South Florida Local News

Dear Eric: My estranged niece has a 9-year-old daughter whom we love very much.

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The father was married to someone else when the girl was born and died a few days afterward.

We strongly feel his parents have a right to know of this fantastic child. Grandniece will eventually seek them out. By letting them know now it should ease the shock of learning later.

I should add that grandniece constantly asks who her father is and if we know him. Value your advice.

– Loving Uncle

Dear Uncle: Your first priority should be navigating what your grandniece knows about her parentage, especially since she’s asking. This is important information for her to receive at the appropriate time and in an appropriate manner.

Her mother, your niece, is a key part of this. It’s not appropriate to overstep by having a conversation with your grandniece that her mother doesn’t know about.

This is complicated by the estrangement. Not knowing the nature of the arrangement (how you’re able to see the grandniece while being estranged from her mom, for instance), my hands are a bit tied. But the first step is talking with your niece about what you’re hearing from her daughter.

Dear Eric: Although I’m six years older than my brother, I had always considered us close. After our parents passed many years ago, that seemed to change.

I’m thankful for holidays and our birthdays as they are now the only time I get a phone call. On every anniversary of our mom and dad’s birth or death day, I have texted a “thinking of” message to my brother. He has always responded.

This year, on our father’s birthday, I didn’t text him as I was sick with COVID and pneumonia. I did receive a quick text of acknowledgment late that night. Within my response, I let him know of my illness. He replied with “Get well soon.”

At 72, this recent illness had me down for more than a month. I expected that he’d phone to check on me but I’ve yet to receive one.

Consequently, I’m re-evaluating my relationship with my brother.

Although he’s an intelligent man, a good father and husband, he’s married to a demanding wife who hasn’t encouraged me and my husband to be close with them nor my nieces and nephews. When my husband and I visit once or twice a year, we feel it’s more of an obligation on their part than a warm connection. I’m tired of it.

From past experience, I know if I address it, regardless of my approach, he’ll become defensive and argumentative.

My only alternative is to continue bumbling along accepting that my life may not be as important to him as I want to believe.

– Lost Relationship

Dear Relationship: One of the benefits of having a sibling is that we get to know them anew at multiple times throughout life. This can also be a challenge.

You and your brother have different communication styles. While his lack of communication doesn’t feel good to you, it may not be an indication that you’re not important to him.

You have expectations and hopes for what the relationship should be, which is fine. For instance, you value calls, especially on significant days or when you’re sick. These aren’t ridiculous asks. But they may not be in your brother’s wheelhouse.

I know this is disappointing and can be hurtful.

It may be helpful to think back on the time when you felt closer to him and try to identify where those feelings were coming from. What were you both doing and saying that signified that closeness to you? Are there ways of adapting some of those things to your lives now?

It won’t be what it was – you write that many years have passed since that time and your family structure is different – but by being proactive about recognizing who your brother is now and managing your expectations of that person, you’ll feel less like you’re bumbling along.

Dear Eric: Regarding “Perplexed Not Pissed,” whose yard had become a toilet for the neighbors’ leashed dogs: Lots of dogs won’t go on their own property and decide on their own how far to travel on a leash before they do their business.

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The letter writer can at least know it’s very unlikely the neighbors are doing this on purpose.

If the neighbors knew it was upsetting to a particular homeowner, they could probably train their dogs to move along a little further.

– Dog Accidents

Dear Dog Accidents: This is helpful context. Hopefully, when informed of the issue, the neighbors will help their dogs make different choices.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.

Q: Ira, this is why the Heat should have taken the lottery pick and called it a day. This was going nowhere. We beat a pair of losing teams in the play-in. And what did that get us? Humiliated on national TV (or at least NBA TV). We had two chances to lose to Chicago or Atlanta and we blew it. – Marcus.

A: I’m glad this came in amid Monday night’s blowout. Of all that went wrong for the Heat this season (and there was plenty), missing the lottery and forwarding the No. 15 first-round pick to the Thunder was not one of them. To refresh: Had the Heat dropped into the lottery this year, it would have meant unprotected first-round picks to the Thunder in 2026 and Hornets in 2028, with no escape clauses. You simply cannot have unprotected first-rounders out there, when a seasons-ending injury to a leading man (Adebayo? Herro?) could mean a spot at the top of the draft. Based on the lottery odds, the Heat most likely bypassed No. 11 in June for franchise draft security going forward.

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• Submit your “Ask Ira” question here!

Q: Have they no pride? – Anderson.

A: Or have they not enough talent? Talent wins in the NBA and the talent disparity in this series was as stark as the 27-game difference between the teams in the standings. There is a reason that leagues do not have 10th-place teams in the playoffs. I’m not sure it would have looked much different if it was Chicago or Atlanta coming out of the play-in to face the Cavaliers, or even the Magic, for that matter. Cavaliers? Very good. Heat? Very not.

Q: What happened to Andrew Wiggins? – Sandy.

A: Shellshock? Yes, there were injuries. Yes. there were the immediate expectations of stepping in for Jimmy Butler. Yes, he has always been somewhat passive by nature. But one would have thought that the 42-point game against the Hornets might have been a takeoff point. It wasn’t. Followed by an ankle injury that still seemed in play in the playoffs. From the start, he seemed like a contract to be moved. It has continued to feel that way. Now the question is whether an outside team looks past these playoffs and remembers the better days of Andrew Wiggins.

One day, the legendary International Swimming Hall of Fame will be reborn, transforming the city-owned peninsula that sits south of Las Olas Boulevard into a bustling tourist attraction, city officials say.

But that has not stopped the rising tide of opposition to the $218 million project.

