Eastern Range Gears Up for a Pivotal February on Florida’s Space Coast

February 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most demanding and significant months for launch operations in Florida, as the Eastern Range prepares to support multiple high-priority government missions. The schedule includes a same-day operation on Feb. 2 featuring the launch of ULA’s Vulcan rocket on the USSF-87 national security mission and NASA’s Space Launch System undergoing a wet dress rehearsal, a critical fueling test ahead of the Artemis 2 crewed mission around the Moon. Supporting both activities on the same day required months of planning and careful deconfliction of range assets, as Artemis operations are especially data- and safety-intensive. The Eastern Range, which manages launch safety and infrastructure for Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, has spent years preparing for an increased launch cadence, recently supporting a record number of orbital flights. Key challenges include managing shared resources such as gaseous nitrogen, coordinating air and sea safety, and ensuring pad and flight safety readiness. Looking ahead to Artemis 2, the range has prioritized the mission by protecting up to four potential launch attempts due to its narrow launch windows in February, March, and April. During this period, Artemis will take precedence over most other launches, though Falcon 9 missions are expected to continue with routine coordination.