Stunning Imagery Shows 1st Nighttime Falcon 9 Launch off Pad 39A; EchoStar XXIII Photo/Video Gallery

New post on Universe Today Stunning Imagery Shows 1st Nighttime Falcon 9 Launch off Pad 39A; EchoStar XXIII Photo/Video Gallery by Ken Kremer SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks to orbit with EchoStar XXIII TV satellite in this long exposure photo taken in front of NASA's countdown clock under moonlit skies at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 16 at 2:00 a.m. EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/Kenkremer.com KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - The opening volley of March Launch Madness started brilliantly as showcased by stunning imagery of the inaugural nighttime launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 off historic pad 39A under moonlit skies along the Florida Space Coast on Thursday, March 15. The post midnight spectacle thrilled spectators who braved the wee hours this morning and were richly rewarded with a rousing rush as The 229 foot tall Falcon 9 rocket thundered to life at 2:00 a.m. EDT Thursday, March 16 on a commercial liftoff from Launch Complex 39A on NASA's Kennedy Space Center and successfully delivered the high capacity ExchoStar XXIII TV broadcast satellite to geosynchronous orbit for Brazil. Check out the expanding spectacular gallery of launch photos and videos gathered from my space journalist colleagues, myself and spectators ringing the space coast. SpaceX announced that this was the last launch of an expendable Falcon 9. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Ken Kremer Streak shot of SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying EchoStar 23 TV satellite to orbit from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 16 at 2:00 a.m. EDT, as seen from the KSC press site. Credit: Julian Leek Streak shot of SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying EchoStar 23 TV satellite to orbit from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 16 at 2:00 a.m. EDT, as seen from the turn basin at the KSC press site. Credit: Jeff Seibert Blastoff of SpaceX Falcon 9 with EchoStar 23 TV satellite from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 16 at 2:00 a.m. EDT. Photo from camera inside the pad perimeter. Credit: Ken Kremer/Kenkremer.com Blastoff of SpaceX Falcon 9 with EchoStar XXIII TV satellite for Brazil from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 16 at 2:00 a.m. EDT. Photo from camera at the pad perimeter. Credit: Ken Kremer/Kenkremer.com Ken Kremer | March 17, 2017 at 11:58 pm | Tags: Falcon 9 rocket, Featured, geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), GTO, KSC Press Site, the moon | URL: http://wp.me/p1CHIY-yZx Comment    See all comments Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:  http://www.universetoday.com/134511/stunning-imagery-shows-1st-nighttime-falcon-9-launch-off-pad-39a-echostar-xxiii-photovideo-gallery/