Florida’s Space Coast Soars: Celebrating an Unprecedented 93rd Rocket Launch in 2023!

An unprecedented year for rocket launches concluded on New Year’s Eve with the Space Coast’s 93rd and final launch of 2024, breaking the short-lived yearly record.

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket in the darkness just after midnight at 12:39 a.m. EST Tuesday from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, deploying 21 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.

The final count of 93 orbital launches in 2024 marks a 29% increase over the previous record of 72, which was set just last year from KSC and adjacent Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Moreover, officials anticipate the launch frequency at the Cape to keep accelerating.

“Space Florida predicts that the state needs to be ready to facilitate the transportation of 5,000 metric tons of cargo to space each year by 2035. This scale translates to 219 Falcon 9 launches, 40 Starship launches, 194 ULA Vulcan launches, or 111 New Glenn launches — highlighting the substantial growth potential of the sector,” the agency stated in a press release dated Dec. 19.

Rocket photography: FLORIDA TODAY’s 2025 Space Launch Calendar is now available

Tuesday’s early morning Starlink 12-6 mission represented that Falcon 9 first-stage booster’s 16th flight, according to SpaceX. The booster — which had previously launched Crew-6, BlueBird-1, USSF-124, mPOWER-B and 11 Starlink missions — successfully landed on SpaceX’s drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.

In total, SpaceX achieved 134 Falcon launches from Florida and California this year.

“Ultimately, there exists but one number that truly matters. ZERO failures. Our focus is — and will remain — safety and reliability above everything else,” Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX’s vice president of launch, stated in a tweet on Friday.

“Finally, a substantial shout out to the men and women of @SpaceX. 2024 would undoubtedly be a fantasy without your unwavering commitment and creativity. Here’s to an incredible end to 2024 and an even brighter 2025!” Dontchev expressed.

Next Cape launch set for early Wednesday

Looking forward, another SpaceX Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch Space42’s Thuraya-4 geostationary telecommunications satellite early Thursday morning, as indicated by a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory.

The launch window for the Thuraya-4 mission stretches from 12 a.m. to 2:23 a.m. from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

“The new Thuraya 4 geostationary satellite will provide enhanced capabilities and broaden coverage across Europe, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East, facilitating next-generation mobility solutions for clients,” stated an Airbus press release.

“In 2020, Airbus was selected to construct Thuraya 4 by Yahsat, now incorporated into Space42, the UAE’s AI-focused SpaceTech firm with a global presence,” the press release mentioned.

FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will begin live coverage of the mission about 90 minutes prior to liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Reach Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Follow on Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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