Florida's Space Coast reached its 49th rocket launch of the year early Thursday, July 30, with a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at 3:10 a. m.
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, carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office under the designation NROL-95.
The launch generated a sonic boom across Brevard County as the rocket re-entered the atmosphere after liftoff.
Booster Recovery and Sonic Boom
About eight minutes after launch, the Falcon 9's first-stage booster executed a controlled landing at Cape Canaveral's Landing Zone 2.
The booster fired its engines to hover gently before settling on the pad, producing a sharp acoustic shockwave heard by local residents.
The sonic boom is a common occurrence during booster landings at the Space Coast, particularly during early morning launches when atmospheric conditions amplify sound.
Next Mission Scheduled
The next orbital mission from Florida's Space Coast is scheduled for no earlier than 3:42 a. m.
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on Wednesday, Aug. 5, also from Launch Complex 40.
That mission, designated Bluebird 11-13, will use a Falcon 9 rocket to deploy three AST SpaceMobile broadband satellites into orbit.
The launch window extends until 5:18 a. m.
, with a backup opportunity opening at 3:21 a. m.
on Aug. 6.
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SpaceX continues to lead launch activity from Florida, with the 49th launch marking a steady pace for the year.
