WLW: UC aerospace engineer talks about historic SpaceX launch

WLW's "Eddie and Rocky Show" turned to University of Cincinnati aerospace engineer to put this weekend's historic SpaceX launch into perspective.

It will be the first crewed launch for SpaceX and the first crewed launch on U.S. soil since the last space shuttle launch in 2011.

Mark Turner, a professor of aerospace engineering in UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science, told WLW it will mark a milestone in space exploration.

"It is huge," Turner said.

The commercialization of aerospace is opening space travel in ways undreamed of in previous generations, he said.

UC has a storied tradition in aerospace. After setting foot on the moon, the late astronaut Neil Armstrong left NASA to teach aerospace engineering at UC. UC graduates work for NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and aerospace research firms across the country.

Turner toured SpaceX while visiting his former students after their co-op at the aerospace company. He was amused to see that SpaceX founder Elon Musk had a cubicle rather than an office.

"On his wall is a picture of Mars and that's where he wants to go," Turner said.

Wednesday's scheduled launch was scrubbed by storms over Cape Canaveral. The next launch is rescheduled for 3:22 p.m. Saturday or, if necessary, at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Featured image at top: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral during a demonstration flight. Photo/Kim Shiflett/NASA