marella voyager launch

Marella Voyager to launch at ‘perfect time’, Tui boss declares

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Marella Voyager will launch at the “perfect time” for the cruise industry, Tui UK & Ireland commercial director has declared.

Richard Sofer told  Travel Weekly  the line’s newest ship, which will depart on its maiden voyage on June 3, will enter service in parallel with the cruise industry reaching its “peak return from Covid”, as nearly all international Covid restrictions have been removed and passengers are no longer nervous about travelling.

He said the trajectory of passengers returning to cruising has been slow over the past two years, but has suddenly shot up in recent months.

More:  Marella Voyager christened in Malaga

“This is the perfect moment for us to be expanding our fleet,” he said.

“We make plans for ship launches such a long time in advance so we’ve known Marella Voyager has been coming for a while, but we seem to have launched at the exact perfect time because cruise is at its peak return from the pandemic as it has only been in the last few months that we’ve seen a unanimous lift in Covid restrictions in pretty much all destinations.

“It’s our biggest year on record and we need our trade partners to support us more than they ever have before.”

Managing director of Marella Cruises Chris Hackney went on to say the line is now at its largest capacity, giving agents a “fantastic opportunity” to push sales.

“We now have five ships in our fleet which means our capacity is at the largest it has been so we can take more customers away than ever before,” he said.

“This makes it so much easier for agents as they know that we will deliver a quality product, and now, with the addition of Marella Voyager which truly is our best ship yet, there is even more of it.

“Our first customer sailing departs on June 3 and is sold out which is fantastic news and just goes to show how excited people are about getting on board.

“We need our retail and independent agents to show their customers the value in taking a Marella Cruise compared to a land-based holiday and make it clear that we offer a truly unrivalled holiday experience.”

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TUI's newest cruise ship launched with a little help from Becky Hill

Marella Voyager has now set sail on her maiden customer voyage

• 06:00, 10 JUN 2023

Becky Hill has helped to celebrate the launch of Marella Cruises’ newest ship, Marella Voyager, in Malaga, Spain. The theme for the launch of Marella Cruises fifth ship was ‘golden hour’, which provided a fitting backdrop to Becky’s performance, which came moments after a beautiful sunset over Marella Cruises new ship and Malaga’s port.

As the countdown began to officially launch Marella Voyager, the ship’s two Godmothers, Tatyana Olkhovska, chief purser at Marella Cruises and Jacqui Nobile, senior destination services operations manager released the champagne bottle to christen the ship. Finally, a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the sky to close the show after her performance as guests to continued celebrating into the night.

Marella Voyager offers more choice and flexibility to customers with new venues onboard, including Silver Fork offering British classics with a twist; a new Mexican restaurant, Abuela’s, serving dishes such as tacos, burritos and nachos, as well as an out-of-the-way bar with some surprises, called The Exchange.

Managing Director of Marella Cruises, Chris Hackney, said: “The launch of Marella Voyager marks an exciting moment in time for us, so it was an honour to have Becky Hill join us in celebrating such a fantastic night. The audience loved her, and the evening was a true celebration of the hard work and dedication that has gone into Voyager’s debut.

“Marella Voyager is part of our strategic vision to continually modernise and grow our fleet. We pride ourselves on continuing to offer more for our customers, whether that’s new ships, new destinations, our all-inclusive as standard offering and fantastic, friendly service.”

Marella Voyager has now set sail on her maiden customer voyage, departing from her homeport in Palma, Mallorca. Prices from £1333. The Highlights of the Mediterranean itinerary will visit a variety of ports in the Mediterranean, including Ajaccio, Corsica; Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy; Livorno, Italy; St Raphael, France and Palamos, Spain before returning to Palma.

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Becky Hill gives surprise performance at launch of Marella Voyager

Author: Lucy Abbott

Published on: 02 June 2023

Two-time Brit Awards winner, singer and songwriter, Becky Hill performed at the ceremony onboard in Malaga, Spain, on Wednesday night

Becky Hill performance was in celebration of the launch of Marella Cruises' newest ship, Marella Voyager .

The singer surprised guests with a 45-minute set, playing many of her much-loved songs such as 'Afterglow' and 'Wish you well'. The performance was enhanced by LED totems and pyrotechnics.

