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Last night shuttle launch


zeitgeist57

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/space/02/08/nasa.shuttle.endeavor/index.html?hpt=T1

 

Watching a live shuttle mission, especially a "night launch", will go on my very short list of things I regret not doing in this life. I hope that Obummer comes to his senses and reinstates some sort of manned space program before his term is up, or a future president gets us back up in space.

 

In 2006, another couple joined my wife and I as we drove up from Naples to Cape Canaveral to watch a shuttle launch. It was the summertime, and afternoon storms delayed the launch. We had dinner and debated whether to stay overnight and hope for it to launch the next day. We decided to go back to Naples...which ended up being the right decision as it was delayed the next day also.

 

We moved back to Ohio before I had a chance to make it back up for a launch. Now, there are only 4 shuttle missions left before retiring the fleet. Anyone for a roadtrip to catch one more launch? :)

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I watched a night launch while fishing in Melbourne, Florida a few years ago. The intercoastal fishing was so good all night we decided to just stay up until the launch at 3 or 4am I believe it was. It was especially cool since we were there during the time when the whitewater was bio-luminescent due to an algae bloom or something those lines... Either way it was awesome :).
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Got the pleasure of watching the 4th of July launch in 2006 from North side of Cocoa Beach. We were about 5 to 10 miles away. Pretty cool site.

 

That's the one I was at! STS-121...small world.

 

After the delay on July 3rd, I went golfing on July 4th...and saw the shuttle take off from the 18th hole. Florida is so flat you still got a great view of the ascension even though we were a couple hundred miles away...

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That's the one I was at! STS-121...small world.

 

After the delay on July 3rd, I went golfing on July 4th...and saw the shuttle take off from the 18th hole. Florida is so flat you still got a great view of the ascension even though we were a couple hundred miles away...

 

With out a doubt.

 

My dad and I were working under contract in Orlando at the time and decided to hit up the beach and watch the shuttle launch.

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I hope that Obummer comes to his senses and reinstates some sort of manned space program before his term is up, or a future president gets us back up in space.

 

Have you not heard of the Constellation program? They are retiring the shuttles because, as awesome as they are, they AREN"T the best way to get to space and back. Check out this link...

 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html

 

Look into the Orion spacecraft (No, that's not a joke, and it's not the one from "Deep Impact" either, although they DI think about really building that back in the day), and the Ares launcher. Some serious horsepower, right there.

 

Make no mistake about it, man has two choices...Get off this planet one way or the other, through exploration or extinction.

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I always have wanted to go see a Shuttle launch before they retire. I know time is getting short, really really short.

 

And the Constellation program is not cut yet. But if Obama's budget gets approved, you might as well kiss NASA good bye.

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