ULA Florida rocket launch: Where to watch liftoff from Daytona, New Smyrna Beach, Oak Hill

It's almost showtime for the mighty Vulcan — and people in Volusia County may be able to see it.

Last week, United Launch Alliance delivered a hard launch — social media speak for heavy promotion — of its Vulcan rocket, which will send two U.S. national security satellites to space this week from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

On Aug. 7, the space agency released a movie poster promoting the ULA Vulcan rocket launch complete with taglines, "Precision. Power. Purpose." and "national security begins at liftoff." The company released a movie trailer that day, too. The movie poster, movie trailer and mission patch, for the "ULA Vulcan USSF-106" mission feature a strong, god-like figure wielding a hammer (like Marvel's Thor), all with the same message: Coming soon, Aug. 12, 2025.

A day ahead of liftoff, ULA continued with its heavy social media promotion, posting photos and video of the rocket rollout to the launch pad.

When ULA launches its massive rocket, depending on cloud cover, Floridians (and visitors) as far as Jacksonville and Palm Beach County may be able see it light up the sky after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

➤ Business is booming:Florida's Space Coast is one of fastest-growing economies in U.S.

In Florida, you can best see the ULA Vulcan rocket launch in person, particularly if you'reanywhere on the Space Coast(Melbourne, Florida, area), theFun Coast(Daytona Beach area) or theTreasure Coast(Vero Beach, Jensen Beach and Fort Pierce). When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s anopportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail aftermakes for a great photo.

Below is more information about the rocket launch in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from here.

Rocket launch tally: Here's a list of all 2025 missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida (psst, there's a lot)

For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at [email protected] or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at [email protected]. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visitfloridatoday.com/space.

Tom Cruise and untitled SpaceX project: 'Mission: Impossible' star who lives in Florida may shoot a film in outer space

When is the next rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? Tuesday, August 12: United Launch Alliance USSF-106

Mission: Equipped with four solid rocket boosters,ULA's third Vulcan rocketwill launch two U.S. national security satellites into geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth.

Launch window:7:59 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025

Trajectory:Due east

Launch location:Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida

Live coverage starts two hours before liftoff atfloridatoday.com/space:You can watch live rocket launch coverage fromUSA TODAY Network’s Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, atfloridatoday.com/space, starting two hours before liftoff. You can download the freeFLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in theApp StoreorGoogle Play, or typefloridatoday.com/spaceinto your browser.

ULA Vulcan rocket launch photos in Florida: How big is Vulcan?

Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?

Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.

Where to see Florida rocket launch in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach area

In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of aSpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look due south. Recommended spots:

•South New Smyrna Beach(Canaveral National Seashore)

•Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park.

•Apollo BeachatCanaveral National Seashore(south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.

•Oak Hill riverfrontis thesouthernmost city in South Volusia County.

•Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

•Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster Houseback deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill

•Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill

•Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill

•Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill

•Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill

•Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

•A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill

•Bird Observation Pieron River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above)

•Rose Bayin Port Orange, Florida

•beachesalong New Smyrna Beach, Florida

•New Smyrna Beach Inlet, New Smyrna Beach lifeguard station

•Halifax Harbor Marinain Daytona Beach, Florida

•Ormond-by-the-Seain Ormond Beach, Florida

•George R. Kennedy Memorial Parkin Edgewater, Florida

Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral spotted in other parts of Florida

The video playlists below include videos of SpaceX, NASA and United Launch Alliance rocket launches spotted in the sky far beyond the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, including Stuart, Jupiter and West Palm Beach.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her onTwitteror Instagram at@byjensangalang. Support local journalism.Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Rocket launch in Florida: When to watch in Daytona, New Smyrna Beach