For people from Norman Oklahoma, the sight of a rocket launch must feel like the first time you had sex. Exhilarating, excitement streaming from your pores and finished way sooner than you expected. Hey, who else knew that an rocket launch only lasts about a minute and a half before you lose sight of it. Sound a little bit like my first time too.
But for people who have watched a rocket launch on a basis of about 2 a month since birth, the thrill is gone for us spoiled space enthusiasts in Florida.
It reminds me of NASCAR, watching the same cars roll around the track 300 times with constant repetitiveness for 5 hours. The only "real" excitement in NASCAR is when a car crashes and burns. I guess the same goes for Rocket Launches.
2 weeks ago while exactly 7 miles away from a Space-X Falcon 9 rocket that exploded 1:30 into launch, I have to admit I was scared. I felt the pain of not knowing, the thrill and excitement rush through my blood, it seems the lust for Rockets inside me had exploded along with the Rocket. Why? Knowing your underneath a behemoth mobile missile that just exploded brings to mind the feeling that I want to crawl underneath the nearest rock or government bunker immediately. Luckily, there was no cause for concern as the rocket location was 200 miles east of Jacksonville.
Oh no, a payload filled missile exploded! Was this a bad thing I thought driving back from the launch? I turned on the radio and heard the local newscast going bananas over the news, soon national news picked it up and sparked nationwide debate, interest and inquiry.
Wow, if only every launch caused this much fervor. Was this a bad thing? No, this was best motivator for space discussion since the last Space X explosion on a barge. In fact it seems like only the failures get the media attention, which you could say about most media stories. Things that get people's attention are glitzy and light up like fireworks, such as rocket explosions on barges and mid air implosions, not the boring successful payload launches. Those are dime a dozen nowadays, the people want some action now and again, they want a NASCAR crash!
So next time a rocket explodes, your non space friends will turn into NASA experts on Facebook and Twitter overnight. Which we will all roll our eyes at, but hey these people turn into Supreme Court Experts after every ruling.
So I say, in the best interests of Air and Space. Let's blow up a rocket now and then!
(Below is a picture of myself and cousin seconds before the Falcon-9 exploded)
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