Day 4897

I'm back in Dallas. Today was mostly a travel day. There was no need to get up super early this morning. I walked to a Cracker Barrel restaurant down the street from my hotel, ate my breakfast, and then packed my bags to leave. It was supposed to rain today, but the day looked pretty nice to me. I always enjoy my visits to Titusville. It's a quiet little town compared to Dallas.

Orlando is anything but quiet. Every time I go to the Orlando airport, I wish I'd applied for TSA Pre a little earlier. I do have an appointment now, but it's not until late in June. I'll never understand why every airport seems to have different rules for what has to come out of your bag. Dallas Love Field is easy compared to Orlando. Today I had to open my suitcase at the security checkpoint because my camera tripod apparently looked like a suspicious object. Everyone behind me was in a hurry and I almost forgot to put my computer back in the suitcase. In Dallas I don't even have to take the computer out of the bag. Sometimes I don't even need to take my shoes off. I don't know why I didn't get TSA Pre several years ago. It seems like a bargain every time you get delayed at the security checkpoint.

I don't go to concerts or sporting events anymore, so airports are about the only place I still encounter crowds. Being around a lot of people doesn't give me a lot of faith in the future of humanity. Mostly people are nice, but everyone seems impatient and in a hurry. Why are there so many fat people? The last time I was in Italy, it seemed like the entire country was thin. In America it's exactly the opposite. Maybe it is because everyone is always eating. People are constantly eating at airports. Even the ridiculously high prices for airport food doesn't slow them down. People seem addicted to their phones. I am usually the only one at the airport, or on the plane not using a cell phone. They are all playing games, watching movies, or texting someone.

The Orlando airport is filled with children. They are either going to or coming from Disneyland. Going to Disneyland must be on every small child's bucket list. I often see large families on the way to Disneyland and wonder how they can afford it. The place is not cheap anymore. Little girls returning from Disneyland are often wearing princess dresses and little boys are carrying toy lightsabers, I shouldn't be critical though, since I've been to Disneyland myself. Janet and I once went to the Disneyland in Paris.

I'm well on my way to becoming a frequent traveler. I've started to get picky about planes. The 737-800 is a much better plane than the 737-700 because the overhead bins are larger. Occasionally I'll fly on a 737 MAX, but that just seems like a longer version of the 737-800. Nobody leans their seat back while flying anymore. It seems to be an unwritten rule that you must leave your seat in the full upright position for the entire flight. Maybe people are just trying to be courteous. Planes are always full these days. It's been a long time since I've been on a plane that wasn't completely full.

I love attending launches at Kennedy Space Center, but I'm glad to be home again. Maybe I'll sleep better tonight. Hotel beds are always too soft for me. I need to remember not to eat breakfast tomorrow because I  have an early doctor's appointment for a semi-annual physical. I also need to gather documents for my driver's license renewal. It didn't seem like I needed so many documents before real ID became mandatory.

Rosco is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4895

I made it to Florida. It's been a long day. We got up early and took Dawn on her sunrise walk. While I was eating breakfast, the roofers came over again to clean up and load their remaining supplies. I continue to be impressed by these guys. The roof is finished, but they didn't forget about cleaning up the job site. They did such a good job this morning  that you'd never know that they'd spent the past three days making the yard look like a tornado hit it. The roof itself looks great. We got some rain last night and there are no signs of any leaks. I really hope that I can put all my roof problems behind me now. If I never have to climb up on the roof again, that would be fine by me.

After breakfast I packed my bags. I think I could do this in my sleep by now. Every time I make these trips to Kennedy Space Center I take exactly the same things. I have a small bag full of connecting cables for computers and cameras. I have another small bag full of pills and toiletries. I take enough clothes for an extra day or two. Launches get postponed so often that you have to plan for contingencies. Everything fits in a small carry-on bag and the camera bag fits under my seat. Packing is easy. Trying to remember if I forgot anything is a little harder. It's easy to forget essential things like reading glasses and toothpaste. I always take a raincoat now after getting caught out in the rain without one once. I don't think I forgot anything this trip, but I never know for sure until I can't find something I really need.

Airports are weird. Spend several hours in an airport and you've got a pretty good bird's eye view of what's going on in society. Today I saw pilots with red hang tags on their luggage saying "We're ready to strike," I saw a small crowd surrounding a group of police officers trying to arrest someone. The crowd was shouting "Don't touch him" over and over again. I couldn't figure out who's side the crowd was on. Were they worried that the man being arrested would get injured, or were the worried that the officers might get dragged into a protracted lawsuit if they touched the guy. It could go either way. People are constantly eating at the airport even though the food is ridiculously expensive. I was kind of hungry, but I didn't feel like buying a nineteen dollar hamburger or a six dollar bag of chips. 

I think Love Field in Dallas is the best airport in the country for going through security. You don't have to take anything out of your bag anymore. Even computers stay inside your bag while they are being scanned. You still have to empty your pockets, but you can leave your watch and Fitbit on your wrist. Everyone reminds me that my driver's license is about to expire. Thanks guys but I can still remember a few things. Actually, I've got an appointment to renew my license next week.

It's going to be a long day tomorrow. I have to pick up my press credentials at 5:45 AM. This means that I have to get up even earlier so I can drive to the press office. We get to go out to the launch pad at 7:30 AM to set remote cameras and take pictures of the rocket. The afternoon is filled with interview opportunities and the launch itself is supposed to take place at 5:37 PM. If the weather holds up, this will be a beautiful launch. Sunset launches are the best.

