Let me preface with something I wrote a fews days ago:
"If you haven't noticed, my interest in the space industry is pretty high, and here's why. Within the last 10 years, the technology and competition that allows us easier access to our earths orbit and beyond has *cough* skyrocketed. With the first test launch of SpaceX's falcon heavy, not only will it issue in a new era in history for mankind's spaceflight, but also a new realm of possibilities for things to come. Falcon Heavy is sitting on pad 39A as I type this, the same pad we launched the worlds most powerful rocket to send a man to the moon. While the most powerful rocket system ever built sits on that pad, NASA is working in the background building an even larger launch system for deep space exploration. There are more rockets being launched this year than have been launched in several years previous combined. These companies need people to design build and operate these systems, and it takes a level of passion and thinking outside the box that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. In a day and age where people are grasping for a spot in a cause much bigger than themselves, I truly believe spaceflight and exploration is my generations time to shine. No matter where you come from, no matter what our differences are, it's a global effort without discrimination. It breaks down barriers and social constructs and unites people to do the impossible."
I woke up at 3am to drive to the ocean. Before sunrise I was sitting in soul sucking traffic that took over an hour to cross 10 miles. There was only one guy working the gate for the national park, but I managed to get in Just as it filled up. I was wearing my gladius SC T-shirt and carrying my camera, and that alone was enough for people to come up and strike a conversation with me. I'm part of a Florida SC Discord and told them I was going. I'm sitting there mid conversation with someone and this guy comes up behind me and looks at me, hesitates, then asks "hey are you Jolly Green Giant?". He was cool as hell and we both talked about how much we loved out orgs and SC. He's from ADI and apparently has met a few of you at a con and says he absolutely loved everyone from TEST. ShapCap's his SC handle I think. They may do things differently than us, but were all Star Citizens and when it comes down to it, no one cares about anything other than having a great time.
But wait! There's more!
Those of you that know me, should know I took pride in my military service, and took greater pride being part of the 56th rescue squadron. It just so happens our brothers and sisters from the 301st rescue squadron out of Patrick AFB, FL, spent the morning patrolling the beaches and going out and back to the landing barge. It's the little things that can make a day that much better.
I walked down the beach as far as they would let me when it came time to launch. My pictures make the beach look bare but there was a huge crowd behind me. Difference is, no one else was 6'5 and wanting to wade into the ocean in early February, shoes on and all. I didn't get any awesome pictures of it at launch, because the first picture I took, my battery died. No worries though, because I'm glad it did. I put the camera down and bolted my eyes to the Falcon Heavy until it was out of sight. Not shortly after, You can see the burn of the boosters as they descend though the sky and almost seem to stop midair. Watching something like that come down so fast, almost stop, then land with such precision in unison... the human mind is not used to seeing something like that happening in real life. You can watch all the videos you want or read about it, or look at any pictures, and you will never be able to understand what I'm talking about. It felt to me like we had been visited by aliens and this was the technology they gave us.
"If you haven't noticed, my interest in the space industry is pretty high, and here's why. Within the last 10 years, the technology and competition that allows us easier access to our earths orbit and beyond has *cough* skyrocketed. With the first test launch of SpaceX's falcon heavy, not only will it issue in a new era in history for mankind's spaceflight, but also a new realm of possibilities for things to come. Falcon Heavy is sitting on pad 39A as I type this, the same pad we launched the worlds most powerful rocket to send a man to the moon. While the most powerful rocket system ever built sits on that pad, NASA is working in the background building an even larger launch system for deep space exploration. There are more rockets being launched this year than have been launched in several years previous combined. These companies need people to design build and operate these systems, and it takes a level of passion and thinking outside the box that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. In a day and age where people are grasping for a spot in a cause much bigger than themselves, I truly believe spaceflight and exploration is my generations time to shine. No matter where you come from, no matter what our differences are, it's a global effort without discrimination. It breaks down barriers and social constructs and unites people to do the impossible."
I woke up at 3am to drive to the ocean. Before sunrise I was sitting in soul sucking traffic that took over an hour to cross 10 miles. There was only one guy working the gate for the national park, but I managed to get in Just as it filled up. I was wearing my gladius SC T-shirt and carrying my camera, and that alone was enough for people to come up and strike a conversation with me. I'm part of a Florida SC Discord and told them I was going. I'm sitting there mid conversation with someone and this guy comes up behind me and looks at me, hesitates, then asks "hey are you Jolly Green Giant?". He was cool as hell and we both talked about how much we loved out orgs and SC. He's from ADI and apparently has met a few of you at a con and says he absolutely loved everyone from TEST. ShapCap's his SC handle I think. They may do things differently than us, but were all Star Citizens and when it comes down to it, no one cares about anything other than having a great time.
But wait! There's more!
Those of you that know me, should know I took pride in my military service, and took greater pride being part of the 56th rescue squadron. It just so happens our brothers and sisters from the 301st rescue squadron out of Patrick AFB, FL, spent the morning patrolling the beaches and going out and back to the landing barge. It's the little things that can make a day that much better.
I walked down the beach as far as they would let me when it came time to launch. My pictures make the beach look bare but there was a huge crowd behind me. Difference is, no one else was 6'5 and wanting to wade into the ocean in early February, shoes on and all. I didn't get any awesome pictures of it at launch, because the first picture I took, my battery died. No worries though, because I'm glad it did. I put the camera down and bolted my eyes to the Falcon Heavy until it was out of sight. Not shortly after, You can see the burn of the boosters as they descend though the sky and almost seem to stop midair. Watching something like that come down so fast, almost stop, then land with such precision in unison... the human mind is not used to seeing something like that happening in real life. You can watch all the videos you want or read about it, or look at any pictures, and you will never be able to understand what I'm talking about. It felt to me like we had been visited by aliens and this was the technology they gave us.
