SpaceX launch could bring overnight sonic boom to Central Florida

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Nov 1, 2025

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ORLANDO, Fla. — If you need a reminder to turn your clocks back at 2 a.m. Sunday, maybe the boom you might hear less than an hour before could assist.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off on the Bandwagon-4 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting a 1:09 a.m. liftoff during 1-1:20 a.m. launch window.

The first-stage booster for the flight is making its third trip to space, with a planned recovery back at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 2, which could mean an overnight sonic boom in Central Florida.

SpaceX warned that about eight minutes after liftoff, the return of the booster could bring one or more sonic boom for residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties.

A launch earlier this year sent the boom across to as far as Lake County.

The increase in frequency, intensity and timing of sonic booms from SpaceX launches is the subject of some concerns for its plans for its future Starship rocket launches from the Space Coast.

Falcon 9 rockets, though, are smaller, but can still make a surprising jolt in the middle of the night that can spread farther away from the landing site depending on weather conditions.

As far as the mission goes, this rideshare flight has multiple customers. It’s carrying 18 payloads for KOREA ADD, Exolaunch, Fergani, Tomorrow Companies Inc., Starcloud and Vast.

The launch would be the 91st on the Space Coast this year, which is two shy of tying the record 93 performed in 2024.

November is gearing up to be a busy launch month with eight missions already announced. Next up are two launches on Wednesday potentially. They include a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on a Starink mission and a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch on the ViaSat-3 F2 mission both targeting liftoff in the evening.