It was supposed to be the dawn of a new chapter for American spaceflight. Instead, Elon Musk had to settle for a cheeseburger and a charge in West Melbourne.
It was that kind of day as Musk, SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO, apparently left Kennedy Space Center shortly after Wednesday's scrubbed launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft in what was to be the first manned rocket to launch from American soil since 2011.
The surprise visit took place at Hammock Landing Mall in West Melbourne where a Tesla Supercharger Station is also located.
"My husband saw it was him," said Sara Curry, who sat in the nearby Five Guys Restaurant after leaving Cape Canaveral to watch what would have been a historic launch. Instead, the launch was scrubbed due to weather.
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"I mentioned that I wanted to get a picture for our son who is at the University of Oregon since he is a big fan. He walked over and Musk was talking to the people about putting gaming systems in their cars."
Several social media posts show the billionaire — surrounded by stern-faced security guards — posing for photos with people. He waited in line to use a Supercharger at the stop, which sits several yards west of Five Guys.
"I just met (Musk) at a supercharger! And he talked to me," said Raf Fiol in a Twitter post about the encounter. Reports were that the CEO was at the outdoor mall with a Tesla Model X and Model X.
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Moments later two of the guards walked into the restaurant and ordered at least three cheeseburgers, said Les Hatter, one of the co-owners of the Five Guys eatery.
Curry said it was a "cool experience" knowing that the man whose vision could one day take humankind to Mars, would take time to talk with residents.
"He's just a person but it's cool that he's like us. I think what he's doing is amazing. It broke my heart that we haven't had a launch in so long," Curry said.
"Nothing can be better for us to be the Space Coast again."
J.D. Gallop is a Criminal Justice/Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jdgallop@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @JDGallop.
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