Plan a SpaceX launch watch party
At 3:33 p.m. CST on Wednesday, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a SpaceX spacecraft. This will be the first crewed launch from U.S. soil since 2011. Their destination: the International Space Center.
As most earthbound people these days are confined to a capsule we call “home,” Space Center Houston is providing resources and ideas to make it a little more fun for those watching the big launch.
“Space Center Houston has a really active digital platform of content for the public,” said William T. Harris, the center’s president and CEO. “Since we’re in the COVID-19 world right now, we’ve made it even more robust.”
A live stream will start at 11 a.m. on NASA Television, with expert interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at the mission for space enthusiasts to enjoy while they wait for the rocket to launch. Plus, Space Center Houston put together a guide to throwing your own watch party from home.
The guide includes links to various space-inspired recipes, such as galaxy brownies and color-changing Galaxy Lemonade. As a self-described chocoholic, Harris is partial to the chocolate moon rocks. Or opt for a more humble astronaut meal: homemade flour tortillas. There are also ideas for kid-friendly activities like making a DIY astronaut costume and a straw rocket, featuring how-to videos for each.
Every party needs good music. The Demo-2 Launch Spotify playlist is a compilation of 25 space-themed songs. “One of my favorite songs is Frank Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me to the Moon.’ It’s a classic,” Harris said.
Space Center, which is still closed because of the novel coronavirus, also launched Virtual Campouts, an event led by astronaut Fred Haise every two weeks. Attendees can stargaze, learn how to make astronaut meals at home, go on augmented reality virtual tours of the museum and partake in many other space and science learning experiences.
Find the full guide on the center’s website, spacecenter.org