I'd better get some sleep and make sure I set several wake up calls. It's a shame that Axiom has such a small window for picking up credentials. If you're late or miss the window, you are out of luck. Hopefully everything stays on schedule. The weather looks promising and I haven't heard about any problems with the rocket. We'll see what happens.

Harley is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4873

Should I stay or should I go? When I woke up this morning I immediately checked all the weather apps on my phone, trying to decide whether it was worth extending my trip to Kennedy Space Center even further. None of the forecasts came to exactly the same conclusion, but the general consensus was that there was about a 20% chance of favorable weather at launch time. Not good. When I checked with the front desk at the hotel they said they were fully booked for the weekend. Not good either. I would have to look elsewhere for a new place to stay if I wanted to watch tonight's launch attempt. Finally, airline prices were even higher this weekend and most flights to Dallas were already full. Things weren't looking good.

I reluctantly decided to call it quits and made plans to head for the airport after a final breakfast at the Cracker Barrel Restaruant down the street from my hotel. I second guessed my decision all the way home. As luck would have it, I ended up making the right decision after all. Tonight's launch was scrubbed with only 59 seconds left on the clock. That's three scrubs in a row for this rocket. Ironically, tonight's scrub had nothing to due with the weather. The weather was actually improving.

When I was only a few miles from the Orlando airport I got a message on my phone saying that my flight had been canceled. What? This was disconcerting to say the least. I briefly thought about going back to Titusville, but I was already at the airport. I turned in my rent car just as I got another text message saying that I'd been rebooked on a flight leaving at 8:30 this evening. Not good. I definitely wasn't looking forward to spending the entire day at the airport. When I looked at the departure board, my flight was the only one canceled. Why? I saw that there was another flight leaving for Dallas in ten minutes, so I quickly headed for the gate in hopes that I could get on board as a standby passenger. When I arrived at the gate the plane was already loading. I thought I was too late, but the gate agent managed to get me onboard. I was the last passenger to board the plane. I was very surprised that I got on this plane since it was supposedly full. I learned later that a lot of Southwest employees fly free on the airline and they get bumped if there is a paying customer who wants their seat. 

I must have brought the bad weather back with me to Dallas. The sky looked dark, but I thought I could still take my long walk. I never got a chance to get my steps at the airport, since my flight left almost immediately after I arrived. For better or worse,  I'm definitely hooked on getting at least 10,000 steps every day. It's a good thing I kept up the pace today. When I was about five minutes from home, I got another severe weather warning on my phone. I made it to the house with minutes to spare. The storm was pretty bad, but it was nothing compared to what I experienced out at the Space Center last night.

I'm not sure when I'll get back to Kennedy Space Center again. These launch trips are getting expensive. There are several other launches I'd like to see this Spring, but I definitely can't afford to see them all. Dawn was actually glad to see me when I returned home. I guess life is full of surprises.

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4870

It's been a long day. I made it to Titusville, ate a late dinner, and am sitting in my hotel, hoping that everything goes well tomorrow. The last time I checked there was a 60% chance that the launch would take place as scheduled. It was supposed to be raining in both Dallas and Florida today, but so far I've managed to escape the rain in both places. I'm sure it will rain sometime tomorrow, but often the skies clear up around sunset. Let's hope I get lucky. I'd hate to have traveled all this way just to have the launch canceled because of rain..

The day started normally enough. We took Dawn on an early walk, I ate my breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit, and then finished packing. I take the same things every time I make this trip, but it's surprising how many things I almost forget. Reading glasses are real easy to forget. So are hats and sweaters. It's Florida, but sometime's it's cold down here.

I finished packing quicker than I thought I would, so I decided to take my regular long walk before I left for the airport. Made good time today, probably because I didn't want to be late. I'm glad I got my steps in before I arrived in Florida. I've gone walking near this hotel in the day time, but it's not a place I'd feel comfortable walking at night.

I got lucky at the airport parking garage today. When I entered the garage a sign said there were zero parking places available, but someone was leaving just as I arrived, so I found a place anyway. Airports are a lot more crowded than they were even a few years ago. It seems like everyone is traveling somewhere. The plane to Orlando is always completely full. It's worth paying a little extra for business select, just so I don't have to sit in the back of the plane. When I was younger, flying seemed completely different. The seats were bigger and you got served a full meal. Now flying seems more like riding a bus. I shouldn't complain though. We made it to Orlando right on time and the people crammed in next to me were quiet and agreeable. I just wish I had the luxury of planning ahead on these launch trips. My ticket would be a lot more affordable if I didn't always buy it at the last minute.

Janet said that Dawn went looking all over the house for me this evening when it was time for her bedtime snack. At last I'm good for something with this dog. I guess she depends on me for snacks and meals. I doubt she'll miss me tonight though. Dawn always steals my place on the bed whenever I'm gone. 

I guess I'd better call it a day and get some sleep. I never sleep well on hotel beds. They are way too soft for my taste. Tomorrow should be a busy day rain or shine. First I"ll pick up my press credentials. Then a bus will take the launch photographers out to the pad to set remote cameras and take close up pictures of the rocket. I never set remote cameras myself, but these pad visits are my favorite part of attending a launch. The launch itself is early tomorrow evening. These twilight launches are spectacular because as the rocket climbs it goes back into the sunlight, creating all sorts of beautiful colors in the sky.

I'm hopeful at this point. We'll just have to see how tomorrow goes.

Pogo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4771

I said goodbye to Florida today. For a while I didn't think I'd be able to say hello to Texas though. In less than a month, Southwest Airlines seems to have gone from being one of the best airlines in the country to one of the worst. My flight was delayed before I even left Titusville. When I got to the airport, I discovered that it had been delayed even further. I also discovered that my plane was at a Delta terminal gate instead of at the regular Southwest terminal. Nobody ever explained why. 

