SpaceX Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test

Today we witnessed an amazing test of the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 booster. In preparation for the return of manned space flight, NASA requires a demonstration that the crew capsule can safely separate from the rocket. To demonstrate this capability, SpaceX decided to perform the separation at the most dangerous point in the ascent – just after throttling up after passing the point of maximum dynamic pressure.

We started the day by driving up to Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral. We arrived before dawn and watched the sun rise from the beach. As the launch time approached, we walked up and down the beach. The weather wasn’t great, but it was better than yesterday, when the launch was postponed. The launch was delayed, but eventually was cleared for lift off. After lift off, the rocket quickly disappeared into the clouds. I lost sight of it for several seconds, then I saw what looked like an enormous explosion. The Falcon 9 booster had exploded, reminiscent of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Less than a minute later, I saw something streaking downward and heard a sonic boom. The falling object hit the ocean with another giant explosion!

The test was a complete failure, or was it? The booster explosion was expected. Due to the separation of the Crew Dragon, the booster was no longer aerodynamic. The force of the air was so great that it ripped the rocket apart. The object that I saw streaking toward and eventually hitting the ocean was the second stage booster. What I did not see was the Crew Dragon separating from the second stage moments before the first explosion and accelerating out of harm’s way.

When we returned home, we watched the replay of the mission on YouTube. From the video, we learned that the mission was a complete success. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t have a clear view of the launch and the capsule slowly descending below its four large parachutes.

For additional information, photos, and video, see the Space.com article and photos.

Space Race 2020

Today was the first race of the year for us. It was the 4th Annual Space Race. Unlike most races, this race was in the evening and was only 3 kilometers. And even better yet, it was in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Susan, Andrew, and I drove up with plenty of extra time to explore the sights. We started in the Rocket Garden, then hung out in Constellation Plaza, where we jumped on sensors in the pavement that caused a counter to increase. The team who got the most jumps the quickest got to “launch” their rocket. As race time neared, we moved over to the Orbit Cafe.

Saturn IB, in the Rocket Garden

The course started outside the Orbit Cafe, wound behind the Rocket Garden, went South through the parking lot to the main entrance, turned around and went back North, through the bus stop, in front of the Atlantis building, back around the Rocket Garden again, then through the main entrance to the finish line.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Map

Being that this was my first race since the Turkey Trot, I was motivated to redeem myself and finish the race with a respectable time. I got a very slow start due to the mass of humanity in front of me at the starting line who apparently wanted to walk the course. Once past them, Andrew and I jogged together for almost a mile. He dropped off the pace and I continued for a bit longer before dropping back to a walk. I continued the run a bit, walk a bit strategy for the remainder of the race. As I approached the Atlantis exhibit, I tried to fire myself up by thinking about all the astronauts who flew in the Space Shuttle over the years. Would they have walked the course? Of course not, they were all highly motivated and disciplined individuals. It didn’t help; I still walked past the exhibit. In the end, I finished in 20:11, which is a pace of 10:51 per mile.

For more pictures, click below.

Utah Vacation: Running Around

After chasing the Big Boy to Castle Rock, we still had a lot of day left to fill. We had lots of ideas, and we pretty much did them all.

While chasing the Big Boy up Echo Canyon, we passed a rest area that looked pretty interesting. So our first stop after leaving Castle Rock was the rest area. The rest area sits between the lanes of the interstate and is situated on a hill that overlooks Echo Canyon and the Union Pacific tracks. At the top of the hill is a memorial to the oxen that pulled the settlers through the canyon over a century and a half ago.

Oxen memorial at the rest area

Our next destination was Ogden. Susan needed a prescription filled and Ogden was the closest place she could find to fill it. While she went to get it, Andrew and I went out in search of ice cream. Eating ice cream outside in Utah requires quick spoons to stay ahead of the melting action.

Next we took the Taggarts exit off Interstate 84 and parked at a very popular railfanning site where a pair of bridges cross the Weber River. We considered parking here earlier, but we knew it would be very crowded and difficult to leave. Andrew pulled out the drone and got it in the air. Very soon, a Union Pacific freight train came out of the tunnel and crossed the bridge.

