✧ Cape Canaveral Launches (May 20–24, 2025)

• June 22, ~1:47 AM EDT — Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 10‑23
  Scheduled to launch from SLC‑40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

• June 23, ~10:56 AM EDT — Atlas V 551 | Project Kuiper (KA‑02)
  Scheduled to launch from SLC‑41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX retargets crewed Axiom Space launch

Third time’s the charm? After delays and a last-minute swap of spacecraft, SpaceX and Axiom are back on the pad for a crack-of-dawn launch this Sunday. Expect sonic booms, a brand new Crew Dragon, and an all-star crew led by spaceflight legend Peggy Whitson. If all goes well, they will soon be sipping coffee aboard the ISS — and writing a new chapter in private space travel. Full story here.

Florida’s toll-funded spaceport strategy: Infrastructure innovation for the commercial space age

If you think tolls just pay for roads, think again. In Florida, a chunk of that loose change is helping launch rockets. From Merritt Island to orbit, the Sunshine State is quietly building the highways of the space economy. Full story here.

Rare exoplanet discovered in outskirts of the Milky Way

Out on the galactic edge, astronomers just spotted a rare exoplanet bending space and time to reveal itself. Using gravitational microlensing — Einstein’s space-time party trick — the team caught a glimpse of gas giant AT2021uey b, lurking 3,200 light-years from Earth. Only the third planet ever found this far from the Milky Way’s core, it is a cosmic needle in a haystack. Sometimes you need a little gravity and a lot of patience to find the unexpected. Full story here.

IT’S FRIDAY Y’ALL ~ LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED

🟊Weekend Vibes🟊

✧ The Read ✧

New Eden by Joshua Andrews & Rachael Miller
In this mind-bending 2025 release, a team of physicists stumbles on intelligent signals emanating from subatomic particles deep in an abandoned mine. What begins as an academic curiosity spirals into a race to decode an alien intelligence that could rewrite the laws of physics—and threaten the future of humanity. Andrews and Miller deliver a taut, cerebral thriller that fuses hard science with big-idea speculation. A must-read for fans of Contact and The Three-Body Problem. Grab it now.

✧ The Watch ✧

The Acolyte : A dark mystery set in the High Republic era of Star Wars, featuring Jedi secrets, hidden powers, and a deadly assassin. Stars Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung‑jae.
→ The Acolyte on Disney+

Ultraman: Rising : A 3DCG-animated feature reboot on Netflix! A baseball star returns home to Tokyo, inherits the Ultraman mantle—and unexpectedly becomes guardian to a baby kaiju. A heartfelt, family-focused superhero tale.
Stream on Netflix → Ultraman: Rising on Netflix

Mech Cadets : The cadets are back! These young heroes pilot giant Robo‑Mechs to defend Earth from alien invaders. Expect more action-packed teamwork and extraterrestrial threats.
Stream on Netflix → Mech Cadets on Netflix

✧ GTFO ✧

~ Round here ~

June 21, 11:30 AM & dusk – ONE-SPACE Summer Solstice at Kennedy Space Center
An immersive Solstice space party under Shuttle Atlantis—STAR Talks, cosmic art, astronaut meetups, live music, and VIP Rocket Garden access.
Event info →

June 22, 5:47 AM – Falcon 9 (Starlink v2 Mini) launch from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral
Pre-dawn launch of ~28 Starlink mini-satellites—ideal for early risers.
Launch schedule →

June 21, 2:00–4:00 PM – Skywatch & Summer Solstice Party @ Brevard County Libraries
Stargazing tips, space-themed crafts, and community fun across several library branches.
Library event calendar →

~ Further afield ~

June 20 – Summer Solstice
Celebrate astronomical summer with longest daylight and shortest night—ideal for observing the early Milky Way’s emergence. Check local observatories and planetariums for special Solstice activities.
🔗 Find events via Time and Date

June 25 – New Moon Starlight
The New Moon on June 25 brings optimal conditions for deep-sky and Milky Way viewing—minimal moonlight and rising astrophotography opportunities.
🔗 Learn more → Astronomy guide

June 22 – Rare Moon–Venus & Nebula Viewing
Catch the crescent Moon paired with Venus and hunt for nebulae in dark skies—June 22 offers clear viewing windows!
🔭 See expert tips via NASA & StarWalk → Skywatch guide

~UNTIL NEXT TIME~