So last night, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 did in fact yeet the Crew-1 Dragon capsule Resilience toward the International Space Station; it was a spectacular launch, and the photos are still rolling into social media, and all around the Space Coast, people are slowly waking up and perhaps wondering what to do with themselves now that the Big Event is past…
Crew-1: The Morning After
Crew 1: T-1 Day Roundup
Today, Saturday the 14th of November, is not Launch Day. Tomorrow… so far, so good.
As announced yesterday, the NASA/SpaceX Crew 1 launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station has moved to Sunday, November 15th at 7:27 p.m. local time (GMT-5), and so, as everyone scrambles to change their plans, here’s a few things to keep in mind:
(At One Point) Crew One (Was) Proceeding On Schedule, Somehow
UPDATE: Crew 1 has slipped one day due to weather at the recovery location – to Sunday, as noted below. If you have Gray Line tickets, check your email for important re-booking information! -WP
Despite Tropical Storm Eta bouncing around the Gulf like a pinball, plans are still proceeding apace for the Crew One mission to the International Space Station, launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 no earlier than Sunday, November 15th, at 7:27 p.m. local time (GMT-5), according to the Flight Readiness Review that concluded today.
NROL-101: Where to Watch
As per the latest news, ULA is currently scheduled to launch NROL-101 on its Atlas V rocket from SLC-41 on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 5:54 pm local time.
Based on the visibility map posted by ULA to Twitter for the previous launch date, the northeasterly trajectory of this launch suggests strongly that Playalinda Beach is the place to be for this launch. As for why this is so: see my previous post about watching Starlink launches from Playalinda…
Launch And A Movie at KSCVC: SpX GPS III SV04 and Hubble
Yeah, okay, that title’s a little ambiguous: SpaceX is NOT re-launching Hubble. What is happening is that Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is once again offering their Launch And A Movie package for the SpaceX GPS III SV04 launch, originally slated for September and October but now scheduled for November 5th at 6:24 p.m.
For an admission cost of $50 per vehicle, you’ll be able to watch the launch from the comfort of your car, followed by a showing of Hubble on the big screen. Snacks, souvenirs and restrooms will be available; RVs are welcome. More details (including information for those holding tickets for the previous attempts at this launch) are available at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex website.
While your view of the launch is obstructed at ground level by the treeline for this launch, you will still have a close view once it’s in the air, and the webcast & movie on the big screen, as well as the festive atmosphere, makes this an event worth checking out!
Darmok and Jalad at Playalinda, watching Starlink
Yo. Folks. Let’s talk about Starlink at Playalinda.
Y’know how it is when you watch a movie, or a launch webcast, and everything’s so BIG, and so CLOSE, and it’s RIGHT THERE IN YOUR FACE… And then you go watch a launch in person, and you’re miles away, and it’s still amazing, but… you want it to be bigger, brighter, more?
Okay, so. Yeah. Starlink at Playalinda.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Upcoming Space Coast Launches
Falcon Heavy on pad LC-39A the day before its historic debut, poised for flight. Photo by Lupi.
At this time, we recommend that you consult the following resource for the most up-to-date launch information available: