Vulcan VC4S | USSF-87 — launch recap & visibility

USSF-87 will launch two identical Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites GSSAP-7 and GSSAP-8 directly to a near-geosynchronous orbit approximately 36,000 km above the equator. Data from the GSSAP will uniquely contribute to timely and accurate orbital predictions, further enabling space flight safety including satellite collision avoidance.

Rocket
Vulcan VC4S
Provider
United Launch Alliance
Launch site
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Status
Launch Successful

Liftoff time

Which cities could see this launch?

Estimated visibility from major towns near US launch sites, assuming clear skies and an open horizon at the time of liftoff:

CityVisibilityLook towardDistance to pad
Port Canaveral, FL Excellent north 12 mi
Titusville, FL Excellent east 14 mi
Mims, FL Excellent east-southeast 16 mi
Merritt Island, FL Excellent north-northeast 17 mi
Cocoa Beach, FL Excellent north 18 mi
Rockledge, FL Excellent north-northeast 19 mi
Satellite Beach, FL Excellent north 28 mi
Indialantic, FL Excellent north 34 mi
Melbourne, FL Excellent north 35 mi
New Smyrna Beach, FL Excellent southeast 37 mi
Palm Bay, FL Excellent north 38 mi
Sanford, FL Excellent east-southeast 44 mi
Orlando, FL Excellent east 48 mi
Daytona Beach, FL Excellent south-southeast 51 mi
Sebastian, FL Excellent north 53 mi
Kissimmee, FL Excellent east-northeast 54 mi
Vero Beach, FL Excellent north 66 mi
Palm Coast, FL Excellent south-southeast 79 mi
Fort Pierce, FL Excellent north 80 mi
Lakeland, FL Excellent east-northeast 91 mi
Port St. Lucie, FL Excellent north 92 mi
St. Augustine, FL Excellent south-southeast 101 mi
Tampa, FL Excellent east-northeast 122 mi
Gainesville, FL Excellent southeast 128 mi
West Palm Beach, FL Excellent north-northwest 133 mi
Jacksonville, FL Excellent south-southeast 137 mi
Fort Lauderdale, FL Good north 172 mi
Brunswick, GA Good south-southeast 185 mi
Miami, FL Good north 197 mi
Valdosta, GA Good southeast 224 mi
Savannah, GA Good south 243 mi
Hilton Head Island, SC Good south 251 mi
Tallahassee, FL Good east-southeast 257 mi
Charleston, SC Good south 293 mi
Myrtle Beach, SC Good south-southwest 367 mi
Pensacola Beach, FL Marginal east-southeast 412 mi
Gulf Shores, AL Marginal east-southeast 443 mi
Norfolk, VA Marginal south-southwest 623 mi
Virginia Beach, VA Marginal south-southwest 631 mi
Newport News, VA Marginal south-southwest 634 mi
Richmond, VA Marginal south 645 mi
Cape Charles, VA Marginal south-southwest 656 mi
Exmore, VA Marginal south-southwest 677 mi
Onancock, VA Marginal south-southwest 690 mi
Wallops Island, VA Marginal south-southwest 707 mi
Chincoteague, VA Marginal south-southwest 712 mi
Pocomoke City, MD Marginal south-southwest 716 mi
Grand Isle, LA Not visible — 571 mi
Salisbury, MD Not visible — 734 mi
Berlin, MD Not visible — 740 mi
Washington, DC Not visible — 742 mi
Ocean City, MD Not visible — 745 mi
Annapolis, MD Not visible — 756 mi
Rehoboth Beach, DE Not visible — 768 mi
Baltimore, MD Not visible — 774 mi
Cape May, NJ Not visible — 786 mi
Dover, DE Not visible — 786 mi
Ocean City, NJ Not visible — 815 mi
Philadelphia, PA Not visible — 844 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 — 1034 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 — 1155 mi
San Diego, CA Not visible — 2182 mi
Pasadena, CA Not visible — 2236 mi
Mojave, CA Not visible — 2238 mi
Long Beach, CA Not visible — 2239 mi
Los Angeles, CA Not visible — 2242 mi
Malibu, CA Not visible — 2268 mi
Thousand Oaks, CA Not visible — 2276 mi
Bakersfield, CA Not visible — 2286 mi
Oxnard, CA Not visible — 2295 mi
Ventura, CA Not visible — 2302 mi
Santa Barbara, CA Not visible — 2325 mi
Fresno, CA Not visible — 2331 mi
Solvang, CA Not visible — 2350 mi
Buellton, CA Not visible — 2353 mi
Los Alamos, CA Not visible — 2357 mi
Santa Maria, CA Not visible — 2366 mi
Orcutt, CA Not visible — 2367 mi
Lompoc, CA Not visible — 2368 mi
Vandenberg Village, CA Not visible — 2368 mi
Guadalupe, CA Not visible — 2374 mi
Pismo Beach, CA Not visible — 2378 mi
San Luis Obispo, CA Not visible — 2379 mi
San Jose, CA Not visible — 2449 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.

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Launch data from TheSpaceDevs Launch Library 2. Page generated June 4, 2026.