Six years ago today was the first #SpaceX #FalconHeavy launch. The launch site was #NASA #KSC Pad 39A. The payload was an early #Tesla Roadster that to this day loops between Earth and Mars.
I can't stress enough how much this test flight made us all giddy. Like most of Elon's engineering ideas, it was crazy but it worked. The U.S. once again had the most powerful rocket on the planet.
@WordsmithFL
Much as I disdain Musk, I have to agree that it was a great boon for the U.S. For years our space program had been foundering, and Russia was taking the lead.
@p3R1n01D My Florida space politics history book is almost done. The "climax" is in 2010, when Elon takes Obama on a tour of Pad 40 to show him the Falcon 9, talks about reusability bringing down the cost.
Obama spent serious political capital to make it happen. The locals really hated Obama for breaking up the OldSpace monopoly, but it was the right thing to do.