Evidently my flight had arrived from Jamaica before heading on to Dallas. They wanted everyone from Jamaica off the place to go through customs in Orlando before getting back on to continue their flight to Dallas. Not surprisingly this took a while and caused the second delay. A third even stranger delay occurred after we were already on the plane. Two gay guys and a woman with kids were fighting over a group of seats toward the back of the plane that they both claimed were theirs. Neither party wanted to give an inch. The plane was completely full, so there weren't a lot of seating options available. The rest of the passengers kept wondering why the airline didn't just kick these unruly people off the plane so we could be on our way. Nope. They brought in some kind of negotiator to reason with them instead. This took a while too. We were on the ground for an additional 45 minutes. I imagine that they promised the squabbling passangers free vouchers if they would just shut up and sit down.

I wanted to return to Dallas earlier, but when the USSF-67 Mission was delayed for a day and I had to reschedule my reservation, tonight's Monday evening flight was the best I could do. My Airbnb host was extremely nice and let me check-out at 3 PM instead of their normal 11 AM departure. This was great and meant that I didn't need to spend all day sitting at the airport. You might have thought that I would have wanted to go to a museum or do something fun with my extra time. Unfortunately my rental car was an SUV with no trunk and I didn't want to leave my cameras and luggage in plain sight while I was doing something else. Staying at the Airbnb a little longer turned out to be a good idea. I had time to finish my article for SpaceFlight Magazine and get some additional exercise walking around the neighborhood.

I had the time, so I decided to explore the nature trail I discovered yesterday. I didn't encounter an alligator, but I'm pretty sure that a few saw me. The trail wandered through a heavily forested area with swampy lagoons, lots of native palm trees, and some huge cypress trees with lots of Spanish Moss hanging from the limbs. I heard lots of strange bird sounds I'd never encountered before, but saw very few birds. They were well hidden in the tall trees. I'm sure there were snakes, but luckily I didn't see any.

I tried my best to sleep in late today, but I woke up early like I always do when I'm traveling. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, but once you are awake you might as well get up. I think one reason I don't sleep well is soft beds. Hotels almost always have soft beds and apparently so do Airbnb rentals. Some people find a soft bed comfortable, but I like an extremely firm mattress. Sometime I feel like sleeping on the floor, but lord knows what lurks on strange floors. I'll get a lot more sleep now that I'm home. We'll still have to get up early to take Dawn on her sunrise walk though. 

I'll probably spend most of the day tomorrow unpacking, doing laundry, and sorting through all the pictures I took. There are some interesting launches this year, but I don't know when I'll be down at Kennedy Space Center again. These trips are getting more expensive and I'm definitely not becoming wealthy. My left hand starts to go numb on long drives too. Maybe I grip the steering wheel too hard. Who knows? This isn't much of an issue when driving between Orlando and Titusville, but I seriously wonder if I could make the drive out to McDonald Observatory anymore.

As soon as I post this I"m headed straight for bed. It's been a very long day and I'm tired.

Shelby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4768

It's been a very busy day. I made it to Florida and am looking forward to getting a little sleep before leaving early tomorrow morning to pick up my press credentials. The day started normally enough. We gave Dawn her sunrise walk and then I had my regular breakfast of shredded wheat and fruit. It didn't take me too long to finish packing, so I even had time to take a short walk in the park before leaving for the airport. Dawn is a smart dog and she knew something was different today. She seemed a little nervous when I left, but I talked to Janet later and she said Dawn was fine. Friday is grocery day, and when Janet got back to the house with groceries Dawn was a happy camper again. She'll probably be even happier when she grabs my spot on the bed tonight.

I can't say that Southwest Airlines is fine yet. They've still got some work to do to get back to normal. I wish they'd told me that they'd closed a big section of the parking garage. I didn't discover this until I was already inside the garage and couldn't get out again. It took me forever to find a parking place. I had to park in a completely different area and I'll probably have a hard time finding my car when I return.

Flights to Orlando are always completely full. It takes a long time for people to board and even longer for them to find a place for their luggage. There are usually tons of kids on the plane and I ended up sitting next to a very talkative teenager today. The kid seemed scared of flying and every time he heard a strange noise he kept asking me what the noise meant. His Mom gave him something to eat before going to her seat in the back of the plane and within ten minutes the kid had dropped his sandwich on the floor and managed to spill a big Diet Coke all over himself. Luckily the bottle wasn't pointed toward me or I would have been a sticky mess.

Even though we left Dallas late, we arrived in Orlando right on time. The pilots must have just flown a little faster while they were in the air. I always try to get a rental car with in-dash GPS but these things don't seems to exist anymore. I didn't feel like messing with CarPlay, so I just drove to my Airbnb by memory. I found the place just fine even though it was dark when I arrived. I've been to Titusville enough times now that it's beginning to seem more familiar to me than Dallas.

For some reason I've only got a one hour window to pick up my credentials early tomorrow morning. I need to be sure to set an alarm tonight because I'm tired and it would be easy to oversleep. After I pick up my badge, I will head over to the Press Site where a bus will take the launch photographers to the pad to set remote cameras and get some close up photos of the rocket before launch. These trips out to the launch pad are always my favorite part of a trip to Kennedy Space Center.

The Falcon Heavy launch itself is early tomorrow evening. It looks like it is going to be a clear day, but it will be very cold by Florida standards. The weather forecast says it will only be 36 degrees in the morning. That's colder than it is in Dallas right now. I brought some extra sweaters, but I'm beginning to think I didn't dress warmly enough. I went to a nearby grocery store after I arrived to pick up some food for my stay and it is already pretty chilly outside. This isn't like Florida at all.

I"d better post this and get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.

Taylor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4765

I received a notice today that my application for press credentials was accepted, so I will be heading to Kennedy Space Center soon to attend the USSF-67 Falcon Heavy launch. These last minute notices make me nervous, but the Space X folks are probably doing the best they can. Things change rapidly with almost any launch and they probably weren't even sure the launch would take place until today's successful static fire. Hey, at least I got credentialed. The weather looks good so far as well. Airfares look terrible though. I thought Southwest would be offering some deals to win back customers after all the problems they had a few weeks ago. Nope. The current fare to Orlando was the highest I've ever seen. The Airbnb I like was open though, so that's good. I've really got to stop fretting about this stuff. There are many launch opportunities and I can only afford to go to a few of them anyway. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if I missed this one.

The laser pointer accessory I ordered for one of my star trackers arrived today but I couldn't figure out how to assemble it. I wrote the company a letter saying that I thought a part was missing. A few hours later I noticed a video on the company website with operating instructions. My bad. I just needed to unscrew the top of the unit so it would fit on the star tracker adapter. I felt kind of stupid, because after looking at the video I felt that I should have been able to figure this out myself. These type of things are going to happen more frequently now. Growing old isn't pretty.

It was foggy outside when we took Dawn on her early walk this morning. Ground fog in the park is often very pretty, but cameras and dogs don't mix well, so I didn't get any pictures. We had a nice walk though and since we started a little later, we didn't even need our flashlights.

I got a late start on my long walk today because I needed to make all my reservations for the Florida trip. By the time I left the house it was warm enough to wear shorts again. I think we set an all time temperature record today. It got up to 83 degrees. I'm sure it will get cold again, but I'll take this warmer weather whenever we can get it. It didn't feel like January at all today. It felt more like April.

I hope all these long walks are actually helping me. Sometimes I wonder. I'm certainly not building any muscle. They say building muscle mass is much harder as you grow older. I'm probably going to have to get serious and spend more time lifting weights. I'm thin enough as it is. I wish I enjoyed going to the gym, because I've certainly got the time. I prefer walking though because I can daydream and let my mind wander. I'd never make a good gym rat.

I can't decide what to write about on this trip to Florida. The USSF-67 Mission is almost identical to the USSF-44 Mission which I've already written about. I doubt that the magazine is going to be very interested in another article about the same thing. I already have a Falcon Heavy article in the January issue. Hopefully, I can think of something interesting in the next day or so because I'd like the magazine to stay interested in me.

Dawn is finally starting to relax around me. It's about time. Maybe we'll eventually end up being best buddies after all.

Murphy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4753

Dawn seemed sad today. I could hear her crying in the bedroom ocassionally. We are getting along fine, but I've never seen a dog so dependent on one person. Dawn is just not the same dog when Janet is not around. It all makes sense if you know Dawn's history. Dawn was attacked by another dog at the rescue kennel and Janet took her home and nursed her back to health. 

I was out of town at the time and Dawn didn't know I was a part of the household until later. I don't think Dawn has ever trusted men. She was born at the puppy mill where she was later used as a breeding dog and was mistreated by the two men who ran the place for her entire life. It is all she has ever known. Dawn could probably put her past behind her if she was a young dog, but she is older and has seen a lot.

We do the best we can. I don't think that Dawn and I will ever be best buddies, but she does depend on me.  I do the best I can to make sure she has nothing to worry about. We do everything very consistently and try to avoid surprises. I have always been very consistent with Dawn and think that it helps to build trust. We eat and go outside at the same times every day. It's probably not great that she wants to spend her day sitting on the bed, but she's peaceful and relaxed there. She will go down to the park with me every morning to smell things and do her business. Hey, it's a start. Given enough time, I might eventually be able to convince her to take a walk. I know she loves to walk when Janet is around.

I continue to take my long walk every day. I just don't feel like going anywhere else. I don't think there will be any year end purchases this year. I just don't feel like buying things this year. The walk has become a placeholder to fill a very long day. If my feet didn't hurt so much, I might walk even longer. Walking is great exercise and it doesn't prevent you from day dreaming. I daydream a lot. I think about future trips I'm planning and cars I'd like to buy. Sometimes I think about articles I'd like to pitch to various magazines. Occasionally I worry about my health, but I still think I'm pretty healthy. I rarely think about doing anything with friends. I'm happy enough by myself.

All the leaves are off the trees now and the grass has turned yellow and dry. The park is actually looking pretty bleak, but there are still plenty of birds to watch. Another female Muscovy duck turned up today, so now there are four of these strange birds. Maybe there will be ducklings this Spring. I have no idea where the eagles went. They don't even seem to be in the area anymore. Maybe that's why all the white pelicans have returned. I saw a ton of white pelicans today. I don't know where the monk parakeets went either. These loud birds were everywhere this summer, but I haven't heard a peep out of them for months.

It's hard to believe what is happening with Southwest Airlines. I almost always fly Southwest and have liked the airline for a long time. It's sad to see them implode like this. All things considered it wasn't even that bad of a storm. It makes you wonder how many other companies are living on the edge of disaster. I don't think our economy is nearly as robust as we'd like to think it is. Look what happened when a little bad weather almost brought down the entire Texas power grid a few years ago. This ongoing uncertainty doesn't bring me any comfort. Much of my future is tied up in the stock market and there has never been anything safe about the stock market. In some ways I'm glad I'm old. The world is doomed, but I think it will probably last another twenty years.