 

Then we continued East on the interstate and took the Echo Canyon Road exit. From here, we followed the train tracks until we found a good viewing spot. Again, Andrew pulled out the drone and started flying. Soon, another Union Pacific freight train came along for him to capture.

With our appetite for trains finally satisfied (for the day), we headed towards the Utah Olympic Park near Park City. Park City was host to the 2002 Winter Olympics. The park is now used as a training ground for current Olympians. We toured the grounds, which included ski jumps into a pool, a bob sled track, and a museum. Andrew was fascinated with the large piles of snow that were piled up, slowly melting in the springtime heat.

Ski jump at the Utah Olympic Park

Next, we traveled Southwest through Provo Canyon. We passed through here yesterday after visiting Soldier Summit, but it was too late to stop and see anything. Today, we stopped at Vivian Park, which is just one of the many parks along the route. Although finished with trains for the day, we still managed to find some railcars near the park.

Vivian Park

Our next stop was Palisade Park, in Orem. This park is very big, with multiple soccer fields and a nice playground. But the thing I liked the most was the view of Mt. Timpanogos. The second best thing about the park is the grass. We all sat in the grass, in the shade, and took in the view.

View of Mt. Timpanogos from Palisade Park

Our last stop of the day was the Black Bear Diner. It is a quaint family diner offering simple American food options.

Click below to see more photos.

Utah Vacation: Chasing Big Boy

The plan for the day was to chase the Big Boy. The Big Boy started its trip from Ogden, Utah back to Cheyenne, Wyoming this morning. We left the condo at 7:30 and headed for Morgan. We could have gone clear to Ogden, but that would have required an exceptionally early start.

Morgan is a very small town, located along Interstate 84. We arrived early and drove up and down the streets along the tracks to find the ideal spot. We parked near an open field and Andrew started getting the drone ready to fly. In the meantime, Susan and I walked to the nearby 7-Eleven and bought some snacks and drinks.

Around 8:55 we spotted a light and smoke in the distance. Andrew got the drone in the air and started shooting video, while I captured a video on my phone. This was our first experience seeing the Big Boy trainset, which included Big Boy steam #4014, the Living Legend steam #844, a modern ET44AH diesel #2650, and about a dozen passenger cars. As the train slowed into town, we celebrated its arrival, and even more, its existence. I’m still amazed that Union Pacific spent the time and money to rebuild this amazing piece of history.

Waiting for Big Boy above Morgan

After the train stopped, Andrew landed the drone and we hurried on to our next viewing spot. It was clear that a lot of people had the same plan as us, and we didn’t want to get stuck behind the crowd.

Our next stop was the Weber River Float Parking lot, which is at the West end of Henefer Valley. Once again, we were early and had some time to find and plan our shots. The location was right beside the Weber River and was very lush and green.

After a short wait, we saw the train approaching and again, Andrew got the drone in the air. This time, the train did not stop, so we had to quickly pack up the car and get back on the road.

Waiting for Big Boy above Weber River

Back on the road, we caught up to and passed the train, which was now parked in Echo. We continued East up Echo Canyon on Interstate 80. This route was new to us, so we didn’t know where to stop for our next viewing. We ended up driving about 24 miles before finally finding an interesting spot that didn’t seem too crowded. We stopped in Castle Rock, which includes a ghost town and a field full of junk cars. The best part about it was the line of sight along the tracks, including a short tunnel and several cuts and fills.

While we waited, a guy from Florida pulled up and parked near us. We had seen his vehicle earlier in Morgan. He jumped out of his Forerunner with his camera and large lens, jumped the fence, and ran up the hill. I couldn’t believe it. Regardless of the rarity of the event, I would never consider jumping a fence and crossing private property to get a shot.

Andrew flew the drone once to get a lay of the land, then returned to swap batteries. Somehow, while on the ground, the train appeared and was cruising quite quickly down the hill. Luckily, Andrew was able to get airborne in time to catch it passing behind the nearby hill.

Big Boy heading East from Castle Rock

A view looking West above Castle Rock

Below is a video that I captured on my phone.

Below are videos that Andrew created from his drone footage of the day.

Click below to see more photos.

Utah Vacation: Promontory

Today, Andrew and I got up before dawn to get some early morning sunrise photos. We didn’t even bother to get dressed. I threw on my fuzzy jacket over my PJs and we headed out. We walked a short way down the hill and watched the nearby, snow capped mountain slowly change from pink to orange to white.