The developer plans to build two new Hall of Fame buildings that will sit like bookends on either side of the pools at Fort Lauderdale’s Aquatic Center at 501 Seabreeze Blvd.

The west building’s height has been scaled back three times after critics complained that it would eclipse the Aquatic Center’s iconic dive tower, which stands nearly nine stories high. The original design called for a building standing 134 feet high. That was scaled back to 120 feet. And now it’s down to 85 feet.

The six-story west building will be home to a new Hall of Fame museum, theater, aquarium and rooftop restaurant. The east building will go up in the next phase of construction, replacing the current building at the site.

The deal, approved by the commission and signed by the mayor, was made in 2023.

Skeptics now say they are worried about the city losing money on the deal.

Under the comprehensive agreement, Fort Lauderdale will be required to contribute a maximum of $11 million a year over the course of a 30-year lease. The city’s contribution could be offset by revenue generated by the project.

Other critics — some of whom only recently came forward — say the Hall of Fame building is still too tall under the new proposal.

Mario Caprini, CEO of Capital Group P3 of Florida and a partner in the project with Hensel Phelps, recently presented the new plan to city staff who sit on Fort Lauderdale’s Development Review Committee.

“How we pulled this little magic trick, we just made the floor plate bigger,” Caprini told the South Florida Sun Sentinel after the meeting. “So we can fit three floors on one floor. We accomplished what the mayor and the citizens wanted. Now it’s shorter than the dive tower. And we can still accommodate our tenants.”

The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, shown on March 14, will be eclipsed by a new International Swimming Hall of Fame building planned to the west, critics say. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Not everyone was impressed with the design team’s so-called magic trick.

Competitive swimmers who use the pools at the Aquatic Center crowded into the conference room to object to a project they say will jeopardize the center’s status as a world-class facility.

The Aquatic Center, which shares the 5-acre peninsula with the Swimming Hall of Fame, recently underwent a major renovation that cost nearly $50 million. The center’s $5 million dive tower, one of the tallest in the world, has become one of the barrier island’s most popular landmarks.

The swimmers had several concerns, saying the west building is still too massive and still too close to the dive tower. They also think the site needs more parking.

The building has undergone a redesign that brings its height from the equivalent of 12 stories to eight.

The second and third floors will feature a 181-space parking garage. Another 76 parking spaces will be reserved at the Las Olas Parking Garage, bringing the total to 257 spaces

Susan Peterson, a former competitive swimmer who is now 82, warned against moving forward with the building as planned.

“I think this building would be a disaster for the whole area,” Peterson said during the meeting. “The peninsula isn’t big enough for it. Please put the swimmers first. This whole place was designed as a swimming facility.”

Debby Eisinger, a former Cooper City mayor who now lives in Fort Lauderdale, said the current plan will only take away from the newly redesigned Aquatic Center and its famous dive tower.

“Fifty million dollars was spent on rebuilding the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center — are they protecting this investment?” she said.

An artist’s rendering shows a new International Swimming Hall of Fame building just west of Fort Lauderdale’s dive tower. (Architectonica/Courtesy)

Mark Richards, another swimmer, argued that the developer should be required to do a wind study and a shadow study even though it’s not required by code.

“When you look at the 85-foot building that’s now proposed, because of prevailing breezes off the southeast, you’re going to get wind eddies,” he said. “I’ve seen no wind studies. Our world competition dive tower is going to be in the shade every afternoon. They can’t dive in the shade. You lose perception. And if you don’t hit the water just right, you’re going to get hurt. If they’re seeing unsafe conditions, they’ll call off competitions.”

Richards also told city staff that the building needs to be set back.

“You’ve got to make a smaller and a lower profile,” Richards said. “You’re going to have headlights, noise, pollution and honking of horns right next to a dive tower. That distracts the divers. Downsize the building and do a bigger setback.”

The Development Review Committee board had a limited time to hear the speakers and reminded them several times to keep their comments short and to focus on the technical aspects of the project. The board did not have the time to respond to the comments, but told the crowd they would have more opportunities to share their concerns in future meetings with the commission and Fort Lauderdale’s Planning and Zoning Board.

The redesign of the west building will need approvals from both boards before the project can break ground.

Glassman and other city officials have wondered why the swimmers didn’t speak up earlier, before the commission approved the deal two years ago.

But Commissioner Ben Sorensen says it’s not too late for the skeptics to speak up and share their concerns.

“I think the swimmers are there day in and day out,” Sorensen said. “I think their perspective and feedback is important. And I think we need to keep working together to design a project everyone can live with. I’m confident we’re going to get there.”

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan

There is a growing prevalence of loneliness, social isolation and lack of meaningful social connection in our society today. Recent studies have found that 85.8% of the population experiences loneliness, and 47% of people say that their relationships with others lack meaning. This deeply concerning trend, which has become known as “the disconnection epidemic,” has garnered widespread awareness, with the Surgeon General declaring it a public health crisis.

We have all experienced how technology, social media, the COVID pandemic and even political divides have been gradually separating us, both physically and emotionally. American adults are spending significantly less time face-to-face than we did even 20 years ago. The situation is even more dire for youth, with digital communication replacing in-person social interaction among teens by 70%.

Jackie Ducci is the founder of the nonprofit Human-Animal Alliance. (courtesy, Jackie Ducci)

Loneliness and disconnection have a significant impact on both physical and mental health. Research links chronic loneliness to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, weakened immune system, dementia, obesity, and premature death — as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. A recent study by Harvard Graduate School of Education found that 81% of adults who are lonely also suffer from anxiety or depression.

