STP-2 Falcon Heavy by SpaceX on Ektachrome film
Don't take my Ektachrome away.
One of the four cameras I fielded for the #STP2 #FalconHeavy launch by #SpaceX was a 35mm film camera. After this launch, I sat on this roll of film for about 10-days before sending it to The Darkroom for processing and scanning. I forgot about the roll, and then when I remembered, I thought I hadn't gotten anything usable. I put the hand-warmer on the lens later than I thought I should have, and I recollected that all my gear was covered in dew at the time of launch, so I thought this frame would be a foggy mess.
When I received this scan via email, I was delighted.
Although this shot is very similar to the great shots taken by John Kraus and John Pisani, the novelty here is that this is a 20-ish minute long exposure captured on newly re-released Kodak Ektachrome 100 transparency film. The curved streak is the fully assembled Falcon Heavy rocket; the two streaks above the launch streak are from the side boosters returning to the Cape, then the two streaks in the center of the shot are the boosters descending safely (and loudly, sonic booms and all) to LZ1 and LZ2.
The location we were shooting from is quite remarkable and historic: Pad 9 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where tests of the Navaho missile took place. You can see a small portion of the launch structure leaning into the left part of the frame - this is where I ran to after the Falcon Heavy was off the pad to be in position for landing.
In the foreground and to the right is historic LC31/32, built to launch Minuteman and Pershing missiles. The beehive-shaped structure is one of two blockhouses, and the starburst of light to the left of the beehive is from the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse.
Of particular note, about 1,200 feet from the beehive in this frame (right) is the LC31 silo, where recovered debris from Space Shuttle Challenger is stored.
Big thanks to the 45th Space Wing for allowing us to shoot from this incredible location, it was a memorable (and rather late; the launch was at 2:30 am) night.
Details:
20-minute exposure at f22 taken with Kodak Ektachrome 100 transparency film in a Canon Elan 7 camera with a Rokinon 12mm fish-eye lens. The launch and landing only took 8-ish minutes, but I opened the exposure about 10-minutes before launch.
