I’m writing this final blog post as I wait in the airport for my return flight to Philadelphia. I got here very early to beat the crowd of Disney World visitors leaving Orlando. Reflecting on the past couple days, the main thing I can say is that they were... overwhelming. In a good way.
On the 24th of July, I met up with Bob Granath for an interview. Bob worked for NASA for 35 years, mainly as a public affairs specialist. Over his career, he wrote many articles communicating NASA’s activities to the public, and met with the media frequently. He retired this February, and is now a “docent” at the Kennedy Space Center, meaning he occasionally returns to help give tours and to talk to people like me.
I didn't take many pictures that morning, so here's Bob Granath's LinkedIn photo.
For some reason, though, Bob’s annual pass to enter the Visitor Complex wasn’t working, so he had to wait in a long line to renew it. I was surprised that he had to wait in the same line as a normal visitor; I would’ve thought that Bob would receive some special treatment in return for his many years of service to NASA. The fact that he was treated like a tourist felt a bit disrespectful.
Nevertheless, I joined him in the line, where we spent over half an hour. Not wanting to waste time, I began asking him questions while we waited. He explained that he first became interested in science communication when he was a grade-schooler and America’s space program had just begun. Hearing how NASA’s public relations workers communicated the agency’s activities to a young audience inspired him to go into that line of work himself. (This story reminds me of how I was always very interested in educational YouTube channels as a kid, and decided to start making some videos myself.)
Bob also explained that the Visitor Complex was founded in 1963. It began tiny, but grew into a real tourist attraction, especially under the leadership of Delaware North, who was selected to operate the Center in 1995. Apparently, the exhibits are designed by Delaware North in conjunction with NASA, which is a little different from what I had heard a few days earlier. No taxpayer dollars are used to fund the Visitor Complex, and the profits go directly to Delaware North.
The KSC Visitor Complex in 1969.
Once Bob got his updated pass, we scouted around for a good place to do an on-camera interview. He suggested that the Heroes and Legends exhibit might have some quiet areas. I had initially hoped that he might be able to get us into a private conference room or something, but by now it had become clear that Bob unfortunately didn’t have much special authority at the Visitor Complex. So, we sat in a bench inside the Heroes and Legends exhibit and taped our interview, with a new crowd of people passing by us approximately every ten minutes.
This, obviously, didn’t make for the best filming conditions, but we made do with what we had. If you want to see the full interview, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/Puurou3sLhE. I'm hoping to use this footage in the video I'm making about NASA's future, but I’ll definitely have to do some audio enhancements for it to be usable.
For our interview, many of the questions were just repeats of what I asked Bob during our long wait in line. The main difference came when we discussed NASA’s vision for the future. Bob emphasized that, since the end of the Space Shuttle program, the Kennedy Space Center has transitioned to serving as a “multi-user spaceport.” This shift has taken place under the leadership of Bob Cabana, KSC’s current director. Being a multi-user spaceport means that KSC mainly coordinates the launches for various private companies, including SpaceX, Boeing, and Blue Origin.
A brief clip from my interview with Bob, where he talks about that vision.
Based on that, I asked Bob to comment on Time magazine’s latest cover story about “the next space race.” Bob asserted, as I expected he would, that NASA is more interested in collaborating with private companies than competing with them. I asked him if he felt NASA could trust a company like SpaceX to be a faithful partner, when Elon Musk has expressed interest in sending astronauts to the Moon and to Mars through SpaceX alone, free from governmental restrictions. Bob didn’t feel qualified to answer that one. I also asked if the KSC might soon become nothing more than a port from which private companies take off into space. He remained optimistic that NASA’s role in space exploration would be larger than this.
Time Magazine’s latest cover image.
Furthermore, I asked him about NASA leasing Launchpad 39A to SpaceX, and if he felt that this betrayed the history of the pad. He said that this move was essential to the vision of KSC as a multi-user spaceport. And, surprisingly, I started to agree that this move made sense. I think that designating the pad as a historic landmark and then never using it again would conflict with the notion that space exploration is a continuous process that is continuing today. Many astronauts emphasize this idea, saying that their actions will pave the way for those who will eventually go out to explore other planets and even other galaxies. Ensuring that Launchpad 39A continues to be used for space travel actually seems like the best way to preserve this message, rather than letting it sit unused. And since NASA can’t get anything or anyone into space right now, it’s logical to let SpaceX use it instead.