Something must be done. But what if one of the most effective, affordable and accessible solutions has been right in front of us all along?

Ask any animal lover, and they’ll vouch for the unwavering companionship, judgment-free support and deeply meaningful connection that pets bring to their lives. But beyond anecdotal evidence, science confirms the very real impact animals have on our mental and physical well-being.

A 2022 study from the American Heart Association linked pet ownership to lower blood pressure, reduced stress, improved immune function and increased physical activity — all of which contribute to longer, healthier lives. Another study from Washington State University showed that just 10 minutes of interaction with a dog or cat can significantly lower cortisol levels. Likewise, a meta-analysis in BMC Psychiatry found that animal interactions can reduce symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Despite overwhelming evidence of the health benefits that animals provide, countless people are being forced to choose between keeping their pets and accessing housing, safety or care for themselves.

Seniors entering assisted living often must surrender their pets. Domestic violence victims frequently stay in dangerous situations because shelters do not accept pets. People needing long-term medical care avoid hospitals and treatment centers because they worry about what will happen to their pet. Pet owners struggle to find housing that accepts their pets due to breed and size restrictions.

A more pet-inclusive society that properly supports human-animal connections would substantially improve public health and safety.

Florida has one of the largest senior populations, military veteran communities and equestrian industries in the country, along with one of the fastest-rising number of single-person households. We are in a unique position to take a leadership role in embracing human-animal connection as a public health solution:

• Senior living facilities, health care and treatment centers and shelters can and should adopt pet-inclusive policies.
• Property management companies and policymakers can promote pet-inclusive housing by loosening breed and size restrictions.
• Charitable individuals can fund animal-assisted therapy programs and safety net charities to help foster human-animal connections.

Our heightened levels of social isolation create serious health and societal consequences that cannot be ignored. Animals provide meaningful connections in an increasingly disconnected world and are a practical, accessible and scientifically supported solution. When we embrace, honor and support human-animal connections, we become stronger, healthier and more connected — as individuals and as a society.

Jackie Ducci, of Wellington, founded The Human-Animal Alliance, a nonprofit advocating for the power and value of human-animal connection.

On April 17, I watched the heartbreaking news out of Florida State University — another campus turned crime scene, another community shattered by gun violence. As someone who lost her husband in a school shooting, I can tell you: These moments are never just headlines. They reopen wounds that never fully heal.

Chris Hixon, my husband, was murdered on Feb. 14, 2018, during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre. He was an athletic director, a Navy veteran and, above all, a protector. When the shooting began, he did not hesitate. He ran toward the danger to save students. He was shot and killed while doing everything right.

Debbie Hixon is a Broward County School Board member. (courtesy, Debbie Hixon)

Chris was trained to use a weapon. He served our country with honor. And yes, I have often wondered: If he had been armed that day, would he still be alive? Maybe. I will never stop asking that question. But to suggest that arming every teacher or professor is the answer misses the real issue entirely.

I support the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program, which places highly trained, carefully screened former military or law enforcement officers on school campuses. These individuals are trained specifically for high-stress response. But that is very different from asking educators or students to carry weapons into classrooms and lecture halls. The idea that a campus filled with civilians armed to the teeth is somehow safer is not only dangerous, but also deeply misguided.

What actually happens when multiple people pull out guns during a mass shooting? More confusion. More chaos. More risk of innocent people being caught in the crossfire. If armed people around the FSU shooter had drawn weapons, it is likely even more lives would have been lost.

And yet, we keep hearing the same tired argument: Gun-free zones make people vulnerable. What really makes us vulnerable is our refusal to look at the full picture.

Why are so many shooters white males from affluent backgrounds with easy access to firearms? Why do we have more guns than people in this country? Why do we treat mental health with stigma and neglect? Why do we allow politicians to turn every tragedy into a culture war instead of taking real action? Why don’t we actually study these shootings to determine how to stop them?

The truth is, there is no single fix for this crisis. It is not just about the guns — but the guns are part of it. And we will never get to real solutions if we cannot even talk about it.

I know this because I live with the consequences of our inaction every single day. My sons lost their father. I lost my husband and life partner. A community lost a leader who gave everything to protect the students he loved.

Chris did not die because the school was a gun-free zone. He died because a dangerous young man had access to a weapon of war. And because we, as a nation, continue to fail at prevention — we only react, mourn and then wait for the next time.

We do not honor heroes like Chris by arming teachers. We honor them by doing the hard work of fixing the systems that keep failing us. That means responsible firearm ownership. That means real mental health support. That means creating school environments that are safe and not accessible to people who come onto campus with the intent of doing harm to students and staff.

So, let’s stop pretending that gun-free zones are the problem. The real problem is our fear — fear of facts, fear of change, fear of upsetting the status quo. It is time we move past that fear.

Our kids, and heroes like Chris, deserve better.

Debbi Hixon is a Broward County School Board member. Her husband, Chris Hixon, was killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Republicans are afraid of the voters — especially women.

In Congress, the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) aims to eliminate voter fraud, which is virtually nonexistent. Instead, it would disenfranchise millions of American women.

The SAVE Act will not allow anyone to register or change their voter registration unless their birth certificate exactly matches their identification. This could affect 69 million women whose married names are different than their birth names. It has passed the House and is now in the Senate.

In Florida, the governor wants to make it harder for citizen-led initiatives to get to the ballot, and of course the Legislature is happy to do his bidding.

Women’s reproductive rights were taken away with the six-week abortion ban, which threatens the life of a woman having a miscarriage, because it’s considered a medical abortion.

Last fall, 57.5% of voters said yes to the citizen-initiated Amendment 4 on reproductive rights, but it didn’t reach the 60% threshold to pass.

