When the slow dreariness of long Friday afternoon sets in, a pick-me-up is just what is needed to get the weekend finally started. In place of a coffee (or for those more zealous, a beer) comes this video, which shows a GoPro being launched off of a Navy aircraft carrier, using the Navy's new electromagnetic catapult.
There is something very cathartic in watching the sled pick up great speed as the catapult propels it down the deck of the carrier. The moment of release comes when the sled soars off the deck and into the ocean, making contact with the water with a tremendously satisfying plop.
As you watch the GoPro come undone from the sled and bob up to the surface of the water, picture yourself, too, releasing the weight of the week and floating away your worries. Now if only you had a catapult to play with.
Every day we track down a Video Wonder: an audiovisual offering that delights, inspires, and entertains. Have you encountered a video we should feature? Email ella@atlasobscura.com.