Is there a rocket launch this weekend? Where to watch SpaceX launch from Palm Beach County

(This story was updated to add new information about the SpaceX-Axiom launch date.)

A SpaceX rocket carrying astronauts could blast off from Florida's Space Coast this weekend.

Can liftoff be seen in the Palm Beach County area? If the conditions are right, yes!

Axiom's fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was originally aiming to launch in late May, but has been delayed several times. It's latest delay on June 13 was due to leaks on the ISS. A new launch time has been set for this Sunday, June 22.

When it does launch, a SpaceX Dragon capsule with four astronauts in it will be carried by a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Though rockets launch in Florida from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Merritt Island, Florida, or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, people in Palm Beach County can sometimes see this phenomenon.

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast could be visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach to as far south as Vero Beach and West Palm Beach. When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.

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

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, visit floridatoday.com/space.

When is SpaceX launching from Florida? Sunday, June 22: SpaceX-Axiom Space Ax-4

The official crew portrait of Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission from Axiom Space to the International Space Station. From left are, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Commander Peggy Whitson from the U.S., and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

  • Mission: Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
  • Launch: 3:42 a.m. ET
  • Location: Pad 39A.
  • Sonic booms: Yes.
  • Trajectory: Northeast.
  • Live coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space: You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA 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, at floridatoday.com/space, starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.

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

Radar

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 a Florida rocket launch in Palm Beach County: What does a West Palm Beach rocket launch view look like?

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, some rocket launches from the Space Coast can be visible in Palm Beach County. When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, with a southeast trajectory, there’s an opportunity for unique photos. Some examples include United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket launch and SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

From Cape Canaveral, Florida, to West Palm Beach, Florida, it's about 150 miles.

Rocket launches from Cape Canaveral can often be seen from Palm Beach County, and it can be as easy as walking out of your house and looking north. Try to get away from any obstructions, such as trees, tall buildings, and bright lights. Obviously, cloud cover can also get in the way. 

If the forecast is for clear skies and you want a better view, some good places to watch the rocket launch from Palm Beach County include:

  • Juno Beach Pier: 14775 U.S. 1, Juno Beach 
  • South Cove Natural Area boardwalk: Downtown West Palm Beach, 620 South Flagler Drive
  • Town of Palm Beach's Midtown beach: 300 block of South Ocean Boulevard
  • Bingham Island: If you don't know, this is the island that connects Palm Beach and West Palm Beach on Southern Boulevard (near Mar-a-Lago, Trump's private club known as the Winter White House or Southern White House). There's a bridge with a pedestrian walkway over Bingham Island, on Southern Boulevard.
  • Lake Worth Pier: 10 South Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth Beach 
  • Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge: 10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach 
  • South Beach Park: 400 N. State Road A1A, Boca Raton

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Is there a rocket launch this weekend? Where to watch SpaceX launch from Palm Beach County