Shuttle launch

metalspinner · July 12, 2009, 06:25:47 PM

8) 8) hi from ksc! endeavour in sight! watch at nasatv.com. weather moving in...still unsure :-\

metalspinner · July 12, 2009, 07:53:49 PM

:( Scrubbed for weather. Back on bus to Orlando. Maybe tomorrow...

Jeff · July 12, 2009, 08:06:32 PM

Drat! It'll be tomorrow. I got a feeling. How are you posting? smart phone?

metalspinner · July 14, 2009, 01:02:50 PM

The phone is an LG of some kind. Surfing the internet wore my battery out really quick. :( Navigating the FF wore out my thumb. :D

The shuttle didn't go off the next day, either. They are going to try again tonight, but we came home. :( We had to get back to the real world.

The countdown clock got down to 9:00. That is a built-in hold where all the different systems are checked. It was then that the weatherman gave the launch a "No-Go." A thunderstorm system popped up within the 20 mile radius of the emergency landing sight. The weather at the launch sight and viewing area was really nice. With a very narrow time window to launch, they couldn't wait out the storm clouds. They did the same thing last night.

It was a really neat sight on the causeway looking across the water to the shuttle. There were about 25 Tour/KSC buses pulled off to the side of the road. The spectators were all out on lawn chairs and blankets. There were food vendors selling hotdogs and chips. It was a fun atmosphere with great anticipation in the air.

As disappointed as we were (we brought the boys), I can only imagine the disappointment of the crew and NASA. Those guys are strapped in that shuttle for several hours prior to launch.

Maybe it will go off tonight...

beenthere · July 15, 2009, 04:42:46 PM

Just heard it is scheduled to launch in less than 30 minutes.

Watching it on the nasa tv channel now.

Also update on nasa site http://www.nasa.gov/

Raider Bill · July 15, 2009, 04:49:01 PM

Nice and clear here so we should be able to see it even though I am 150 miles away and across the state.

The reason they never launch on scheduled dates is so visitors such as Metal Spinner get to come to Florida several times and spend some more tourist money. ;D

beenthere · July 15, 2009, 05:34:50 PM

At this time (T-9 and holding for a lift off in 30 minutes), all is looking good. Hope it stays that way.

Interesting dialogue on the tv broadcast. Hear a lot of the checks and re-checks going back and forth.

Jeff · July 15, 2009, 05:40:20 PM

I've got it running on the computer behind me.

beenthere · July 15, 2009, 06:41:01 PM

Awesome!!

metalspinner · July 15, 2009, 07:35:30 PM

8)

Watched it on TV. It's still awesome. 8)

Meadows Miller · July 16, 2009, 09:59:33 AM

Gday

watched it live on sunrise a tv show downhere at 7.55am overhere ;D 8) 8) i stilll reckon their pretty keen strapping themselfs to rockets like that tho ;) :D

Reguards Chris

Tom · July 16, 2009, 01:18:01 PM

Just 150 miles north and we didn't get to watch. We were covered up with lightening, thunder, rain and a solid, low ceiling. Finding ourselves sitting in a dark house with no power (or water), twiddling our thumbs, was no fun either. I know what they did. They moved Florida North a few miles to get the Cape out from under the thunderstorms ... danged guvmint!!!
:D

Raider Bill · July 16, 2009, 03:01:30 PM

Just before launch a hazy cloud moved between us. Saw a little bit of the trail but not as much as I would or should have.

metalspinner · May 16, 2010, 10:40:17 PM

We just pulled in from a world wind trip down to the space center. After not jinxing myself by keeping my mouth shut, Atlantis launched perfectly on time! 8) 8) 8) The third time was the charm. :D

What an incredible experience seeing the shuttle launch! We arrived at the space center about 8:30am and jumped back on the bus by 9:30 to take us out to the causeway for the viewing. The day was beautiful with just a few puffy clouds in the sky. At one point, Mission Control sent a T-38 jet out to investigate a suspiscious cloud, but it turned out to be nothing. On its way back to the Cape, the T-38 did a fly-by of the causeway viewing area at just a couple hundred feet! 8) And at the end of the strip of parked buses about 100 yards from our seats, shot straight up into the air! 8) 8)

Another unexpected surprise during the launch was the sound delay of the shuttle blast. We were about 6 miles from the launch pad and it felt to be about 20 seconds before the sound reached us. I'll check the video a little later. But it sure felt like a long time.

The news reports of the number of people watching the launch from the area was incredible. 40,000 were at the space center alone. Another 200,000 were near the cape. I believe it, too. It took us over 4 hours to make the 45 minute journey back to Orlando. :

I'll try to get some pics loaded tomorrow. The camera is buried somewhere at the moment... :

metalspinner · May 17, 2010, 10:44:00 PM

Here is a little video of the launch. My tiny little camera couldn't pick up the shuttle on the launch pad. :( When the rumble finally reaches the crowd, everyone applauds. 8) It's still fun to watch it on video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzL7vEWV3jo

My wife's camera has a much better zoom. I'll have to see if she took some good pics...

Tom · May 17, 2010, 11:01:43 PM

It gets up there quickly, doesn't it. The best part is that the kids will never forget it. I'm happy to see so many children there.

I like the pictures you took too. Everybody tries to take a picture of the shuttle, even the media, and they forget that there is a whole big story to be had there, including the noise and smoke and people.

You did good.