Name: Griffin Mission One — Falcon Heavy
Start: 2026-11-30T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-11-30T00:00:00Z
Location: Launch Complex 39A

Question 1

What rocket is launching Griffin Mission One?

Accepted Answer

Griffin Mission One is launching on the Falcon Heavy.

Question 2

Who is launching Griffin Mission One?

Accepted Answer

Griffin Mission One is being launched by SpaceX, a commercial launch provider founded in 2002.

Question 3

Where is Griffin Mission One launching from?

Accepted Answer

Griffin Mission One is launching from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.

Question 4

What orbit is Griffin Mission One heading to?

Accepted Answer

Griffin Mission One is heading to Lunar Orbit (LO).

Question 5

Is the Falcon Heavy reusable?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Falcon Heavy is designed to be reused, with boosters that can fly multiple missions.

Question 6

How many times has the Falcon Heavy flown?

Accepted Answer

The Falcon Heavy has launched 12 times to date, with 12 successful flights.

Question 7

What is the Griffin Mission One mission?

Accepted Answer

Demonstration flight of the Astrobotic Griffin lander and its engines, initially contracted for the cancelled NASA VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission. The vacated payload spot will now host the FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) lunar rover from Astrolab.

Question 8

Where is the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is on Merritt Island, Florida, immediately north of Cape Canaveral. Named for President Kennedy in 1963, it has been the United States' primary human-spaceflight launch site since the 1960s.

Question 9

Which rockets launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

SpaceX leases Launch Complex 39A for Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and crewed Dragon missions, while NASA launches the Space Launch System for the Artemis Moon programme from Launch Complex 39B.

Question 10

Did Apollo and the Space Shuttle launch from Kennedy?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the Launch Complex 39 pads sent every Apollo Moon mission and every Space Shuttle crew on their way, including Apollo 11 in 1969 and the first shuttle flight, STS-1, in 1981.

Question 11

What's the difference between the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral?

Accepted Answer

They are separate, neighbouring sites. Kennedy is NASA's centre on Merritt Island; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, just to the south, is run by the U.S. Space Force. Together they make up Florida's Space Coast.

Question 12

Can you watch a launch from the Kennedy Space Center?

Accepted Answer

The closest public viewing is from the ticketed Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which runs launch-day bus packages. Free off-site views are best from Playalinda Beach and the Titusville riverfront.

Griffin Mission One

Overview

Mission details

Launch Window

Schedule Updates

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Frequently asked questions