4 ms·

SpaceX launches are the best reality TV show. I'm so glad my children get to watch history being made like this. My dad remembers seeing the moon landings when

SpaceX launches are the best reality TV show. I'm so glad my children get to watch history being made like this. My dad remembers seeing the moon landings when he was a kid and thinking, "Wow, this is HUGE!" My generation didn't get that experience. But I'm glad my kids do.

paxys 5y ago
SpaceX's synchronized twin booster landing is one of the clips that will define the early 21st century. I'm still not over watching it live.
- trothamel 5y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw is my favorite way to watch that launch, just because of the way it integrate the people watching. We haven't had the crowds since the Space Shuttle stopped watching, and DM-2, Crew-1, and Crew-2 all happened during the pandemic - so this shows the old excitement.
  - taftster 5y ago
    I love that Chris Hadfield's version of Space Oddity is "up next" after this video.
- wefarrell 5y ago
  That was amazing because they unexpectedly succeeded on their first attempt. The individual falcon 9 landings were a bigger milestone but the success was iterative. If SpaceX can successfully land starship after the first suborbital flight I think it will dwarf the twin booster landing.
  - sebzim4500 5y ago
    Starship and superheavy are both going to 'land' on the ocean after the first launch. Basically they test the landing process but they don't need to risk one of their (surprisingly expensive) ships and they don't need to request regulatory approval to return to land.
    - wefarrell 5y ago
      I knew they were doing that for the booster but thought they would attempt to actually land starship. It makes sense given such an ambitious schedule
      - starlust2 5y ago
        There's so many more things that can go wrong trying to land from orbit that it's not worth the risk trying to land anywhere near people regardless of how much time you have to engineer it.
  - SEJeff 5y ago
    They’re planning on dumping the first few super heavy boosters in the ocean. This is in the authorizations from the FAA.
    - rbanffy 5y ago
      I wonder how long stainless steel resists in the ocean.
- mabbo 5y ago
  > I'm still not over watching it live I had a goal in 2020 to drive from Toronto to Florida to watch the next Falcon Heavy launch and dual-landings. Then the pandemic hit... but conveniently, they pushed back the FH launches by a year as well! Depending on the status of the border, the pandemic, and all of that, I might take a trip down if they have one this fall.
  - mstade 5y ago
    I've seen a rocket launch at KSC and can highly recommend it. (It wasn't SpaceX though.) One thing to remember though is that launches can easily get scrubbed due to weather, planes flying into the restricted zone etc., so make sure to plan to stay for most if not all of the planned launch window if possible. When I went I stayed at a hotel in Orlando, which can be fun but it's also a bit of a drive so might be worth finding lodging closer to KSC if you're not too keen on driving a fair bit. If you're viewing the launch from KSC your ticket won't be refunded either, and they'll only open up tickets for the next attempt after the launch is scrubbed so you can't prebook for all attempts either. When I went the first attempt was scrubbed, but they launched the next night. This actually worked out better for me, since then I could score tickets to the viewing gantry which was closer to the actual rocket, and an amazing experience. Pro tip: if you're spending multiple days at KSC just buy a year pass – it's worth it. Also pro tip: don't forget to visit the nearby warbird museum as well, they've got an amazing collection of airplanes and very knowledgeable volunteers on staff!
- SEJeff 5y ago
  If you’re referring to the Falcon Heavy side booster landings, I got to see the first one live at Kennedy Space Center. It was one of the only things in my entire life I’d describe as pure magic. It was amazing and so beautiful to see.
  - healthysurf 5y ago
    Definitely on my bucket list to see a live launch
solutron 5y ago
I got to see Falcon Dragon launch in Florida along the A1-A. People there credit SpaceX for single-handedly rekindling the lure and luster of space travel. They were sad when the shuttle program got shut down by NASA but now a whole new generation of space enthusiasts, optimists, and futurists get to see the awesome advances being made in the US. It's patriotic AF. The color, sparkle and glow of it was something I'll never forget. My only regret is I don't have any children to have shared it with. But there'll be more launches!
criddell 5y ago
My parents used to let me stay home from school on days the space shuttle was being launched. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now I realize how awesome that was.
irrational 5y ago
My generation had the space shuttles (I still remember watching the challenger explosion at school that day). Your post is the first one to point out to me that in between the end of the space shuttles and space x we had an entire generation with nothing.
- mensetmanusman 5y ago
  But we 80s kids got to experience life with and without the internet and experience the moment games got fast multiplayer after cable modem!
- DataGata 5y ago
  Consider that maybe the space shuttles exploding _was_ our thing. Boomers got to see the surface of the Moon. Zoomers got to see cheap flight and robotic victories. Millennials were raised by a NASA flying an explosive trailer truck.

