Falcon Heavy is going to light up the skies after 3 years of absence, here's what you need to know!
After something like 3 years of absence, the Falcon Heavy rocket is returning to service with the USSF-44 mission for the Space Force. To make matters even better, it’s a double-RTLS! If you’re going to be in the area for the launch, here’s a rundown of the important details, and some advice to help you find the viewing spot of your choice.
Launch Details
The launch of USSF-44 is currently scheduled for November 1st, 2022 with a window spanning roughly 30 minutes, from 9:40 AM to 10:11 AM local Florida time. That means, all going well, it will launch within that span of time. 30 minutes is not long enough for them to reset the countdown if they have a hold, so if you hear a hold called, that means they will not launch. The date and time for a second attempt have not been made public, but expect it to be at least 48 hours later.
RTLS, or Return to Launch Site, is a way SpaceX will recover a booster, or in this case, boosters. After the two outer boosters shut down their engines and separate from the rocket, they will flip around and light their engines to slow themselves down, so they can guide themselves back to landing pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, as opposed to the landing barges they tow out to sea to land on for ocean recoveries.
Viewing Options
The Falcon Heavy will be lifting off from Launch Complex 39A on the north side of the Kennedy Space Center, and its boosters will be landing at Landing Zones 1 and 2 towards the south of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. As the launch and landing site are fairly far apart, there is no one killer spot to watch both the launch and the landing, so where you go is entirely dependent on your priorities.
Paid Options
The Kennedy Space Center Visitors’ Complex is offering paid viewing in the form of their Feel The Heat package ($250) as well as offering viewing from their main campus included with your paid admission ($75).
– Feel the Heat will net you a view from the Banana River Viewing Stands at the Saturn V Center, 3 miles away from the LC-39A. It is without a doubt the best place from which to view the launch itself. The view of booster landing isn’t as exceptional, from your perspective it will be near to, and possibly behind, the Vehicle Assembly Building. Included in the ticket price are 2 days of admission, a meal, and a handful of souvenirs to commemorate the launch. This package is valid for 2 launch attempts, so if it does not fly on the 1st you will be able to return for a second opportunity. Check-in for this viewing is at 5:30AM, you should nominally be at the visitors complex by then.
– Main Center Viewing is included with park admission for the day. They will have jumbotrons showing the launch, but you don’t have a direct view of launch or landing due to the brush and trees surrounding the visitors complex. You’re still technically closer than all but Feel the Heat, but if not being able to see the rocket on the pad and/or losing it behind the trees on landing are dealbreakers, this may not be for you. There is no scrub policy per se here, if it doesn’t go you have to buy another ticket, you didn’t buy a launch package just park admission.
Jetty Park ($16/car) is among the best places to witness a booster landing, and by far one of the closest at around 6 miles distance from the landing zones. Being so low to the water level, the berm on the other side of the Port Canaveral channel blocks your direct view of the launch pad and landing zones, but the view you get from that south end, watching the rocket go out to sea, then seeing the boosters come back feeling like they’re right overhead, is definitely worth that tradeoff, especially at that price. The gates open at 7am and the park will close when it reaches capacity.
Star*Fleet Tours plans on offering viewing excursions to view the launch and landing from out to sea, and I can’t recommend this enough. This is the unparalleled best view you’ll have of landing, and your position out at sea will also afford you a fair view of launch. $89 will get you aboard a boat, 10 dollars more will upgrade you to the upper deck of the boat (these are 2-story, ~80-foot, ~100-person fishing boats), and seating is limited with only one boat available. Tickets sales are live, and upper deck tickets have already sold out! There may still be room, and they may take walk-ins if you have the money.
Free Options
Second only to Jetty Park for landing are the beach accesses in Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral, most of which have free parking save for the ones near the Cocoa Beach Pier. These maintain the same drawbacks at Jetty Park and are slightly further away, but you shouldn’t necessarily discount them. They’re still some of the closest places you can get to landing.
The viewing sites that balance launch and landing the best are the county parks along US1 between the 528 and downtown Titusville, all of which are free and public. These are all a fair distance from both launch and landing, but they all have a clear view across the water. The further north you go, the closer you are to launch. The further south, closer to landing. They are all roughly comparable, all scoring between 10-15 miles away from both launch and landing, and it comes down to preference. They will all treat you well.
If you’re in downtown Titusville, the Max Brewer Bridge is also a fun place to watch a launch, assuming you’re willing and able to walk up the bridge. It does have a fairly moderate slope, especially the eastern side. That side’s a pain to climb even with my mountain bike geared down. It’s also a fairly limited option, unless Brevard County closes the bridge to traffic, which I’m not certain they will. It doesn’t happen often, so don’t count on it and have a backup plan if it’s not available.
As a note, Playalinda Beach will almost certainly be closed, I’ve seen enough reports of people calling and being told such to say that, and they additionally closed the seashore for the static fire test of the rocket.
Furthermore, the “rocket launch viewing” on google maps by the south gate of CCSFS will likely be reserved for off-base personnel, and thus unavailable.
Launch and Landing Summary
| Viewing Site | Launch View | Landing View |
| (KSC) Feel The Heat | Great | Good |
| (KSC) Main Center | Okay | Okay |
| Jetty Park | Okay | Great |
| Star*Fleet Tours | Good | Great |
| Public Beaches | Okay | Good-Great |
| US1 County Parks | Good | Good |
Best Practices
Arrive at your preferred viewing site at least 2-3 hours early. If you’re planning on Jetty Park, try to arrive before 7:00 because there’s going to be a whole lot of people vying to get in right when the gates open. If you’re planning on KSC, arrive before your Feel the Heat ticket says to, or as early as you’re willing.
Bring sunscreen, bug spray, water, a powerbank, maybe some snacks. The Florida sun doesn’t play nice, even in “winter.”
Wear a mask, social distance, and be considerate of your fellow people to either side. It’s outdoors, you shouldn’t have any trouble giving each other room.
Take care of yourselves, and safe travels,
Lupi