She launches in under 4 hrs time. So Daffy, sorry but maybe next time.
You'll be here for the landing though.
Anyway here is a nice photo I took earlier today and yes, there are 2 shuttles on their respective launch pads. You know Americans. Always enough money for a spare.
In case you're wondering, I used a ladder.
Ok so it's an official NASA photo and hopefully they'll not sue me for posting it here. Lots of grovelling gratitude and acknowledgements blah blah blah.
Anyway we're off in a few minutes to go to the local Sebring racetrack for a balloon festival which is always good fun. They are due to light them up in a sort of lumiere performance which seems to be the balloon equivalent of F1 cars revving their engines before a race. All show and not much movement.
After that, at 7:55pm EST, we'll look to the north east and if the sky is clear, we might see a little flaming dot heading into orbit.
One can only hope it'll be Endeavour and not one of the balloons which has broken it's tether and floated off in a vain attempt to dock with the space station.
Space Station : Ah Houston, we have a problem.
Houston : Roger, Space Station.
Space Station : We see a large Tony The Tiger outside !
Houston : Grrrrrrrreat.
Now at a time when manned space missions have lost their audience, THAT would be a ratings winner.
I'm taking my camera just in case................
You need to warn Daffy that the landing is not nearly as spectacular as the launch. I have seen daytime launches and sunset launches, but the biggest "Wow" moment I experienced personally was the middle-of-the-night launch of Apollo 17 (I think that's the right number). We were 100 miles south in Boca Raton but the whole sky north of us lit up and midnight and we could have sworn that thing was five miles north of us in Delray Beach.
ReplyDeleteat midnight.
ReplyDeleteI'll still be watching the launch, though from rather further away, and on NASA TV. I don't know why the world seems to have lost interest in watching - I still find them really exciting, and I bet I always will.
ReplyDeleteAhh - Daphne,I am sure our friend means the return of the shuttle and its accompanying 'sonic boom' - - "Thor's Hammer" rendering the sky and such..............
ReplyDeleteWe did see it....but only just. We were going to the Olive Garden for supper and we drove behind a row of stores to ensure we were looking to the North East with as few lights as possible in the way.
ReplyDelete7:55pm came and went and...nothing. Then the sky lit up in the distance and we saw the shuttle climbing into the night sky for about 7 seconds before it hit the cloud line.
Awesome sight even from almost 100 miles away as the crow flies.
I saw it too - - on my computer screen! Envy envy envy - - BUT I'm so glad you managed to see it.
ReplyDeleteI would also have liked to have seen it. How about some pics next time SB?
ReplyDeleteOK ignore that last sentence as you've said you will have your camera with you!! Fingers crossed you get a good view.
ReplyDeleteMilo, sorry but I didn't have my camera with me this time but as the shuttle was over 100 miles away, I'd have been hard pushed to get a photo worth posting.
ReplyDeleteHard to beat the official ones anyway.