Falcon 9 Launch, March 1, 2015

The SpaceX Falcon 9 was launched at 10:50 p.m. on March 1.
On board is the Eutelsat 115 (Satmex 7) and ABS 3A satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40). 

I'm fortunate to watch many launches from my front porch.
On a night launch you can follow the flame for a few minutes before it disappears.
This one looked like it was pulsing. Brighter then dimmer every few seconds.

Top photo by Walter Scriptunas.

Atlas V Launch, January 23, 2014

One great thing about living in Central Florida - If the skies are clear you can watch the Cape Canaveral launches from your front porch!

The Atlas V went up at around 9:30 last night.
I took the (bad) picture on the right. It looked a lot like a moving bright star at this point.
Moments later the light went out. The flame started again which meant staging had occurred.

Here's some background from the NASA website:
An Atlas V rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, piercing the clear night sky on a mission to carry a NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite into orbit.

The rocket launched at 9:33 p.m. Thursday, carrying not only the TDRS-L satellite, but also special tribute into space honoring longtime NASA engineer Capt. Arthur J. "Skip" Mackey Jr., who died in November.

Mackey was the "Voice of NASA" in the 1960s and '70s, when he broadcast countdowns for the agency's rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

It was Mackey's voice the nation heard when NASA began broadcasting countdowns to the public for the first time. Mackey stayed in that role until retiring after decades of service.

Etched onto the side of the Atlas V was a tribute that read:

In memory of our colleague and friend
Arthur J. "Skip" Mackey Jr.
1933-2013

The NASA and ULA Team

Aside from the etching on the rocket, the launch of a tracking and telemetry satellite is a fitting tribute to Mackey as well. It represents the same type of work "Skip" did with NASA.

The TDRS-L is the second of three next-generation satellites scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral to replace older satellites already in orbit. It's designed to help improve the space agency's Earth-to-space communications network.

Delta IV Night Launch January 19, 2012

There's some great advantages living in Central Florida.
Last night I was able to walk out my front door and watch the first launch of 2012, the Delta IV from Cape Canaveral, a little over 50 miles away.

Night launches are always spectacular. Depending on the flight trajectory, you can watch the fireball arc across the sky for several minutes. Last night was very clear.
Off the back I thought I was seeing sparks until I realized these were the four SRMs. You could see their tumbling path as they fell.

From the Space.com article HERE
"Flown only once before, this version of the Delta is distinguished by a five-meter payload shroud and four solid rocket boosters. Many other Medium+ rockets have launched over the years with the smaller four-meter nose cone and only two solid motors."
Delta 4 in a configuration known as the Medium+ (5,4)