Rocket Launches

I love a photography challenge. Rockets!

The first time I witnessed a rocket launch was September 7, 2013 in Chincoteague Virginia. I drove my family several hours to see the launch of the LADEE mission from the MidAtlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS). It was a nighttime launch that could not have been more amazing. Launches were still a new event there, so the town directed visitors to park at the school and they provided buses to take people to the circle on Maddox Blvd. From there it was a short walk to the causeway that links Chincoteague and Assateague Island. It was a beautiful night, with no wind. From the causeway there is a clear view of the launch pad, looking over the marsh. We watched the rocket light the sky up and rise, followed by the noise that arrived about 20 seconds later. I was hooked.

Over the years I've made several more trips to watch launches from MARS. Launches are now a routine event and the town no longer requires parking at the school. I've been able to park on the causeway several times for Antares launches, which are missions that resupplied the International Space Station. Daytime launches are still cool to see, but are unexpectedly harder to shoot than night launches. Heat haze is bad, even on cold days. The shot below shows a launch on November 2, 2019, with lots of distortion.

Antares Launch: CRS NG-12

After that rocket climbed, it was clearer, but of course also farther away, making for disappointing photos.

CRS NG-12

We got super-lucky with that first trip to Chincoteague because the launch actually happened. We've made about a dozen trips for launches; about half the time they get scrubbed because of technical problems, weather, or boats in the prohibited area.

I've gotten better gear and now I've had some practice. I was able to watch the Artemis 1 launch from the Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022. I did a ton of homework about how to set my camera up ahead of time; I couldn't afford to be fooling with settings during the launch. This one was incredible as the rocket lit the sky and flew downrange, visible for a LONG time. The sound was incredible. The ground shaking below the stands was incredible. This was an amazing experience.

Artemis 1 Launch

My wife and I happened to be in California when the SpaceX Transporter 17 mission launched from Vandenburg Space Force Base. This was another incredible night launch. The cloud ceiling was low so we had only a few seconds to watch before it disappeared.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch

And it's usually a good idea to photograph the pad after the rocket is gone.

After the Launch

So, like anything worth doing, it's difficult and rewarding when it works. Now I'm always looking for chances to do this again.