Too close for comfort. On April 3, House Republicans passed HB 1205, requiring a $1 million bond for sponsoring a citizen initiative and imposing onerous fines on petition-gatherers for missing tight deadlines. If you care about voting rights, contact your legislators. Make your voices heard!

Diane Johnson, Boca Raton

The writer is a member of the Palm Beach County Voting Rights Coalition.

(Editor’s Note: The SAVE Act, H.R. 22, passed the House, 220-208, on April 10. All 20 Florida Republicans voted yes and all eight Democrats voted no.)

Enough rules and regulations

Health insurance companies and condo management companies have strong similarities.

Both are packed with rules, regulations, approvals and disapprovals. Health insurance companies decide if your meds, procedures, benefits, hospital stays or doctor visits will be approved.

A condo management company decides what you can and cannot do, what you should or should not pay and what benefits you are or are not entitled to.

Both are driven by different objectives, but within both lies a coldness and formality, where individuals become merely numbers.

Mid-level supervisors with titles such as manager or director of something-or-other come across as apathetic. They are less than desirable to deal with.

Unfortunately, we’re at the mercy of their decisions even if they seem unfair. We know that these companies are structured for legal reasons but I, for one, would love to see them vanish into thin air — taking their rules and regulations with them!

Roberta Chaleff, Tamarac

Contemptible actions

The actions of Wisconsin Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, who’s charged with helping a violent illegal immigrant evade arrest by ICE agents, are contemptible.

This 2016 photo shows Judge Hannah Dugan in Milwaukee. (Lee Matz/Milwaukee Independent via AP)

The judge showed more concern for someone who is here illegally and is accused of battery and domestic abuse and of punching his victim 30 times instead of a concern for the safety and welfare of the community.

That’s not only obstruction of justice, it’s un-American.

I hope the judge gets maximum punishment for her crime, so that others will think twice before pulling the same despicable stunt. But my hunch is that she’ll get only a slap on the wrist.

JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater

We are all immigrants

Other than Native Americans, we and all of those who came here before us are immigrants. Some of us just got here before others.

Jeff Light, Coconut Creek

Please submit a letter to the editor by email to letterstotheeditor@sunsentinel.com or fill out the online form below. Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Letters will be edited for clarity and length. 

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Here are the top stories for Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Get the weather forecast for today here.

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Heat flail to the finish, swept out of playoffs in record 138-83 romp by Cavaliers

Panthers score two goals in 11 seconds to edge Lightning, take 3-1 lead in series

Estranged husband accused in wife’s death in Spain dies by suicide in jail, attorneys say

Fort Lauderdale senior living home tied to infamous New York landlords

DeSantis’ new Broward School Board appointee talks about his big move, strong local ties

It’s an auto racing weekend! The Beachfront Grand Prix Festival to make a pit stop in Fort Lauderdale

Boca Bash 2025 goes smoothly, with few problems reported amid patrols

Travel Troubleshooter: Vail Resorts canceled the season. Where’s my refund?

Book review: Vintage Carl Hiaasen attitude guides his new ‘Fever Beach’ about ‘dumb as a post’ white supremacist

Miss Manners: I’m tired of only talking about food when I’m out with friends

DEAR MISS MANNERS: As a teacher for the past 30 years, I have been fortunate to receive thoughtful gifts of thanks and appreciation from my students and their families during the holiday season and at the end of the school year.

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These gifts often include mugs, chocolates, baked goods or gift cards. (Between us, I will admit that my favorite gifts are notes of appreciation from students and parents.)

In return, I have always taken the time to write careful and personal thank-you notes for each of these gifts. Part of my motivation has been to set an example for my students, demonstrating the importance of expressing gratitude through a handwritten note.

However, this practice is time-consuming, particularly during my breaks, when the sheer volume of letters overwhelms me.

At Christmas this year, the time it took prompted me to pause and reflect: Is it truly necessary to write a thank-you note for a thank-you gift? It feels a bit circular.

I can’t imagine not writing the notes, but I feel compelled to ask: Would a simpler acknowledgment suffice, or is this a tradition I should continue?

GENTLE READER: Yes! Continue!

Let us not risk perpetuating that prevalent, but totally false, idea that a present given in thanks need not be acknowledged — that it would lead to a loop in which the giver and recipient would spend the rest of their lives thanking each other.

Nonsense. A letter of thanks does not require a response; a present, given for whatever reason, does.

Those children were probably somewhat involved in giving you those presents — they may even have chosen them. Do you want to leave them wondering if you even cared?

Children almost never receive letters (well, neither do adults, these days), so these would be special. You appreciate letters from them and their parents, so you ought to understand how much they would appreciate letters from you.

And it will be an additional boon to the parents who are requiring their children to write letters of thanks for their birthday and holiday presents.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am permanently in a wheelchair as a result of an injury. There is nothing wrong with my mind.

Many people assume I cannot speak for myself, and some move my wheelchair in directions I do not wish to go.

What can I say to these strangers to convey that I am capable of speaking for myself and that I do not care to be treated like a piece of furniture?

Some people are considerate — holding doors for me and asking if I would like help. Others are quite rude.

GENTLE READER: “Excuse me, but I am right here” to those who talk above you. And “STOP!” to anyone rude enough to move your wheelchair without your permission.

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DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’m feeling stuck about how to respond to a text message that combines a thank-you and a compliment.

For example, would you respond to a text message that says, “Thank you for the delicious dinner” with a “thank you” (for appreciating the dinner), a “you’re welcome” (for the thank-you), or both?