Bob and I covered a lot of interesting subjects in our interview, so I recommend skimming through the full video. (Again, it can be found here: https://youtu.be/Puurou3sLhE.) Once we were done and went our separate ways, I walked around the Visitor Complex as I waited for the SpaceX CRS-18 launch that was scheduled for 6:24pm. I had received a ticket for that launch from Emily McLeod who, among other responsibilities, works in Communication and Public Engagement for the KSC. We had sent a few emails back and forth prior to my trip. She’s the one who helped me coordinate my interview with Bob Granath, and she decided to send me a ticket to a launch as well.
A free ticket? Now that was a nice surprise, and I was very grateful. I had been expecting to pay to see the manned launch that was planned for late July — this would’ve been the first manned launch from US soil since 2011. I was disappointed when that mission was pushed back by a few months, so I was willing to buy a ticket to any launch that might coincide with my trip. Now, through Emily, I had a free ticket, and I could tell my friends and family that NASA invited me personally to see a launch. That alone was exciting enough, but I had no idea about the VIP treatment I was about to receive.
Eventually, on the 24th, I figured out where NASA’s invited guests were supposed to report to pick up their official launch passes. It was in an office near the gates of the Complex, but with an entrance purposely obscured from view so random visitors wouldn’t wander inside. Once they looked up my email and found that I was indeed on the list, they gave me a badge that said “SpaceX VIP” as well as a SpaceX water bottle. They also invited me to take as many NASA stickers and bookmarks as I wanted. That was super cool — who doesn’t love free stuff? Then, after loading us up with swag, I figured they’d now bus us out to watch the launch with everyone else. But again, I was wrong.
The SpaceX merch was only the beginning.
NASA’s guests were told to proceed to a special bus-boarding area. Like the office itself, the lot’s entrance was obscured from view, and required us to pass through a gate between some wall-shaped hedges. There were about 250 invited guests, spread across four or five busses. Once we boarded, they informed us that we would be taken to the fifth floor of a building right across from NASA’s iconic Vehicle Assembly Building. Once there, there would be a balcony from which we could watch the launch. I was shocked, and excitedly texted my parents the news.
The view was even better than I had hoped. You could see nearly every KSC launchpad, and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was clearly in view (although a bit far away, for safety reasons). Plus, the event had free catering. There was even a presentation which began at T-minus one hour, beginning with a speech by Bob Cabana, the director of the KSC himself. Like Bob Granath had told me in our interview that morning, Bob Cabana emphasized how excited he was that the KSC has become a multi-user spaceport. He looked forward to many more successful collaborations between SpaceX and NASA.
The view from the balcony.
There were a few other speakers as well. One man told us about the various experiments that were getting launched into space as part of this mission, from Goodyear tires to cellular research (and even Nickelodeon’s famous green slime). Another suited fellow emphasized how excited he was that we will soon be able to industrialize space. He repeated himself; “Just think about that... Humanity stands on the verge of industrializing space.” I thought about it. I don’t think my internal reaction was the one he was hoping for.
Once the presentation was over, we all went out to the balcony to watch the launch. While I enjoyed this special, once-in-a-lifetime experience, I couldn’t help but notice that this bourgeois treatment for NASA’s invited guests was in stark contrast to the bland treatment of regular visitors. While the Visitor Complex does have interesting and well-crafted exhibits, there were still many travelers who must’ve felt let down by the lackluster celebrations on Apollo 11’s anniversary. In particular, I compared our treatment to that of retired NASA workers like Bob Granath; despite 35 years of service to NASA, the Visitor Complex treated him like just another tourist. I suppose Delaware North holds most of the blame for that, though.
You know you're at a fancy event when they give you those tiny plates.
Throughout the evening, I tried to figure out who these other invited guests were. I initially assumed that they must be wealthy donors to receive such a lush reception. In reality, I was able to infer (from a bit of eavesdropping and other context clues) that many of the invited guests were from the teams who designed the experiments that were getting launched to the Space Station on SpaceX’s rocket. Knowing this made me feel a bit more comfortable about the whole event; if anyone deserves a special reception from NASA, it’s these inventive scientists and their families. However, this also made me feel even more out of place than I already did. I always feel a bit uncomfortable at fancy events, but that feeling was amplified when I realized that most of the people around me did something to actually contribute to this mission. I suspected that I only got in because of my college.harvard.edu email account.