Morning glow on the nearby mountaintops

As we walked, we eventually came to the Homestead Crater Mineral Dome. According to their web site:

One of the unique activities at the Homestead Resort in Midway Utah is our one-of-a-kind Homestead Crater. The Crater is a geothermal spring, hidden within a 55-foot tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock located on the Homestead property.

Over 10,000 years in the making, The Crater formed when melting snow on the Wasatch Mountains seeped deep within the earth. Two miles below the surface, the earth’s interior heated the water. As it percolated upward, it picked up minerals, which were then deposited on the surface — eventually forming the volcano-shaped limestone deposit called The Homestead Crater.

The hole at the top of the dome lets in sunlight and fresh air while the interior stays heated by the mineral water at a constant range of 90 – 96 degrees Fahrenheit.

Homestead Crater Mineral Dome

After our walk, we got ready for our drive to Promontory Summit to see the re-enactment of the pounding of the golden spike on it’s 150th anniversary. Along the way, we stopped at a rest area just East of Weber Canyon. The rest area had a hill with a great view of the surrounding mountains and the railroad tracks coming out of the canyon. Note this location as a possible viewing spot for when the Big Boy returns to Cheyenne.

Top of the hill at a rest area

After over two hours in the car, traveling past Ogden and through a very long stretch of desert, we arrived at the Golden Spike National Historical Park. According to Wikipedia:

It commemorates the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad where the Central Pacific Railroad and the first Union Pacific Railroad met on May 10, 1869. The final joining of the rails spanning the continent was signified by the driving of the ceremonial Golden Spike.

We were a day late for the official anniversary, by choice. We wanted to avoid most of the crowd. Expecting large crowds, the park service required a ticket to enter on a specified day. Even with that, the place was still a bit of a mad house. There was a large field roped off for parking. All the cars coming in kicked up a lot of dust.

We parked and made our way to re-enactment site, which was part of a village of small, wooden buildings. We could see it in the distance, but the crowd was so thick, we could only make slow progress forward.

UP No. 119 meets CP 'Jupiter' at Promontory Summit

The re-enactments were happening about every hour and a half. We arrived just before one was starting. We saw the Union Pacific No. 119 and the Central Pacific ‘Jupiter’ pull up to each other, nose to nose. We could see the actors, but we couldn’t hear what they were saying. We stayed and watched for about 30 minutes, then decided to head out.

Crowds gather for the re-enactment of the golden spike

When we left, I unfortunately turned the wrong direction in the field and was heading the wrong way on a one way loop. Oh well, there was nothing I could do but to just keep going. :-)

On the way out, we stopped at the Big Fill/Big Trestle Viewpoint, one of the pull offs that describe where the original rails were routed over the summit. We ate a quick snack and talked about what to do next. I wanted to hike to the location of the trestle, but we also wanted to stop at the rocket garden that we could see in the distance.

In September 2017, Northrop Grumman purchased Orbital ATK. As an NGC employee and a rocket fan, I was intrigued by the rocket garden. Of course, Andrew was enthusiastic as well. Orbital ATK was involved in many rocket programs, but I was most familiar with their work on the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster. We explored the garden and Andrew took a hundred pictures before heading out to our next destination.

The Northrop Grumman rocket garden

Rather than heading straight back to Midway, we made a quick snack stop at Golden Spike Burgers, then headed south towards Helper. Helper is a small town that sits along the Union Pacific’s Soldier Summit route. This destination was a must see for me and Andrew.

To get there, we passed through Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Provo, which are basically one megatropolis. Once out of Provo, I needed a break from driving and Andrew wanted to fly his drone. We stopped at Spanish Fork River Park. The park is along a small river and has nice mountain views.

Drone shot from Spanish Fork River Park

After a quick drone flight, we continued over Soldier Summit to Helper. Once there, we quickly turned around and headed back, hoping to catch the evening light on the canyon walls. Along the way, we passed some cool railroad scenes, including a pair of tunnels cut into the rock and towering canyon walls on both sides of the river. But the coolest natural thing we saw was a terraced waterfall along the side of the highway.