Singer and songwriter Becky Hill commented: “The energy from the crowd last night for the launch of Marella Voyager was amazing!

There’s nothing quite like performing live in front of an audience who are ready to party... with my ‘You Me Us’ Pool Party residency having just kicked off in Ibiza Rocks as well, I’m sure this is going to be a summer to remember!”

Also in attendance were the ship's two Godmothers, Tatyana Olkhovska, chief purser at Marella Cruises and Jacqui Nobile, senior destination services operations manager.

The two released the champagne bottle to christen the ship together with a firework display being set off to celebrate.

What to expect from Marella Voyager

Marella Voyager has retained some of the much-loved favourites from previous ships in the fleet, but also introduces a selection of new concepts – such as Silver Fork (British classics with a twist) and Abuela's (a new Mexican restaurant).

Managing Director of Marella Cruises, Chris Hackney, said: “The launch of Marella Voyager marks an exciting moment in time for us, so it was an honour to have Becky Hill join us in celebrating such a fantastic night.

The audience loved her, and the evening was a true celebration of the hard work and dedication that has gone into Voyager’s debut.”

Marella Voyager is part of our strategic vision to continually modernise and grow our fleet.

We pride ourselves on continuing to offer more for our customers, whether that’s new ships, new destinations, our all-inclusive as standard offering and fantastic, friendly service.”

Marella Voyager will set sail on her maiden customer voyage on Saturday June 3, 2023, departing from her homeport in Palma, Mallorca on the 'Highlights of the Mediterranean' itinerary.

For a full review of Marella Voyager, keep an eye out for our full review after sailing onboard this launch.

Follow us on social media for live ship reviews and more...

About lucy abbott.

Lucy is a cruise journalist who has sailed on a variety of ships, from expedition to river – with her favourite being expedition cruising.

Lucy is interested in new sustainable ways to cruise as well as how cruising is becoming accessible for all.

She works together with Kaye Holland to keep the World of Cruising website up to date with all the latest cruise news.

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Becky Hill gives Iconic performance at launch of new cruise ship Marella Voyager

Published by admin on 1 june 2023 1 june 2023.

1 st June 2023: Last night, two-time Brit Awards winner, singer and songwriter, Becky Hill dazzled employees, suppliers and media at an exclusive ceremony to celebrate the launch of Marella Cruises’ newest ship, Marella Voyager, in Malaga, Spain.

Becky surprised guests with a 45-minute set*, playing many of her much-loved hits including  ’Afterglow’ and ’Wish You Well’ , plus her latest single ‘Side Effects’.

The creative theme for the launch of Marella Cruises fifth ship was ‘golden hour’, which provided a fitting backdrop to Becky’s performance, which came moments after a beautiful sunset over Marella Cruises new ship and Malaga’s port.

Pioneering technology was used to create a show-stopping christening ceremony. The impressive production featured LED totems, golden haze and pyrotechnics.

As the countdown began to officially launch Marella Voyager, the ship’s two Godmothers, Tatyana Olkhovska, chief purser at Marella Cruises and Jacqui Nobile, senior destination services operations manager released the champagne bottle to christen the ship.

Finally, a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the sky to close the show after her performance as guests to continued celebrating into the night.

The hour-long spectacular was the brainchild of Exposure, whose client work include brands such as Coca Cola and Lego, and Black Skull Creative, who worked on the London 2012 Olympics and Eurovision. Both Exposure and Black Skull Creative have created previous Marella Cruises’ ship launches, bringing their expertise to the production and live performances.

Marella Voyager offers more choice and flexibility to customers with new venues onboard, including Silver Fork offering British classics with a twist; a new Mexican restaurant, Abuela’s, serving dishes such as tacos, burritos and nachos, as well as an out-of-the-way bar with some surprises, called The Exchange.

Becky Hill, singer and songwriter, commented: “The energy from the crowd last night for the launch of Marella Voyager was amazing! There’s nothing quite like performing live in front of an audience who are ready to party… with my ‘You Me Us’ Pool Party residency having just kicked off in Ibiza Rocks as well, I’m sure this is going to be a summer to remember!”