paxys 5y ago

SpaceX's synchronized twin booster landing is one of the clips that will define the early 21st century. I'm still not over watching it live.

trothamel 5y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw is my favorite way to watch that launch, just because of the way it integrate the people watching. We haven't had the crowds since the Space Shuttle stopped watching, and DM-2, Crew-1, and Crew-2 all happened during the pandemic - so this shows the old excitement.
- taftster 5y ago
  I love that Chris Hadfield's version of Space Oddity is "up next" after this video.
wefarrell 5y ago
That was amazing because they unexpectedly succeeded on their first attempt. The individual falcon 9 landings were a bigger milestone but the success was iterative. If SpaceX can successfully land starship after the first suborbital flight I think it will dwarf the twin booster landing.
- sebzim4500 5y ago
  Starship and superheavy are both going to 'land' on the ocean after the first launch. Basically they test the landing process but they don't need to risk one of their (surprisingly expensive) ships and they don't need to request regulatory approval to return to land.
  - wefarrell 5y ago
    I knew they were doing that for the booster but thought they would attempt to actually land starship. It makes sense given such an ambitious schedule
    - starlust2 5y ago
      There's so many more things that can go wrong trying to land from orbit that it's not worth the risk trying to land anywhere near people regardless of how much time you have to engineer it.
- SEJeff 5y ago
  They’re planning on dumping the first few super heavy boosters in the ocean. This is in the authorizations from the FAA.
  - rbanffy 5y ago
    I wonder how long stainless steel resists in the ocean.
mabbo 5y ago
> I'm still not over watching it live I had a goal in 2020 to drive from Toronto to Florida to watch the next Falcon Heavy launch and dual-landings. Then the pandemic hit... but conveniently, they pushed back the FH launches by a year as well! Depending on the status of the border, the pandemic, and all of that, I might take a trip down if they have one this fall.
- mstade 5y ago
  I've seen a rocket launch at KSC and can highly recommend it. (It wasn't SpaceX though.) One thing to remember though is that launches can easily get scrubbed due to weather, planes flying into the restricted zone etc., so make sure to plan to stay for most if not all of the planned launch window if possible. When I went I stayed at a hotel in Orlando, which can be fun but it's also a bit of a drive so might be worth finding lodging closer to KSC if you're not too keen on driving a fair bit. If you're viewing the launch from KSC your ticket won't be refunded either, and they'll only open up tickets for the next attempt after the launch is scrubbed so you can't prebook for all attempts either. When I went the first attempt was scrubbed, but they launched the next night. This actually worked out better for me, since then I could score tickets to the viewing gantry which was closer to the actual rocket, and an amazing experience. Pro tip: if you're spending multiple days at KSC just buy a year pass – it's worth it. Also pro tip: don't forget to visit the nearby warbird museum as well, they've got an amazing collection of airplanes and very knowledgeable volunteers on staff!
SEJeff 5y ago
If you’re referring to the Falcon Heavy side booster landings, I got to see the first one live at Kennedy Space Center. It was one of the only things in my entire life I’d describe as pure magic. It was amazing and so beautiful to see.
- healthysurf 5y ago
  Definitely on my bucket list to see a live launch

solutron 5y ago

I got to see Falcon Dragon launch in Florida along the A1-A. People there credit SpaceX for single-handedly rekindling the lure and luster of space travel. They were sad when the shuttle program got shut down by NASA but now a whole new generation of space enthusiasts, optimists, and futurists get to see the awesome advances being made in the US. It's patriotic AF. The color, sparkle and glow of it was something I'll never forget. My only regret is I don't have any children to have shared it with. But there'll be more launches!

criddell 5y ago

My parents used to let me stay home from school on days the space shuttle was being launched. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now I realize how awesome that was.

irrational 5y ago

My generation had the space shuttles (I still remember watching the challenger explosion at school that day). Your post is the first one to point out to me that in between the end of the space shuttles and space x we had an entire generation with nothing.

mensetmanusman 5y ago
But we 80s kids got to experience life with and without the internet and experience the moment games got fast multiplayer after cable modem!
DataGata 5y ago
Consider that maybe the space shuttles exploding _was_ our thing. Boomers got to see the surface of the Moon. Zoomers got to see cheap flight and robotic victories. Millennials were raised by a NASA flying an explosive trailer truck.