Truemors
I have seen many launches (I am sort of close to the cape) but I have only had the honor of witnessing two shuttle launches, up close, in my life.
They were:
STS 59 (Endeavor)- April 9, 1994 at 7:05 am EDT
STS 105 (Discovery)- August 10, 2001 at 5:10 pm EDT
STS 59’s mission was radar mapping the entire earth. (You know when you have a good day at work- they did…and how!)
STS 105’s mission was to re-supply and rotate the crew of the International Space Station.
For 59 I was at the power station on the west side of the Banana River- that’s about ten miles from the pad.
For 105 I was on Cape Canaveral property. That’s where they launch military satellites and close to where John Glenn and his fellow Mercury Astronauts launched from. That’s about six miles from the shuttle pad.
They were both spectacular!
Indescribable!
Seeing this doesn’t just evoke a sense of nationalistic pride, but a pride for our species as a whole. Each launch is a testimonial to man’s urge to reach farther- no matter the risks- for the reward is so great that we all share in it.
STS 122 (Atlantis) has been delayed until January for launch.
People wonder why it takes so long to get one of these things up.
When you are dealing with the most complex piece of high-performance machinery in all of human history……it’s a bear to keep in tune.
But it’s worth it.
Go and see for yourself.
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