Cinco of May-o

REDSTONE REMEMBERED: While Cinco de Mayo, with Mexican origins, has become a big party day in the United States (tacos and tostadas for all!), May the 5th is an important date in American history. On this day in 1961, Alan Shepard became the nation's first astronaut. Launched in his Freedom 7 capsule atop a Mercury Redstone 3 rocket, Shepard completed a 15-minute sub-orbital flight, which reached a peak altitude of 116 statute miles. 

GIVING: We spent some time today on preliminary steps to help get a non-profit organization established to help benefit a local school. Annabelle was kind enough to draw up a mascot for the 'community chest' effort. His name is Chester, of course.

You'll note his shoes are green - the color of money. Let's hope Chester helps us get this non profit up and running in no time!

WAITING AND WATCHING: Tonight, SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Japanese communications satellite at 10:21 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.  While launches are cool and all, SpaceX has turned watching one into a double-your pleasure endeavor, as it's exciting waiting to see if their reusable rocket can stick the landing on a barge afterward. Fingers are crossed for success this evening!

UPDATE: The satellite is in orbit and they stuck the landing again! So awesome! Thanks to SpaceX, the age of the reusable rockets appears to be upon us!

I don't get tired of watching this clip from of a SpaceX rocket's epic landing on a droneship, "Of course I Still Love You."
Make sure you have the sound turned up when you watch the video. The rocket noise ahead of the arrival is cool! 
https://youtu.be/KDK5TF2BOhQ