Watch - Spacewalk and SpaceX 'Flight-Proven' Rocket Launch Today!

There are two awesome things happening in space today, and you can watch them both live! 

First, tune in this morning to watch Expedition 50 Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson of NASA work in the harsh vacuum of space on the International Space Station. The astronauts will be working on tasks related to prepping the station for commercial crew vehicles, scheduled to start arriving next year or the year after. They will also be doing general station maintenance.

Tune in to NASA TV now to watch the live broadcast of HUMANS working in SPACE. I love watching the spacewalks as I go about my work. Astronauts do this work so frequently that it can begin to seem routine - no big deal. However, remember that these spacewalks are incredibly difficult. The pressure suits which keep the astronauts alive are clumsy and difficult. Working without gravity takes much more concentration and effort than doing the same tasks on Earth. And, of all the 7 billion humans living right now, only two are out in the vacuum of space - Shane and Peggy. 

Screenshot from a helmet camera at today's space walk.

Tiny humans, vast space.

The second awesome event happening today is SpaceX's first launch of a 'Flight-Proven' or used rocket! This same rocket was used last April to send a Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station. The rocket landed on April 8 in the Atlantic Ocean on a SpaceX drone ship named Of Course I Still Love You. (See video below - if you are a space geek like me it might make you cry). This Falcon 9 launch will put a communication satellite into orbit, for coverage of Latin America. 

So what's the big deal? Reuseable rockets are a very big deal. SpaceX has been working for years on safely launching rockets and then landing them again. Slowing down a rocket that is moving at ballistic speed, and landing it on a tiny target in the middle of the ocean is an incredibly difficult task. They have had some setbacks, such as the explosion in January of 2016 (video below) but have also had seven successful landings of rockets after launch, either on a ground pad or drone ship. Today will be the first time they relaunch one of those rockets.

Today's launch is an important step in proving the reliability of reusable rockets. If SpaceX and other companies can launch rockets and payloads into space, and then reuse some of the most expensive parts, the cost of spaceflight could be greatly reduced. Less expensive launches means more exploration, which would be a benefit for all. It will also help Elon Musk start his Mars settlement someday, launching us into the future.

Watch the launch and landing of the Falcon 9 live today. SpaceX will be streaming live from their YouTube channel beginning at 5:27 PM CDT. 

There are many difficulties in the world, but it is also a fantastic time to be alive. I hope you enjoy watching all the space awesomeness that is happening today, and keep your fingers crossed that the Falcon 9 launch and landing is successful! 
You can always learn what's up in the night sky and the latest news from space at the Dome Planetarium at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for daily updates.  

Join us for pizza, beer, and awesome space news at Pub Night Under the Stars!