As the Artemis I mission rocket blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center early Wednesday morning, people from across Central Florida came out to watch the flight.
The Space Launch System rocket used in the mission was the most powerful rocket ever to launch, with nearly 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
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News 6′s Jason Olson captured the scene from Oviedo, showing the Space Launch System rocket illuminating the night sky in the horizon.
News 6 digital journalist Jacob Langston took this nearly four-minute long exposure photo of the SLS rocket launching over Bethune Beach in New Smyrna Beach.
NASA's moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off Kennedy Space Center on the Artemis 1 mission, as seen from Bethune Beach in New Smyrna Beach on Nov. 16, 2022.#NASA #Artemis #ArtemisLaunch pic.twitter.com/L3AMD3k8FV
— Jacob Langston (@jacoblangston) November 16, 2022
The National Weather Service also got glimpses of the space-bound rocket, posting a picture of the flight on social media from Melbourne and a heat signature of the rocket from Memphis.
Go #Artemis! 🚀🌕 pic.twitter.com/gVQV7je8ml
— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) November 16, 2022
The heat signature of the #Artemis Moon Rocket can be seen as black dot on GOES East shortwave infrared imagery. Image frames are 30 seconds apart. pic.twitter.com/xMrrtK1670
— NWS Memphis (@NWSMemphis) November 16, 2022
Others took to Twitter to showcase the historic launch, which could be heard from miles away.
The video below by News 6 viewer Omar Izquierdo shows the rocket launch as seen from the Kennedy Space Center’s parking lot near the Vehicle Assembly Building.
#Artemis pic.twitter.com/qCE4wONL7I
— Omar ✈ (@izqomar) November 16, 2022
The University of Central Florida women’s basketball team had returned to campus after an away game when the launch went off, with the team’s head coach capturing the moment.
Only in Orlando you can return from a road win @UCF_WBB at 2am and watch a rocket launch 🚀 within 24 hours. #ChargeOn⚔️ 🏀 pic.twitter.com/JpvsfOMBUN
— Sytia Messer (@coachmesser) November 16, 2022
Space Florida took a photo from their Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility in Orlando.
A successful launch. 🚀 🌙 #artemis
— Space Florida (@SpaceFlorida) November 16, 2022
📸 Taken from the air traffic control tower at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility. pic.twitter.com/4i5UUvAP00
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