Florida’s Space Coast was hit hard during the 2008 economic recession; many of the area’s aerospace and defense companies laid off hundreds of skilled workers. Ten years later, the local economy is once again booming. With the return of aerospace jobs, and an influx of new tech and tourism companies entering the area, and an affordable housing market, some are even calling the Space Coast “The next Silicon Valley.”
High profile companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, among others, have put space exploration back in the national spotlight. As NASA announces new missions to the moon and begins to look to the future on Mars, new start-ups and old names alike are bringing high-paying aerospace jobs to Central Florida by the thousands in what’s been dubbed the new space race.
But aerospace isn’t the only sector that’s growing: the housing market is growing by leaps and bounds, and new construction in the area has more than double over the last 5 years. Port Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, and Melbourne are growing attractions for tourists with a wide variety of cruises, local shopping, art, and more, breaking records for visitors at any given time in Florida’s history.
Read more about the Space Coast’s economic boom in UPI’s article. If you are planning to visit the Space Coast and are in need of accommodations, give us a call at (321)-784-5046 or e-mail us at [email protected]! Relocating to area? We also do real estate!
United Launch Alliance (ULA) will be launching an Atlas V rocket on October 17th from Cape Canaveral. The launch is set to liftoff at 12:15am, carrying the AEHF-4 satellite to orbit. The craft, developed by Lockheed Martin, is a military communications satellite. Since the launch is outside of normal business hours, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will not be open for launch viewing.
The rocket launch will be visible for most of the surrounding Space Coast. Our beautiful beaches are popular launch viewing locations. Jetty Park, Port Canaveral, and the Cocoa Beach Pier are also popular viewing spots. Check your local weather station for up to date weather reports.
For more information about the launch and the upcoming launch schedule on the Space Coast, visit the official Kennedy Space Center website. Learn more about ULA and look out for the launch livestream on the official ULA website. If you are planning to visit the Space Coast and are in need of accommodations, give us a call at (321)-784-5046 or e-mail us at [email protected]!
On August 11th, the Space Coast will see a rare Delta IV Heavy launch from Cape Canaveral. The 45 minute launch window is set for the early hours of Saturday morning, between 3:48am and about 4:30am. The probe is named after Eugene Parker, the astrophysicist who correctly predicted the existence of solar winds in 1958. The probe will leave Earth’s orbit and make a short trip to Venus, where the craft will loop around to slow down before it approaches the Sun on November 5th to begin its 7 year mission. At its closet approach, the probe will fly within 4 miles of the Sun’s surface, traveling through the Sun’s outer atmosphere. NASA will also be hosting several special exhibits at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex over the weekend, showcasing mission details. The weather forecast for the launch indicates clear skies overnight and into the early morning hours.
We’ve had the pleasure of hosting many of the talented men and women from John Hopkins’ Applied Physics Lab (JHUAPL) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) this summer in our oceanfront units, who have played an integral role in the development and launch of the probe. We wish them the best of luck on this historic mission!
For more information about the launch and the upcoming launch schedule on the Space Coast, visit the official Kennedy Space Center website or check out Space.com’s article about the mission. For live launch updates, visit SpaceFlightNow‘s live launch feed. If you are planning to visit the Space Coast and are in need of accommodations, give us a call at (321)-784-5046 or e-mail us at [email protected]!
Image from America Space, photo credit Jason Rhian
This Thursday, United Launch Alliance (ULA) will be kicking off its launch schedule here on the Space Coast with the flight of the Atlas V rocket. Liftoff is currently set for 7:40pm, but heavy cloud cover for most of this week may cause a delay. The mission will carry the 4th installment of the SBIRS satellite constellation into position. The SBIRS satellites are a part of the US military’s early missile detection system. Thursday’s weather forecast indicates heavy cloud cover and a strong breeze going into the evening hours.
For a complete launch schedule, visit the official Kennedy Space Center calendar. If you are planning to visit the Space Coast and are in need of accommodations, give us a call at (321)-784-5046 or e-mail us at [email protected]! Corporate and government rates are available for aerospace travelers!
After several delays, United Launch Alliance (ULA) will be launching an Atlas V rocket on a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. The launch window will open early Thursday morning, October 5th, between 3:30am-5:00am. Bad weather is expected to continue for the Space Coast well into next week and even beyond, with a high chance of storms and rain possible for this launch window. If the weather does clear, viewers might be treated to a rare night launch and full moon combo. October’s full moon is set to rise during the evening hours and set just after sunrise. Since this is a classified launch, streaming will not be available from the Atlas V rocket, but viewers can watch for local news coverage.
For the latest launch information, visit the official Kennedy Space Center launch calendar. If you are planning to visit the Space Coast and are in need of accommodations, give us a call at (321)-784-5046 or e-mail us at [email protected]!
UPDATE 10/5: This morning’s launch attempt was scrubbed due to weather. The next attempt is scheduled for early Friday morning, October 6th at 4:03am.
UPDATE 10/6: This morning’s launch attempt was scrubbed due to weather. The next attempt is scheduled for early Friday morning, October 7th at 3:59am.
UPDATE 10/9: After three unsuccessful attempts, a part on the rocket failed and required a rollback for replacement. No attempt has been rescheduled at this time.
