The launch from Cape Canaveral that was originally scheduled for Halloween finally blasted off last night at 9:03 pm Eastern Time.

Weather kept postponing it. One of the astronauts had a minor medical issue that also caused a delay. I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been a sinus infection given that our weather had been rather Portland-ish.

I certainly haven’t minded that, but the physics of rocket launching does not appreciate it. Even on the local evening news, Chief Meteorologist, Tom Sorrels, from WKMG, reported there was only a 70% chance of a launch happening. The Cape was getting a lot of light rain, but not much lightning. If there is any lightening happening, the launch gets scrapped.

Humongous vehicles blasting off from launch pads in Brevard County Florida is one of the unique things I love about my home state. It used to be the only place in the US where that happened. Now, I think even Virginia and Texas is in on that game. I hate it. It chaps my hide. I never liked it when the capsules splashed down in the Pacific and ended up in California-I think that state even launches rockets too. Errgh. However, most American rocket launches occur here in The Sunshine State-no, that’s not YOU, South Dakota. That they hijacked our nickname chaps my hide too.

It’s bad enough that Florida has to share orange-glory with the Golden State, I really hate sharing space-glory. I guess because space technology is so steeped in nerdiness. Florida needs more nerds. On another note, have you ever compared California’s orange juice to Florida’s? Blech, no flavor. Florida’s is superior by ten miles.

Right now, it’s 1:58 pm, and I’m in the yard with the furbaby. He did his business and I think he wants in, but it’s nice spending time outside in Central Florida and not having a humidity induced sweat fest. THAT’S where California beats Florida: climate.

In any event, our regular TV programming got interrupted at 9:00 last night with launch news. It always does when a rocket blasts off. I’m not sure if that happens anywhere else, but it’s big news here. I never mind. I love this shit.

At about 9:04 pm I went outside because, when the sky is clear, the rocket is visible from the middle of my street. Last night it was too cloudy and drizzly. I was bummed. The huge orange plume contrasts beautifully against the black sky. I stood there in the street longer than it usually takes to see the space vehicle arching upwards. I gave up and resumed watching the progress on television.

These are the four astronauts crammed into their SpaceX rocket. Who is who was not divulged. However, they are three Americans: Raja Chari, Tom Mashburn, Kayla Barron, and one European Space Agency astronaut: Mattias Maurer, from Germany.

I do hate the pollution involved, but the gains in scientific and technological knowledge are almost infinite. While I’m unsure of the exact amount of gases expelled into the atmosphere, I can guess, that cars in the US cause probably as much pollution in one day.

This is a topic for another blog on another day.