Unknown waterfall along the highway

At this point, it was time to head back to Midway. Today was very long, but we saw a lot of amazing things, both historical and natural.

Click below to see more photos.

Utah Vacation: Salt Lake City

Our first goal of the day was set by Andrew. He wanted to get some drone time over Midway. To achieve this, we got up early and drove to a nearby park.

Early morning drone flight in Valais Park, near the condo

After a quick flight, we continued our first day adventure by heading to Salt Lake City. Our first stop was the Utah State Capitol. The capitol building is located on a hill that overlooks the city and the entire Salt Lake valley. It contains the house, senate, and ceremonial supreme court and is open to the public. We were very impressed with the beauty of the architecture. While on the grounds, we noticed that many signs had a picture of a beehive. I was curious, so I asked a guard what it meant. He told me that the beehive is the state symbol. Early settlers used the bee as a symbol of hard work and industriousness. Cool. The only thing that would have made the visit better is if we could have gone up into the dome. Before leaving the grounds, we had a picnic lunch out on the lawn.

Utah State Capitol

Our next stop was the Temple Square, home of the Mormon Temple and the Tabernacle Choir. We parked downtown and walked a few blocks to the entrance. The Temple is simply breathtaking. We stopped at the Visitor Center and talked to a guide, who told us about the Mormon traditions and the layout of the Temple. Only Mormon’s in good standing are allowed inside the Temple.

Mormon Temple

Then we walked to the giant, white building - that looks a little like a bounce house – where the Tabernacle Choir performs. On our way, we passed at least three wedding parties. Apparently, getting married in the Temple is a popular thing to do. I guess it was our lucky day because, soon after arriving, a man sat down at the organ and began to play.

By now, we were feeling hungry again and we wanted to ride the city train. We walked to City Creek Center, a two-level outdoor mall in the heart of downtown. We found a Johnny Rockets, ordered some burgers, and ate on the patio near the waterfall. After eating, we caught the train back to where we parked.

Downtown Salt Lake City

By this time, we’d had about enough of the big city and were ready to see something natural. We jumped in our car and headed North to Antelope Island State Park. The island is accessed by a long causeway. We were initially disappointed to see a sign that said drone flying was not allowed. Once on the island, we quickly realized that there was wildlife. We first saw a few Pronghorns (aka American Antelope), then we saw herds of Bison. But the wildlife I’ll never forget were the swarms of biting gnats! Every time we stopped to get out and take a picture, we were greeted by them. The swarms were clearly visible, like small dark clouds, along the sides of the road.

Bison in Antelope Island State Park

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Utah Vacation: Meeting Big Boy

The day started dark and early for this vacation. We left home at 3:00 AM to catch our flight from Orlando to Salt Lake City. The first leg of the flight took us through Dallas Love Field. By 2:00 PM we were in our rental car in Salt Lake City, heading to Ogden to see the main attraction.

Planning for this vacation started when we discovered that the Union Pacific railroad was restoring Big Boy 4014 to participate in the celebration of the 150’th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah. The celebration included driving the Big Boy, along with the “Living Legend” 844 from Cheyenne to Ogden and back. We had seen a Big Boy once before. It was on display near the interstate in Omaha, Nebraska. We were on our way to Jackson, Wyoming and it was too late to stop and see it close up. Seeing a fully functional Big Boy running on the tracks became a must-see for us.

Once in Ogden, it was clear that something special was happening. Many streets were closed and we had to search for a place to park. After parking, we walked about a half mile to Union Station, where Big Boy and The Living Legend were on display.

Big Boy 4014

We were too late to see the official celebration, but we were still able to see the two steam locomotives, along with the passenger train they were pulling. In addition, the museum was open and contained a nice collection of other Union Pacific engines.

After getting our fill of trains, we went searching for something to eat. Ogden was having a street fair with food vendors and live music. We found something to eat and we also found a vendor who makes and sells Bison Brew Root Beer and Creme Soda Stout in refillable bottles. We bought a bottle and promised ourselves that we would come back for a refill later in our trip.

Eventually, we had to start the long drive to our WorldMark condo in Midway. The drive took us through very scenic Weber Canyon, which is also the route the Big Boy would follow back to Cheyenne in days to come. The drive also took us past Park City, which is one of the best ski areas in America and home to the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Click below to see more photos.