Disney, beautiful beaches, and alligators are all fair game when it comes to drawing up an idea of what Florida represents. The state is a diverse one and provides a wide range of industries, but make no mistake that tourism is the number one industry. One day, that might include trips to outer space because if you aren’t familiar with it, Space Coast is a genuine hot spot for heading to the stars. Space missions out of Florida are as natural as bottles popping in a Miami nightclub at 1:00 a.m. or Snowbirds heading down to stick their toes in the sand during the winter. Get to learn more about the Space Coast launches 2023 has to offer.

Read next:

The Space Force Birthday Marks the Third Year of Our Newest Branch

All Scheduled 2023 Space Coast Launches

Long gone are the days of only having a few space flights a year from the governments of the world. Today, both private and government sectors collaborate to make various space missions come to life. There were 57 missions launched from Florida's Space Coast in 2022, and even more are expected this year. “How many can we sustain? We’re building and investing, not just us alone, but the Space Force and NASA, and commercial contractors are investing in infrastructure that should be able to support 100 launches a year. That was our plan. I think we want the capability to be able to do two, two-plus a week,” said the President and CEO of Space Florida, Frank DiBello. In fact, you can expect a lot of travel from SpaceX as it continues to experiment with its Falcon 9 rockets. Floridians can expect to see Falcon Heavy, a heavy-lift vehicle that can be used for more than one space mission, in the air soon. But the SpaceX launch isn’t the only thing to look forward to, as entities both old and new will be taking to the heavens this year. Space Coast rocket launches are coming to Florida. The Space Coast launch schedule 2023 shows us what will hope to be cleared for takeoff:

1. SpaceX Falcon 9, Transporter 6 (January 3; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
2. SpaceX Falcon 9, OneWeb 16 (January 8; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
3. SpaceX Falcon Heavy, US Space Force 67 (USSF-67) (January 12; Kennedy Space Center)
4. SpaceX Falcon 9, GPS III SV06 (January 18; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
5. SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 2–2 (January 31; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
6. SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 5-2 (January 31; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
7. SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 5-3 (January 31; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
8. SpaceX Falcon 9, Starlink 5-4 (January 31; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
9. Terran 1 Good Luck, Have Fun (January 31; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
10. SpaceX Falcon 9, O3b mPOWER 3 & 4 (February; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
11. SpaceX Falcon 9, USCV-6 (NASA Crew Flight 6) (February 19; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
12. SpaceX Falcon 9, Amazonas Nexus (February; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
13. SpaceX Falcon 9, Immarsat I-6 Flight 2 (F2) (February; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
14. SpaceX Falcon 9, Polaris Dawn (March; Kennedy Space Center)
15. SpaceX Falcon 9, IM-1/Nova-C (March; Kennedy Space Center)
16. United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy, NROL-68 (March; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
17. SpaceX Falcon 9, WorldView Legion 3 & 4 (March; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
18. SpaceX Falcon 9, O3b mPOWER 5 & 6 (March; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
19. SpaceX Falcon 9, Intelsat 40e (March; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
20. United Launch Alliance Atlas V, Silent Barker (March; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
21. SpaceX Falcon 9, Hakuto-R Moon Lander Mission 2 (March; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
22. SpaceX Falcon 9, PACE (March 31; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
23. United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur, Peregrine (Q1; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
24. SpaceX Falcon Heavy, US Space Force 52 (USSF-52) (April 10; Kennedy Space Center)
25. United Launch Alliance Atlas V, CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) (April; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
26. United Launch Alliance Atlas V, USSF-51 (April; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
27. SpaceX Falcon 9, Axiom Space-2 (AX-2) (May; Kennedy Space Center)
28. United Launch Alliance Atlas V Rocket, ViaSat-3 EMEA (June; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
29. SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 28 (June 5; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
30. SpaceX Falcon Heavy, Jupiter 3 (June; Kennedy Space Center)
31. SpaceX Falcon 9, Thuraya 4-NGS (July; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
32. SpaceX Falcon 9, USSF-36 (July; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
33. United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur, Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser CRS-1 (SNC Demo-1) (Summer; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
34. SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 29 (September; Kennedy Space Center)
35. SpaceX Falcon 9, Blue Ghost (CLPS-19D) (September; it’s likely launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
36. United Launch Alliance Atlas V, CST-100 Starliner Mission 1 (Q3; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
37. United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur, USSF-112 (Q3; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
38. SpaceX Falcon Heavy, Psyche (possibly October 10; Kennedy Space Center)
39. SpaceX Falcon 9, CRS 29 (October 20; Kennedy Space Center)
40. SpaceX Falcon 9, SATRIA (October; likely Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
41. Terran 1, Cryogenic Demonstration Mission (October; likely Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
42. SpaceX Falcon 9, USCV-7 (NASA Crew Flight 7) (October; Kennedy Space Center)
43. SpaceX Falcon 9, MethaneSat (October; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
44. SpaceX Falcon 9, Masten Mission One (MM1) (November; TBD)
45. SpaceX Falcon Heavy, Griffin Mission 1 (GM1)/VIPER (November; Kennedy Space Center)
46. SpaceX Falcon 9, PACE (November 30; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
47. New Glenn 1, First Demo Flight (December; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
48. United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur, USSF-87 (Q4; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
49. SpaceX Falcon 9, NROL 69 (Q4; possibly Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)

A couple of things for you enthusiasts of space to remember:

• First off, there are so many variables to consider that there is absolutely no way this launch schedule for Space Coast will remain completely accurate. But they are things to look for throughout the year.
• Secondly, there are actually even more Florida Space Coast launches to be had. To stay up to date with the latest updates as things change, the experts at Space.com have you covered.

Why Do Rockets Launch From Florida?

Rockets leave from Florida for many reasons, including the Sunshine State’s proximity to the equator. This helps rockets use the Earth’s rotation and gain more speed while using less fuel when launching into space. Home to both the Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the experience and history of U.S. space exploration belong to the Space Coast, unlike any other region of the country. This is exactly why Space Florida exists. The agency works to advance investment and interest in the aerospace industry. It came about after combining multiple organizations dedicated to space after the Space Florida Act in 2006.

Space Coast Launches Continue To Advance U.S. Space Travel

It’s beyond amazing that humans ever made it to space, let alone where we are now with private and government entities working together to further explore it. The Space Coast launches we see today are helping us take the current and future steps necessary to advance humanity throughout the cosmos.

Suggested read:

The Location of Space Force Training Will Soon Be Out of This World

Image: Space Coast Florida via Travel Zoo