Managing Director of Marella Cruises, Chris Hackney, said: “ The launch of Marella Voyager marks an exciting moment in time for us, so it was an honour to have Becky Hill join us in celebrating such a fantastic night. The audience loved her, and the evening was a true celebration of the hard work and dedication that has gone into Voyager’s debut.”

“Marella Voyager is part of our strategic vision to continually modernise and grow our fleet. We pride ourselves on continuing to offer more for our customers, whether that’s new ships, new destinations, our all-inclusive as standard offering and fantastic, friendly service.”

Marella Voyager will set sail on her maiden customer voyage on Saturday 3 rd June 2023, departing from her homeport in Palma, Mallorca. Prices from £1333. The Highlights of the Mediterranean itinerary will visit a variety of ports in the Mediterranean, including Ajaccio, Corsica; Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy; Livorno, Italy; St Raphael, France and Palamos, Spain before returning to Palma.

Source: TUI UK Press Office

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Marella Voyager Stats – What it takes to launch a new cruise ship!

As you may or may not know Carole is a real geek when it comes to facts and figures, so here are some Marella Voyager Stats for you. So let’s start with more mainstream facts and figures about Marella Cruises newest ship the Voyager.

The Marella Voyager actually started life in 1997 as the MV Mercury and was later renamed the Celebrity Mercury in 2008. She then joined the TUI fleet in 2011 as Mein Schiff 2 (Mein Shiff is Marella’s sister company) and was later renamed Mein Schiff Herz, in 2019. It became Marella Voyager in 2022 becoming the fifth and largest in terms of tonnage in the Marella fleet.

Marella Voyager then spent 11460 dry dock working hours being refurbished in readiness for its maiden voyage on which we sailed, in June 2023.

We cruised on the maiden voyage of the Marella Voyager and you can find more information about our experience on board here .

Marella Voyager Stats and some random facts and figures!

Year built 1997, last refurbished – 2022, Beam (width) 32 metres, length 264 metres, decks 13, lifts 10, restaurants 16, bars 10, cabins 952, passengers 1912, crew  760, tonnage 77,302 GRT, registry Malta.

So here are a few random facts and figures that went in to the Marella Voyager refurbish –

18500 litres of paint were used to revamp the hull of the ship, that’s enough to fill a standard sized bath 370 times. 27,000 litres have been used in total through out the ship, as the Captain said in our Marella Voyager Vlogs – that’s a lot of trips to B&Q!

6000 metres of technical cabling  was installed that’s the equivalent of 15 laps of an Olympic running track.

37,600 metres of carpet have been laid that’s over 23 miles.

20 tonnes of new catering equipment have been fitted to the Kitchens that’s the same weight as 16 Ford Fiesta’s.

250 hours have been spent developing the new menus , in that time you could fly from London to Perth 15 times and still have 15 minutes to spare.

The entertainment cast spent a total of 586 hours, or approximately 24 full days learning 12 production shows, in that time you could drive from New York to Los Angeles 13 times.

over   500 bespoke costumes have been designed and created exclusively for the shows, that’s the same amount of dresses that Carole packs for a 7 day cruise!

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Over 850 individual tracks of instruments have been arranged and recorded for the theatre shows equating to 38,250 minutes of recording time, so if you started at track 1 you wouldn’t hear the same song again for over 26 days.

There are a total of 150 new dishes spread across the 17 food venues, 25 per cent of which will feature vegetarian dishes.

This picture is from our experience at the Silver Fork Speciality Restaurant  a restaurant unique to Marella Voyager .

Approximately 14,000 planks of vinyl herringbone pattern flooring have been laid in The Kitchens plus 130 metres of counter worktops.

There are over 11000 new signs, 12500 square metres of tiles and 3000 square metres of wall coverings have been fitted around the ship.

And finally in one of our favourite areas of the ship the Summer House 2300 plants have been mounted to create an indoor plant wall.

So as well as a massive amount of hard work, this is some of the things it takes to get the Marella Voyager cruise ship ready to go into service!

We hope you have enjoyed reading our Marella Voyager Stats post, we cruised on the maiden voyage and have lots of other Marella Voyager information here and our You Tube Channel here .

