Countdown Cadets
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How it worksLaunch NightCaptain CarlPatchesHomeschoolMembershipFAQFree watch sheet
For Florida families who step outside for launchesFor homeschool families who love space

Can we see the launch from our backyard?A space lesson for every launch your family can see.

Type your ZIP code. See how far you are from the Cape and whether launches may be visible from home. Then turn the next one into a mission for your kid.Countdown Cadets turns real rocket launches into short missions for kids 7 to 10, with quick checks, a printable activity and a patch to earn. Start with your ZIP code.

Your ZIP code never leaves this page. Nothing is sent or saved.

Get the free watch sheetSee how the app works
The Countdown Cadets launch screen: a Vulcan launch marked May be visible from home, with a Start mission briefing button and a list of upcoming launches.
From the app, October 2026. Still in testing.
Launch night, most of the time

The rocket is gone in a few minutes. Most launch nights end at "wow."

How a launch becomes a mission

From "is it tonight?" to something your kid remembers.

01

See it from your backyard

The app checks your ZIP and shows which launches may be visible from home. Launches you can't see are still there to follow, and many have a live stream.

02

Open the mission briefing

Each launch comes with what the rocket is carrying, why it matters and what to watch for. Then a short mission with quick questions.

03

Earn the patch

Finished missions earn mission patches and Cosmic Credits for your kid's cadet. Nothing costs real money. Everything is earned.

A launch briefing in the app: Vulcan, going to low Earth orbit, why this matters, what to watch for, and a launch report question.
A mission card in the app: A machine that pushes itself, with a drawing of a rocket on its pad.
The Patches screen: two earned patches, First Flight and Gravity Turn, and locked patches still to earn.
From the app, October 2026. Still in testing.
What's inside
  1. 01

    Can we see it from here?

    Enter your ZIP once. The app shows which launches may be visible from your backyard. Florida's Eastern Range had 109 orbital launches in 2025 (US Space Force, Space Launch Delta 45, July 2026), so there are a lot of chances to be ready.

  2. 02

    One launch, one short mission

    Every launch comes with a briefing, quick questions and a matching mission from the course, sized for kids 7 to 10. A mission takes about 8 to 10 minutes in the app.

  3. 03

    Patches they earn, not upgrades they beg for

    Kids earn mission patches and Cosmic Credits for their cadet. There are no ads, and nothing in a kid's screen asks for money.

  4. 04

    Fits your homeschool week

    Chapters of missions, an at-home activity with a printable worksheet for every mission, chapter certificates, and a parent view of what each child finished.

Captain Carl Cosmos in his blue mission suit, giving a thumbs up.
Meet Captain Carl Cosmos

One-minute episodes that follow the missions.

Carl is the host of our animated space series. Each episode matches a mission in the app and ends with something to try at home.

Episode 1: What is a rocket? How does a rocket fly? Captain Carl shows it with a balloon you already have at home.

Watch episode 1
The difference
The rocket is gone in minutes. What your kid learned from it can stay.
Grown-ups ask
When can we get the app?
It isn't in the app stores yet. Families on the list hear first.
Are there ads?
No. There are no ads in the app, and rewards are earned, never bought with money.
What does my child need to sign up?
Nothing. A grown-up sets up the app. A kid profile is only a first name or nickname and an age range.
All questions