Counting 'em Down: For better or for worse, this is the Headline Surfer countdown of 2021's Top 100 biggest news stories of Central Florida along the tourism-driven stretch of Interstate 4 (Orlando Attractions and east to I-95 & the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona). Each recap segment is posted with its own headline, culminating with the unveiling of No. 1, before switching to the Top 5 storylines -- the good, the bad & the ugly on the horizon in "2022: The Year That Lies Ahead."
Photos for Headline Surfer / Photo for Headline Surfer / New Smyrna Beach resident Sylvan MacElroy's pic of Sept 15, 2021, SpaceX mission captured from a remote stretch of Bethune Beach, includes a picture-within-picture still image of the launch. McElroy is shown below.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- SpaceX’s Falcon 9 successfully launched the Inspiration4 mission – the world’s first all-civilian human spaceflight to orbit – from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Central Florida.
"It's always awesome when there's a launch just after sunset or just before dawn," said So New Smyrna Beach resident Sylvan McElroy, an amateur photographer, and real estate broker by trade.
"It's always awesome when there's a launch just after sunset or just before dawn." So says New Smyrna Beach resident Sylvan McElroy. "You get this amazing glow of the ice crystals in the upper atmosphere from the sunlight below the horizon - not sure what flat-Earthers say about this," McElroy posted on his Facebook page moments after the launch, which he captured from a remote stretch of Bethune Beach.
"It's always awesome when there's a launch just after sunset or just before dawn." So says New Smyrna Beach resident Sylvan McElroy. "You get this amazing glow of the ice crystals in the upper atmosphere from the sunlight below the horizon - not sure what flat-Earthers say about this," McElroy posted on his Facebook page moments after the launch, which he captured from a remote stretch of Bethune Beach.
"Space X did it again! That is... basically being Captain kickass when it comes to Space," McElroy said after the launch. "This time launching four civilian astronauts... yes civilian... yes astronauts. Not like those other Galactic-Origin-a-few-seconds-of-zero-G-circus-ride for billionaire stunts! This is the real deal... the future. The stuff that might someday save the human race! Multi-planet civilization or we go extinct! Anyway... I enjoyed it from the backwaters of Bethune Beach on a little solo kayak trip. Just me and nature and that giant orange fireball in the sky!"
Inspiration4 was commanded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments and an accomplished pilot and adventurer.
Joining him was Medical Officer Hayley Arceneaux, a physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and pediatric cancer survivor; Mission Specialist Chris Sembroski, an Air Force veteran and aerospace data engineer; and Mission Pilot Dr. Sian Proctor, a geoscientist, entrepreneur, and trained pilot.
The mission's purpose was two-fold:
• Raise $200 million for St. Jude - The Inspiration4 mission is part of Jared’s ambitious fundraising goal to give hope to all kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Visit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to learn how you can help the Inspiration4 crew reach their $200M fundraising goal.
• Study the human body in space - During their multi-day journey in orbit, the Inspiration4 crew will conduct scientific research designed to advance human health on Earth and during future long-duration spaceflights.
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.