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Florida's rocket launches break record, reaching triple digits in 2025

SpaceX's Falcon 9 largely dominated the launch manifest in 2025. It's seen here launching a batch of the company's Starlink satellites into orbit.
SpaceX
SpaceX's Falcon 9 largely doinated the launch manifest in 2025. It's seen here launching a batch of the company's Starlink satellites into orbit.

So far, the Space Coast's facilities have tallied 109 launches. A potential launch Sunday by SpaceX could bring the end-of-year number to 110, shattering last year's record of 93 launches.

Florida's Space Coast hosted a record number of rocket launches in 2025, and for the first time ever, the number of launches reached triple digits.

So far, the Space Coast's facilities have tallied 109 launches. A potential liftoff Sunday by SpaceX could bring the end-of-year number to 110, shattering last year's record of 93.

Blue Origin launches its New Glenn rocket for a second time in 2025.
/ Blue Origin
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Blue Origin
Blue Origin launches its New Glenn rocket for a second time in 2025.

The manifest was largely driven by SpaceX and its Falcon 9 rocket. At both its Florida facilities and pads at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, SpaceX completed 165 launches nationwide, with the potential for more by year's end.

"Congrats to the entire SpaceX team for achieving 165 launches," said Kiko Dontchev, the company's vice president of launch. "We have two more Falcon launches to go in 2025 for extra credit for a total of 167."

Other commercial operators added to the launch tally in Florida. United Launch Alliance lofted a half-dozen rockets into space – both its longtime workhorse Atlas V and the company's newest rocket, Vulcan. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket on its first two missions this year.

Next year could bring even more launches. Along with Falcon 9 launches, Dontchev said SpaceX will utilize its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center to focus on Falcon Heavy launches and prepare the facility to host Starship, the company's mega-rocket that is slated to take humans to the lunar surface.

NASA is also launching a crew of four on a trip to the moon on the agency's SLS rocket. The Artemis II mission is targeting a launch as early as February.
Copyright 2025 Central Florida Public Media

Brendan Byrne
[Copyright 2024 Central Florida Public Media]
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