Astro Hawk (Ian Kluft) ✅🚀🛰️Apr 18, 2024
"The hidden story behind one of SpaceX’s wettest and wildest launches" by @ArsTechnica/@SciGuySpace - 10 years ago today, #NASA #CRS3 launch to #ISS caused questions about dirt splashed on rocket. (I was there with #NASASocial.) https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/04/the-hidden-story-behind-one-of-spacexs-wettest-and-wildest-launches/ #NewSpace #SpaceX #Falcon9
The hidden story behind one of SpaceX’s wettest and wildest launches

"It looked like a giant smoke monster."

Ars Technica
Show threadAstro Hawk (Ian Kluft) ✅🚀🛰️Apr 18, 2024
I was among @NASASocial #SocialMedia reporters for #SpaceX #CRS3 launch at Cape Canaveral 10 years ago today. At the time I posted my own photo of the mystery dirty water plume splashing up from the flame trench onto the rocket. https://twitter.com/ikluft/status/457254019287633921 #NewSpace #SpaceX #Falcon9
Ian Kluft ✈️🎈🌋 @[email protected] (@ikluft) on X

black plume at engine start - some think possibly rainwater in flame trench. #NASASocial #CRS3 #SpaceX3 #newspace

X (formerly Twitter)
Show threadAstro Hawk (Ian Kluft) ✅🚀🛰️
Also at #NASA #CRS3 launch 10 years ago, I asked in post-launch news conference how much air&land area they expected to close when a rocket would be coming back down to land at the Cape. Practically sci-fi topic then, normal now. Answer by #SpaceX: yet to be decided but probably no more than for launch. #NewSpace
Apr 18, 2024 at 8:30pmWeb
Show threadAstro Hawk (Ian Kluft) ✅🚀🛰️Apr 19, 2024
After I asked the question at #CRS3 post-launch news conference, while #SpaceX VP Hans was answering it, my phone suddenly perked up with a bunch of notification vibrations. Many friends who saw me on NASA TV were commenting "great question Ian!" 😀 #NASA #NewSpace