I've taken this weeks's trash out to the curb. There wasn't much trash this week. I guess I don't consume much. I imagine that tomorrow will be very much like today. It's been a very quiet week.

Petey & Greta are the Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4710

What a way to start the day. The Artemis-1 launch was spectacular. The launch team must have learned a lot from their previous attempts because the entire countdown went very smoothly this time. There was some drama along the way, but it was clear that NASA was determined to launch Artemis today if at all possible. At one point everyone thought the launch might get scrubbed when a small hydrogen leak was discovered with only about twenty minutes left in the count. 

They didn't stop though. A special red team trained to work under hazardous conditions was sent to the launch pad to fix the leak. Evidently this is very dangerous because when a rocket like this is fully fueled, a spark near a hydrogen leak could cause the whole thing to explode. The red team fixed the leak like it was all in a days work. A little later a tracking radar down range wasn't sending data and stopped the count again because of a faulty ethernet switch. This was quickly fixed and the count resumed. There was still some caulking on the Orion capsule that came loose during Hurricane Nicole, but the launch team didn't seem to think this was a problem.

It's weird to think that the launch was almost stopped by a few loose bolts and a faulty ethernet switch. I guess low tech can trump high tech on just about any launch. The thousands of people who have worked on the Artemis program must have felt vindicated today. The rocket has received a lot of criticism lately, but almost everything worked perfectly this morning. The Orion capsule is on the way to the moon right now. 

This was the most spectacular launch I've ever witnessed. The huge rocket turned night into day during liftoff. The exhaust flame was so bright that it literally looked like the sun has risen. Artemis was also extremely loud. I'm sure this launch could be seen and heard for miles. I was hesitant about going to this launch because there was a good chance it wouldn't succeed. There were literally thousands of things that could go wrong. I'm glad I went though. It isn't everyday you get to see the most powerful rocket in the world heading toward the moon. The next Artemis will have people on board. Hopefully I'll be around to see that one too.

I didn't get back to the hotel after the launch until almost 4 AM. I immediately began to wonder why I was staying another day in Titusville and changed all my reservations again. I was lucky to get the last seat on an afternoon flight back to Dallas and I'm home again now. Brr. It's cold here. The weather was a lot nicer in Titusville. I saved some money by cutting a day off my stay, but unfortunately not enough to pay for the furnace repairs. Yikes. The special variable speed motor the furnace required was four times as expensive as an ordinary electric appliance motor. 

Tomorrow I'll unpack and write my article for SpaceFlight magazine. For now, it's time to get some sleep. I doubt if there will be any more launch trips this year. Hopefully there won't be any more broken appliances either. 

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4709

I'm back at Kennedy Space Center for another Artemis launch attempt. The launch is technically tomorrow morning, but it's going to seem like late tonight to me. If all goes well, liftoff will be a little after 1 AM. Everything looks good so far. The countdown is proceeding and there doesn't seem to be any weather problems.

The day got off to a very early start. My flight departed at 6 AM, so I had to be at the airport a lot earlier for all the TSA stuff. I must be getting slower because I cut it pretty close this time, arriving at the gate just fifteen minutes before boarding. I've been to Kennedy Space Center so many time by now that this trip is getting to seem very routine. I don't even need a car with GPS anymore. Titusville is a small town and it's starting to feel very familiar. 

I had to pick up my credentials before noon today, so that left me with a lot of free time. I went out to the Press Site to see what was going on and was surprised that the place seemed relatively empty. There were definitely a lot fewer people than were at the first launch attempt. I'm sure there will be a more folks arriving later tonight, but so far this launch seems a little subdued. All the scrubbed launches probably just wore everyone out. 

I got my Fitbit steps walking around the Press Site parking lot and then went to the space center Sonny's BBQ for a smoked pork sandwich. Sonny's has some great bartbecue and I always enjoy eating there. Before I left the Press Site to check in at my hotel I heard that the Artemis launch team had completed their final pre-launch meeting and had given the go ahead to begin fueling the rocket. 

My hotel isn't as bad as I thought. It's not the place I would have picked, but it's clean and relatively convenient. There must be a lot of people who are planning to show up at the Press Site later tonight because all the hotels in town are completely booked. I was actually lucky to get a room here. 

I've been told that the journalists covering the launch should plan to arrive that the Press Site by 7 PM tonight. That leaves a lot of time to sit around doing nothing. I guess I could go later, but there's no point in staying at the hotel. There's not a lot of point in going our for dinner either. After my big lunch, I couldn't eat another thing. I didn't run into anyone I knew this afternoon, but I'll probably see a few familiar faces tonight. I hope my camera works. I've been having problems with this camera lately. Actually the problems are mostly with me. It's hard for me to adjust the camera and focus properly in the dark. I always forget something on these trips. This time it was a flashlight.

I hope the furnace is getting fixed back in Dallas. Janet said the repairman was coming back this afternoon with the new blower motor. There will still be problems when this is fixed, but at least I'll be warm. One one the problems reoccured last night while I was finishing packing. Another roof leak. I was surprised. We haven't had to deal with a leak in months. Oh, well. It's always something.

I really hope that Artemis is successful this time. I'm sure the launch team learned some things from the first two attempts. It probably didn't hurt to have a chance to completely inspect the rocket while it was inside the VAB as well. So far, people seem optimistic. There's only a few hours left until launch time. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow.

Honey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 4693

It's been a long day. I'm back in Titusville again for another launch. This time it is a Falcon Heavy carrying a secret payload for the Defence Department. I have no idea what is being launched into orbit, but I do know that the two side boosters are coming back to land at Kennedy Space Center. Seeing these two rockets return side by side preceded by a dual sonic boom is always pretty spectacular.

