Saturday, May 30, 2020

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Did you watch it? This afternoon, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley climbed into the Dragon capsule and were gloriously shot into orbit by a SpaceX rocket. Their next stop is the International Space Station.

This launch was the first one from American soil in over nine years, as well as the first time NASA handed over much of the responsibility to a private corporation. Husband has been a dedicated fan of the US space program since his early childhood, so today’s long-anticipated milestone was a special moment for him.

Did you notice that the staff members at mission control were all wearing masks and were all seated a safe distance away from each other? Did you notice that every person spoken to during the course of the broadcast was either standing far away from the interviewer or was in a remote location? These are strange times indeed.

And, did you notice, how much more diverse today’s NASA staff and spokespersons were than in the past? Women and people of color were not only featured on camera, but are–more importantly–in positions of leadership at both NASA and SpaceX. Yes! These are wonderful times indeed.

Did you notice that America is stronger if we all respect each other and peacefully work alongside each other?

Today’s drink is my version of the Astronaut cocktail.

In a shaker half-full of ice, combine 1 ounce vodka, 1 ounce light rum, 1 ounce dark rum, 1/2 ounce pineapple juice, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, and 1/4 ounce lemon juice. Shake well and strain into a tall glass with several more fresh ice cubes. Top with 3-4 ounces of lime-flavored sparkling water. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.