been a driving force in the snowpack,” the company wrote.

That layering, the post said, resulted in a “particularly weak layer.”

“As we move into a large storm cycle this week, pay close attention to places where faceting has been particularly strong — avalanches could behave abnormally, and the hazard could last longer than normal,” the company said, urging people to “use extra caution” and monitor alerts from the Sierra Avalanche Center.

The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche warning for the central Sierra Nevada — including the Castle Peak area — at 5 a.m. Tuesday, hours before the slide. The warning, initially set to run through early Wednesday, rated avalanche danger in the region as “high,” the second-most-dangerous level below extreme. The center later extended the warning through Wednesday.

Authorities have said severe weather has complicated efforts to determine exactly what triggered the avalanche. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said there were “great questions” about the company’s guiding decisions, though she did not elaborate.

General Daily Insight for February 19, 2026

Small sparks could lead to brave starts now. With the emotional Moon entering bold Aries at 2:39 pm EST, following our impulses may be easier than usual. Soon after, Luna meets restrictive Saturn, asking for measured steps, simple promises, and patience as we shape plans we can actually keep. Moments later, the Moon’s contact with dreamy Neptune softens edges, encouraging us to listen from the heart. Checking the facts might ultimately be necessary, but our enthusiasm is potentially in the right place!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Aries, your passion meets sturdy focus today. The instinctive Moon in your 1st House of Identity conjoins disciplined Saturn, asking you to set a pace you can sustain. Although you may feel eager to just start moving, simple structure helps your energy land. Try outlining a plan before you pitch an idea. If inspiration swells later, let heart and practicality share the lead. Be open about your needs so others understand what you’re aiming for. A little foresight now can turn courage into results!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Quiet time can help you notice gentle truths today. Your 12th House of Solitude and Spirituality stirs as the intuitive Moon enters, inviting a pause that protects your energy. Although you need to acknowledge your emotions, acting on them immediately isn’t necessarily the best course. You might step outside for fresh air before you answer an upsetting message, or let patience soften a craving before you bite on an impulse purchase. Calm restores your strength, so don’t feel bad about stepping away from the whirlwind.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

What are your friends reflecting back to you? Plans could blur as the impressionable Moon merges with nebulous Neptune in your 11th House of Friendship and Community, bringing welcome compassion but also frustratingly hazy expectations. A chat may meander, or you might have to look for a new time to meet up. Do what you can to accommodate each person’s schedule, but be realistic about your own needs too. Sometimes the show must go on, whether or not it’s totally convenient for everyone involved!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Seeing how far you’ve come is possible now. The nourishing Moon enters your 10th House of Career and Status, helping you step into visibility with both confidence and competence. You might briefly share a progress update with the people who count in order to keep their expectations clear and realistic. Choose a visible next step, like setting a date for a presentation, and let your sensitivity guide how you frame the message. Your gentle leadership can build trust and open doors.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Thinking a few steps ahead could be crucial now. The temperamental Moon joins authoritative Saturn in your 9th House of Travel and Learning, urging you to balance bold opinions with realistic limits. You may sincerely believe that the world should function in a certain way. How do you plan to enforce that, though? A new rule may or may not be the right tool to address the issue currently weighing on you. Remember that some laws cause more problems than they solve.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Honesty could be necessary to clear knots around shared matters today. As the unconscious Moon encounters structured Saturn in your 8th House of Shared Resources and Intimacy, you may come to realize that you and another person assumed very different things about an arrangement that brings you together. Do you even have the same overall goal? You can at least be candid about what you’re personally looking for in order to reduce defensiveness and keep the process humane. Clearer terms should ultimately benefit both sides.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Libra, empathy steers your choices with grace. The intuitive Moon in your 7th House of Partnership embraces psychic Neptune, heightening your perception so you sense the subtle needs of the people in your life. However, it’s also possible to mix up what’s yours and what’s theirs, so request feedback to confirm your impressions. You might echo back what you heard and ask a clear question, such as whether a call later would feel supportive. Compassion with boundaries keeps connections steady and sweet.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Being conscious of your workflow can currently help you get the most out of it. Your 6th House of Work and Wellness activates as the emotional Moon enters, encouraging practical habits that support your intense focus without draining your reserves. You might set a timer to finish an assignment and then take a real stretch so your stamina returns. If a coworker interrupts, state your plan and circle back later. Boundaries protect quality of output and prevent resentment from poisoning relationships.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