It's a good thing I know my way around the Space Coast fairly well by now. It's impossible to find a rental car with an in-dash GPS anymore. The guy at the terminal said that I could look for myself and see if I could find one, but after starting up about ten different cars, I just gave up. No GPS for me this time. I made it to the hotel OK and I know where I'm going tomorrow, so all is well.

The day started normally enough. We took Dawn on a sunrise walk, came home and ate a big breakfast, and then I finished packing my bags. There was plenty of time to take Dawn on her Sunday outing before I had to leave for the airport. It was such a pretty day that it was a shame that I had to spend the day flying. I really enjoy my time at the space center, but I don't particularly enjoy traveling. 

I have a very slow Internet connection tonight, but I certainly have a fancy room. I think the hotel put me in the wrong room by mistake, because I certainly didn't reserve a three room suite. This place is huge. I'll have to check at the front desk in the morning and make sure I'm not paying extra for this. This hotel is very nice. It is brand new and is only a few miles from the space center. Too bad that it is almost always completely booked.

Tomorrow morning I'll go pick up my credentials at the Press Accreditation Office and then head over to the Press Site to join the folks setting up remote cameras. I don't set up remote cameras myself, but I like to get on the bus with the rest of the launch photographers. NASA doesn't 't let you get on the bus if you aren't actually going to set up remote cameras, but Space X doesn't mind. This is often the best part of attending a launch. You are able to spend several hours very close to the launch pad and there are many opportunities to take some great pictures. 

The launch itself is early Tuesday morning. I like daytime launches a lot better because you can see a lot more. The weather forecast looks good too. Lets just hope that nothing goes wrong with the rocket between now and Tuesday. I've got two choices of where to view the launch. I'll ask the guys on the remote bus tomorrow which location is best. 

I need to remember to set an alarm for tomorrow morning. The Press Accreditation Office is only open for two hours. I'd hate to have come all this way and miss getting my credentials.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

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Day 4488

It was a beautiful day for a launch. The temperature was 70 degrees with clear skies and no mosquitos. You couldn't ask for more in Florida. It's amazing how routine Space X has managed to make these launches seem. There are rarely any delays or problems these days. Lift off occurred right on schedule. The Falcon 9 booster, which has already flown four time before, landed safely on the drone ship again and the Axiom-1 astronauts are on their way to the space station.

It felt good to be back at Kennedy Space Center. I reconnected with some of the other launch photographers and met a few new NASA media relations contacts. The guy who had his camera set up next to mine was shooting footage for an iMax movie. He had two assistants and $50,000 worth of equipment. My little camera and tripod looked pretty humble by comparison. I did manage to get some good pictures though. Launch photography is weird. You spend several hours setting up your equipment and making sure it all works correctly. Then the launch itself is over in just a few minutes. 

This was the first daytime launch I've seen in quite a while. Night launches are more dramatic. You can see the rockets exhaust a lot longer at night. Often you can see stage separation and watch the second stage ignite. Daytime launches have their advantages as well. One of the biggest advantages is that you can actually get some sleep after the launch.

I wish Southwest Airlines had more flights to and from Orlando. Even though the launch was over before noon, the first flight home didn't leave Orlando until 7:30 PM. That's a long time to wait for a plane. It's a long time to wear a mask as well. I wasn't in any hurry to leave the space center, so I went and had barbecue at the NASA cafeteria. The cafeteria was being remodeled, but they set up tables where you could eat outside. It was a perfect day to have a brisket sandwich at an outdoor table and watch the eagles fly around the Press Site. There was actually an eagle's nest with a young eaglet inside right next to where I parked my car. 

When I did get to the airport is was an absolute zoo. There was a huge line at the TSA checkpoint. For a little while I thought I might be late for my plane, even though I arrived with hours to spare. When I eventually got to my gate I discovered that my flight had been delayed. It wasn't just my flight either. I noticed that there were many delayed or canceled flights at the other gates as well. I think almost half of today's Southwest flights had some sort of delay.

With so much time to spare, it seemed like a good time to take a long walk. I walked up and down the concourse, stopping to read the menus at a variety of different restaurants. Eating is a good way to kill time, but I wasn't really hungry. The Sonny's barbecue I had for lunch really filled me up. I managed to get 20,000 steps today. I'm surprised that I didn't get more. When we were finally ready to board our delayed flight, there was an announcement that we would have to wait a little longer because the pilot hadn't arrived yet.

Dawn wasn't nearly as eager to see me when I returned home as she was to see Janet after her recent trip. I kind of expected this, but it would have been nice to see a wagging tail. I did finally get Dawn to take a cookie from me, but she still seems a little nervous. We're going to have to work on building trust again.

Cooper is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 4281

I made it to Florida. The plane was full, but somehow I got lucky and chose the one seat where nobody sat in the middle row. Service was pretty basic. I got one tiny packet of pretzels and a choice of Coke, Diet Coke, 7-Up, or water. No Ginger Ale anymore. No beer or wine either. The flight attendants made it clear that there would be no misbehaving on this flight and that masks were to be worn at all times. All the seats in the plane had been replaced with brand new seats that were easy to clean and disinfect but hard to get comfortable in. There was no padding whatsoever. I guess this is the future of flying.

