If you ever get to see one just after sunset, the expanding exhaust plume is impressive, too, as the rocket goes high enough to be lit by the Sun. I haven’t personally seen any of the Falcon maneuvering thrusters during flyback (again, lit by the Sun), but the videos look awe inspiring.

If you haven’t watched satellites pass overhead, that is another fun activity. This occurs after sunset, when the sky is dark enough, or early in the morning, if you get up early. The satellites travel about as fast as airplanes high in the sky, but they are white, not red and green. The tumbling satellites may wink in and out every few seconds, still looking different than airplanes.

Once it gets too late in the evening, the satellites enter the Earth’s shadow and you can no longer see them.

If successful it will, I believe, be the highest performing tug on the market.

Just to clarify, it appears that Chimera can lift up to 4 tons to GEO. But Impulse Space’s Helios will be able to boost up to 5 tons to GEO.

The first flight of Helios is not expected until 2026, however.

https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1895101633287053345

“After liftoff on February 26, Athena established a stable attitude, solar charging, and radio communications contact with our mission operations center in Houston. The lander is in excellent health, sending selfies, and preparing for a series of planned main engine firings to refine her trajectory ahead of lunar orbit insertion, planned on March 3. Intuitive Machines is targeting a lunar landing opportunity on March 6.”

[Great selfie shots at the link.]

A lot of milestones still to be achieved, but it seems to be off to a great start.

Four really great payloads on this flight.