Remember this entire situation from the SpaceX post?

That was my visual representation of Elon Musk’s statement on the requirements to colonize Mars and establish humanity as a sustainable multi-planetary civilization:

There needs to be an overlap of individuals willing to go to Mars and those financially able to go. If this intersection equals the required number of people to make Mars self-sufficient, that’s the crucial solution.

Following the post, Elon invited me to assist in hosting SpaceX’s upcoming launch webcast to enhance the interest in space exploration.

I replied positively, expressing my willingness to contribute. Subsequently, life got busy, and I moved on.

Fast forward to today. SpaceX is set for its first launch in six months after the setback in June, and I find myself in LA. The launch is scheduled for 8:33 pm EST on Monday, 12/21, which is tonight.

The live webcast of the launch will be broadcasted on Blue Jay Blog, commencing shortly after 8:00 pm.

While the main goal of the launch is to deploy 11 satellites into orbit for Orbcomm, there are three other compelling storylines:

Storyline 1) Significant Risk: This launch marks SpaceX’s 25th, with previous failures followed by a pattern of successes. However, the recent failure due to a snapped steel bar has raised the stakes significantly. Another failure today could pose a critical setback for SpaceX.

Storyline 2) Groundbreaking Opportunity: SpaceX aims to achieve a major milestone by attempting to land the rocket’s first stage vertically, a feat that could revolutionize space travel costs. Unlike Blue Origin’s achievements, SpaceX is targeting a much more complex task with higher stakes.

Storyline 3) Unusual Host: Amid SpaceX’s historic attempt, I’ll be navigating an awkward hosting role during the live broadcast, trying to find my place among the SpaceX team.

If successful, this landing could mark a pivotal moment in space exploration, altering the future of human space travel. While it may not grab widespread attention, the industry giants will certainly be watching closely.

Key moments to watch during the launch include the deployment of the satellites, the separation and landing of the first stage, and the overall mission outcome.

Launch is set for 8:33 pm EST tonight. The webcast begins shortly after 8:00 pm. Fingers crossed for a successful mission.

For more details on SpaceX, colonization of Mars, and launch updates, check out the full SpaceX post on WBW.

UPDATE: Here’s the recording of the entire webcast:

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