Rocket Launch Today from Cape Canaveral
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128824)
Gainesville, Florida
July 28, 2016 6:48pm CST
This morning, at 8:37am EST, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched an Atlas V rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The rocket was carrying a secret payload (translation: spy satellite) for the National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket blasted off successfully on a beautiful, crisp, clear morning, and was successful in delivery its payload into space.
I was very fortunate to get to see the launch live, as quite by accident I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and was able to pull over on the side of the highway and watch the rocket rise gracefully into space. Interestingly, my teenage son, who was 200 miles farther south in West Palm Beach, Florida, happened to glance up as he getting in the car with my mom this morning and was able to see the rocket launch as well (although very faintly).
Were any of you aware that a rocket launch was scheduled for today, or did any of you watch the launch through live-streaming on the internet? Any of our Florida friends catch the launch?
3 people like this
3 responses
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
30 Jul 16
I didn't even hear about it on the news. Of course with the Democratic Convention stupidity, the news was all aglow about that. My theory on the 'goodies' headed for space....nuclear warheads. After all, we're bound to get hit with a huge asteroid or comet. Right? @moffittjc .
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Jul 16
I've often wondered if we were secretly sending weapons into space. I think we should be, if we're not. Because if we don't, some other country like China or Russia will, and then they'll have the upper hand on us!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jul 16
@nanette64 I'm not worried about Russia as much as I am about China. China has made it clear it wants to dominate the low-level earth orbit of space. They've already been testing weapons that can blast satellites out of the sky. Considering how much we rely on satellites for every single thing we do in this country, China is smart in developing a strategy to neutralize us effectively. We'd be sitting ducks without all of our satellites!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
31 Jul 16
@moffittjc The comet theory could be our cover story. And you figure Russia had the 1st man in space, so it is highly likely that they already have weapons there.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
29 Jul 16
No, I had no idea that was on tap today. Glued to Philadelphia today for good news.
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@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Jul 16
Watching the rocket launch was a nice distraction for me from everything that has been going on in Cleveland and Philadelphia over the last couple of weeks. I wish November 8th would get here so this whole mess will be behind us and we can all get on with our lives as a nation.
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Jul 16
I didn't either until I happened to be flipping through the radio stations in my car and heard one of the stations talking about it. And it just so happened I was in the area where the launch was taking place!
