SpaceX Rocket Launch Took Place During BYU Football Game At UCF
Oct 26, 2024, 4:10 PM
SpaceX Rocket Launch Starlink satellite launch near BYU-UCF game on October 26, 2024. (Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
(Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)
ORLANDO, Fla. – During Saturday’s BYU football game at UCF, a SpaceX launch occurred east of the game.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch took place at Cape Canaveral, which is about 30 miles east of FBC Mortgage Stadium, home of the UCF Knights.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch during the #BYU vs. UCF game.@SpaceX pic.twitter.com/wWtjxX047x
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 26, 2024
At 5:47 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Falcon 9 launched into the air.
Interestingly, the launch coincided with a BYU touchdown pass from Jake Retzlaff to tight end Mata’ava Ta’ase in the third quarter. The touchdown extended BYU’s lead 31-10 with 7:01 remaining in the third quarter.
Fans lined up alongside the back row at FBC Mortgage Stadium to get a glimpse of the rocket launch. A strong showing of BYU football fans was in attendance at Saturday’s game.
Cougar touchdown and a rocket launch. You don’t see those two paired together everyday. #BYU #BYUFootball #Big12 #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/SxegKqcXLu
— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) October 26, 2024
According to Florida Today, the SpaceX rocket Launch was the 73rd orbital rocket to take flight.
SpaceX’s website lists Falcon 9 as “a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket. Reusability allows SpaceX to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access.”
Falcon 9's first stage lands as the sun sets on the Just Read the Instructions droneship pic.twitter.com/crAabRHJM3
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 26, 2024
Falcon 9 landed, according to SpaceX at 5:57 p.m. (EDT).
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
