Earth & Space
Published

After Hurricane Ian delays, Florida to see 3 launches in 4 days

SpaceX has two Florida launches this week, including NASA's Crew-5 astronaut mission on Wednesday at noon. ULA launched two communications satellites from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday. SpaceX has a third launch on Friday after an attempt Thursday was scrubbed.

By Emilee Speck Source FOX Weather

Top 5 most historic rocket launches

These five rocket launches were some of the most important in space exploration history.

Florida's spaceport will have a busy week after Hurricane Ian jammed up launches for a few days until the weather cleared.

Ahead of Ian's landfall in Southwest Florida, NASA's Artemis-1 rocket, the Space Launch System, was forced to roll back into the hangar at Kennedy Space Center. Even with landfall on the Gulf Coast, Central Florida's Space Coast saw major flooding, hurricane-force winds and rain. 

The launch delay by Hurricane Ian means NASA is now targeting November to launch the moon rocket for the first time. In the meantime, ULA, SpaceX and NASA have plans for unrelated back-to-back launches this week that will keep the Space Coast busy for four days.

ULA was up first in the busy launch week.

The ULA Atlas V rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, Fla. at 5:36 p.m. on Oct. 4, 2022. (Image: ULA)

ULA launched its workhorse rocket the Atlas V at 5:36 p.m. EDT Tuesday with SES 20 and 21 communication satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.

After about six hours, Atlas V Centaur sent the satellites into geosynchronous orbit about 22,000 miles above Earth for satellite operator SES. Each satellite will provide digital TV signals to homes across the continental U.S.

Crew-5 astronaut launch on Wednesday

SpaceX and NASA launched four astronauts at noon Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center. The Crew-5 launch, comprised of American, Russian and Japanese space explorers, will be a 6-month mission to the International Space Station. 

The launch was delayed from Oct. 3 to allow more time to assess KSC facilities for any potential damage from Ian.

Image 1 of 8

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada, left, and Nicole Mann, second from left, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, second from right, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, right, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-5 mission launch, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image: NASA) ( )

Image 2 of 8

The sun sets behind a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the Crew-5 astronaut launch. (Image: SpaceX) ( )

Image 3 of 8

  ( )

Image 4 of 8

Cosmonaut Anna Kikina sits in a mockup of the spacecraft that will take NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station during a training at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. (Image: NASA) ( )

Image 5 of 8

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada, left, and Nicole Mann, second from left, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, second from right, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, right, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-5 mission launch, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image: NASA) ( )

Image 6 of 8

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada, left, and Nicole Mann, second from left, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, second from right, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, right, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the Crew-5 mission launch, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.  Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky) ( )

Image 7 of 8

In this aerial view, a home burns after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on September 29, 2022 in Sanibel, Florida.  (Joe Raedle)

Image 8 of 8

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A during a brief static fire test ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina are scheduled to launch from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky) ( )

NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina launched on top of the Falcon 9 in a Crew Dragon spacecraft.

After more than 24 hours in orbit, the Dragon docked at the ISS. 

Three launches for SpaceX from coast-to-coast

To wrap up the week, SpaceX will launch the Galaxy 33 and Galaxy 34 commercial communications satellites for Intelsat from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.

SpaceX was targeting Thursday evening to launch the Galaxy 33 and 34 satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket. However, 30 seconds before liftoff the mission was aborted.

After the scrub, Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that a "tiny helium leak (just barely triggered abort), but we take no risks with customer satellites. Standing down to investigate."

SpaceX could try again Friday at 7:06 p.m. if they resolve the issue.

An error occurred while retrieving the Tweet. It might have been deleted.

When it happens, the Falcon 9 will deliver the satellites for Intelsat to geosynchronous orbit, providing communication services throughout North America. 

This will mark the company's third launch this week, a batch of Starlink satellites launched from California on Wednesday, just hours after SpaceX sent up the four astronauts from Florida. 

Florida's wet season ends with Ian

Weather plays a big role in any rocket launch. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron works with ULA, SpaceX and NASA to provide launch forecasts days, hours and minutes ahead of any liftoff.

After being drenched by Ian's record-setting rainfall, Florida is experiencing a welcome dry stretch ending the wet season, but scattered showers are forecast to return later in the week. 

For those who get to see this triple-launch week in person or even one liftoff, the weather couldn't be better. The FOX Forecast Center is tracking highs just below or above 80 degrees through the weekend with a partially cloudy sky. A solid chance of rain doesn't appear in the forecast until early next week for Florida's Space Coast.

Excellent weather is forecast for Friday's SpaceX launch with a 90% chance of favorable liftoff conditions. The primary concern will be cumulus clouds.