Stunning Original Drawing of the Latest SpaceX Launch

By Nancy Atkinson - April 21, 2014 at 12:40 PM UTC | Space Exploration
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Here's something you don't see much anymore: an original pencil drawing of a launch. This drawing by

Wendy Clark

from the UK is reminiscent of the pre-spaceflight days, before we had actual images of launches, and just our dreams of spaceflight. This isn't the first time Clark has drawn a launch (

here's an article we posted of her drawings of the MAVEN launch and the final space shuttle launch

) but this one is almost a contrast in themes: the latest technology in launches from the upstart SpaceX team vs. an old-school, old fashioned, by-hand product.

For this drawing, she reiterated what she told us previously: "Don't let anyone tell you drawing a rocket is easy!" Clark said on Flickr. "The Strongback was a complete dog of an object to draw, such a maze of engineering."

She also captured the 'dirty' side of launches: "Dust and gravel being thrown up everywhere, and the lovely Falcon 9 rocket was a little grubby on lift-off and I've tried to reflect that in the drawing," she said.

Thanks to Wendy Clark for sharing her work on

Universe Today's Flickr site

. See more of her drawings and photography on

her own Flickr page.

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com