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Marella Cruises unveils 2023 winter programme

Posted by Harry Kemble on 1 July 2022

The line’s fifth ship, Marella Voyager, will launch in June 2023

Marella Cruises has unveiled a new and expanded 2023 winter programme for its five-ship fleet.

The line’s fifth ship, Marella Voyager, will launch on 3 June 2023, and initially operate itineraries from Majorca, with ports of call including Naples and Barcelona.

In the winter, Marella Voyager will reposition to the Caribbean and offer three eight-day itineraries: Paradise Islands; Tropical Delights, and A Taste of the Tropics from Barbados.

A new itinerary in October 2023 has also been added to Voyager’s programme, which includes calls to Boston, Maine and Rhode Island heading to Canada for the first time.

Marella Voyager’s new winter sailings will be available to book from 21 July 2022.

The line is set to return to Asia with the introduction of Singapore as a homeport for the first time. Marella Discovery II (pictured) will operate four itineraries from the city-state port.

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The 15-day ‘Eastern Experience 1’ round-trip itinerary from Singapore includes calls to Phu My, Vietnam; Langkawi, Malaysia, and Laem Chabang, Thailand.

There will be nine repositioning itineraries, including ports of call in Jordan, India and Sri Lanka.

Chris Hackney, managing director of cruise for Marella parent Tui UK and Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to present an exciting evolution of our fleet in Marella Voyager. She really takes things to a new level, building on our current ships’ best features, while adding new venues that we know our customers will be excited to try.

“We understand what guests want from their cruise and what they love about our existing ships, so by ensuring we keep some Marella Cruises favourites, as well as adding a different flavour to Marella Voyager, we will be providing more choice for our loyal customers and providing an exciting introduction to the brand for new customers.”

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Marella Cruises announces new 2023 winter program

Marella UK announced a new and expanded 2023 winter program for its 5-ship fleet.

Marella's 5th ship - Marella Voyager/currently TUI's Schiff Herz , is due to launch on June 3, 2023, and will initially operate from Palma de Mallorca (Majorca Island, Balearic Spain) with call ports in Italy, Spain, France. The 7-day itineraries are themed "Mediterranean Secrets", "Highlights Of The Mediterranean", "Highlights Of The Med", "Magic Of Spain", "Cosmopolitan Classics", "Mediterranean Secrets".

Marella Voyager's winter 2023-2024 program is in the Caribbean, based on homeporting in Bridgetown Barbados and offers 3x 8-day itineraries - "A Taste of the Tropics from Barbados", "Paradise Islands", and "Tropical Delights".

A new itinerary in October 2023 has been added to the ship's schedule that visits ports in the USA (Maine and Rhode Island) heading to Canada for the first time.

Marella Voyager’s winter schedule (2023-2024) will be available for booking from July 21, 2022.

Marella returns to Asia with homeporting in Singapore for the first time. Marella Discovery 2 is scheduled to operate 4x itineraries from the city-state.

The 15-day "Eastern Experience 1" itinerary (roundtrip from Singapore) visits Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) , Pulau Langkawi Island (Malaysia Kedah)  and Laem Chabang/Bangkok (Thailand) .

There will be 9 relocation itineraries (RepositionCruises.com) visiting ports in India, Jordan, and Sri Lanka.

MARELLA Moscow Aviapark

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NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft finally phones home after 5 months of no contact

On Saturday, April 5, Voyager 1 finally "phoned home" and updated its NASA operating team about its health.

NASA's interstellar explorer Voyager 1 is finally communicating with ground control in an understandable way again. On Saturday (April 20), Voyager 1 updated ground control about its health status for the first time in 5 months. While the Voyager 1 spacecraft still isn't sending valid science data back to Earth, it is now returning usable information about the health and operating status of its onboard engineering systems. 

Thirty-five years after its launch in 1977, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to leave the solar system and enter interstellar space . It was followed out of our cosmic quarters by its space-faring sibling, Voyager 2 , six years later in 2018. Voyager 2, thankfully, is still operational and communicating well with Earth. 

The two spacecraft remain the only human-made objects exploring space beyond the influence of the sun. However, on Nov. 14, 2023, after 11 years of exploring interstellar space and while sitting a staggering 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) from Earth, Voyager 1's binary code — computer language composed of 0s and 1s that it uses to communicate with its flight team at NASA — stopped making sense.

