Sonic boom finale in spectacular @SpaceX return to flight mission! #LZ1 #OG2 #LC40 #RTF

On the longest night of the year, +SpaceX lit up the sky twice by launching and landing a rocket in Florida!

In this photo composition, the Falcon 9 rocket streaks to space (on the left) and ~8-10 minutes later (on the right) it's first stage returns to Earth for a safe landing. My tweet of this photo reached over 8,000 people last night alone. With all the launch gazers on the space coast (and further in Florida and online all over the world) sending out their photos and thoughts, just imagine how this multiplier effect could reach and inspire the next Elon(a) Musk(s).

#Orbcomm constellation of 6 launched by #SpaceX on #Falcon9 v1.1

One of the main perks to working on the Space Coast is viewing the nearly-monthly launches that occur. Due to delays in several launch attempts (technical, weather, bad ham sandwiches...), we may see one a week for a total of three launches in July. Today, in excellent morning weather conditions, +SpaceX launched a constellation of six Orbcomm Inc. communication satellites. With afternoon thunderstorms nearly every day in the summer, this should have been the plan all along! The rocket flew very vertically compared to other launches, which usually have long arcs to the East or South. It probably indicates the higher altitude they were aiming for and a lower inclination compared to the ISS orbit.

The first image below is the token or obligatory view form the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station viewing area (which features fish also trying to launch themselves out of the water, dolphins and manatees). The second image is three photos showing the Falcon 9 blowing smoke rings. Very groovy baby! This post is the first of many launch posts that I will back-blog so that all my launch photos are searchable by filters. This was launch #21 since moving to Florida in Sept 2012.

Orbcomm is up, up, and away!

The Falcon 9 blowing smoke rings

For those keeping score on launches, scrubs and delays, here's Spaceflightnow.com's summary of this mission. Previous launch information can be viewed on their extremely useful Launch Log.

July 14

Falcon 9  •  Orbcomm OG2

Launch window: 1322-1555 GMT (9:22-11:55 a.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch six second-generation Orbcomm communications satellites. The satellites will operate for Orbcomm Inc., providing two-way data messaging services for global customers. The rocket will fly in the Falcon 9 v1.1 configuration with upgraded Merlin 1D engines, stretched fuel tanks, and a payload fairing. Delayed from September, November, April 30, May 10, May 27, June 11, June 12, June 15, June 20, June 21, June 22 and June 24. See our Mission Status Center. [July 13]

Space!

Ryan