Last updated: 16th May 2020, with virtual viewing information.
Dear Friends,
As of today – May 4th, 2020 – there is no cure for COVID-19, no vaccine; we are not even certain whether catching and recovering from it confers even temporary immunity from catching it again.
As of today, we are in the same situation, as regards this pandemic, as we were on March 12th, when I first advised you to postpone your launch trips until a safer time and STAY HOME.
DM-2, the first crewed launch from American soil since the days of the space shuttle, is currently scheduled for May 27th – and everyone wants to go see it. I know I do. But the fact that this is a historic launch does not change the fact that the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19 in crowds is as great as it ever was.
The best viewing locations remain closed and inaccessible. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex remains closed (as do the other Florida theme parks in the area). Jetty Park and Exploration Tower are still closed. Playalinda Beach, part of the Federal National Parks system, is still closed. The viewing stands at SR-401, to the best of my knowledge, will be unavailable. Most beachside parking in Cocoa Beach remains closed. What this means, in a nutshell, is that the areas that remain open to the public for launch viewing will be even more crowded, with locals and visitors who choose not to heed common-sense cautions. Social distancing will not be possible. Statistically, some (if not many) of the people at these sites will be carriers of COVID-19, and the disease will spread. It may well spread to you.
What you need to ask yourself, at this point in time, is: Do I want to risk my life, and the lives of my loved ones, to watch a rocket launch that will be webcast with much better vantage points over the Internet?
The best answer to this question, my friends, is no. It is not the most emotionally appealing answer… but it is by far the most sensible.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has gone on record as encouraging people to come to Brevard County to watch this launch. And why shouldn’t he? By the time people start getting sick from their launch viewing trips, they will be back in their home cities and towns, and their illnesses will not be Florida’s problem. Florida, as a state, is largely fueled by tourist dollars, and so there is a concern that by urging people to stay away, our economy will be (is being) negatively impacted. This is not an invalid concern.
But in my opinion – in most people’s opinions – the risk presented by COVID-19 is a far more important concern to consider.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell have both urged people to stay home and watch the webcasts – and the coverage on NASA Live will no doubt be extensive and thorough. These are the voices you should be listening to, as you consider the possibility of making a launch viewing trip: the voices of caution, of reason. These are the voices that want you to stay safe.
And mine is another. Much as I think everyone should watch at least one rocket launch, much as I enjoy helping people find the best viewing location, much as I miss being able to provide that service… I cannot, in good conscience, do so now.
Enjoy DM-2 over the Internet. Stay safe. Stay home.
–Wayward
ETA: NASA is running a virtual NASA Social via Facebook; to join, click here.
In addition to NASA and SpaceX’s webcast coverage, NASASpaceFlight.com will have their own coverage, featuring unique perspectives from Kennedy Space Center and elsewhere. Their YouTube channel can be found here.