Hello, Vero Beach and Treasure Coast residents! Spring break season is bringing more than just beautiful beach weather to our stretch of Florida. We have an exciting celestial spectacle on the horizon this weekend, right in our own backyard. For those of us living in Indian River County, we often get a front-row seat to the wonders of the Space Coast, and this upcoming Sunday offers another fantastic opportunity to look to the skies.
On Sunday, March 22, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch window opens at 10:43 a.m. and extends until 2:43 p.m. ET.
Weather permitting, and depending on localized cloud cover, this daylight launch could be visible all the way from Jacksonville Beach down to Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach. The rocket will be heading on a northeast trajectory out over the Atlantic Ocean. For those who might be sensitive to loud noises or have easily startled pets, you will be pleased to know that no sonic booms are expected with this particular liftoff. Whether you are a long-time local or just visiting Vero Beach for the season, catching a glimpse of a soaring Falcon 9 rocket is an unforgettable Treasure Coast experience.
If you are planning to step outside and watch the skies, Indian River County offers some of the absolute best vantage points in the region. Here are the top local spots to set up your lawn chairs or cameras for the upcoming SpaceX launch:
- Ambersands Beach Park: Located at 12566 N. SR A1A in Vero Beach, this spot offers free parking and unobstructed views.
- South Beach Park: Found at 1700 Ocean Drive in Vero Beach, complete with free parking for an easy family viewing outing.
- Wabasso Beach Park: Head over to 1808 Wabasso Beach Road in Wabasso for a great sandy viewing area.
- Sebastian Inlet State Park: Situated at 9700 S. State Road A1A in Melbourne Beach. Note that there is a standard entry cost, but the panoramic coastal views from the jetties are spectacular.
- The Vero Beach Bridges: Both the Merrill Barber Bridge and the Alma Lee Loy Bridge provide excellent, elevated sightlines looking north toward Cape Canaveral.
If you are up for a short scenic drive south into St. Lucie or Martin counties, there are plenty of other fantastic coastal viewing areas. Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, Blue Heron Beach, Blind Creek Beachside, Frederick Douglass Memorial Park, John Brooks Park, Middle Cove Beach, and Pepper Park Beachside are all wonderful options in Fort Pierce. Further south in Jensen Beach, locations like Dollman Park Beachside, Herman’s Bay Beach, Normandy Beach, Waveland Beach, and Walton Rocks Beach (which is wonderfully dog-friendly!) offer sweeping sky views. For those near Stuart, the State Road A1A causeway and the historic House of Refuge are prime gathering spots for space enthusiasts.
Of course, Florida weather can sometimes bring unexpected cloud cover that might obscure our local view. If the skies over Vero Beach turn gray, you can still catch every thrilling second of the countdown from home. Live coverage of the launch is highly accessible. You can stream the event through the NASA+ platform on your desktop, via the official NASA YouTube channel, or on the NASA mobile smartphone app. Additionally, anyone with an Amazon device or smart TV can watch the launch for free through Amazon Prime Video’s live FAST channels—no premium Prime subscription is required to tune into the excitement.
Pack some snacks, grab your sunglasses, and get ready for a fantastic Sunday looking up. Whether you are watching from the sands of South Beach Park or streaming it from the comfort of your Vero Beach living room, we hope you enjoy this incredible showcase of modern space exploration!
