Kevin's Watch

For the third time, I've gotten to see the space shuttle launch. In all the years I've been coming to FIL's, this is the first time we've been here when one took off.

The first time I saw a shuttle launch was from the window of a passenger plane flying from Jacksoville to Miami. I remember our flight was delayed, and I suspect the pilot did it on purpose to time our flight path so we would be parallel to the launch site at take off. That was the best view I ever had. To this day I wish I had my camera in my purse, instead of in my checked luggage...

The second time Hyperception and I were guests along with other members of the organization at Hyperception's community college which sent an experiment up on the shuttle. We had passes to the strip sand across the water directly from the launch site. It was awesome to watch, but the heat on the stand of sand unsheltered for hours was terrible. I'll never do it again.

This time, as far away as we are from Cape Canaveral (about 100 miles I think) here at the house, all I could see was flame and a smoke trail. But it is still an amazing thing to behold.

Three times? Fantastic! IMAX is the closest I've come to experiencing a shuttle launch. I would so love to see the real thing.

*nod*

It may have been four. I saw the launch of something early one morning as I was driving Beorn's carpool here in Gator Town. But as far away as we are here, the flame and contrail were way too large for a shuttle, and there was no media mention of a launch of anything that day. So I have no idea what the fourth thing I saw was.

It definitely came from the direction of Canaveral though...

Eventually, I plan to travel to Florida JUST so I can see it in person. It's always been a dream of mine.

It's something to put on my list of things to do before I die. Mind you, by the time I get the chance to go there, the shuttle will likely have been decommissioned. Maybe by then NASA will have some new fangled space plane which won't require a massive ground launch.

Hyperception says the shuttle program is scheduled for three more years, than a four year hiatus, and then something called Orion is scheduled to take over. But he has no idea what Orion is, and I have no idea if he's being serious or not.

Orion sounds like a pretty good program to me. At least we're starting to look at LEO (Low Earth Orbit) ships, which will cut down on costs, massively. That and going to Mars. Finially.

It would be interesting to see but difficult to plan. The last time I was out there I took a tour of Kennedy. The shuttle was on the pad, getting ready for the first launch since the one that broke up over Texas. It was scheduled to launch right after we left, but they took it off the pad and delayed the trip for a couple of months.

*nod*

That's always a threat, especially after the Columbia breakup. I was at Canaveral to watch the launch of mission STS-91, in 1997. The one I saw on the plane was even before the Challenger explosion, I think. I was on my way to Omnicon in Miami, in 1986 I think.

I was fortunate enough to see four launches from where I live.
The night launches are the best! From this side of FL, the rising fireball is awsome.
I also witnessed the explosion of Challenger from Tampa.
Everyone at work was outside and there are no words to describe the shock and horror that overcame everyone.
My younger brother was 7 miles away from a launch and the GROUND SHOOK where he was.
Someday, I will go to the other coast to watch a shuttle go up.
Hey, let's make a group trip.
(Before KW was hacked, I believe I posted a photo of Atlantis going up, as viewed from my house.)
This last launch was viewed from the telly because the weather here was cloudy.

I have yet to catch a night launch. It always seems to be overcast wherever I am when one is scheduled.

Cheval wrote:Someday, I will go to the other coast to watch a shuttle go up.
Hey, let's make a group trip.

I'm game. As long as we go somewhere sheltered to watch it. Alcoholic libations would be welcome as well...

Cheval wrote: I also witnessed the explosion of Challenger from Tampa.
Everyone at work was outside and there are no words to describe the shock and horror that overcame everyone.

It's one of those events where I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard/saw the news. I was at home from school at lunchtime. We spent the rest of the afternoon in class discussing Challenger. I remember being a bit numb, trying to comprehend an explosion on the scale of the space shuttle...and thinking about those astronauts whose cheerful faces I had seen on TV only hours before.

(Before KW was hacked, I believe I posted a photo of Atlantis going up, as viewed from my house.)

I must've missed your photo.

Not sure if I did put it in the album or not, it was so long ago.
I will have to hunt for it my discs (floppys) and re-post here.