Florida’s Space Coast stood ready for a historic night of launches on Wednesday, with rivals SpaceX and United Launch Alliance poised to send two rockets to orbit from adjacent pads in a doubleheader that would tie the region’s annual launch record. The carefully orchestrated sequence aimed to showcase the increasing cadence of the Cape Canaveral spaceport, with rockets scheduled to lift off less than two hours apart under the light of a supermoon.
The evening, however, delivered a split result of success and delay. While SpaceX successfully launched another batch of its Starlink satellites, extending its prolific flight rate, ULA was forced to scrub its mission in the final minutes of the countdown due to a technical issue. The scrub leaves the Space Coast one launch shy of tying the record of 93 orbital flights set in 2024, shifting the milestone to ULA’s next attempt.
A Tale of Two Launchpads
The night’s events unfolded on two launchpads situated less than two miles apart at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, each hosting a veteran rocket ready for a distinct mission. The proximity and tight scheduling of the two launches highlighted the complex coordination required by range officials and ground crews to manage the increasingly crowded airspace. The spectacle was set against the backdrop of November’s Beaver Moon, which was also a supermoon, making its closest approach to Earth for the year and appearing larger and brighter in the sky.
SpaceX Successfully Deploys Starlink Fleet
The first launch of the evening proceeded without issue. At 8:31 p.m. EST, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40, carrying 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The mission, part of SpaceX’s ongoing effort to build out its global internet constellation, marked the 92nd successful launch from the Space Coast in 2025. The flight demonstrated the company’s routine mastery of reusable rocket technology. Approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, having completed its fifth mission, successfully landed on the autonomous droneship Just Read the Instructions stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This recovery allows the booster to be refurbished for future flights, a key element of SpaceX’s high-cadence, cost-effective launch model.
ULA Halts Countdown for Atlas V
Two miles to the north at Space Launch Complex 41, ULA was preparing for its fifth launch of the year. An Atlas V rocket was scheduled to launch with a window opening at 10:24 p.m. EST, carrying the Viasat-3 F2 satellite, a critical component for a global high-speed satellite internet service. However, controllers halted the countdown clock at the four-minute mark to address a technical problem. The issue was traced to a vent valve on the rocket’s liquid oxygen tank. Despite efforts by engineers at both Cape Canaveral and ULA’s design center in Denver, the problem could not be resolved within the 44-minute launch window. Shortly before 11:00 p.m., the ULA Launch Director declared a scrub for the day. The team began procedures to safe the vehicle, with the earliest opportunity for a new launch attempt being roughly 24 hours later.
The Elusive Annual Record
A successful dual launch would have brought the Space Coast’s 2025 launch tally to 93, matching the record set just one year prior in 2024. The achievement would have underscored the exponential growth in launch activity from the region, driven largely by SpaceX’s aggressive Starlink deployment schedule. SpaceX’s successful flight on Wednesday evening brought the total to 92, putting the record within immediate reach. The responsibility now falls solely on ULA’s rescheduled Atlas V mission to secure the record-tying flight. This rapid pace is a testament to the streamlined operations at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center, which together are on a trajectory to surpass 100 launches by the end of the year.
A Changing of the Guard
The scheduled doubleheader featured two of the industry’s most reliable rockets, but it also represented a transition period for the launch providers. The evening highlighted the differing operational philosophies and future directions of the two companies.
The Dominance of Falcon 9
SpaceX has been the primary driver of the Space Coast’s record-setting pace, accounting for 87 of the 92 launches so far this year. The company’s Falcon 9 rocket has become the workhorse of the global launch industry, handling everything from commercial satellite deployments and private astronaut missions to resupply runs for the International Space Station and flights for national security. All four crewed missions from the U.S. in 2025 have been conducted by SpaceX. The company’s relentless launch schedule has transformed the economics and accessibility of space, though it has also sparked discussions about market competition and reliance on a single provider.
The Legacy of Atlas V
For ULA, the mission represents one of the final flights for its venerable Atlas V rocket. This workhorse, with a long history of successfully launching critical national security and science missions for the U.S. government, is being phased out. The remaining rockets in the Atlas V inventory are already assigned to future missions for Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite constellation and Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule. ULA is transitioning to its new, more powerful, and partially reusable Vulcan Centaur rocket, which debuted earlier in the year. The scrubbed launch was a reminder that even the most reliable launch systems can encounter technical hurdles that demand caution and patience.
Next Steps for the Mission
With the Atlas V rocket safed on the launchpad, ULA teams are now focused on resolving the vent valve issue. The company has announced a new launch target for Thursday evening, with a window opening at 10:16 p.m. EST. Weather forecasters have predicted a greater than 95% chance of favorable conditions for the attempt, providing an excellent opportunity to proceed. If successful, the launch will finally secure the Space Coast’s 93rd launch of the year, officially tying a record that reflects the region’s undisputed role as the world’s premier gateway to orbit.
