COCOA BEACH, Fla. — While weather eventually pushed Saturday's scheduled United Launch Alliance rocket launch to Sunday, it did not stop spectators from gathering to watch. Along with lodging restrictions slowly being lifted, the scene brought hope that future launches might serve as a launching pad for a return of tourism to the Space Coast.

The Westgate Cocoa Beach pier, closed for more than seven weeks, served as one location where launch spectators gathered while observing social distancing. Others watched from beachfront hotels.

It's all a welcome sign for the area, which under normal circumstances would have seen its busiest time of the year tourist-wise in March and April. According to Space Coast tourism officials, the coronavirus pandemic cost the area an estimated $1 billion in tourism tax revenue.

With Memorial Day Weekend approaching and manned space flight missions set to soon resume, tourism officials hope this will kickstart a return of tourists to the area.

One spectator who traveled from Orlando to watch Saturday's launch, David Silva, said he's been fascinated with all things space since he was a boy growing up in Ecuador.

“I'm going to record the launch," he told us early in the day. "I always wanted to see it. It would be my first time, so I'm very excited."

Later, after the launch was scrubbed, Silva said though he was disappointed, he was going to stick around and contribute to the area.

“I'm disappointed, but I'm going to enjoy the beach, eat something at the pier, then I have to go home,” Silva said.

The average visitor spending annually in the area is $2.6 billion. Business is down an estimated 30-40 percent this year.​