LC-39A – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX shifts away from Dragon launches at pad 39A as Starship looms

February 6, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The last Dragon flight from pad 39A was the CRS-33 mission in August 2025. SpaceX is preparing for the just the second pad 40 launch supporting NASA’s Commercial Crew Program no earlier than Feb. 11.

Falcon 9 launch of 29 Starlink satellites from the Kennedy Space Center delayed to Wednesday

December 14, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX put on hold its plan to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and rescheduled it for no earlier than Wednesday. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:19 a.m. EST (1219 UTC) at the earliest.

SpaceX launches 3,000th Starlink satellite in 2025 on record-setting 32nd flight of Falcon 9 booster

December 7, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 6-92 mission also represents the 575th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket to date. SpaceX scheduled liftoff for Monday, Dec. 8, at 5:26 p.m. EST (2226 UTC) following a weather scrub on Sunday.

SpaceX launches mystery ‘Optus-X’ on Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center

November 17, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch has been shrouded in secrecy and is being referred as the “TD7 mission” by SpaceX. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A happened Sunday, Nov. 17, at 5:28 p.m. EST (2228 UTC).

FAA, NASA seek public input on SpaceX Starship launches at the Kennedy Space Center

June 12, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The public scoping on Starship missions at Launch Complex 39A offer community input through in-person and virtual information sessions. The open house-style meetings come about a month following the conclusion of an environment review on a 100-acre SpaceX expansion at KSC.

Falcon Heavy launch of secretive X-37B military spaceplane on hold

December 11, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

Falcon Heavy is returning to the hangar and the launch of the USSF-52 mission with the X-37B spaceplane is on hold. A ground issue scrubbed an earlier launch attempt and now required work on the vehicle itself.

4K Video: Watch the Falcon 9 test fire its 1st stage engines (members only)

January 11, 2020 Spaceflight Now

Watch in 4K video was SpaceX test-fires a Falcon 9 rocket ahead of an upcoming in-flight test of the Crew Dragon’s emergency escape rockets.

Watch SpaceX Dragon launch pad escape system testing

August 9, 2019 Spaceflight Now

A slide wire escape system has been undergoing tests at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in readiness for the first SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to carry astronauts to the International Space Station.

Live coverage: Falcon Heavy completes dramatic pre-launch engine test

January 9, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s fired the engines of its Falcon Heavy rocket at launch pad 39A at 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT) on Wednesday. The crucial pre-launch engine test has been repeatedly delayed since the rocket returned to the launch pad earlier this month.

SpaceX releases close up images of Falcon Heavy’s launch pad debut

January 3, 2018 Spaceflight Now

SpaceX has released the first close-up images and video of the Falcon Heavy rocket at launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The rocket was rolled out on December 28, 2017 and raised vertical on the launch pad.