Back in 2018, I was watching some YouTube videos, mainly looking for documentaries to watch. I like watching docs about technology, science, history and basically anything educational. 

 

I can't remember the video or what channel I was watching, but I came across some about the state of space exploration at the time. 

 

In addition, I was listening to some NPR podcasts, talking about the miniaturization of satellites and how easy and cheap it was to send your own satellite in a payload of a private rocket.

 

This greatly surprised me to see how far private industry was in the space race. I feel like I missed a whole decade of innovation and wondered what rock I was hiding under. 

 

Maybe I missed it because I don't watch many news shows anymore and it was covered there. Or I was too involved training for marathons, traveling, exploring...basically trying to live an adventurous life.

 

The main space companies seemed to be Blue Origin, Space-X and Virgin Galactic, but Space X was the big one winning government contracts. And with NASA scaled back since early 2010's, there was a vacuum to fill (pun intended). 

 

Fast forward to today, I was so excited to see the Space X Dragon aboard its Falcon rocket about to send off American astronauts for the first time ever on a private rocket and in so many years.

 

I was planning to bike to the beach today, but instead watched from noon until launch time as everyone prepared to launch.

 

I was surprisingly entertained by the commentary and thought they did a great job covering it. I was expecting cheesy moments, but instead was thoroughly inspired.

 

I even thought the selfless display of Tesla cars was done well.

 

Disappointed at the end they had to scrub because of weather, I probably won't take the whole day to watch again, for its next launch window this Saturday, but I am equally excited. 

 

Btw, I wasn't too surprised the weather cancelled their plans. I lived in Central Florida for 20 years, about an hour from the KSC, and nearly every afternoon there are flash storms. I feel like that's a risk they took to set off that late in the day and especially this time of year, when Spring to Fall has frequent storms,. But oh well....looking forward to next time and the future!!