Farewell to thee Cape Canaveral. #ERAU new professorship and #NROL61 launch.

3-2-1... we're moving.

There have been a lot of changes brewing for our family lately but I am proud to announce my big career news: Aug 16th I will evolve into a Professor of Commercial Space Operations at +Embry-Riddle, Daytona Beach Campus! +Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has a fantastic history of contributions to aviation and space and I hope to do my part in the new Spacesuit Lab!

A photo from one of my visits to ERAU campus. The Wright Flyer next to the observatory and landmark sign, all pointing to soar higher.

The chaotic dance of life with rocket gazing #DeltaIV #Heavy #NROL37

First of all, June 11th, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

On Thursday afternoon I spent a few hours with friends waiting on the NASA Causeway patiently in our car, but we knew the weather was not going to clear up in the long launch window. Oh well, we had a pre-scrub scrub to head home (we would have seen it from home at the end of the window if the weather magically cleared). The launch was pushed to Saturday, which meant no up close launch viewing, but a new possible angle. We were en route to a very chaotic day. First we dropped off Teddy at his 2nd home for our vacation travels and then we headed to Jen's afternoon ballet recital in Titusville. We stopped for a late Mexican food lunch and were able to watch the launch from the riverfront before heading to her show. With the far distance to the launchpad, we didn't get the glorious show we previously saw from the CCAFS Skid Strip for the Orion EFT-1 launch, but the rumble was still nice and loud. It was overcast so the show ended pretty quickly.

Scrub day at CCAFS. I took this photo with a jumbo lens from the NASA Causeway in the morning of the first launch attempt (June 9th).

NROL-33 rolling off the pad on an Atlas 5

This was my brother-in-law Shaun's first rocket launch. I took him and Jen to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station bleachers to enjoy the launch up close.

NROL-33 rolling off the pad and into space. That's how we roll!

The official stats:

May 22	Atlas 5  •  NROL-33
Launch time: 1309 GMT (9:09 a.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-046, launched a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket flew in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from May 7. See our Mission Status Center. [May 22]

Space!

Ryan

NROL-67 Launch on Atlas 5 from CCAFS. Atlas' largest configuration!

A very smooth and quick afternoon launch. This is the largest configuration for the Atlas rocket family.

NROL-67 launching on an Atlas 541, ULA's biggest Atlas rocket configuration!

UP up and away! Wait, have I used that caption before? NROL-67, rolling away.

The official stats:

April 10	Atlas 5  •  NROL-67
Launch time: 1745 GMT (1:45 p.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-045, launched a classified spacecraft payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket flew in the 541 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, four solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from March 25 by range instrumentation issue. See our Mission Status Center. [April 10]

Space!

Ryan