Falcon 9 Block 5 | Globalstar 2-R Mission 2 (x 8) — visibility, launch time & where to look

The Globalstar global mobile communications network offers global, digital real time voice, data and fax services via its Low Earth Orbit satellite constellation. The constellation operates in a 1410 km orbit inclined at 52 degrees. In early 2022, Globalstar contracted with MDA for the construction of 17 new 2nd generation refresh satellites to replenish the existing constellation. Rocket Lab is sub-contracted to build the satellites' buses and the launch dispensers.

Rocket: Falcon 9 Block 5
Provider: SpaceX
Launch site: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Status: To Be Determined

Launch time

Dec 31, 2026, 12:00 AM UTC
Dec 30, 2026, 7:00 PM Eastern
Dec 30, 2026, 4:00 PM Pacific

This launch time is not yet confirmed. Rocket launches often slip by hours or days for weather, technical checks, or range scheduling — treat the time above as a target and re-check close to the date.

Which cities can see this launch?

Estimated visibility from major towns near US launch sites, assuming clear skies and an open horizon:

City	Visibility	Look toward	Distance to pad
Port Canaveral, FL	Excellent	north-northeast	11 mi
Titusville, FL	Excellent	east-southeast	15 mi
Merritt Island, FL	Excellent	north-northeast	16 mi
Cocoa Beach, FL	Excellent	north	17 mi
Mims, FL	Excellent	east-southeast	17 mi
Rockledge, FL	Excellent	north-northeast	18 mi
Satellite Beach, FL	Excellent	north	26 mi
Indialantic, FL	Excellent	north	33 mi
Melbourne, FL	Excellent	north	33 mi
Palm Bay, FL	Excellent	north	37 mi
New Smyrna Beach, FL	Excellent	south-southeast	39 mi
Sanford, FL	Excellent	east-southeast	45 mi
Orlando, FL	Excellent	east	49 mi
Sebastian, FL	Excellent	north	52 mi
Daytona Beach, FL	Excellent	south-southeast	52 mi
Kissimmee, FL	Excellent	east-northeast	54 mi
Vero Beach, FL	Excellent	north	65 mi
Fort Pierce, FL	Excellent	north	78 mi
Palm Coast, FL	Excellent	south-southeast	80 mi
Port St. Lucie, FL	Excellent	north	90 mi
Lakeland, FL	Excellent	east-northeast	91 mi
St. Augustine, FL	Excellent	south-southeast	102 mi
Tampa, FL	Excellent	east-northeast	122 mi
Gainesville, FL	Excellent	southeast	129 mi
West Palm Beach, FL	Excellent	north-northwest	132 mi
Jacksonville, FL	Excellent	south-southeast	138 mi
Fort Lauderdale, FL	Excellent	north	171 mi
Brunswick, GA	Good	south-southeast	187 mi
Miami, FL	Excellent	north	195 mi
Valdosta, GA	Excellent	southeast	226 mi
Savannah, GA	Good	south	245 mi
Hilton Head Island, SC	Good	south	253 mi
Tallahassee, FL	Good	east-southeast	258 mi
Charleston, SC	Good	south	294 mi
Myrtle Beach, SC	Good	south-southwest	368 mi
Pensacola Beach, FL	Fair	east-southeast	413 mi
Gulf Shores, AL	Fair	east	444 mi
Norfolk, VA	Good	south-southwest	624 mi
Virginia Beach, VA	Good	south-southwest	632 mi
Newport News, VA	Good	south-southwest	635 mi
Richmond, VA	Good	south-southwest	646 mi
Cape Charles, VA	Good	south-southwest	657 mi
Exmore, VA	Good	south-southwest	678 mi
Onancock, VA	Good	south-southwest	691 mi
Wallops Island, VA	Good	south-southwest	709 mi
Chincoteague, VA	Good	south-southwest	713 mi
Pocomoke City, MD	Good	south-southwest	717 mi
Salisbury, MD	Good	south-southwest	735 mi
Berlin, MD	Good	south-southwest	741 mi
Washington, DC	Fair	south-southwest	743 mi
Ocean City, MD	Good	south-southwest	746 mi
Annapolis, MD	Good	south-southwest	757 mi
Rehoboth Beach, DE	Good	south-southwest	769 mi
Baltimore, MD	Fair	south-southwest	775 mi
Cape May, NJ	Good	south-southwest	787 mi
Dover, DE	Good	south-southwest	787 mi
Ocean City, NJ	Good	south-southwest	816 mi
Philadelphia, PA	Good	south-southwest	845 mi
Grand Isle, LA	Not visible	—	572 mi
Rockport, TX	Not visible	—	1002 mi
Port Aransas, TX	Not visible	—	1004 mi
Corpus Christi, TX	Not visible	—	1025 mi
South Padre Island, TX	Not visible	—	1032 mi
Port Isabel, TX	Not visible	—	1035 mi
Laguna Vista, TX	Not visible	—	1039 mi
Bayview, TX	Not visible	—	1046 mi
Los Fresnos, TX	Not visible	—	1051 mi
Brownsville, TX	Not visible	—	1055 mi
Harlingen, TX	Not visible	—	1062 mi
McAllen, TX	Not visible	—	1094 mi
Laredo, TX	Not visible	—	1156 mi
San Diego, CA	Not visible	—	2183 mi
Pasadena, CA	Not visible	—	2237 mi
Mojave, CA	Not visible	—	2239 mi
Long Beach, CA	Not visible	—	2240 mi
Los Angeles, CA	Not visible	—	2243 mi
Malibu, CA	Not visible	—	2268 mi
Thousand Oaks, CA	Not visible	—	2277 mi
Bakersfield, CA	Not visible	—	2287 mi
Oxnard, CA	Not visible	—	2296 mi
Ventura, CA	Not visible	—	2303 mi
Santa Barbara, CA	Not visible	—	2326 mi
Fresno, CA	Not visible	—	2332 mi
Solvang, CA	Not visible	—	2351 mi
Buellton, CA	Not visible	—	2353 mi
Los Alamos, CA	Not visible	—	2358 mi
Santa Maria, CA	Not visible	—	2367 mi
Orcutt, CA	Not visible	—	2367 mi
Lompoc, CA	Not visible	—	2369 mi
Vandenberg Village, CA	Not visible	—	2369 mi
Guadalupe, CA	Not visible	—	2375 mi
Pismo Beach, CA	Not visible	—	2378 mi
San Luis Obispo, CA	Not visible	—	2380 mi
San Jose, CA	Not visible	—	2450 mi

Where to look

A rocket lifts off below the horizon for distant viewers, then climbs into view as it gains altitude and flies downrange. Closer to the pad you'll see it within seconds; a few hundred miles away it can take three to six minutes to rise over the horizon. Find an open view in the direction shown for your city and start watching at liftoff.

Before you go

Launch times change — scrubs and delays are common. Re-check the day of.
Clear skies matter. Low cloud near the pad or along the trajectory can hide the rocket.
Twilight launches are the most dramatic; daytime launches are the hardest to see at distance.
Trajectory and timing here are estimates from a representative ascent profile.

More upcoming launches

Launch data from TheSpaceDevs Launch Library 2. Page generated May 23, 2026.