GENTLE READER: Neither. You’re off free.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Today is Tuesday, April 29, the 119th day of 2025. There are 246 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 29, 1992, a jury in Simi Valley, California, acquitted four Los Angeles police officers charged with assault and using excessive force in the videotaped beating of motorist Rodney King; the verdicts were followed by six days of rioting in Los Angeles which destroyed hundreds of businesses and resulted in over 60 deaths.

Also on this date:

In 1916, the Easter Rising in Dublin collapsed as Irish nationalists surrendered to British forces.

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In 1945, during World War II, American soldiers liberated the Dachau concentration camp.

In 1991, a powerful tropical cyclone made landfall in Bangladesh, creating a storm surge that resulted in more than 138,000 deaths.

In 1997, the Chemical Weapons Convention, a worldwide treaty banning the use of chemical weapons and mandating the destruction of existing chemical weapons, went into effect.

In 2008, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama denounced his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, for what he termed “divisive and destructive” remarks on race.

In 2011, Britain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton were married in an opulent ceremony at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Today’s Birthdays

• Musician Willie Nelson is 92.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio is 91.
• Conductor Zubin Mehta is 89.
• Singer Tommy James is 78.
• Golf Hall of Famer Johnny Miller is 78.
• Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 71.
• Actor Kate Mulgrew is 70.
• Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 68.
• Actor Michelle Pfeiffer is 67.
• Singer-TV personality Carnie Wilson is 57.
• Tennis Hall of Famer Andre Agassi is 55.
• Actor Uma Thurman is 55.
• Actor Megan Boone is 42.
• NHL center Jonathan Toews is 37.
• Pop singer Foxes is 36.
• Golfer Justin Thomas is 32.

On one side of South Florida, the Miami Heat did what they never do Monday night.

They broke.

On the other side of town, the Florida Panthers did what has come to define them playoff after playoff. They kept believing, kept charging, to the point of scoring two goals in 11 seconds in Game 4’s third period to reclaim control of their playoff series in a 4-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

If ever there was a moment that underlined where things stand in our sports town, of the torch that’s passed, Monday night was it.

Let’s face it, we love winners in South Florida and covet championships, and the Panthers are all we got right now.

The Dolphins tread water. The Marlins aren’t in the picture. The Heat remain the gold standard of the past few decades, and there’s every reason to think team president Pat Riley will figure how to move on from this season sabotaged by Jimmy Butler’s exit. But there’s no insurance on that.

The Panthers are this stretch of time’s hope for more champagne showers and shared cigars. Monday said why. That chaotic third period showed how.

“It was one of those games that doesn’t have a normal ending,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said.

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The night, and maybe the series, was moving away from them. They gave up two goals to Tampa in 11 seconds to trail 2-1 in the second period. They faced a five-minute Tampa Bay power play after a top defenseman, Niko Mikkola, was ejected for a bad hit early in the third period.

Aaron Ekblad scored a tying goal that was properly overturned by offsides.

“That was a kick in the teeth,” coach Paul Maurice said.

So much was working against them, but Brad Marchand realized something about this team he just joined in March after 17 years in Boston.

“The one thing you notice is the level of calm all around,” said Marchand, who had two assists Monday night. “That’s what you see. These are the moments you embrace and enjoy in playoff times.”

What happened defines these Panthers. Ekblad tied it up — and this one counted. Eleven seconds later — this game had the two quickest scores in NHL playoff history — Seth Jones then threw a shot at the net. It pinged off a Tampa Bay skate, fluttered under the arm of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and eased over the goal line for a 3-2 lead.

Just like that, they weren’t losing back-to-back home games and returning to Tampa in a 2-2 series.

They lead 3-1 in the series now. They’re one more win from advancing. They had the kind of night that hardens the idea they can repeat as champions.

“When you play against this team, they had a swagger and a belief where they just kept coming at you,” Marchand said. “It doesn’t matter what happened in the game. They believed in their system, and each other, and kept coming.

“When you get in the room and you see the way they’re coached, and the way they work on an every day basis, it all makes sense. It’s an incredible room to be a part of.”

Two springs ago, the Panthers and the Heat were in their respective final series. Neither won. That didn’t matter. It was a rare, shared moment.

Last spring, Panthers had the stage to themselves after the Heat fell early in the playoffs and won their first Stanley Cup title. That was new and different.

This spring it’s not new or different.

On one side of Monday night, the Heat’s offseason couldn’t start quickly enough. They were mopped up by Cleveland, 138-83, in as humbling a playoff sweep as there is.

“There’s going to be a lot of changes this summer, knowing how the guy with the silver hair works,” center Bam Adebayo said.

How much can Riley do this summer?

The Panthers are the hope now. They’re the organization with everything clicking. They had the kind of win Monday night that great endings have. There’s a long way to go. But chill the champagne and keep the cigars ready. They’re all we got right now.

• Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during game 4 against Tampa Bay Lightning of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Aren)a in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Panther fans during Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers game 4 of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Florida Panthers Sam Reinhart during game 4 against Tampa Bay Lightning of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Aren)a in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Florida Panthers Carter Verhaeghe during game 4 against Tampa Bay Lightning of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Aren)a in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) during game 4 against Tampa Bay Lightning of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Aren)a in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during game 4 against Tampa Bay Lightning of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Aren)a in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Pre game warm up as Florida Panthers takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 4 of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Pre game warm up as Florida Panthers takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 4 of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
• Panther fans during Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers game 4 of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Show Caption1 of 9Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during game 4 against Tampa Bay Lightning of the Eastern Conference at Amerant Bank Aren)a in Sunrise on Monday April 28, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand

Today is Monday, April 28, the 118th day of 2025. There are 247 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 28, 2004, the world first viewed images of prisoner abuse and torture by U.S. troops at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, via a report broadcast on the CBS television news program “60 Minutes II.”

