Astronaut outfits. Absentees. Individuals poised to gain substantial wealth.

I passed Friday morning in front of the Nasdaq headquarters in Times Square as SpaceX made its debut on the exchange with the symbol SPCX. The previous evening, shares were set at $135 each, matching expectations. Trading opened at $150 and climbed up to 30% initially, ending the day at $160.95 for a 19% increase.

SpaceX offered no formal events outside, yet Midtown Manhattan buzzed with Musk enthusiasts and puzzled visitors. Some voiced opinions early - on Thursday a large inflatable shirtless Musk figure, marked with claims against the firm, stood near Morgan Stanley's Times Square offices.

Here is how the Nasdaq scene appeared on the key morning.

Early arrivals waited for Musk.

By 8:45 am amid 80% humidity, a group gathered outside the Nasdaq, pressing toward the entrance hoping to glimpse Musk while phone cameras competed with professional lenses. Some speculated aloud on his arrival, while others inquired about the nearby giant Musk balloon.

They would soon learn Musk was actually in Texas.

Still, visuals abounded as the Nasdaq tower and nearby structures looped SpaceX footage, featuring a llama clip.

"Where were you?"

Hanan Buridi joined those hoping to spot Musk and shared that he had tracked SpaceX's IPO plans closely.

"This marks history - the largest market debut," he noted while tweaking his phone camera. "In 20 years people will recall: where were you during the SpaceX IPO?"

He intended to purchase shares to pass to future children. Buridi expected a larger turnout than the roughly 200 present yet planned to depart after the bell: "I will head to my computer and begin acquiring IPO shares if possible."

A construction worker nearby expressed caution on investing and preferred traditional real estate.

Some arrived by chance.

Faris Agianda and Djimi Gilles had not intended to witness the event or even realized it occurred that day.

Both visited New York for their software employer and noticed the crowd during a supply run. Agianda considered buying stock in a few days if prices eased, while Gilles called SpaceX "a great company" even after losses at xAI.

Gilles found the Nasdaq area underwhelming.

"It lacks interest, honestly," he remarked.

The group mixed Musk supporters and puzzled visitors.

In classic New York style, languages mingled as World Cup tourists mixed with dedicated Musk backers.

A reporter from Soon media wore an astronaut costume and held a binder with SpaceX's detailed S1 filing. He noted printing costs reached $174 at FedEx, or $300 without home color pages.

The opening bell sparked cheers.

Soft cheers and applause broke out as the bell sounded, with many stretching to view monitors showing the interior scene. The crowd dispersed afterward and photographers folded their stools.

Skeptics appeared too.

While most expressed optimism, architect Bryan Winter, pausing en route to work, called it "just another bubble." He described watching "cult behavior."

Winter, who still planned share purchases, recalled prior historic moments. He had taken his then eight-year-old son to the Lehman Brothers building on September 14, 2008, the day before its collapse.

Two 24-year-old traders said they would skip purchases due to volatility and had walked 20 blocks from their office to observe.

SpaceX staff appeared scattered throughout.

Some seemed to be SpaceX employees though they avoided confirming it. Young men wore Starlink shirts and a few sported "Occupy Mars" tees. Twenty-somethings congratulating one another during Starlink monitor clips declined comment citing their roles.

One former employee shared photos from SpaceX sites and an old email, noting he departed a year earlier. He enjoyed the work yet found the pace demanding and sought change. Like many past and present staff, he held equity and welcomed the liquidity event. He intends to retain most shares due to belief in the mission.

Hopefuls lingered for executives.

By 10:45 am trading had not begun, yet dedicated observers remained hoping to photograph executives exiting. A police officer expressed confusion over the heat wait, noting no one would emerge.

As I prepared to depart, I mentioned to my photographer colleague that Musk had been in Texas. A nearby man turned, surprised, wondering why he had lingered 20 minutes near the entrance.