Rick Neale
Florida Today
Jan. 1, 2026, 8:42 a.m. ET
Florida’s Space Coast just hosted a record-shattering 109 orbital rocket launches during 2025, soaring beyond all previous annual records.
Will this year’s final total surpass that lofty sum from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center?
Stay tuned. The Cape’s January 2026 launch schedule kicks off with a string of SpaceX Starlink internet satellite missions. Coming up in the near future: NASA’s Artemis II crewed moon mission and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 liftoff to the International Space Station.
Following are the latest missions coming up from the Cape. All launches are listed in Eastern Standard Time. But be aware: Dates and times routinely change for a wide variety of reasons.
For the latest mission updates and space news, visit floridatoday.com/space. For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com.
Sunday, January 4: SpaceX Starlink 6-88
Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Launch window: 12 a.m. to 3:17 a.m.
Trajectory: Southeast.
Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: No.
Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Wednesday, January 7: SpaceX Starlink 6-96
Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Launch window: 1:55 p.m. to 5:55 p.m.
Trajectory: Southeast.
Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: No.
Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Saturday, January 10: SpaceX Starlink 6-97
Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Launch window: 1:34 p.m. to 5:34 p.m.
Trajectory: Southeast.
Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: No.
Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
No earlier than February: NASA Artemis II
Mission: Four NASA astronauts will venture around the moon during a 10-day flight to help pave the way for future human lunar exploration missions.
Launch window: TBA.
Trajectory: TBA.
Location: NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B.
Sonic booms: No.
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
No earlier than Sunday, February 15: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12
Mission: Four crew members from three space agencies will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Launch window: TBA.
Trajectory: TBA.
Location: TBA.
Sonic booms: TBA.
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Early 2026: United Launch Alliance USSF-87
Mission: A ULA Vulcan rocket will launch a national security mission into geosynchronous orbit.
Launch window: TBA.
Trajectory: TBA.
Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: No.
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Early 2026: Blue Origin Blue Moon Pathfinder
Mission: A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket will launch a Blue Moon lunar lander carrying NASA payloads on a demonstration mission.
Launch window: TBA.
Trajectory: TBA.
Location: Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sonic booms: No.
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
No earlier than April: NASA Boeing Starliner-1
Mission: An uncrewed Boeing Starliner will deliver cargo to the International Space Station and undergo in-flight validation of a series of system upgrades.
Launch window: TBA.
Trajectory: TBA.
Location: TBA.
Sonic booms: TBA.
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
Fourth quarter 2026: ULA Sierra Space Dream Chaser
Mission: Sierra Space will launch its uncrewed Dream Chaser space plane atop a ULA Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Launch window: TBA.
Location: Launch Complex 41.
Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts two hours minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.
For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter.
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