Atlas Launch

On April 18, 2017, there was an Atlas V launch from the Cape Canaveral Air Station. The unmanned cargo ship named the SS John Glenn was on its way to the International Space Station with 7600 pounds of food, supplies, and experiments. I had decided to go to Jetty Park to capture some photos of the launch.

It was a beautiful day with a few clouds. People were swimming in the ocean to the south toward the pier at Cocoa Beach....
Cocoa Beach Pier from Jetty Park

There were no cruise ships around but there was plenty of activity. I caught this photo of the Orlando Princess, a fishing charter that leaves from Port Canaveral...
Orlando Princess fishing charter

Another fishing boat, this one commercial, cruised by on its way to the Atlantic Ocean for a day of netting. I assume they were looking for shrimp but it could be fish too.
Miss Lynn

Another charter, this one a little smaller and called the Ocean Obsession II, was also headed out to the ocean for a day of fishing. I liked the size of this boat. I should check it out...
Ocean Obsession II

At two minutes to launch, the gambling ship Victory I, passed by for an afternoon of gambling. It would be returning at about 4 PM and then go out again in the evening. I was hoping to get the rocket launch over the boat, but no such luck...
Victory Casino Gambling Ship

The launch was at 11:11 AM, right on time. I took this wide angle shot with the fiery launch in the middle of the photo.
Atlas V launch from Cape Canaveral 

It was a little hazy below the clouds, but the rocket was heading up...
Atlas V launch

And then the rocket entered the clouds...
Atlas V entering the clouds


After a short period of time, the rocket popped back out of the clouds...
Atlas V above the clouds


Here is a zoomed view of the rocket as it continues up and now toward the North East....
Atlas V launch from Cape Canaveral

 And then I saw something weird in the viewer of my camera. It looked like the rocket was headed toward some Unidentified Object. The rocket also started to have a contrail....
Atlas V launch headed toward small round object

As the Atlas V passed the round object, I took this zoomed-in photo...
Atlas V passes round object

I am not sure, but it could be a weather balloon. I know they do release them before and at launch. It seems a little big though but I am not a professional at viewing them. I was a professional in using the data from them for some of the met models I help write. You can see the object again near the contrail as the rocket heads further up...
Atlas V launch with round object near contrail

I took this last photo of the rocket as the vapor trail widens as the rocket heads away from us...
Atlas V launch

The launch was over and now it was time for lunch. Since I was at the Port, I headed over to Fishlips. They have really great new England Clam Chowder. I also ordered what they called Cajun Angels. This is shrimp, wrapped in bacon and served with a mango salsa. There were two skewers with three on each. A cold Stella Artois help the spicy shrimp go down....
Cajun Angels

The launch and lunch were both successful. I hope the fisherman and gamblers were as lucky!

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