A journey to capture SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy static fire test

As a launch photographer that has a work schedule as volatile as the rocket fuel being used by the very same subject matter that I’m trying to capture on film, having a plan-B in place comes with the territory. For hours, everything can appear routine, as I cycle through my usual list of photo preparations. But in the blink of an eye, the launch team could discover an issue that disrupts the entire day. That couldn’t be truer than my recent attempts to cover the highly anticipated SpaceX Falcon Heavy static fire test.

In those instances when unexpected circumstances can change long-prepared plans, any work that has been conducted up to that point has to be repeated at the next launch attempt. It happens often and it’s part of the gig. Needless to say, this profession takes immense passion and patience. It also helps to have a home life that’s equally patient and supportive.

The whirlwind of excitement began in early January when SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy was scheduled for its first test fire from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Checking Twitter in the pre-dawn hours of an overcast Cape Canaveral day, I quickly learned that any opportunity to hear the deafening roar of Falcon Heavy’s 27 Merlin engines ignite would have to wait until the next day. The weather was unpleasant; the skies were saturated in a thick haze of dreary gray, and the birds were eerily silent around Kennedy Space Center’s neighboring Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.

Falcon Heavy’s test wasn’t meant to be that day. Or in the days following.

The nature preserve surrounding the Kennedy Space Center has well-maintained gravel roads, pathways, boardwalks, and pull-offs, each with gorgeous views of an untouched Florida landscape. It’s a popular location for birdwatchers and wildlife photographers.

My journey to this location involves an hour-long drive through suburbs and rural areas, and a $10 entrance fee to the nature preserve. Gone are any signs of civilization, drowned in the silence of a peaceful Floridian backdrop of marshland and the occasional alligator making its way across gravel roads.

The weather ahead of Falcon Heavy’s second attempt at a test launch couldn’t be more perfect. Being one of the first to arrive on the scene, I had ample time to claim stake to a perfect vantage point for the perfect Falcon Heavy shot from the rooftop of my vehicle. Five Instagram stories into my stay and admittedly a few shameless selfies, the rest of the photojournalists began to arrive. It wasn’t long before a group of vacationers and sea of photographers arrived with cameras in tow and sights set on the Falcon Heavy launch pads.

As Falcon Heavy began venting LOX (Liquid Oxygen), a frenzy of rapid-fire shots immediately followed. The beast was breathing and would soon fire, so we thought.

A comment from one of the people in the crowd suggested that the large plume of LOX coming from SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy was a normal occurrence. The rumors began trickling in: ‘Falcon Heavy scrubbed for the day’ came first. Then, ‘dynamic loads’ cited in the next rumor.

Call it optimism or denial, every ounce of me rejected the notion that Falcon Heavy would not be firing today. Afterall, we saw the rocket venting and there was no confirmation of any sort that was making its way out of Cape Canaveral.

It wasn’t until we received word that a bug related to the hold-down clamp was the root cause for the cancellation. These clamps serve the critical function of firmly holding the rocket to the launch pad during static fire testing. If this component malfunctions, the rocket could potentially leave the pad. The attempt was scrubbed and rescheduled for another day.

My journey home had me pondering what I’d change for the next attempt.

The day had come for yet another Falcon Heavy static fire attempt. This time, I was armed with a mental image of the exact location of where to park and the exact steps needed for set up. I remembered to frame the image in a way that allows me to crop-out SpaceX’s competitor – United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) launch facilities.  While we’re granted press access to SpaceX launches, we are prohibited from taking images of other company’s launch facilities from the location of SpaceX’s launch pads. The same is true while we are in ULA locations: we can’t take images of SpaceX. So I maintain this unspoken rule while photographing Falcon Heavy out of respect for SpaceX and their brand. In some cases, it’s fitting to have the additional launch facilities in the image, but for my purposes of covering Falcon Heavy, it’s not.

A streak image of a ULA launch in December 2016. (Photo/TomCross)