Last week was a very exciting week in Florida for the 2020 Women in Aviation Conference. Conveniently, the last SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket launched out of Cape Canaveral last Friday night. Watching the launch was a once in a life time opportunity. It was well worth the one hour drive and the pricey toll roads.
The Falcon 9 Rocket was launched to the International Space Station. The rocket's objective was to deliver cargo to the astronauts currently in the International Space Station. The cargo contained items for the astronauts to conduct experiments in the Space Station. We were able to hear the sonic boom and even watch the rocket's booster land back at Cape Canaveral. The launch was at night which made the launch easier to watch.
I started my first day of the conference with a tour of Kennedy Space Center. It was my second time visiting Kennedy. The tour didn't vary much from the last time I visited in 2017. However, I was able to see the airport located at the Space Center, KTTS. The runway was three miles long, the fourth longest runway in the United States. The last Space Shuttle to fly, the Atlantis, had its final landing at this airport.
The second day of the conference I had the honor to hear Eileen Collins, a former Space Shuttle pilot, speak. She had many great stories about her time spent in space. It was an honor to hear her speak. She left the entire crowd speechless with her stories flying the Space Shuttle and working in the International Space Station.
The week was full of space, one of my favorite things! I had a blast spending time at the conference and at Kennedy Space Center. I will definitely be back at Cape Canaveral later this year to watch the 2020 Mars Rover launch.