A complicated form of pleasure may appeal to you now. Play could turn reflective as the moody Moon unites with idealistic Neptune in your 5th House of Creativity and Romance, blending imagination with tender feelings. You might bring a sketchbook to a café in order to temporarily live out a fantasy of a grand artistic life. However, don’t let this get you too depressed about how your current circumstances fall short of your dreams — no one gets to totally escape boring responsibilities!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Comfort and care could be high priorities today. Your 4th House of Home and Family shifts as the nurturing Moon enters, encouraging you to create simple order in your domestic life. You might start a calm conversation about chores and then share a warm meal that brings everyone back to center. If you live alone, set a cozy tone with music and a gentle plan for the evening, because small routines rebuild stability. Nourish your roots, and tomorrow’s work should feel easier!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your perspective could carry extra weight today. The instinctive Moon sits with karmic Saturn in your 3rd House of Communication, grounding your thoughts and calling for careful messaging that respects limits. Although your emotions on a contentious subject need to be heard and processed by you, airing them carelessly to others might inflame the drama further. Read a draft of an email aloud, and take a short break to reflect before sending it. Make sure your words carry clarity, not heat.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Needs and wants might compete for your attention at the moment. Money choices could feel foggy as the temperamental Moon in your 2nd House of Resources unites with elusive Neptune, mixing a craving for comfort with dreams of what feels perfect. Check the amount you can spend today, and pick a small treat inside it, like cooking something special instead of ordering out. The goal isn’t to feel deprived — it’s to balance current desires with bigger priorities. Gentle limits keep you on track.

By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — A red, white and blue color scheme championed by President Donald Trump will become the new look for Air Force One, the U.S. military said Thursday.

The Air Force said a “red, white, gold and dark blue paint scheme” will be used for the updated jet that is slated to serve as Air Force One as well as other, smaller jets that routinely fly other top government officials.

The military released a rendering of the new look that matches an airplane model that has been seen in the Oval Office for meetings with foreign leaders.

A model of Air Force One sits on a table as President Donald Trump meets with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Boeing is in the process of modifying two of its 747-800 aircraft that are slated to replace the existing fleet of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft that the president currently uses and that take on the Air Force One call sign when the president is aboard.

In 2018, Trump directed that those new jets would ditch the iconic Kennedy-era blue-and-white design for a white-and-navy color scheme. Instead, the top half of the plane would have been white, while the bottom, including the belly, would have been dark blue. A streak of dark red would have run from the cockpit to the tail. The coloring was almost identical to the exterior of Trump’s personal plane.

An Air Force review had suggested the darker colors would increase costs and delay delivery of the new jumbo jets, and President Joe Biden reversed the decision in March 2023.

• A plane with a United States flag believed to be Air Force One carrying US President Donald Trump comes in for landing at Zurich Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.(Claudio Thoma/Keystone via AP)
• President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
• Air Force One lands at the airport in Zurich, Switzerland, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Arnd Wiegmann))

Show Caption1 of 3A plane with a United States flag believed to be Air Force One carrying US President Donald Trump comes in for landing at Zurich Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.(Claudio Thoma/Keystone via AP) Expand

Trump told reporters last month that “we want power blue, not baby blue,” referring to the current color of the aircraft.

“Everything has its time and place. We’ll be changing the colors,” Trump added.

The Air Force’s statement says a third 747-8i Boeing jet will be painted in the same colors.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar last May for use as Air Force One despite questions about the ethics and legality of taking the expensive gift from a foreign nation.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers last June that the security modifications to the jet would cost less than $400 million but provided no details.