IN THE 50S WHEN SPACE WAS THE NEW FRONTIER, families would gather in front of tiny b&w TVs and anxiously count-down with each new space launch. Today, 65 years later, launches from Cape Canaveral have become ho-hum events—we actually watched several Space X launches when we stayed in Coco Beach. But NASA says this is the first time missions would launch on consecutive days. Maybe.
Counting down with the TV
We were at the beach, binoculars and camera ready, when NASA “scrubbed” Sunday’s Starlink launch in the final sixty seconds. Monday night’s Dragon resupply mission to the International Space Station remains on schedule but the Starlink mission was pushed back until Tuesday. Fingers crossed.
SpaceX launch seen from Cocoa Beach, 2020
I was waiting on the dark boardwalk as Monday’s 9:28 liftoff approached while a dozen people stood below in the wet sand, all of us facing Cape Canaveral, 35 miles to the south. Slowly the sky lightened behind the condos and seconds later the rocket silently emerged through the clouds, any sounds muffled by the distance and the crashing waves. I managed a couple of semi-decent photos in the dark as the rocket headed out over the ocean while Connie watched from our balcony as the Falcon 9 climbed higher then disappeared.
Dragon emerges through the clouds
It’s now Wednesday evening and the Starlink mission has been scrubbed yet again. A very disappointing day, indeed, and I haven't even mentioned the election results!