Everything went smoothly today. The plane left on time. I managed to get a rental car with in-dash GPS. Most importantly, I got my media credentials from Space X. I saw a few people I'd met before at the Press Accreditation Building, but they didn't remember me. I still don't know what we are going to do tomorrow. I think we might get an e-mail later tonight with some sort of itenarary. The launch is still scheduled for Wednesday night. A guy from Space X said that if I went to Playlinda Beach around 3 PM this afternoon I could see the four T-38 trainers take off with the Inspiration 4 astronauts onboard for a flight over the space center. I drove up to Playlinda, but I didn't see anything. Maybe there was a change in plans.

I was surprised that my hotel was so empty when the plane to Orlando was so full. I thought the rush to Disneyland would be over now that most kids are back in school. I forgot that little pre-school kids like Disneyland too. I've never seen so many tiny kids on a plane. I hope my hotel isn't in trouble. There aren't as many towels in the bathroom anymore and all the bulbs in the lamps have been replaced with low wattage bulbs. There is a sign on my desk urging me to help the hotel save energy. I don't know how much money these low wattage bulbs save, but I do wish it was a little brighter in here.

Dawn seemed surprised that I left the house so early this morning. She knew it was too early for a walk because it was still dark outside. I hope she misses me just a little bit. I think she likes me for walks. Janet says it is hard to get her to walk when I'm gone. We'll see. The last time I went out to the observatory we had to start the whole "getting to know you" process all over again when I returned.

It's been a long day. I hope I sleep well tonight. I seldom sleep well in hotels, but there's a first time for everything.

Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3980

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to Kennedy Space Center today and return to Dallas. As I made my journey home, the four Crew-1 astronauts were also making their way to their new home for the next six months. Oddly, my return to Dallas took about the same amount of time as the astronauts much longer journey to the International Space Statioon. I'm watching them approach the ISS now on NASA TV. They've been in the capsule over twenty four hours by now. When the launch was postponed for a day, the time required to reach the ISS increased dramatically. If they had launched a day earlier, they could have made the trip in around seven hours. It's all orbital mechanics. If I really understood how this worked I might have been a rocket scientist instead of a guy who wrote jingles for fast food chains.

My own journey home was much simpler. I returned the rent car after a short 40 mile drive from Titusville to the Orlando airport. It takes a little less than three hours to fly from Orlando to Dallas. It's almost always a very uneventful flight. I guess I'm still a little amazed at how many people are flying these days. If you listen to the business channels you'd think that the airline industry was on the verge of death. It doesn't look that way to me. There were lots of people at the airport. The food court was open. And our plane was technically "full" by the new Southwest Airlines standards. They're still keeping all the center seats open, but I think that's going to end in December. 

This actually seems like what air travel should be like. You can find a parking place at the airport. The lines at the TSA checkpoints aren't horrendous anymore. Best of all, you don't feel like you are packed inside a sardine can on the plane. Having the center seat empty makes a huge difference. Everyone seems to have room for their bags in the overhead bins. It doesn't take as long to enter and exit the plane. And that annoying center seat person who is always making you move so they can go to the bathroom is gone completely. I wish we could keep flying like this forever.

I really enjoyed my trip. I got to see two significant launches within a span of several days. I renewed friendships with members of the space press that I had met on earlier trips. I actually interviewed people on this trip and attended a press conference where I was able to ask questions just like any other reporter. My photos were better this time too. I'm already looking forward to my next launch. It's too bad this is so expensive. I need to find a magazine that pays for travel.

It looks like I'll have to win Dawn's confidence all over again. She appeared frightened when I returned home, just like she did a year ago when I met her for the first time after returning from another launch in Florida. It's kind of sad that her fear of men may never go away. We're convinced that she was mistreated by her former owners. I think we were making real progress before I left for Florida, but this is going to be a very slow endeavor. 

Tomorrow will be busy. I've got to finish my article and send it to the magazine. There are pictures to edit and a lot of laundry to do. I found three new bills to pay in the incoming mail and I've got to go to the store and get some fruit for my morning smoothies. The Resilience capsule just docked with the space station as I write this. It's been quite a year. I wonder what the world will look like six months from now when the astronauts return home. 

Alvin is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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3976

I made it to Titusville. The weather has improved quite a bit. I didn't even encounter any rain on the drive from Orlando, although I could see lightning off in the distance. The forecast looks good for Friday and Saturday. I'm hoping that the launch takes place exactly as scheduled.

This was my first flight since the pandemic started. Things are a lot different now. It was easy to find a parking place at the airport. Going through security was a breeze. I don't think I've ever spent less time in the TSA line. There were still a lot of people at the airport, but the place definitely wasn't crowded. There were lots of empty seats in the waiting areas and even with the center seats empty, there was still plenty of room on the plane. I think there were thirty empty seats when we took off.

If this is the future of flying it's OK by me. I'll trade wearing a mask for uncrowded planes any day. There are lots of new rules at the airport and not surprisingly, many of them made no sense whatsoever. There were many signs that told people to wear a mask at all times. There were also many places selling food. What can't you do wearing a mask? Well, you can't eat for starters. People love to eat at airports, so I saw a lot more masks off than on.

They still served snacks and beverages on the plane as well. As soon as the snack cart came down the aisle, the masks came off. Water was also served, but no alcoholic beverages. I thought they'd pass out little bottles of water, but the water arrived in plastic cups instead. There was even an announcement that if you brought your own alcohol, you wouldn't be allowed to drink it. None of this made a lot of sense. If the airline was worried about the virus, they wouldn't have served snacks at all. 