Also on this date:

In 1789, mutineers led by Fletcher Christian took control of the ship HMS Bounty three weeks after departing Tahiti, setting the ship’s captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and 18 other crew members adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

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In 1945, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were executed by Italian partisans after attempting to flee the country.

In 1947, a six-man expedition led by Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl set out from Peru aboard a balsa wood raft named the Kon-Tiki on a 101-day, 4,300 mile (6,900 km) journey across the Pacific Ocean to the Polynesian Islands.

In 1967, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was stripped of his WBA title after he refused to be inducted into the armed forces.

In 1994, former CIA official Aldrich Ames, who had passed U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and then Russia, pleaded guilty to espionage and tax evasion, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

In 2001, a Russian rocket lifted off from Central Asia carrying the first space tourist, California businessman Dennis Tito, and two cosmonauts on a journey to the International Space Station.

In 2011, convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido and his wife, Nancy Garrido, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and raping a California girl, Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted in 1991 at the age of 11 and rescued 18 years later. (Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison; Nancy Garrido was sentenced to 36 years to life.)

Today’s Birthdays:

• Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III is 95.
• Actor-singer Ann-Margret is 84.
• Chef Alice Waters is 81.
• TV host-comedian Jay Leno is 75.
• Actor Mary McDonnell is 73.
• Musician Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) is 72.
• Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan is 65.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin is 61.
• Golfer John Daly is 59.
• Rapper Too Short is 59.
• Actor Bridget Moynahan is 54.
• Actor Jorge Garcia is 52.
• Actor Penelope Cruz is 51.
• TV personalities Drew and Jonathan Scott are 47.
• Actor Jessica Alba is 44.
• Actor Harry Shum Jr. is 43.
• Singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez is 30.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — One person has died and several were injured Sunday when a boat crashed into a ferry off the Memorial Causeway Bridge and then fled the scene, authorities said.

The Clearwater Police Department posted on X that there were multiple injuries and the crash had been declared “a mass casualty incident” by the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department due to the number of injuries.

All of those injured were aboard the ferry, which was carrying more than 40 people. Police did not provide any information about the person who died.

The ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge and all patients and passengers have been removed.

Police did not immediately provide any information about the boat that fled the scene.

Authorities did not immediately provide the number of those who were hurt.

“All local hospitals have been notified. Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured,” the post said.

Videos on social media showed several first responders rushing to the scene with lights flashing.

Police cautioned drivers to avoid Memorial Causeway.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will investigate the crash.

The Space Coast set a new record in 2024 with 93 launches from all providers, building off the 72 orbital missions flown in 2023. With SpaceX’s continued pace, more launches from United Launch Alliance and the debut of Blue Origin’s New Glenn, the Space Force has said it could support as many as 156 launches in 2025.

Check back for the latest information on upcoming launches.

By The Numbers:

2025: 33 Space Coast launch in 2025 (updated April 27) | 23 from Cape Canaveral, 10 from KSC | 32 from SpaceX (32 Falcon 9), 0 from ULA, 1 from Blue Origin (NG-1) | 2 human spaceflights (Crew-10, Fram2)

2024: 93 Space Coast launches in 2024 | 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 in 2023 | 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

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.

UPCOMING: 2025

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 during a two-hour window from 7-9 p.m. and backup on April 29 during same window. The inaugural launch of Amazon’s Project Kuiper will deliver the first satellites of the constellation into low-Earth orbit. Read more.

TBD, 1st half of 2025 (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. Dependent on ULA completing both Certification 1 and Certification 2 flights. Payload is 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.

TBD, 1st half of 2025 (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. USSF-87 is the 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.

TBD, by end of 1st quarter 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur, the rocket’s third planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD: 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. Read more.

TBD, No earlier than May 2025: Axiom Space was awarded the right to fly Axiom-4. 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 with one of the SpaceX Crew Dragons. The launch date is dependent on spacecraft traffic to the ISS and in-orbit activity planning and constraints that have to be coordinated with NASA.

TBD, No earlier than April 1, 2025 (Delayed from Oct. 13): 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. Was bumped from Oct. 13, 2024 after NASA concerns about New Glenn rocket’s readiness. Read more.

TBD, no earlier than July 2025: SpaceX Crew-11 mission on SpaceX Falcon 9. Crew TBD. Read more.

TBD, no earlier than late 2025: Boeing Starliner-1 on ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 41. NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke will be commander and pilot, respectively. This Starliner previously flew on Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission. Read more.

TBD, no earlier than December 2025: 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.

TBD, late 2025: 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, 2025: 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.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2026

TBD, No later than April 2026: NASA Artemis II mission to send four crew on 10-day orbital mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. Read more.

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, 2026: 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.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2027 and Beyond

TBD, Summer 2027: 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, 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 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 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. 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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

MIAMI — Away from the team for the playoffs and several weeks prior, Miami Heat center Kevin Love on Sunday night posted on Instagram the passing of his father, former NBA player Stan Love.

The Heat for weeks have been listing Love as being away from the team due to personal reasons, declining further details.

Stan Love, 76, played in the NBA and ABA from 1971 to 1975 with the Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.

The brother of Beach Boys singer Mike Love, Stan Love was an All-Pac-8 player at Oregon, selected No. 9 in the 1971 NBA draft by the Bullets.

