Space

After a couple of short delays, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 last night from Cape Canaveral, Florida, lofting Starlink 6-8 — twenty-two second-generation Starlink satellites to orbit. The launch was picture-perfect, with the rocket clearly visible for several minutes after liftoff and even well past staging. Thunderstorms well off to the north and east-southeast added to the light show, with dozens of lightning strokes clearly visible but far away enough not to violate any range safety rules.

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After a couple of short delays, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 last night from Cape Canaveral, Florida, lofting Starlink 6-8 — twenty-two second-generation Starlink satellites to orbit. The launch was picture-perfect, with the rocket clearly visible for several minutes after liftoff and even well past staging. Thunderstorms well off to the north and east-southeast added to the light show, with dozens of lightning strokes clearly visible but far away enough not to violate any range safety rules.

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(Cape Canaveral Florida) SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying Intelsat’s Galaxy 37 communications satellite at 1:00 am EDT on August 3, 2023, after short delays due to weather in the area. Liftoff was scheduled initially for 12:15 am, but small rain showers on or near Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-40 violated launch criteria, leading to two changes in the planned T-0 time.

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There is a right side (sun behind you) and a wrong side (sun in your face) to photograph a launch. I was on the wrong side today, but that was okay: I met some really nice people, and got to enjoy watching a young fellow who had made the trip from Texas setting up his camera gear for liftoff. He and his mother were delightful.

That’s part of the joy of watching launches from one of the public spots: you never know who you’re going to meet, and it is nice to help them out when I can. I’ve met folks from England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, The Czech Republic, Russia and most all of the states. To a single one, they were nice people who were really excited to see SpaceX launch a rocket. I hope they all had fun, and I hope they want to come back here again.

Photographically, by no means my best day, but as I mentioned, I was in the wrong place to get great photos in simmering air and a thick, hazy sky. And so it goes…I don’t mind. I had fun anyway. Besides, the video came out better.

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The view of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch carrying the SATRIA-1 satellite for Indonesia on June 18, 2023. Shot with a Nikon Z8, using a Nikkor 200-500mm telephoto lens.

The launch was the twelfth flight of Booster 1067, which successfully touched down on the drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” which was pre-positioned offshore prior to the launch. Another ship was out to sea to capture the payload fairings that surrounded the satellite at launch to protect it from atmospheric forces as it ascended towards orbit. Like Booster 1067, SpaceX plans to return the fairings to land for refurbishment and reuse at some point in the future.

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