Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Go, baby, go!
I just watched the successful launch of Space Shuttle Discovery, marking the return to flight of NASA's shuttle fleet. CNN had, in addition to the traditional launchpad and chase plane views, a feed from a new NASA camera mounted on the main fuel tank. The views from this camera were breathtaking, looking down the belly of the orbiter and fuel tank as Florida receded, then as the curve of the earth became visible. They even had live footage of the Shuttle separation from its fuel tank - I believe that's a first.
I've been a fan of our space program for many years. I've never been fortunate enough to witness a launch in person, but I was there at Edwards AFB in California when Discovery came back from the STS-26 flight - the return to flight after the Challenger accident. It was awesome, watching an honest-to-God spaceship returning to Earth, seeing the shock waves of the double sonic boom characteristic of Shuttle reentries, even seeing Air Force One. Somewhere I may still have my parking placard from that event.
And living in southern California as I did, whenever a Shuttle landed at Edwards I'd get to hear that distinctive double sonic boom. I even got to recognize it after a while.
Want to keep an eye on the Shuttle and Space Station Alpha? Check out www.skyandtelescope.com or www.jpass.com for times and locations of transits in your area. I've watched the ISS pass overhead many times, and also saw the next to last Shuttle to visit the ISS, shortly after they separated a few years back.
Here's hoping for a successful mission and a safe return home for Discovery and her crew.
I've been a fan of our space program for many years. I've never been fortunate enough to witness a launch in person, but I was there at Edwards AFB in California when Discovery came back from the STS-26 flight - the return to flight after the Challenger accident. It was awesome, watching an honest-to-God spaceship returning to Earth, seeing the shock waves of the double sonic boom characteristic of Shuttle reentries, even seeing Air Force One. Somewhere I may still have my parking placard from that event.
And living in southern California as I did, whenever a Shuttle landed at Edwards I'd get to hear that distinctive double sonic boom. I even got to recognize it after a while.
Want to keep an eye on the Shuttle and Space Station Alpha? Check out www.skyandtelescope.com or www.jpass.com for times and locations of transits in your area. I've watched the ISS pass overhead many times, and also saw the next to last Shuttle to visit the ISS, shortly after they separated a few years back.
Here's hoping for a successful mission and a safe return home for Discovery and her crew.
# posted by Loren Davidson @ 8:08 AM 