Related: We finally know why NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft stopped communicating — scientists are working on a fix

In March, NASA's Voyager 1 operating team sent a digital "poke" to the spacecraft, prompting its flight data subsystem (FDS) to send a full memory readout back home.

This memory dump revealed to scientists and engineers that the "glitch" is the result of a corrupted code contained on a single chip representing around 3% of the FDS memory. The loss of this code rendered Voyager 1's science and engineering data unusable.

The NASA team can't physically repair or replace this chip, of course, but what they can do is remotely place the affected code elsewhere in the FDS memory. Though no single section of the memory is large enough to hold this code entirely, the team can slice it into sections and store these chunks separately. To do this, they will also have to adjust the relevant storage sections to ensure the addition of this corrupted code won't cause those areas to stop operating individually, or working together as a whole. In addition to this, NASA staff will also have to ensure any references to the corrupted code's location are updated.

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On April 18, 2024, the team began sending the code to its new location in the FDS memory. This was a painstaking process, as a radio signal takes 22.5 hours to traverse the distance between Earth and Voyager 1, and it then takes another 22.5 hours to get a signal back from the craft. 

By Saturday (April 20), however, the team confirmed their modification had worked. For the first time in five months, the scientists were able to communicate with Voyager 1 and check its health. Over the next few weeks, the team will work on adjusting the rest of the FDS software and aim to recover the regions of the system that are responsible for packaging and returning vital science data from beyond the limits of the solar system.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.

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Huge, solar flare-launching sunspot has rotated away from Earth. But will it return?

• Robb62 'V'ger must contact the creator. Reply
• Holy HannaH! Couldn't help but think that "repair" sounded extremely similar to the mechanics of DNA and the evolution of life. Reply
• Torbjorn Larsson *Applause* indeed, thanks to the Voyager teams for the hard work! Reply
• SpaceSpinner I notice that the article says that it has been in space for 35 years. Either I have gone back in time 10 years, or their AI is off by 10 years. V-*ger has been captured! Reply

Admin said: On Saturday, April 5, Voyager 1 finally "phoned home" and updated its NASA operating team about its health. The interstellar explorer is back in touch after five months of sending back nonsense data. NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft finally phones home after 5 months of no contact : Read more

evw said: I'm incredibly grateful for the persistence and dedication of the Voyagers' teams and for the amazing accomplishments that have kept these two spacecrafts operational so many years beyond their expected lifetimes. V-1 was launched when I was 25 years young; I was nearly delirious with joy. Exploring the physical universe captivated my attention while I was in elementary school and has kept me mesmerized since. I'm very emotional writing this note, thinking about what amounts to a miracle of technology and longevity in my eyes. BRAVO!!! THANK YOU EVERYONE PAST & PRESENT!!!

• EBairead I presume it's Fortran. Well done all. Reply

SpaceSpinner said: I notice that the article says that it has been in space for 35 years. Either I have gone back in time 10 years, or their AI is off by 10 years. V-*ger has been captured!

EBairead said: I presume it's Fortran. Well done all.

• View All 13 Comments

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NASA astronauts & Starliner launch: Where to see liftoff in Daytona, New Smyrna, Oak Hill

Nasa starliner rocket launch will send 2 astronauts to the international space station no earlier than tuesday, may 21, 2024..

Godspeed, Starliner. After an initial attempt earlier this month, Boeing's maiden crewed flight  has been rescheduled.

Boeing is preparing to launch its  Starliner capsule on its first crewed mission from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station . And Volusia County may get a peek at the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifting off into the sky.

As of Tuesday, May 14, Starliner will launch no earlier than Tuesday, May 21. However, there is a SpaceX Starlink launch with a Falcon 9 rocket scheduled for Friday, May 17 (details below on both launches).

On board the ULA Atlas V rocket will be two NASA astronauts. Flying this commercial crew mission are  Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams , both Navy test pilots. They have each flown in space twice (more info about them below).

