For the next couple weeks I will be posting the Gratitude Journal prompts that are being given to my students and my response post.

I’ve been a NASA nerd since I was a child growing Southern California in the 1960s watching Gemini and Apollo launches and missions on TV. So when I moved to Florida in 2008 I couldn’t wait to watch a space shuttle launch in person. The locals thought I was more than a bit nuts but over the next nine years I visited Kennedy Space Center (or a hole-in-the-wall bar on the river across from KSC) to watch launches, take tours or other events 36 times. I was sad when I heard that the space shuttle program would be ending in 2011 but kept finding reasons to visit. One major highlight was being selected to participate in a three-day NASA Social event in 2014 where I got to watch the maiden launch of the Orion capsule, that is currently orbiting the moon (in 2014 is was launched on top of a Delta IV rocket). Here’s the video that I shot of the launch:

launch of EFT1/Orion on 2014-12-05 by Joe Bustillos

I was also chosen to participate in two State of NASA events in 2015 & 2016, getting behind the scenes presentations by NASA officials and spokespersons. 

NASA Social 2015 day-pass
NASA Social 2015 day-pass
2015-02-02_State_of_NASA_Event
2015-02-02_State_of_NASA_Event
2016-02-09 State of NASA Event
2016-02-09 State of NASA Event

There’s something about the place that stirs my optimism and curiosity for the future and humanity’s potential to do great things. It connects me to my childhood watching launches on a small black and white TV and all of the amazing gadgets and technologies that I use every day. It’s been a while since my last visit, but I have some wonderful memories and appreciation for my chance to have frequent visits to Kennedy Space Center complex and area. The following is an image that I captured from the Old Florida Grill on the river across from KSC enjoying a corona  in 2010. Enjoy.

2010-05-14 STS132 Atlantis Launch
2010-05-14 STS132 Atlantis Launch

My list of visits to Kennedy Space Center/Rocket Launches (37)

  • 1999-04: KSC tour (Magnet school trip)
  • 2008-11-14: KSC: Launch of STS 126 Endeavour
  • 2009-04-19: KSC visit with Richard Repp
  • 2009-05-11: KSC: Launch of STS 125 Atlantis
  • 2009-07-12 & 13: KSC: Launch of STS 127 Endeavour (multiple visits/scrubs, viewed eventual launch on TV 2009-07-15)
  • 2009-07-16: KSC: Apollo 11 40th anniversary event
  • 2009-08-24 & 28: KSC: Launch of STS 128 Atlantis (two visits/one scrub)
  • 2009-11-16: Old Florida Grill: Launch of STS 129 Atlantis
  • 2010-02-07 & 08: KSC: Launch of STS 130 Endeavour  (??? Old Florida Grill) – visit KSC)
  • 2010-04-05: KSC: Launch of STS 131 Discovery
  • 2010-04-10 KSC: Apollo 13 40th anniversary
  • 2010-05-14: Old Florida Grill: Launch of STS 132 Atlantis
  • 2010-07-03: Birthday KSC Visit
  • 2010-10-31: KSC visit with Kathie, Joel, Creagan and Tami
  • 2011-02-24: Old Florida Grill: Launch of STS 133 Discovery
  • 2011-03-26: KSC visit
  • 2011-04-29: Old Florida Grill: Launch of STS 134 Endeavour scrubbed
  • 2011-05-16: Old Florida Grill: Launch of STS 134 Endeavour
  • 2011-08-07: KSC visit with Tricia and Drea
  • 2011-11-26: KSC: Launch of MSL with Tricia
  • 2012-07-01: KSC Birthday Tour (with Tricia)
  • 2014-07-03: KSC Birthday visit
  • 2014-07-20: KSC: 45th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing’
  • 2014-12-03 – 05: KSC: NASA Social & The Launch of EFT1 Orion/Delta Heavy
  • 2015-02-02: KSC: NASA Social: State of NASA event
  • 2015-12-05: KSC: Spirit of Exploration event
  • 2016-02-09: KSC: NASA Social: State of NASA event
  • 2016-02-20: KSC visit: Cosmic Quest
  • 2016-06-04: KSC visit: Cosmic Quest
  • 2016-06-09 & 11: KSC: Delta IV scrub & launch
  • 2016-07-23: KSC visit: Cosmic Quest
  • 2017-07-05: KSC visit
  • 2017-07-05: Old Florida Grill: SpaceX Launch