- The SpaceX Falcon Heavy, made up of three first stages of a Falcon 9 rocket, could potentially be seen in Palm Beach County, weather permitting and depending on cloud cover.
- Melbourne Beach to West Palm Beach is about 120 miles. Seeing a rocket launch in Palm Beach County is a special event.
When SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket blasts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, can Palm Beach County residents see it?
Possibly people in West Palm Beach and Greenacres have reported seeing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket take off (see video and photos below).
SpaceX’s massive Falcon Heavy rocket — more powerful than the space agency’s Falcon 9 — will potentially lift off this week. Depending on the weather, the Falcon Heavy should be visible from almost anywhere on the Space Coast and in areas outside the county, possibly hundreds of miles away.
Here’s more information about the rocket launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. If there are any changes to the launch, this story will be updated.
Is there a launch today?Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida
Is there a missile launch from Florida? Next up is Tuesday, June 25: SpaceX Falcon Heavy GOES-U
What is the SpaceX Falcon Heavy?
Falcon Heavy is three first stages of the Falcon 9 rocket, which together provide three times the lift. The central Falcon 9 is fully loaded with the rocket’s second stage and payload on top. The payload, in this case the NOAA satellite, is wrapped in fairings to protect it on its way to space.
By comparison, the Falcon 9 that launches Starlink missions is a single rocket. Only one of these single rockets rises 229.6 feet high with the second stage and has a diameter of 12 feet.
With three of these Falcon 9 rockets, the monster Falcon Heavy stands at the same height. However, it is much wider, giving it a width of 39.9 feet, which is comparable to almost three cars parked bumper to bumper.
How big is the Falcon Heavy? How does the SpaceX Falcon Heavy compare to the Falcon 9 rockets?
The photo galleries attached to this story show scenes from a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch (morning, afternoon or evening) from Florida’s Space Coast. Melbourne Beach to West Palm Beach is about 120 miles.
The Falcon Heavy, which consists of three first stages on a Falcon 9 rocket, could potentially be seen outside the Space Coast, weather permitting and depending on cloud cover.
Will it rain today in Cape Canaveral, Florida? Will Time Cancel SpaceX Rocket Launch?
The National Weather Service radar in Melbourne is shown, showing real-time conditions for the Space Coast and other parts of Florida.
Can you see a rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, in West Palm Beach?
Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, some rockets launched from Cape Canaveral or NASA’s Kennedy Space Center can be seen in Palm Beach County, Florida. Some examples include the launch of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket and SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. “Heavy” means rockets have three first stages per rocket, while SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has only one. Photos and video from the Palm Beach Post and shared on social media show a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch visible in West Palm Beach — in some cases.
Videos, tweets of SpaceX rocket launch near Cape Canaveral spotted in West Palm Beach, South Florida
Photos, tweets of rocket launch observed in West Palm Beach, Florida
Sangalang is lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
