Can I see it in Leon County?

NOAA’s GOES-U weather satellite, which will give scientists a new look at developing storms, will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Will residents of the capital be able to see when the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launches from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center?

People in Tallahassee may have reported seeing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch (see video below).

SpaceX’s massive Falcon Heavy rocket – more powerful than the space agency’s Falcon 9 – may take off this week. Depending on the weather, Falcon Heavy should be visible from almost anywhere on the Space Coast and in areas outside the province, possibly hundreds of miles away.

Learn more about the rocket launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center here. If there are any changes to the launch, this story will be updated.

Rocket launch calendar for Florida: Is there a launch today? SpaceX, NASA, ULA missions from Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center

Is there a rocket launch from Florida? Next up is Tuesday, June 25: SpaceX Falcon Heavy GOES-U

What is SpaceX Falcon Heavy?

The Falcon Heavy consists of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages – which together provide three times the lift. The middle Falcon 9 is fully loaded with the rocket’s second stage and payload on top. The payload, in this case the NOAA satellite, is encased in fairings to protect it on its way to space.

By comparison, the Falcon 9 that launches Starlink missions is a single rocket. Only one of these single rockets with the second stage is 70 meters high and has a diameter of 3.5 meters.

With three of these Falcon 9 rockets, the monster Falcon Heavy is at the same height. However, it is much wider, giving it a width of 11 meters, which is comparable to almost three cars parked bumper to bumper.

How big is Falcon Heavy? What does SpaceX Falcon Heavy look like compared to Falcon 9 rockets?

Photo galleries accompanying this story show scenes from a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch (morning, afternoon or night) from Florida’s Space Coast. From Titusville to Tallahassee it is about 300 miles.

Falcon Heavy, which consists of three first Falcon 9 rocket stages, may be seen off the Space Coast, weather permitting and depending on cloud cover.

Will it rain in Cape Canaveral, Florida today? Will the weather cancel the SpaceX rocket launch?

Shown is National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which provides real-time conditions for the Space Coast and other parts of Florida.

Can you see a rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, in Tallahassee?

In the January 26, 2023 YouTube video above from user Wright: “Starlink 5-2 launched from Cape Canaveral early this morning at 4:32 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch was visible from Tallahassee. About 1.5 to Two Hours after launch, light from the sun began to illuminate the exhaust fumes and clouds created during the SpaceX Falcon 9’s first ascent.”

Additionally, on February 6, 2018, millions of people around the world watched as 27 Merlin engines came to life at the Kennedy Space Center, lifting SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket into the evening sky. More than 100,000 visitors to Florida’s Space Coast witnessed the historic demo flight of the world’s most powerful rocket. Interestingly, that bright orange-yellow dot in the sky could be seen from parts of the capital.

If the clouds work together, it’s conceivable that the June 25, 2024 SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch could be visible as far away as Tallahassee. When the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California in October 2018, it was watched by skywatchers from hundreds of miles away.

In a June 24, 2019 Tallahassee Democrat story, Ken Kopczynski, president of the Tallahassee Astronomical Society, who wrote columns for the Tallahassee Democrat as the “Sky Guy,” said that for the best viewing experience, find a spot with a clear view of the east/southeast without clouds. In the story, Kopczynski suggested the “Alford Greenway or the Cypress Landing Boat Launch overlooking Lake Miccosukee. The Costco parking lot on Mahan Drive might also offer a good view of the horizon.”

Videos and tweets of SpaceX rocket launch near Cape Canaveral spotted in Tallahassee, Florida

Photos, tweets of rocket launch seen in Tallahassee, Florida

Contributing: William Hatfield, Tallahassee Democrat, and Emre Kelly, FLORIDA TODAY

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her further Tweet or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.