Sts-117

[BRPORSCHE]

Shuttle flight STS-117, (Atlantis) has a 70 percent chance of launch tommorow night at 7:38 p.m. EST. If you are in Florida this is a MUST see. I give tours on Johnson Space Center and this flight is much anticipated.

Godspeed to the crew. Can only imagine 0 mph - 17,500 mph in 8 and a half minutes!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Before I die, I will see a launch. I can only imagine the show.

[JeremyD]

It's wild from my house (all the way across the state) Too bad it's not a night launch.

[BRPORSCHE]

Ummm Jeremy, idk if NASA is calling this a night launch or an evening launch. STS-116 (Discovery) was the first night launch in I think 4 years. It has been many years since I have last seen a launch. Truly is an amazing thing to see.

[Rob Channell]

I've seen a shuttle land, but have never been there for a shuttle launch. I really need to do it some year before they stop.

I did get to see some Saturn V launches when I was young. My dad worked for NASA and we got moved to the Cape from 1972-1973 timeframe. Those were impressive. The night launch lit up the sky like it was day.

The shuttles are supposed to take off a lot faster. The Saturn V rockets took12 seconds or so just to clear the launch pad tower. They had to be real careful with winds, etc for launch conditions.

Disclaimer: I am not a NASA employee or representative, but I stayed in a Holiday Inn once and was a Space Camp counselor one summer.

[Joeaksa]

I was lucky to meet many of the early shuttle crews. I flew out of El Paso and the NASA T-38's based out of our operation.

They would fly the -38's from Houston to ELP then they would then hop in the NASA Gulfstream, fly to White Sands and practice landings. One side of the cockpit is just like the shuttle, while the other side is standard. Hour after hour they did landings.

Was a real treat to meet John Young and the other early crews.

Guess with no engines you have to get it right the first time... Would love to see a launch someday.

[IROC]

I saw a launch from the VIP stands about 3.5 miles away (STS-106 - the picture is still on my wall right here). It was a phenomenal experience. It was so powerful that it made the sleeves on my t-shirt vibrate...even from that far away.

I was lucky to work around the Shuttles quite a bit back in the '90s. I have spent a decent amount of time in the OPF, VAB and at the pad (not to mention the O&C and SSPF buildings). IMHO, the manned space flight program is one of the most noble things our country has done in a long time.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Used to see them all the time when I lived down there - very cool to see. Actually my fondest memory was being off on a solo flight (this was when I was working towards my Private Pilot Certificate) and being able to see the shuttle come in piggyback on the 747 from Edwards. It was about 2 miles away, but very obvious what it was.

[Super_Dave_D]

I will walk outside and watch it - too bad its not a night launch!

[id10t]

I've seen the trails going up from here in Gainesville on clear days... its not getting dark until after 8 now, so I think it isn't a night launch...

[Jims5543]

I used to work outside the gates of NASA back in the mid 80's until the mid 90's. The company I worked for was an approved subcontractor for NASA and we did a lot of surveying work on the Launch Pads when they were reburbished.

We also worked ont he Mars Explorer pad.

Our building would rock when the shuttle went off. We were probably as close as you could get outside the gates.

I also used to live in Cape Canaveral and when the secret night launches deploying sattelites etc... would go off it would shake you out of bed. Everyone would go outside to watch. They would light up the nieghborhood like daytime. Which was interesting when you saw what your neighbors wore to bed in the false daylight.

I miss living in that area, there is a whole energy in the air when launches are going to happen, the whole area gets an excitement in it. Along with a lot of visitors. You would be amazed at the traffic jams and sheer amount of peopl ethat flock in to see a launch.

[trader220]

One of my good buddies from college has been up in the shuttle, Paul Richards, was a fraternity brother of mine.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

The night launches are the best by far. You can actually track the orbiter after SRB separation all the way to MECO - you hear them call it out over the radio (assuming you're listening to it over the loudspeakers or broadcast) and you see the little white dot (orbiter SSMEs) just wink out. Pretty cool when you think that little white dot is pretty much all the way across the Atlantic by that point.

[URY914]

We were having our company Christmas party in Orlando during the last launch. Everyone went outside to watch. Whata sight!

I can see them from my back yard too.

[Dynamik]

I'll be one of the Mission Flight Control Officers for the launch tonight. I can't believe they pay me to work the launches!

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally posted by Dynamik
I'll be one of the Mission Flight Control Officers for the launch tonight. I can't believe they pay me to work the launches!

way cool, What do you do there?

[Jim727]

Originally posted by IROC
... IMHO, the manned space flight program is one of the most noble things our country has done in a long time.

Could not agree more.


Dynamik, I am so jealous!! I trust you have read "My Life in Mission Control" by Chris Kraft. Great read.


BRPORSCHE - That is a cool job; you should be posting the NASA Trivia questions. Maybe a Pelican Cape Tour should be in the future.


Rob - Have only been to one launch and it was fantastic. Would love to have been to a Saturn V launch.

This stuff is very near to my heart. Long ago in a galaxy far away, when I was an engineering student (aero and mechanical) I was also chair of AIAA and was fortunate to be invited to JPL. The Grand Tour was being readied at the time, and for someone like me being invited to JPL was akin to going to heaven. What I didn't know was that it was a tour for one and there was a job interview to be sprung on me. Couldn't believe it! Unfortunately, there was a bit of a tiff in Southeast Asia and I had a 6-year commitment to USAF after graduation. I often wonder what life would have been like under different circumstances.

Four years ago I took my wife to Peenemünde to visit the place where spaceflight turned the corner from fantasy to reality. Highly recommended for anyone interested in spaceflight.

[Jims5543]

I was with my wife and kids and her family (Mom. dad, sis-in-laws cousins etc.. about 14 of us in all) we were at a local Pizza joint for some Friday night Pizza. There were some TV's in the room and they flashed over to the launch.

The entire restaurant ran outside to see the launch. I actually tuned to look inside then around the parking lot and everyone was there. We are over 100 miles from the launch pad and everyone was outside to see it. So cool!!

All we could see was the initial flames and contrail then it went behind the clouds we had lingering here and that was it.

Pics to follow if I can get them out of my phone.

[Super_Dave_D]

Saw the launch tonight - Its still is amazing to watch the first 30 seconds on TV the go out in the front yard and watch it streak across the sky. I think tonight was the best visibility that I have ever had during the daytime. We could clearly see the solid rockets separate and watch it continue for at least a minute after that. So yes I am talking about a total of 1 1/2 minutes total but since I'm over 100 miles away - thats pretty awesome!

[JeremyD]

No Joy in St. Pete = we had a late afternoon storm - - nice looking rainbow - but no shuttle. ;(