I decided I’d better log the launches I’ve seen directly or remotely though without media aid (with my own eyes in other words). I’ll attempt to put them into chronological order and mention if I saw the rocket or the contrail.
SpaceX Launch from Vandenberg
Walked outside our door and saw the launch. Saw the beginning of it, tried for video and it was too washed out. Took more video later and it was good!
4/1/24
SpaceX Launch from Vandenberg
3/??/24
SpaceX Launch from Vandenberg
Walked down to the corner of our street and we saw the launch, caught video even!
2/22/24
Everyday Spacer Star Party 2017
Yet another Star Party – we were about to wrap up when Steve mentioned that there was going to be a launch from VAFB. We were in the Rancho Sierra/Satwiwa park. The launch was delayed a little until about 11:30pm. It was amazing to see. I didn’t think it would look like much that late. I was so wrong about that! It was a ‘red letter’ event!
See pictures and videos on the meetup page…
September 23, 2017
Star Party Plus!
During a Star Party, many of us were startled by a rocket contrail which appeared South of our viewing site. We learned later that it was a test off the coast conducted by the military.
Landsat 8
I was part of a NASA Social on the VAFB (Vandenburg Air Force Base) and we saw the launch from a nearby park in Lompoc, CA February 2013.
The beauty of LandSat 8 is that all the images are free!
Find the Landsat8DataUsersHandbook.pdf here!