Although, I do suppose that my role as a visiting researcher warranted my presence at the event, since NASA wanted me to get a better sense of the agency’s culture. Plus, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the experience. It felt really cool to be treated like a VIP by NASA, an organization I’ve admired since I was a kid. So, I did my best to take everything in and amp myself up. I was about to see a rocket go into space!
Me and the boys boutta head to the Moon.
The launch was cancelled in the last 30 seconds. The weather was just a bit too unfavorable. The mission was rescheduled for 6:01pm on the following day, and since July 25th would be my last full day in Florida, this new window would be my final chance to view a launch during my trip. The weather forecast predicted storms, so I prepared for the worst.
I returned to the Visitor Complex the following day at noon. I had bought tickets for a second lunch with an astronaut, this time with Al Worden. Al Worden, now 87 years old, flew the Command Module for Apollo 15 in 1971. This makes him one of only 24 humans who have been to the Moon (although he didn’t get to set foot on the surface). Al seemed like a funny and interesting guy. He told us that the launch of Apollo 15 was so smooth that he and his crewmates couldn’t even tell that they had lifted off. He also told us that, even though he had a World Record for being the most isolated man in history, he never felt lonely as he flew around the Moon. (He further pointed out the irony of having a “World” record for a feat he accomplished while orbiting the Moon.) He even informed us that he and his crewmates were the only Apollo astronauts that refused to turn over their solid waste to NASA doctors for inspection after they landed.
Al laying out his response to the common question, "Was it lonely up there?"
They didn’t give us any time to ask questions. I’m not sure if that was Al’s decision or the moderator’s. We did get to take photos with him, though. I expected meeting an Apollo astronaut to be the obvious highlight of my trip, but I think getting invited to NASA’s private launch viewing takes the cake.
Me and Al.
So, that afternoon, I returned to the secret bus entrance. NASA reinvites all its guests in the event of a launch delay, so they brought us right back to the fifth floor balcony. The event was essentially a repeat of the previous day, with the same guests and the same catering. The only difference was that this time, there was no big presentation — what more could they say?
I claimed a spot along the balcony half an hour before launch. Since the previous launch was cancelled at the last half-minute, I was mentally prepared for another letdown tonight. It had been raining off-and-on all day, with 50% odds of a successful launch. I kept my eyes on one of the balcony’s many countdown timers. Once it hit thirty seconds — the same time at which the previous launch had been cancelled — a voice over the PA said “We’re go for launch.” At that point, everyone on the balcony cheered.
We all joined in for the final ten-second countdown. Then, a plume of smoke appeared beneath the rocket, and it began to lift (rather slowly) off the ground with a jet of fire behind it. As it rose higher, the immensely bright fire was far more visible than the rocket itself. I alternated between watching it with my bare eyes and through my binoculars. I also filmed the first minute, but without really paying attention to if my phone’s footage was any good. After a few minutes of tracking the rocket through my binoculars, I’m fairly certain I saw the Falcon 9 separate from the capsule that would continue on to the space station. It was hard to tell for sure, though, because it was so tiny at that point.
My footage actually turned out pretty well, but you can find much better videos of the launch online.
They told us that the rocket was scheduled to land about eight minutes after it launched. While this was not a particularly historic launch, reusable rockets that can land safely are a relatively new invention. I heard someone nearby say that he’s seen many rocket launches, but this would be his first time seeing a rocket landing.
After losing sight of the rocket, I eventually heard the crowd stir around me, and I noticed that it was once again visible as it returned to Earth. I watched its descent through my binoculars. It looked to be falling incredibly fast, but then another jet of fire appeared below it and it began to slow down. It also went from an angled descent to becoming perfectly perpendicular to the ground. Then, I witnessed its landing. It honestly looked like a delicate touchdown, but the sonic boom that hit us a few seconds later indicated just how much force was packed into that landing. Still, I have to congratulate SpaceX for making the launch and safe landing of a rocket look routine. The organization has come a long way.
Heading to space.
As we filed out of the event, they gave us CRS-18 mission patches and T-shirts, which apparently they only do in the event of a successful mission. It honestly felt like they were doing too much at that point, but I was still grateful. Seeing that rocket launch from inside the heart of NASA’s Florida HQ was a truly memorable experience, and a great conclusion to my trip; I really do appreciate being sent that ticket. Plus, I'm incredibly grateful for the Rosenkrantz grant that made this whole trip possible. Unfortunately, though, I think the rest of my summer is going to be pretty boring in comparison!
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