In a heartfelt tribute to his father, Love offered a lengthy post Sunday night on Instagram that read:

“Dad, you fought for a long time. The hardest stretch being these past 6 months. The most painful to witness being these last few weeks. And even at the end as you continued to deteriorate – I still saw you as a Giant. My Protector. My first Hero.

“The words we continuously heard from you in your last chapter were how blessed you’ve been to have such a loving family. And in return how much you’ve loved your wife and kids. Your only wish was to be at home surrounded by your family when you took your dying breath.

“That breath came. And now it’s time to rest.

“You have undoubtedly been my greatest teacher. A role often served by a Father figure. You taught me admirable qualities like respect & kindness. Humor & wit. Ambition & work ethic. Grit & aggressive will. The insight that failure brings. And that time is our most precious commodity.

“Over the years my Dad and I had our differences. I mourn the times I felt angry and isolated – my heart weighs heavy knowing we lost that time and can’t get it back. But our division led to me finding myself. I was running from something but that time away provided the wisdoms of forgiveness and reconciliation. And an unwavering sense that he loved me through it all, in every moment. ‘The best last lesson one generation can teach the next: how to die with peace about how you’ve lived.’ This may be my Dad’s greatest gift. Teaching me that healing happens in your soul and that healing is there for the taking, even in the face of imminent death. Dad loved his family unconditionally and left his children with one of life’s great lessons.

“As the memories stream down my face I feel as if I can see it all so clearly now. It’s a f – – – – d up fact of life that towards the end, your own life or someone else’s, things that once seemed so complicated and confusing now seem transparent.

“Like all of us, my Dad was imperfect. But despite his flaws, and my own, we are a successful story of father and son. A never ending bond, rooted in love, that will forever remain eternal.

“Dad, I’m so proud to be your son. My only hope is that you’re proud of me. It was all I ever wanted. Thank you for everything.

“I love you.

“Your son,

“Kevin.”

Those within the Heat were aware of Love’s reasoning for being away from the team, protecting that confidentiality. Love briefly was with the Heat the day of their play-in victory over the Chicago Bulls two weeks ago, before again stepping away from the team.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Inter Miami lost its first MLS game of the season Sunday with Lionel Messi watching from a private box as FC Dallas scored three unanswered goals in the second half for a 4-3 victory.

Inter Miami squandered a two-goal advantage and slipped to 5-1-3, with 18 points.

Inter Miami lost at Vancouver in the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal round on Thursday. Messi played all 90 minutes of Miami’s 2-0 loss. With the teams playing the second leg in Miami on Wednesday, the 37-year-old Messi playing Sunday seemed unlikely.

Pedrinho scored the go-ahead goal in the 81st minute to cap the comeback for Dallas (4-3-3, 15 points). Logan Farrington retrieved a ball before it crossed the backline and centered to an open Pedrinho, who converted from 15 yards.

Goals from Osaze Urhoghide and Anderson Julio within a five-minute span midway through the second half tied it at 3.

Urhoghide got Dallas within one when he beat Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender with a shot outside the 6-yard box in the 64th minute. Julio scored the equalizer when he retrieved a long ball from Pedrinho, dribbled unmarked inside the large area and beat Callender with an 18-yard conversion.

Down an early goal, Miami responded with two strikes within a 13-minute span in the first half.

The tying score was ruled an own goal when a shot by Fafá Picault bounced off Dallas defender Shaq Moore near the goal line and into the net in the 16th minute.

Allen Obando put Miami ahead with a goal in the 29th minute. Picault centered a pass to Obando inside the 6-yard box where he tapped in a shot for his first Miami goal.

Miami signed the 18-year-old Obando on loan from the Ecuadorian first division in March.

David Martinez padded the lead for Miami with a goal in the 56th minute. He retrieved a loose ball on the left wing and converted with a shot that landed inside the right post.

Dallas struck first on Shaq Moore’s goal in the eighth minute. Moore retrieved a loose ball and blasted a shot from 18 yards that landed high inside the left post.

In addition to Messi, his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba didn’t play Sunday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh tied for the major league lead with his 10th home run, Logan Evans won his MLB debut and the Seattle Mariners beat the Miami Marlins 7-6 on Sunday.

Connor Norby’s three-run homer in the eighth cut Seattle’s lead before Andrés Muñoz pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save, tying San Diego’s Robert Suarez atop the majors.

The Mariners have won six straight series and 12 of their last 16 games.

Raleigh’s homer tied Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez. J.P. Crawford also homered. Jorge Polanco had three hits, including two doubles, and two RBIs. Julio Rodriguez hit a two-run single.

Evans (1-0) made his debut after All-Star right-hander Logan Gilbert went on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right elbow flexor strain. Evans gave up two runs on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Seattle’s Randy Arozarena reached base for the 23rd consecutive game, the second-longest active streak behind Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber (32), who played Sunday night.

Norby had three hits and three RBIs. Agustín Ramírez hit two solo homers, but grounded out to end the game. Max Meyer (2-3) pitched four innings and gave up five runs.

Ben Williamson was scratched from the Mariners’ lineup with back spasms. The third baseman missed his first game since making his MLB debut April 15. He is hitting .310.

Key moment

The Marlins’ had runners second and third with none out in the fifth. Evans gave up a run before ending his debut by striking out Jesús Sánchez

Key stat

Five games into his major league career, Ramírez is hitting .474 with seven extra-base hits including three home runs, in 19 at-bats.

Up next

Edward Cabrera (0-1, 6.14) pitches for Miami against the Dodgers’ Dustin May (1-1, 3.68) at Los Angeles on Monday. Seattle starts Bryce Miller (1-3, 4.21) at home against the Angels’ Jack Kochanowicz (1-3, 5.47) on Tuesday.

