United Launch Alliance is set to fly their last commercial payload on an Atlas V (* other than Project Kuiper) this week from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The payload is ViaSat-3 — or VS-3 F2 in ViaSat parlance — is a telecommunications satellite that the company expects to more than double the bandwidth capacity of their entire existing fleet. The launch is currently scheduled for 10:24 PM EST on Wednesday, November 5th.
Spaceport Canaveral Is Quite Busy
SpaceX also has a Starlink launch scheduled for Wednesday, but will likely yield the Eastern Range to ULA for their launch if ULA is ready to proceed. Stay tuned — it sounds like Wednesday will have a rocket launch of some kind, whether it be a Falcon 9 or an Atlas V.
Meanwhile, south of ULA and SpaceX’s launch complexes, Blue Origin continues to prepare New Glenn for its planned launch next week. It’s hard to recall a time when this many different rockets from different companies are all heading to the pad to launch in the space of only a few days.
At A Glance
| Organization | United Launch Alliance |
| Location | Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA |
| Rocket | Atlas V 551 |
| Pad | Space Launch Complex 41 |
| Status | Go for Launch |
| Status Info | Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources. |
| Window Opens | Wednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 10:24 PM |
| Window Closes | Wednesday, 11 / 05 / 2025 11:08 PM |
| Destination | Geostationary Transfer Orbit |
| Mission Description | The ViaSat-3 is a series of three Ka-band satellites expected to deliver >1 Tbps of network capacity with flexible, dynamically directed service to where customers are located. |
As of 10:30 AM ET Monday November 3, 2025. Launch assignments and times are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Consult ULA for updates.
Weather
The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 has released their official Launch Mission Execution Forecast: 95% GO throughout the launch window:
Trajectory
The target orbit for the ViaSat-3 mission is believed to be ~11,700 × 23,600 km, with an inclination of ~6.0 °. After payload separation, the satellite will move to its final operational position in a sun-synchronous orbit under its own power.
Launch Viewing: In Person
Given that this is a launch from Cape Canaveral’s SLC-41, Jetty Park, The Banana River Bridge and southern Titusville Parks are your best bets.
Cocoa Beach and the northern Titusville parks will have an excellent view as well.
For official updates regarding launch times, the ULA mission page is the best source of information: ViaSat-3 Launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Speaking of streaming, if possible, watch one of the YouTube streams for the latest/greatest information. Things change pretty fast as the countdown heads towards zero, and the dulcet tones of Will Robinson-Smith on Spaceflight Now or the announcers on ULA’s live stream will keep you up to date.
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
| Area | Spot | Distance to SLC-40 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Canaveral | SR-528 Bennett Causeway pull-offs | ~11–12 mi | Free roadside shoulder; arrive early; bring chairs. |
| Port Canaveral | SR-401 / Port waterfront | ~11–13 mi | Free public areas; sightlines toward pads; occasional security closures. Port launch viewing info. |
| Port Canaveral | Jetty Park (pier & beach) | ~12–13 mi | Park fee; restrooms & concessions; popular & crowded. Jetty Park fees/passes. |
| Cape Canaveral (city) | Cherie Down Park | ~13–14 mi | Free public beach access; small parking lot. |
| Cocoa Beach | Cocoa Beach Pier | ~17–20 mi | Public beach; shops & restrooms; tourist crowds. Parking fees (city). |
| Cocoa Beach | Alan Shepard Park | ~18–19 mi | Paid parking; restrooms; easy beach access. Parking fees (city). |
| Cocoa Beach | Lori Wilson Park | ~19–20 mi | Free parking; restrooms & boardwalks; large lot. |
| Titusville / US-1 | Max Brewer Bridge & Parrish Park | ~12–14 mi | Free public area; elevated views; fills quickly. |
| Titusville / US-1 | Space View Park | ~13–15 mi | Free public park; historical displays; occasional audio feeds. |
| Titusville / US-1 | Rotary Riverfront Park | ~13–15 mi | Free public park; open river views; moderate parking. |
| Titusville / US-1 | Kennedy Point Park | ~13–15 mi | Free public park; long riverfront; good tripod space. |
| Titusville / US-1 | Space Bar (Rooftop) | ~12–14 mi | Rooftop bar at Courtyard by Marriott with launch views; seating fills quickly. official hours. |
Launch Viewing Online
Links to streaming sources for the launch are below.
| Streaming Source | Availability |
|---|---|
| Spaceflight Now | One hour prior to liftoff |
| ULA YouTube | One half hour prior to liftoff |
| ULA Mission Page | One half hour prior to liftoff |
Author: Charles Boyer
NASA kid from Cocoa Beach, FL, born of Project Apollo parents and family. I’m a writer and photographer sharing the story of spaceflight from the Eastern Range here in Florida.
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