Isla Blanca here we come!

On the second attempt today there was lift-off for Starship SN10!

We were afraid we would miss what looked like a SpaceX Starship SN10 launch this morning because Pat had a 10 a.m. dentist appt. We made it to our viewing spot in Port Isabel around 11.  It finally took off around 5:30 p.m.!  

There was a first launch attempt around 2:30 p.m. but it wasn't successful.  We actually decided to go home and had stopped at a park in Port Isabel to let Krikkit out, and to find us a bathroom.  We were surprised when we got a message from our elder son, Josh, that they were going to try for a second launch today. We grabbed a cold drink at What-A-Burger and headed back to wait for another launch attempt.  It was a beautiful day, sky, and launch.  The rocket reached it's peak (10 Km), went horizontal as was intended to slow it down, and then all 3 raptors lit, shutting down to 1 at the landing.  It made a soft landing, although the rocket definitely had lean to it after it landed.  We figured it would fall over, and because of a slight hill we couldn't see the fins or below, so we figured we would only see a cloud of smoke or fire if it did fall over, so we left.  Stopped at the same park for a bathroom, and then we heard the big boom and saw all of the smoke.  What we didn't see from this vantage point was the fire and blast that actually propelled the rocket up again before it exploded and landed.  I think the launch and even the landing (first time it succeeded in a soft landing) was considered a success and it was magnificent to see!

Our merchandise purchases help fund NasaSpaceflight.  Originally set up to cover Nasa space shuttle launches, they now provide a live web-cam and coverage of SpaceX launches.

Starting before take-off,

going up,

transitioning to the horizontal position,

 horizontal,

righting itself,

just before landing,

and finally the soft landing.

Monday night at 8 p.m. Isla Blanca County Park began taking reservations for next season.  Pat, along with Pat's sister Sally, had their computers ready and forms filled out.   At 8 the action began.  You selected a site still available and clicked go.  Either the program was overloaded (very competitive), the site was already taken, got a 15 minute notice indicating someone else was working on getting that site and had 15 minutes to try and complete it and sometimes you got through.  Once Pat got in, he got a couple of 15 minute notices but finally got through to a site and he had 15 minutes to complete the process, including acknowledging their policies and paying.  With 2 minutes left of the 15 he finally got the credit card to go through.  With so many people it kept timing out and he had to keep retrying.  Sally had the same process.  It looked like Nasa Control celebrating upon a successful launch when we were both successful and had sites near each other for the month of January 2022! 

Our sight for Jan. 2022 at Isla Blanca.

Our street and our site will be where the first trailer is.

We will have a great view for a SpaceX Launch.  You can see the rocket on the launchpad 5 miles away at Boca Chica on the left. Hope there is launch in Jan.!

On Tues. Krikkit had surgery to remove an anal gland tumor.  She did great, although last night was LOOONG.  We tried keeping the cone on her when she was unattended, as the vet recommended for 14 days until her stitches come out.  I laid on the floor with her part of the time, then the couch petting her constantly, and I finally took the collar off at 5:30 a.m. so we could both get an hours rest.  I don't think she's tried to go after the stitch area, and with her bad legs I don't think she can even get her front half back to the rear end.  We have had it off all day while supervising with no problem, so tonight we may be going without it.  I'm tired!  While Krikkit was at the vet we took a trip to South Padre to check out our camp site for next Jan., and to visit Sea Turtles, Inc., a sea turtle rescue group.  Last time we were at South Padre it was closed.  It looks like they do great work, but they were crowded and it looked like more than their 100 person capacity.  No desire to be in a crowd so we walked through and didn't stay.

Some snuggling before bed.

Poor Krikkit!  The cone of shame.

Sea Turtles, Inc. had a turtle on the Sea Turtle Art Trail