Hollywood detectives are investigating the death of a man who was found Sunday in the Intracoastal Waterway, a city police spokesman said.

Police spokesman Christian Lata said the department received a call around noon about  “an unresponsive person” floating in the waterway. The man was pronounced dead by Hollywood Fire Rescue.

The Hollywood Police Department Detective Bureau has been assigned the case. Lata said more information will be released as it becomes available

Longtime Miami Dolphins edge defender Emmanuel Ogbah is on his way out.

Ogbah, after five seasons with the Dolphins, is signing a one-year deal for up to $5 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.

It reunites the edge rusher with new Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, who was Dolphins linebackers coach from 2020 to 2023.

Ogbah, 31, started his Dolphins tenure with back-to-back nine-sack seasons in 2020 and 2021 as a valued defensive end in ex-coach Brian Flores’ defense.

A holdover in 2022 as coach Mike McDaniel took over but previous defensive coordinator Josh Boyer was retained, Ogbah signed a four-year, $65 million contract as a free agent to rejoin Miami.

His play took a turn for the worse that season, though, as he had just one sack before a torn triceps injury cut his year short after nine games. Miami also traded for outside linebacker Bradley Chubb at the trade deadline that year.

Ogbah was limited in his playing time as a reserve in 2023, but he still managed 5 1/2 sacks and an interception that season. After being released that February, he was unsigned deep into the 2024 offseason before he rejoined the Dolphins once the player expected to replace him, Shaquil Barrett, abruptly retired before training camp.

Among edge rushers for 2025, the Dolphins have 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson and two standout veterans coming off serious knee injuries in Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb. They also have special teamers who can vie for playing time in Quinton Bell and Cameron Goode, and Miami will count on the development of 2024 fifth-round selection Mohamed Kamara.

Hundreds of boats take over Lake Boca Raton for the annual Boca Bash boat party.

They needed a bigger, badder defensive line.

So, they drafted Michigan 330-pounder Kenneth Grant.

They needed a tougher, tone-setting offensive guard.

So, they traded up for Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea.

The Miami Dolphins also needed two starting cornerbacks, another safety, a young quarterback to mold, a landing spot to trade unhappy veteran Jalen Ramsey, another one for unpredictable Tyreek Hill and some good, young depth especially on the tissue-thin trenches.

It was a to-do list that couldn’t all get done in one draft.

The odd part was they didn’t really try to tackle it after those top two picks. Or they couldn’t try as the day broke wrong for them. Something, considering a team with expansive needs shrunk their draft to the point the secondary looks especially full of questions right now.

But start here: The Dolphins corrected their self-made problems at the top of the draft. They needed to toughen this team, needed to bring more power on their lines and general manager Chris Grier’s opening picks should do that.

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Grant means the defensive line can return to being a strength of the team — well, if Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips stay healthy, of course. And if they get a secondary to help. Throw in fifth-round defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, and the stated goal of building the defensive line was reached.

Savaiinaea means the Dolphins won’t have a starting offensive lineman over 27 years old, reflecting a philosophical change from having the league’s oldest roster last year. He means folks can calm down about Liam Eichenberg starting (he won’t). Savaiinaea also means this offense took another step toward having an inside running and actual short-yardage game.

These opening picks replace 2019 first-round tackle Christian Wilkins and 2020 second-round guard Rob Hunt. They went out the door for big money as the Dolphins let them hit free agency rather while choosing to invest in the likes of Hill and Ramsey. Which leads to the problem of this draft.

Start here: The Dolphins entered with four picks in the first four rounds, and with so many needs the prime question was how to expand those draft picks. Instead, they shrunk them. They left with only Grant and Savaiinaea in those four rounds.

Part of that was trading up from the 48th to 36th for Savaiinaea cost their third-round pick (98th overall). That’s an expensive move for a non-premier position. If he’s as good as they think, all is good. But the day-after question is if a combination like Georgia guard Tate Ratledge, taken 57th by Detroit and Western Kentucky cornerback Upton Stout, taken 100th by San Francisco, would impact the roster more?

The other part of that is they traded their fourth-round and sixth-round pick for Houston’s fifth-rounder and a 2026 third-rounder. A head-scratcher. Not just because this was still in the meat of the draft as analysts framed it. But Grier, too. He’s under fire to win this year. Now, a fourth-round pick isn’t going to change the team’s fortune. But he could help.

Chris Perkins: A glance at Miami Dolphins’ 2025 draft class and how they fit

You can come up with reasons why this was done, but I prefer think the obvious one: Grier saw this in the team’s best interest. He got some value by the draft chart, recouped the pick spent on Savaiinaea and will find cornerbacks off the remaining free-agent pile. Asante Samuel Jr. Stephen Gilmore. Someone. Two, actually.

Trading Ramsey remains a must. There’s no plan to bring him back. Hill presents enough of an internal problem if they can’t trade him. Grier and coach Mike McDaniel have to reclaim this team’s culture. And you wonder why they had no interest in Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders?

Sanders would be a fit for McDaniel’s offense and was great value in the fifth round. But the Dolphins aren’t equipped to handle the noise around him. It has enough headaches right now with Ramsey, Hill and a cratered culture.

So, they took Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers in the seventh round. That’s not an investment. It’s a training-camp arm. A hope. Like the six other picks in the fifth, sixth and seventh round.

They entered the draft needing so much they couldn’t do enough. What they did in getting bigger and tougher on the lines was nice. There’s just a lot of work left to be done.

Chris Perkins: Breaking down the AFC East’s draft . . . Dolphins’ grade might surprise you