US Space Academy push, SpaceX SES launch lead Florida space news roundup
Moody: Put US Space Academy in Florida amid thriving space ecosystem
Florida Sen. Ashley Moody believes the newly proposed U.S. Space Academy should set up shop amid the Sunshine State’s thriving space-industry ecosystem, rather than making taxpayers spend to build such infrastructure elsewhere.
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“Choose Florida. The rockets are already launching here. The scientists, engineers, students and skilled workers are already here,” Moody said Monday, Sept. 8, during a news conference at Space Florida’s offices on Merritt Island.
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Stoke Space eyes Florida launch with new funding, Nova rocket upgrade
Another major rocket company is moving closer to launching from Florida: Stoke Space announced new funding and progress toward another fully-reusable rocket.
While Stoke’s medium-lift Nova Pathfinder rocket is targeted to launch sometime in 2027 from the newly renovated historic Launch Complex 14 in Cape Canaveral, the company also secured funding to support the development of its next step-up, a larger rocket dubbed Nova Block 2.
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SpaceX rocket launch from Florida could come Sunday after quiet week
After retiring Starlink launches atop Falcon 9 rockets from Florida in anticipation of Starship’s arrival, SpaceX is set to show that its launch pads won’t stay quiet for long.
A launch titled ‘SpaceX mPOWER-F’ appeared on the FAA Current Operations Plan Advisory for Sunday, Sept. 13. A Falcon 9 rocket would launch communication satellites for SES. SES recently released a statement that the final three of its O3b mPOWER satellites had arrived at the Cape for an upcoming launch. The launch will bring the total O3b mPOWER satellites in medium Earth orbit to 13.
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Space Florida may OK $277M to help fuel SpaceX, Blue Origin, Brevard growth
In one fell swoop, Space Florida officials have authorized fiscal agreements and potential bond financing totaling up to $277 million to help fund Brevard County projects by Relativity Space, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, SpaceX and a mystery space company known as Project Horseshoe.
“It’s an amazing amount of work going on,” Space Florida President and CEO Rob Long said Thursday, Sept. 10, during the agency’s board of directors meeting at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
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NASA drone flight lands Chinese tourist in federal court in Orlando
A Chinese man faces arraignment on two federal crimes after he flew a drone in restricted airspace above NASA’s Kennedy Space Center – encroaching within 1.56 miles of the Artemis-based pad 39B, a court affidavit said.
The evening of July 25, KSC police responded to Playalinda Beach Access #8 at Canaveral National Seashore and saw Xiaodong He operating the drone, the affidavit said. The drone had flown for 12 minutes and 24 seconds and recorded four videos, reaching a maximum altitude of 231 feet and capturing footage of KSC pads 39A and 39B, the Atlantic Ocean, Playalinda Beach, the Indian River Lagoon and North Kennedy Parkway.
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Artemis II astronauts who launched from Florida retire from spaceflight
Two NASA astronauts who in April flew on the historic Artemis II mission around the moon are hanging up their spacesuits.
Reid Wiseman, the mission’s commander; and Victor Glover, the mission’s pilot, are both transitioning to other roles both within and outside NASA, the agency announced.
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NFL fans may see NASA astronauts and airplane flyovers at some games
The NFL has a new out-of-this-world partner for the upcoming season.
The league is teaming up with none other than NASA in an effort to showcase aeronautics and space exploration before players take the field at select football games. So far, NASA will have a presence during at least four games through the middle of October, during which the space agency’s astronauts may make appearances or aircraft flyovers may be conducted.
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Trump proposes NASA-led United States Space Academy: What is it?
President Trump wants a U.S. Space Academy and even though many details, including what it exactly it is, remain unclear, already the lobbying has begun, including from Florida.
Florida leaders moved quickly after the president’s Aug 28 announcement, drafting a letter to NASA and the president urging them to locate the new U.S. Space Academy in the state long associated with rocket launches and moon missions.
Read the full story here.
Live updates from SpaceX SES satellite launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida
Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Sunday, Sept. 13, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on SES’s final O3b mPOWER mission.
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See photos of SpaceX rocket streaking skyward on SES mission from Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched ahead of late-afternoon thunderstorms Sunday, Sept. 13, and propelled SES’s last three O3b mPOWER satellites up into medium-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX’s mission for the Luxembourg-headquartered satellite operator lifted off at 2:49 p.m. from Launch Complex 40.
Read the full story here.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly 321 Launch space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: US Space Academy push, SpaceX SES launch lead Florida space news roundup
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Reporting by Rick Neale, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 7:19 AM.
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