Murky Weather
- The launch has some nasty side-effects. For one, there's an earthquake in Florida, which knocks the crowd over "like ears of corn before a storm" (27.3).
- Meanwhile, the sky is now completely "covered with clouds" (27.7) and doesn't clear up for some time, making it impossible to track to capsule's progress.
- Finally, the sky clears up, allowing the Gun Club to view their hard work in action.