NASA’s Intuitive Machines moon lander: Best places to see SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch

Rick Neale and Jennifer Sangalang, Florida Today
Updated ·3 min read
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The Odysseus lunar lander is seen in the high bay of Intuitive Machines Headquarters in Houston before shipment to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for integration with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for launch.

Editor’s note as of 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13:

Scrub! SpaceX crews have stood down from a late-night attempt at 12:57 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, to launch a Falcon 9 rocket on the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. In an 11:31 p.m. EST Tuesday tweet, SpaceX officials announced they were standing down "due to off-nominal methane temperatures prior to stepping into methane load."

The new target liftoff time is 1:05 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. Odysseus, the private company's moon lander, will launch via NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and Artemis campaign.

Original story posted at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13:

A Florida rocket launch is scheduled on the most romantic holiday — the NASA Intuitive Machines moon lander.

The mission? The Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander carrying NASA science and commercial payloads will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The launch time is set for 12:57 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, aka Valentine's Day, from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

If you want to watch live rocket launch coverage, FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team will provide updates at floridatoday.com/space, starting about 90 minutes before liftoff.

Where can I see a Florida rocket launch in Brevard County?

Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach. However, visibility will depend on weather conditions, and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches.

If you are viewing the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park, look east directly across the river.

If you are further south along the Indian River, look northeast.

Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest spot to view liftoff because it is almost parallel to launch pad 39A. On the beach, look south along the coastline, (you can even see the pad from some spots).

Some hotspots to check out:

• Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Note, there's a charge to park.

• Playalinda Beach, 1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note, there's a charge to park, and access to Canaveral National Seashore isn't always granted depending on capacity and time of day.

• Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note, parking is available on both sides of Max Brewer Bridge.

• Space View Park, 8 Broad St., Titusville

• Sand Point Park, 10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville

• Rotary Riverfront Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville

• Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.

• Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. Parking fee varies.

• Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Lori Wilson Park has a dog park, by the way.

• Sidney Fischer Park, 2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs.

• Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter)

• Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach (free parking)

• South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach (free parking)

• Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach

• Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida rocket launches: Viewing areas fore SpaceX Falcon 9 on Feb. 15