Shuttle launch viewing
A scrubbed launch is always a possibility - happened to the wife and I, after having traveling from Washington state. Lots to do in the Orlando area though.
If you're lucky enough to get to see a launch, it's an experience you'll never forget. While instructing in the Navy at Pensacola many moons ago, was hanging around the O club on Friday night and heard on the news of a shuttle launch scheduled for Saturday morning. A quick check of the watch and the realization that we could make it. Literally piled a few of my fellow instructor buddies in my van and we drove all night, arrived at KSC about 4 am. Having previously taken the space center tour (highly recommended) and somewhat knowing the "lay of the land", got in a long line of cars leading up to the main gate. Was soon evident that most were being turned away by KSC security. Finally at the head of the line, and with all occupants of my vehicle possesing DOD identification, we basically BSed our way "on base" and proceeded to the "contractor viewing area", still several miles away from the launch pad but much closer than any public viewing area. Staking out our spot in the pre dawn darkness, we finally saw it, the shuttle sitting on the pad, bathed in light by an array of searchlights, looking for all the world like the monument to human achievement and American ingenuity that she is. Minutes after a beautiful sunrise, the final countdown began. 10..9... Seconds before liftoff. the engines ignite, spewing huge billowing clouds of white smoke. You can see the flame, but it takes a second or two for the sound to reach you. In the meantime, you feel the heat....literally. The thermal output of those SRBs hit you like an instant sunburn, giving new meaning to an old expression......"at the speed of heat". One potato, two potato, three potato and now, finally, the sound hits. A huge, deep, crackling sound, like an old 727 departing Minneapolis on a 20 below, winter day, only 10 times over. The vehicle clears the pad. The flickering blowtorch of a flame from the rocket motors must be 3 times as long as the shuttle. Very quickly, the ship makes it's half roll, positioning the astronauts inverted to the horizon as the vehicle soon starts an arcing trajectory downrange, the g forces pushing them into their seats. It doesn't fly straight up and out of sight, rather out over the Atlantic to the east, visible for miles. In a matter of minutes though, it's gone; the skies become quiet again. But those of us who just witnessed the departure of one of the most magnificent flying machines ever created are whooping it up, cheering, just beside ourselves, as we stand there in the sand, staring at the now empty launch pad and looking up at that dense white smoke from the SRBs lingers in the air. It's an experience that brings tears to your eyes, makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.......just AWESOME!
I once saw a shuttle landing at Edwards, but that's another story.
Doug Seward
RV-4
wings