Daytona Beach is known for a lot of things: The Daytona 500, beautiful beaches and not to mention Bike Week. But did you know Volusia County is privy to some amazing views of rocket launches from neighboring Brevard County, home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station? Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, rocket launches can be visible from here. We have suggestions on where and how to watch a rocket launch from Ormond Beach to Oak Hill below if you keep scrolling and information on the historic Starliner launch.

What is Boeing's Starliner?

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft will transport NASA astronauts. The company calls it the  Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 Starliner, or simply “Starliner ." Set to launch no earlier than Friday, May 17, 2024, it will make history as the first spacecraft to ferry humans from Space Launch Complex 41 in Cape Canaveral. The launch pad has been the site for historic missions beginning with the Titan rockets in 1965 and including the New Horizons deep space probe, the Voyager spacecraft, and even the Curiosity Mars rover.

Starliner will be launched with the help of a United Launch Alliance (a partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin) Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V rocket has launched from the site since 2002, but this will be the first time it carries astronauts to space.

What launches from where? Years after space shuttle retirement, Florida chases nearly 70 launches a year

Who are the NASA astronauts flying into space for Starliner launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida?

The two NASA astronauts flying this commercial crew mission are  Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams . Both are Navy test pilots. They have each flown in space twice and both bring a wide variety of experiences to the flight.

Williams was originally a helicopter test pilot before switching to flying jets. She's preparing to fly to space for the third time, as the crew test flight pilot.

This will be Wilmore's third spaceflight as well. Before becoming a NASA astronaut, Wilmore was a U.S. Navy captain, fighter pilot, and test pilot, accumulating more than 8,000 hours of flight time. Wilmore flew the FA-18 Hornet and T-45 Goshawk, playing a role in missions during Operation Desert Storm, Desert Shield and Southern Watch.

Is there a rocket launch in Florida today? Rocket launch calendar for Florida

Here's what we know about the rocket launch missions, mentioned in  FLORIDA TODAY's rocket launch calendar  for the month of May, which is updated frequently. (Check that link often for rocket launch times and dates because they are routinely subject to change for a variety of reasons.)

No earlier than Tuesday, May 21: NASA’s Boeing Starliner crewed flight test from Cape Canaveral, Florida

• Mission:   NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will fly aboard a Boeing Starliner spacecraft  and a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station.
• Launch:  No earlier than Tuesday, May 21 (postponed after a May 6 scrub)
• Location:  Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Trajectory:  Northeast
• Live coverage:  Starts at 2 p.m. at  floridatoday.com/space . For live rocket launch coverage,  FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team  will provide updates at 2 p.m. EDT Friday, May 17, at  floridatoday.com/space . You can download the free app for iPhone or Android or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.

Friday, May 17: SpaceX Starlink

A National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warning indicates a 4½-hour launch window will open Friday, May 17, for SpaceX's next Starlink mission from the Space Coast, shortly after the Starliner liftoff.

• Mission:  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of Starlink internet satellites.
• Launch:  7:52 p.m. EDT Friday, May 17, until 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 18
• Trajectory:  Southeast
• Local sonic boom:  No
• Booster landing:  Drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean
• Live coverage:  If you want to watch live rocket launch coverage,  FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team  will provide updates at  floridatoday.com/space , starting about 90 minutes before launch time. You can download the free app for iPhone or Android or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser.

Can you see a rocket liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in New Smyrna Beach? Where can I see a rocket launch in Volusia County , Florida?

In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch.

The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

•  South New Smyrna Beach  (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An eclectic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

Dinner and a launch: Perfect for a SpaceX or NASA rocket launch, best waterfront restaurants in Volusia County

•  Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park , 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk,  according to Volusia County's site . The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

•  Apollo Beach  at  Canaveral National Seashore  (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.

•  Oak Hill riverfront  is the  southernmost city in South Volusia County .

•  Sunrise Park , 275 River Road, Oak Hill

•  Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House  back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill

•  Seminole Rest national historic site , 211 River Road, Oak Hill

•  Riverbreeze Park , 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill

•  Mary Dewees Park , 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building,playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoorrestrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.

•  Nancy Cummings Park , 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.

•  Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park , 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.

•  A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier , 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.

•  Bird Observation Pier  on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

Rick Neale  is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories,  click here .) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or  [email protected] . Twitter/X:  @RickNeale1