For those of you who are not into space stuff, here's a quick primer. Launching rockets into space has been the job of governments, i.e. USA, Russia, China, etc. Around 2004, a guy name Elon Musk, decided to start a company called SpaceX to develop rockets with a vision of going to Mars. His single engine Falcon 1 rockets did not do well, but the company learned a lot from them and developed the highly successful, nine engine, Falcon 9 rocket which as a very good safety record. But it was not big enough to go to Mars, so Elan envisioned strapping three of them together to lift the heavy payloads into space that would be needed for a mission to Mars.
Today that rocket flew for the first time.
I wish we had more and better pictures, but we were so captivated by the launch that taking pictures was secondary. I tried to take a video of it (and of the landing of the two side rockets) but that also failed. So you'll have to do with these two pictures that Mary managed to take, and view one of the many Youtube videos about this historic launch.
Both of use have wanted to see a rocket launch for a long time. This one just worked out perfectly for us, even though it meant leaving St Pete Beach by 7 am, passing through two traffic jams to arrive at the Max Brewer causeway east of Titusville around 10:15 am, grabbing an available parking place and then waiting for 5 1/2 hours for the three-time delayed launch at 3:45 pm, just 15 minutes before the end of the launch window.
It's been quite a day, but overall a very successful one!
Today that rocket flew for the first time.
I wish we had more and better pictures, but we were so captivated by the launch that taking pictures was secondary. I tried to take a video of it (and of the landing of the two side rockets) but that also failed. So you'll have to do with these two pictures that Mary managed to take, and view one of the many Youtube videos about this historic launch.
Both of use have wanted to see a rocket launch for a long time. This one just worked out perfectly for us, even though it meant leaving St Pete Beach by 7 am, passing through two traffic jams to arrive at the Max Brewer causeway east of Titusville around 10:15 am, grabbing an available parking place and then waiting for 5 1/2 hours for the three-time delayed launch at 3:45 pm, just 15 minutes before the end of the launch window.
It's been quite a day, but overall a very successful one!
Go SpaceX!!!
1 comment:
Wow , how special to have been there and seen this rocket launch . I bet it will be something you both wont forget . So glad you got to be there , sounds like its been an exciting day . It was worth the long wait to have seen this . Enjoy the rest of your holiday . Pat
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