The Space Shuttle is a historic icon in American spaceflight. It has touched the lives of thousands of people across the country, from those who worked on it to the people who had the chance to watch it launch and land. During our younger years, we were fortunate to have a spectacular view of shuttle launches from Central Florida. One of our favorite Space Shuttle orbiters was … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: Total Lunar Eclipse
On the evening of May 16, thunderstorms were rolling through Central Florida. Space enthusiasts in the area, including ourselves, nervously awaited for the skies to clear as a particularly special celestial event loomed overhead. The event in question was a total lunar eclipse! The last one that was visible from the Lake Nona area was all the way back in 2019. This was before … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: Sun ‘n Fun 2022
Air shows are a popular recreational activity for many people in Florida. Having the chance to witness incredibly powerful jets up-close can be an exhilarating experience. Not to mention being able to witness beautifully maintained historical airplanes, which have an irreplaceable charm. There are many air shows throughout the year in the Sunshine State, yet there is one that … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: The Orion Nebula
Some might assume that in order to see a nebula, you need a telescope. For the most part, these dim, deep sky objects are a challenge to see even through a telescope in the darkest of skies. However, one nebula is an outlier to this notion. The Orion Nebula is the crown jewel of all nebulae in the Northern Hemisphere when it comes to luminosity. It is one of the very few … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: Transporter-3 Mission
Up until recently, there had been very few RTLS (Return To Launch Site) SpaceX missions. This is where a Falcon 9 first stage boosts back toward the coast after separating from the second stage and then lands at Cape Canaveral. The first month of 2022 brought an end to this RTLS drought! In January, there were two such missions: Transporter-3 on Jan. 13 and CSG-2 on Jan. 31. In … [Read more...]