The Minotaur I rocket launches from Wallops on November 19, 2013
Last night, the United States simultaneously fired 29 satellites into orbit at one time from a Minotaur I rocket which lifted up from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at approximately 8:15 PM EST. The launch was visible to viewers hundreds of miles from the launching site. The main payload of the rocket was the U.S. Air Force’s STPSat-3, which measures various aspects of the launch and monitors the nature of outer space in an attempt to improve future satellite launches. The 28 other satellites were “microsatellites” designed by various companies, universities, and other entities to be as small and inexpensive as possible. One of the small “cubesats” was even put together by a magnet high school from Northern Virginia. Since the rocket launched from Wallops, it was visible across the Northeast as it streaked into orbit (although not by me since I was at a poetry reading at Dumbo—even if I had been outside there were bridges, skyscrapers, and looming edifices in every direction).
Dangit! Launch another one, Air Force, I swear I’ll pay better attention!
ferrebeekeeper 
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December 21, 2013 at 12:33 AM
Neomys Sapiens
Indeed nice and inspiring pictures. They remind me of a related, albeit darker) fascination of mine: whenever I enjoy a real scenic view of a landscape, city or something like that, I, being the child of the thermonuclear confrontation that I am, can’t help but to imagine how it would look if the reentry vehicles came in now, blazing their superheated path until terminating in the very big lights.
December 23, 2013 at 7:02 PM
Wayne
Believe me, I know where you are coming from. I grew up during the eighties and had terrible nightmares and anxieties about thermonuclear war putting an end to all great human aspirations. In Ohio, I once heard a sonic boom, and I assumed it was the beginning of the end. All of my school age chums seemed pretty sanguine though, and it turns out they were right (at least so far).
December 26, 2013 at 7:35 PM
Neomys Sapiens
Nightmare? Not really. Just a very ultimate application of physics to the problems of the time. You got me slightly wrong there, although it may be for the better the way it is.