The Space Coast in Florida is set to break records with a projected 60 launches planned for 2023. This is a significant increase from the previous year’s record of 57 launches. Major General Stephen Purdy, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, originally estimated that the number of launches could range between 86 and 92 for the year. The Space Coast is home to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where most of these launches are scheduled to take place.

Out of the planned 60 launches, 49 will be from Cape Canaveral and 11 from Kennedy Space Center. The majority of these launches, 56 in total, will be conducted by SpaceX, with 52 using Falcon 9 rockets and 4 using Falcon Heavy rockets. United Launch Alliance is responsible for 3 launches, including 1 Delta IV Heavy and 2 Atlas V rockets. Additionally, Relativity Space is expected to conduct 1 launch.

The launch schedule for November includes a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission for the Starlink 6-26 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. In December, the highly anticipated launch of the United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur is scheduled, carrying Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the moon. This mission will also carry the ashes of over 150 people, including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan.

Several other launches are planned for 2023 and beyond, including a SpaceX Falcon Heavy mission in the fourth quarter, the Axiom-3 mission by Axiom Space, and NASA’s PACE satellite mission. The United Launch Alliance Atlas V and Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight are also on the schedule.

Overall, the Space Coast is experiencing a surge in launch activities, with a record-breaking number of launches planned for 2023. These launches include a combination of satellite deployments, resupply missions to the International Space Station, and human spaceflights. The Space Coast continues to be a hub for space exploration and innovation.