In addition to the webcams, Gore makes the trip out to the SpaceX facilities several times a week with her husband, Gene. She’s especially attentive when things are progressing quickly, like when Starship was transported to the launch site in in preparation for testing.

Their photos and updates end up on the SPadre.com-affiliated Twitter account, where they stir excitement among the SpaceX faithful. The webcam was extremely popular on the day that the lower and upper sections of the Starship prototype were welded together. Thousands of fans watched as the spaceship’s body took shape.

Creating a community

It’s evident on Twitter that there’s a bond between the SpaceX watchers in Boca Chica. People retweet photos and alert each other if they notice any additions to the spacecraft. Some of them run into each other at the SpaceX site.

“They’re basically my alarm clock,” Barnard says of his followers. Many of them keep their eyes on the live webcams, including SPadre.com’s, and try to alert Barnard if something major is happening on the grounds.