SpaceX Crew Dragon Test Launch Atop Falcon 9

 SpaceX  Crew Dragon Test Launch Atop Falcon 9

I had been in the throes of planning a ferry boat cruise up the Norway coast to above the arctic circle. I had always wanted to see the aurora borealis. But then I noticed that there was a launch planned at the Kennedy Space center during that time. According to the SpaceX website:   At 2:49 a.m. EST on March 2, SpaceX will launch Crew Dragon’s first demonstration mission from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test flight without crew on board the spacecraft is intended to demonstrate SpaceX’s capabilities to safely and reliably fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

It sounded warmer, sunnier and easier. The decision was made, I was going to Florida. A little research revealed that I could watch the launch from a little more than 3 miles away at the Kennedy Space center by buying “Feel the Heat” tickets. The tickets included a buffet meal, 2 beverages and a two day pass at the space center. 

https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events

About a thousand fellow rocket nerds dutifully lined up at 10:30 pm at the visitor center. After a long wait we walked through the center to buses. Our entertaining native driver gave a running historical commentary as we headed toward the launch viewing site. We detoured to drive aside the Space Shuttle landing strip, then arrived at the gargantuan Apollo/Saturn V Center hanger, home of the manned moon launch rocket. It is still the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful ever flown. And it was suspended from the ceiling!

It looked like there were about three hundred fellow rocket nerds at this primo location. We were served a very generous catered buffet and had tickets for 2 beverages, including alcoholic drinks. There was ample time to tour the vast facility, dedicated to the six daring  manned moon landings between 1969 to 1972.

Then out to bleachers. We were warned several times that this was an inherently hazardous activity and instructed on evacuation procedures. My assigned location was in a bus! Fat lot of good that would do if a rocket came down on us. My plan was to get under water in the lagoon with the gators. 

We looked 3.9 miles across Banana Creek at the bedazzling bright historic Launch Pad 39A, the site of the last crewed American orbital spaceflight, the STS-135 mission of the space shuttle Atlantis. The spacecraft itself was difficult to discern from the supporting structures without magnification.

It was a bit farther away than I imagined, but my Nikon AF-S Nikor 200-500mm 1:5.6E ED super telephoto drew the launch site in nicely. Photographers lined the walkway in front of the bleachers. We were adjacent to the forbidden grassy area bordering the lagoon in front. We were instructed that we had to crouch or sit down one minute before the launch as to not block the view from the bleachers. I had previously decided not to lug a tripod so my movie, shot through my Nikon 5500 SLR, was hand held from a seated position.

I think the launch movie speaks for itself. Sorry about the sailor words:

In addition to the launch we saw the 1st stage reentry burn, and the glow over the horizon from the landing burn, though the barge was not in sight. Elon Musk was reportedly there, though not where we were. I imagine he was sharing doobies at launch control.

 A very organized return to the buses ensued, and I arrived back at my hotel by 4:00 am. Our bus driver, when asked if there were closer viewing locations, replied that there were closer places, but he felt that we had been to the best, as there were no intervening trees, and we had bathrooms.

 I’m ready to do it again.