SpaceX successfully launched their Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Es’hail-2 satellite, from the Kennedy Space Centre Florida today (Thursday November 15th 2018).

I watched the launch from Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, Titusville. I recorded a video on my phone – the video isn’t that good as I wanted to actually watch the rocket and not on my screen. You may also be disappointed at how far the rocket is away from my viewpoint, despite this being the best location outside the space centre.

I used this site to discover places where I could view https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2017/03/29/10-great-places-watch-rocket-launch/99730718/

The Falcon 9 rocket is re-usable – in December 2015, Falcon 9 became the first rocket to land propulsively after delivering a payload to orbit. Today, 16th November 2018, following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 landed perfectly on the ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ droneship, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center has a long and storied history dating back to the early 1960s. Originally built to support the Apollo program, LC-39A supported the first Saturn V launch (Apollo 4), and many subsequent Apollo missions, including Apollo 11 in July 1969. Beginning in the late 1970s, LC-39A was modified to support Space Shuttle launches, hosting the first and last shuttle missions to orbit in 1981 and 2011 respectively.

In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease with NASA for the use of historic LC-39A. Since then, the company has made significant upgrades to modernize the pad’s structures and ground systems, while also preserving its important heritage. Extensive modifications to LC-39A have been made to support launches of both commercial and crew missions on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles.

Webcast

Here is a replay of the launch webcast.

Here is the official mission patch: