Since I began covering the space beat, I have had the opportunity to attend numerous rocket launches in person, but seeing Starship was a completely different experience.
Yes, it's a giant rocket — the largest ever built — and part of what makes seeing a rocket launch so amazing is the sheer enormity of size and power you feel when watching one take flight, but that's not what really set this one apart. This launch felt special because of the people who flocked to witness the occasion, and the personal impact getting so close to a rocket so big can have.