I'm still amazed at how many people wear their mask below their nose. A lot of the cloth gaiters I saw today were completely worthless. I don't know why guys with thick beards bother at all. The mask just sits on top of their beard. I'll wear a mask and try to wear it correctly because I have absolutely no faith in the people around me. I didn't even eat any snacks on the plane. I kept my mask on the entire time. Oddly, just as I was leaving for the airport this afternoon I got an e-mail saying that my high quality 3M N-95 masks had shipped. A little late guys. They'll probably arrive while I'm down here in Florida.

I still managed to get my steps today. We took a long walk with Dawn before breakfast. I didn't have my smoothie this morning because I knew it would take too much time. I still had last minute packing to do. All in all, the day went very well. I didn't get a good deal on my rental car this time, but I did manage to find a car with in-dash GPS and blind spot indicators. There seems to be a lot fewer cars to chose from now. I noticed the same thing when I was going out to McDonald Observatory. Maybe they don't want a lot of idle cars sitting around.

Another strange thing was that the plane was unnaturally cold. The flight attendants aren't allowed to pass out blankets and pillows anymore either. Everyone on the plane was searching for their coats. I'm guessing that they were adding more fresh outside air to the circulation system to keep contamination to a minimum.  I was cold but felt pretty safe. I think you're in a lot more danger by going to Home Depot.

Tomorrow looks like a very busy day. I've got to get my credentials at the badging office. Then there is a briefing to attend with Jim Bridenstine and a one-on-one interview with a Crew-1 mission specialist. If all goes well, tomorrow evening I watch the Air Force launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The main event is Saturday when four astronauts head for the International Space Station in the first official crew rotation mission for Space X. Hope the weather hold up. It ought to be an interesting few days.

Jada is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3696

I made it to Titusville. Kennedy Space Center is only a few miles away. Travel days are always tiring. It's windy and raining now, but the forecast looks a lot better tomorrow. By launch day it should be clear again. I hope I can depend on this somewhat optimistic forecast. It's a long way to come to get rained out.

I don't think I forgot anything. At least I remembered the important stuff. I've got my cameras, clean socks and underwear, my reading glasses, and directions to the Space Center. I took better cameras this time. Foolish pride mostly. My little pocket camera takes great pictures, but I certainly don't look like a journalist when I'm using it. We'll see if the pictures are better this time. It probably doesn't even matter if I can't manage to get access to the launch pad for close ups.

Only one person on the plane was wearing a mask today. Actually, I only saw three people in the entire Dallas airport wearing masks. Lots of old people were coughing though. Old people always cough. Luckily, I managed to get through the flight without having a coughing fit myself. Usually I'm the one who coughs and sneezes.

I even managed to get my 10,000 steps today. Instead of having a burger while I waited for my flight, I just walked around the terminal until it was time to board. I hope I can always fly Southwest. They always seem to be on time. The TSA folks are pretty fast, and if you pay a little extra you can board first and always get a good seat. Even though I changed my reservation over and over again, I was still the fifth person on the plane.

My rent car was so high-tech that it was kind of freaky. The steering wheel became very stiff if you got too close to the center line and it tried to nudge me back to the center of my lane. What kind of black magic is this? At first I thought the power steering was broken, but eventually I figured out that this was a feature, not a fault. The GPS was pretty complicated too. I'll get up early and figure it out in the morning.

This trip should be interesting. I'm a member of the press this time. It's still hard to think of myself as a journalist, but maybe it will be a little easier in the future if this trip goes well. I have a feeling that I'm a pretty junior journalist, but it's still a big step. Truthfully, I have no idea what to expect. I've never done this sort of thing before. I probably shouldn't be so apprehensive. I've been writing and taking pictures for a long, long time. How could working for a magazine be that much different?

It's been a long day. I'm going to try to get some sleep before the big adventure begins.

Landry is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 3636

All is well. My flight was on time. I made it to the hotel without getting hopelessly lost. And our second Santa Paws photo shoot went very well. It was a very long day though. We got up early to set up for the Santa Paws event and I just arrived at the hotel a few minutes ago. It's times like these when I wish I didn't feel compelled to do a blog post every day. I'm ready to go to sleep.

We photographed a lot of Dalmatians today since our location was at the Dalmatian Rescue boarding kennel. Some of the rescue dogs got their first picture with Santa. I got to see Ginny again today and she was glad to see me. We also took Christmas pictures of Hank and Treasure. Most of the day was spent photographing other breeds though. We saw everyone from Great Danes to Chihuahuas today.

We have one more Santa Paws event next weekend and then we're done for the year. I enjoyed doing the photography this year. It was just as tiring as always, but it gave me a chance to hang out with some great dogs. I guess I really miss having a dog around.

I don't know why I'm even bothering with going to bed tonight. I've got to get up at 5 AM in order to make it to the Michoud Assembly Facility on time. I still don't know why we're starting so early. I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I hope traffic isn't bad in the morning. I found New Orleans roads confusing even when the traffic was very light this evening. I wouldn't want to be driving around in this town right after a Saints game.

I always think I plan well, but there are always things I never expect. I usually use my T-Mobile hotspot to connect to the Internet when I'm traveling. I couldn't connect to T-Mobile at all this evening. Does New Orleans even have T-Mobile? I also had trouble finding a rental car with GPS. Finally my rental car company ended up borrowing a late model car from another rental car company. I'm glad I insisted on GPS though. I would have been lost without it. East New Orleans is a lot different from the French Quarter.

I'm always surprised at how many people are traveling when I go to the airport. There are thousands of people on the move at any moment in time. Where are all these people going? I didn't expect to see many people late on a Sunday night but the plane was almost full. Planes always seem to be full. I'm sure I'll go to more rocket launches in the future and maybe an observatory or two as well, but I don't think travel will ever seem normal to me.

Willow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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