Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Is it only locals who are giddy about this? It's been the talk of my local friends on facebook. Dh won't be working the launch but has to go in at 4 today, so he's planning to deal with major traffic for the 100K spectators expected in the area. I have my tripod ready to bring to the front yard and try to get a few shots (we can't see liftoff from here but we do see it once it clears some trees). Some recent links I've posted or shared from friends - https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/05/spacex-starman-spacesuit-falcon-heavy-roadster/ https://spacecoastlaunches.com/blog/falcon-heavy-vs-saturn-v/ - I wondered how the two compare. Saturn V launches (Apollo moon launches) didn't just rattle our windows like the Space Shuttle did - they shook the whole house. It seems the Saturn rocket was still bigger. I'm not sure if this will show for those not on facebook. The gist is that years ago Musk was ridiculed as a millionaire geek, photo of the Falcon Heavy saying "here's his little science project". https://scontent.ftpa1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27459592_1457036421089896_546758148507658251_n.jpg?oh=de9a10275eee3525bb6ede168fe13170&oe=5ADA0B1B - this will be playing in the Tesla when it launches Yeah, we're all pretty excited here. Where I live you can't throw a stone without hitting someone who either works in the space industry, is related to someone who does, or is neighbor to someone who does. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) My dh is! He watches all launches on the computer :lol: . We have driven up to Wallops Island to watch theirs because it's close. But dh loves all things space and rockets. ETA: My dh interned at NASA way back in the day. He would love to be in the industry today. It is pretty amazing how private industry has advanced the technology. Although, I always joke with dh that I have yet to actually see one re-land as the camera/service blinks out at that moment, and then the camera comes back on and the rocket is magically sitting on the freighter. :tongue_smilie: Edited February 6, 2018 by jewellsmommy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I am! I hope the weather cooperates. I watch most of SpaceX's launches on my computer and others from time to time. I also get emails telling me when the ISS should be visible overhead. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I've never watched online but have watched shuttle launches in person. There's nothing quite like launch suspense! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 I am! I hope the weather cooperates. There's nothing quite like launch suspense! Right now the weather is providing a lot of suspense. Upper level winds have the launch pushed back to 3:30 and that's getting close to the end of today's window. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I am! I hope the weather cooperates. I watch most of SpaceX's launches on my computer and others from time to time. I also get emails telling me when the ISS should be visible overhead. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk LOL for ISS dh and I stand out in the yard and watch, and every time I feel like we're recreating that scene from October Sky when Sputnik flies over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) Never heard of it! ETA - oh it’s Musk, that’s why. What does that even mean? I guess it means you don't follow space exploration news, because Musk is at the forefront. His Falcon rockets have been bringing supplies to the ISS and providing GPS and cell phone coverage around the world for years now, and not just for U.S. customers. They also launch classified military satellites. And the Falcon Heavy is the first step towards Mars exploration. So if you ignore all that because of Musk for whatever reason, you ignore space exploration news. You probably could have just said you're not interested in space related news because it almost all includes his rockets these days. Edited February 6, 2018 by Lady Florida. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I am! I hope the weather cooperates. I watch most of SpaceX's launches on my computer and others from time to time. I also get emails telling me when the ISS should be visible overhead. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk My husband hope it doesn't cooperate! He wants it to be delayed till tomorrow so he can drive to the coast and see it, he's stuck in meetings today. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homebody2 Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Super excited over here!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 What does that even mean? I guess it means you don't follow space exploration news, because Musk is at the forefront. His Falcon rockets have been bringing supplies to the ISS and providing GPS and cell phone coverage around the world for years now, and not just for U.S. customers. They also launch classified military satellites. And the Falcon Heavy is the first step towards Mars exploration. So if you ignore all that because of Musk for whatever reason, you ignore space exploration news. You probably could have just said you're not interested in space related news because it almost all includes his rockets these days. Maybe she's only a Bezos/Blue Origin fan? :tongue_smilie: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 DS is! I need him to get his homework done but he's just too giddy to concentrate. He's watching the live stream of um, nothing...yet. :) Elon Musk is pretty much his hero, it goes without saying. Cars, science and space...his all time favorite things. â¤ï¸ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) DS is! I need him to get his homework done but he's just too giddy to concentrate. He's watching the live stream of um, nothing...yet. :) ' We have it open too, waiting for something to start. :) Dh left early for work in case there's viewing traffic. Those people are crazy. They park in the middle of major roads and just get out of the car! ETA: The live stream has begun! Edited February 6, 2018 by Lady Florida. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 ' We have it open too, waiting for something to start. :) Dh left early for work in case there's viewing traffic. Those people are crazy. They park in the middle of major roads and just get out of the car! ETA: The live stream has begun! Oh my gosh...he looks like other teens do at a Katy Perry concert--a total perma grin and absolute awe. â¤ï¸ Envy for all you Floridians who get to witness this! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 I've lived on the Space Coast 47 years (almost 48). A lot of people who have been here this long get a bit ho-hum about launches. I'm not one of them. A launch never fails to excite me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Watching from Tampa. Hoping to actually see it in the sky when we run outside after the launch. We could see most shuttle launches in the sky from here, but my DD doesn't really remember the last shuttle launch. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Launching in one minute!http://www.spacex.com/webcast 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 So glad for this thread! We would have missed it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 That was Just Amazing. Thank you for telling us--we spread the news to several other highly interested families. A thrilling event. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Exciting! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I got chills! Awesome. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 To quote the kid on the tricycle from The Incredibles - That was totally wicked! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbusf Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 That was AMAZING!!!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 My kids are laughing at me a little because I started crying. But from the beginnings of space exploration to this, all in my lifetime. (Not that I remember the very earliest flights.) Actually I think my son was trying not to cry, but you didn't hear that from me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) So, someone explain if I misunderstand what I just saw..... They launched a Falcon Heavy. Then the booster rockets detached and then landed, vertically back on earth (and it appeared they were completely simultaneously landing? Did I see that right?) Then, the center rocket detached from the payload and landed, also vertically, on a drone ship in the ocean. Is that what I watched? Yes that's right. The Falcon Heavy is literally like 3 Falcon 9s. The Falcon 9 has 9 engines, this one has 27. And instead of 1 booster the Heavy has 3 boosters. Two landed simultaneously on pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (that's where dh works, he's not at Kennedy Space Center). One landed on a barge in the ocean off the coast. Edited February 6, 2018 by Lady Florida. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 We are giddy here. Cheered the whole time. I desperately want to see a launch live. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratford Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 That was awesome!!! Watching those boosters land was like watching a movie! It didn't seem possible that it was real! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 We watched it. I'll admit, I got a little choked up listening to all those scientists cheering! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I thought DS was going to throw up right before launch, he was so excited. Lol 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 It really feels neat to hear people so excited about scientific advancement. ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘👠4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Yes! The kids and I watched the live stream on youtube. I love all stuff space, but since having kids I haven't been following the news that closely. DH sent me a text earlier today about it. I figured, sure we'll watch it, it'll be cool. But, OH MY GOODNESS I GOT SO EXCITED! Truly remarkable. So glad I could witness it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I got to see part o it, but my kids missed it! I was running in from the front of the house and saw it from there. The kids were in the backyard and the trees blocked it :( I feel like a bad mom now. But man..did that take me back! So many memories of watching the shuttle as a kid, was like I was in elementary school again! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 My parents watched it from their house. So exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homebody2 Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Yes! The kids and I watched the live stream on youtube. I love all stuff space, but since having kids I haven't been following the news that closely. DH sent me a text earlier today about it. I figured, sure we'll watch it, it'll be cool. But, OH MY GOODNESS I GOT SO EXCITED! Truly remarkable. So glad I could witness it. Me too! We were cheering and clapping. So inspiring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 We ran outside here in Tampa but couldn't see anything in the sky from our house. Next time they launch one of these, maybe we'll go to DH's (40-story tall) building downtown to see if we can see it. If you've never seen a launch live, in person, there is nothing like it. I'm very excited to be seeing "big" things launch from FL once again. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandwalker Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Hope this wasn't posted, did not read the thread. (Space nerd here): check out these guys' twitter :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) It looks like the central booster was lost, but the Tesla is on its way to Mars. Check out the livestream. It's so beautiful. http://www.spacex.com/webcast A direct link. Click on the *LIVE* button to see the current view. Edited February 7, 2018 by ErinE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Watching that made me want to go work for spacex. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 My husband hope it doesn't cooperate! He wants it to be delayed till tomorrow so he can drive to the coast and see it, he's stuck in meetings today. Totally us. We couldn't go today b/c of obligations but we were set to head down tomorrow. We watched the Falcon 9 last week from one of the closer viewing areas, but I just couldn't ante up the $$ for today's launch. We had our binoculars and telescope out but we had too much local tree cover and I think it veers toward the horizon at some point so we never saw it. Watched it online though and the booster re-landing was almost better than the launch! We're hoping to get down for several more rockets this year. I was really surprised they got this one up on the first day with no re-scheduling. I know this pumps Cape Canaveral UP after seeing the shuttle program nixed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeannpal Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 My brother-in-law works for Space X, and he worked on this project. He made a great video of the launch. I live in the Orlando area and was able to see the launch from my porch. It was amazing! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeannpal Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) Trying to upload my BIL's video. Edited February 7, 2018 by leeannpal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 It looks like the central booster was lost, but the Tesla is on its way to Mars. Check out the livestream. It's so beautiful. It missed the drone ship by a little over 300 feet if I converted correctly from meters. We heard the sonic booms from the two that landed on the pads. We never did hear the third one but we might be too far away. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 I always have trouble getting a facebook link to give to people not on facebook or not friends, so I made this photo public. The link should work. I took this from the street in front of my house. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159779920440447&set=a.247177450446.292913.716370446&type=3&theater 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 My husband actually was recruited by SpaceX a year ago...but for a position in California. He declined because we can't afford California real estate, lol. And also because the job they were asking for would have meant moving IMMEDIATELY and he just couldn't do it. But he'd love to find a job with them hear in Florida. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 Watching that made me want to go work for spacex. Ds and I came inside to watch the booster landings on tv. I looked over at him and said, "Don't you want to see if you can get a job at SpaceX?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I always have trouble getting a facebook link to give to people not on facebook or not friends, so I made this photo public. The link should work. I took this from the street in front of my house. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159779920440447&set=a.247177450446.292913.716370446&type=3&theater I am so insanely jealous of you right now. We watched the live stream here in New Zealand. SO COOL! My son was leaping up and down and cheering. The landings look so fake - like a film run backwards. It is amazing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 I always have trouble getting a facebook link to give to people not on facebook or not friends, so I made this photo public. The link should work. I took this from the street in front of my house. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159779920440447&set=a.247177450446.292913.716370446&type=3&theater Thanks for sharing this! What an amazing view and shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 LadyFlorida, your picture is amazing! DS13 (an aspiring aeronautical engineer and space nut) and I drove from Clearwater to Orlando and watched the launch from the 11th floor of the parking garage at the airport with about 100 other people. It was great to see! We were also able to see the two boosters coming back to earth. My DH and older son stopped by a park on Tampa Bay in hopes of seeing it but they don't think they saw anything (some people in the crowd said they saw it but most said they didn't. We got to see a live launch from the state park right there near Cape Canaveral a few years ago. To hear it and feel the ground shake with 1000s of other people really was amazing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 oh wow, just found out my friend's husband engineered the landing pad for the boosters!!! So cool! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 oh wow, just found out my friend's husband engineered the landing pad for the boosters!!! So cool! That's awesome! It's like knowing a celebrity! It's so fun to have a personal attachment to technological history. My grandfather designed the floatation device for the Apollo capsules for when it landed in the ocean on reentry. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) I am so insanely jealous of you right now. The landings look so fake - like a film run backwards. It is amazing. If it makes you feel any better I'm insanely jealous of a local friend who paid for an up close and personal spot to watch. The shots they got, including the boosters landing, are really amazing. Sometimes they go to a local park that's closer to the pads than where we live. I'm usually either without a car or don't want to deal with the crowds and traffic. Last night on one of the local news channels they showed the Falcon floating in space with the Tesla and Starman. They made the comment that "It's so real it looks fake". Edited February 7, 2018 by Lady Florida. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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