CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With the year coming to an end – 2026 could be the biggest year – literally, in Space Coast history.
Both NASA’s largest rocket, and the only rocket even more powerful, are both expected to blast off within months, and one of them will have a crew riding to the moon.
NASA is vowing to land astronauts on the lunar surface before the end of President Trump’s second term, and 2026 will be critical to achieving that monumental goal.
Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch could only have to wait one more month before Artemis II makes the astronauts the first to fly around the moon in more than 50 years.
If successful, the four, who were pictured at their dress rehearsal on Dec. 20, pave the way for a crew to land on the moon during Artemis III.
That yet-to-be-named crew’s landing vehicle is the only rocket bigger than the Artemis SLS.
Recently, the Space Force told your Cape Canaveral Community Correspondent James Sparvero that like Artemis II, SpaceX’s Starship could launch at Kennedy Space Center within months.
It would be the first Starship launch in Florida.
[VIDEO: SpaceX wins approval to redevelop historic pad for Starship flights from Florida coast]
2025 was the first year more than 100 rockets launched from the Space Coast.
“The days of old where we were putting up ten, 15, maybe 20 launches in a calendar year are behind us,” Colonel Brian Chatman said.
Chatman, the director of the range and commander of Space Launch Delta 45, told Sparvero triple digits are expected again in 2026.
To support the record pace, upgrades are being made to everything from launch pads, to roads, to communication lines.
“That’s all setting the stage for what we have going forward to be able to support increased capacity and throughput for launch providers out here,” Chatman said.
[VIDEO: Florida draft permit would let Blue Origin send rocket wastewater to Indian River Lagoon]
One of those providers, Blue Origin, is seeking a new permit from Florida’s DEP to release rocket wastewater into the Indian River Lagoon.
A public hearing where you can weigh in on the proposal is now scheduled for Jan. 30 between 4-7 p.m. at the Brevard County UF/IFAS Extension Building at 3695 Lake Drive in Cocoa.