SHUTTLE LAUNCH

AFTER THREE TIMES DRIVING TO CAPE CANAVERAL AND THREE TIMES SEEING THE LAUNCH CANCELED, MY FOURTH TRY WAS A CHARM. LAST NIGHT A FEW OF MY FRIENDS AND I DROVE DOWN TO TITUSVILLE, FL TO WATCH THE LAUNCH OF SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY (MISSION STS-128). IT WAS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WAS EXPECTING, BUT IT WAS SWEET.

WE TOOK OUR PLACE AMONG THE CROWD AT THE EDGE OF THE WATER AT THE END OF ROUTE 50. MOST PEOPLE STAYED ALONG THE ROAD BECAUSE IN ORDER TO GET TO THE EDGE OF THE WATER YOU HAD TO EITHER WALK THROUGH SOME NASTY IRRIGATION DITCH (OR WHATEVER IT WAS) OR DO A BALANCE BEAM ACT ACROSS A NARROW STRIP OF LAND IN BETWEEN THE DITCH AND THE WATER. THE LAUNCH PAD IS ACROSS THE WATER AT LEAST A COUPLE MILES AWAY.

THE LAUNCH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 11:59PM. WE HAD ABOUT 3 MINUTES LEFT UNTIL LAUNCH. AS I WAS SETTING MY CAMERA UP ON THE TRIPOD I HEAR THIS GUY'S VOICE BEHIND ME. HE WAS STANDING ALONG THE ROAD YELLING, "DOWN IN FRONT! DOWN IN FRONT!" I FIGURED HE WAS PROBABLY TALKING TO ME BUT I JUST IGNORED HIM. "HEY, YOU WITH THE CAMERA, DOWN IN FRONT!" I TURNED AROUND AND JUST KIND OF SHRUGGED MY SHOULDERS. I MEAN, REALLY? YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO A SHUTTLE LAUNCH AND START TELLING PEOPLE IN FRONT OF YOU TO TO KNEEL DOWN SO YOU CAN SEE? PFFF! GIVE ME A BREAK. MY FRIEND PAM TURNED AROUND AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE, "DUDE, SERIOUSLY? IT GOES UP!"

SO MY CLOCK FINALLY HITS 11:59 AND A COUPLE SECONDS LATER SOME YELLOW LIGHTS (WHAT LOOKED KIND OF LIKE LANDING STRIP LIGHTS) LIT UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER, PROBABLY 1.5-2 MILES TO THE RIGHT OF THE LAUNCH PAD. A FEW SECONDS AFTER THAT, I SAW A TINY SPARK THAT GREW TO A GIANT GLOW. LIFT OFF. THE WHOLE BODY OF WATER WAS ILLUMINATED! IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A SUNRISE. YOU COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING YET. IT WAS ALMOST AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN AND JUST ABOUT THE SAME COLOR. EVERYTHING WAS GOLD. SINCE IT WAS AT NIGHT, YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE SHUTTLE, JUST THE HUGE BALL OF FIRE UNDERNEATH IT. IT WENT UP AND TO THE LEFT. I GUESS ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS LATER YOU COULD FINALLY HEAR THE LOW RUMBLE AND POPPING OF THE ROCKETS. I NEVER HEARD A SONIC BOOM, THOUGH.

I THINK THE MOST INTERESTING THING WAS THAT YOU COULD SEE THE GLOW OF THE FLAME CHANGE TO A BLUISH WHITE AS IT WENT THROUGH DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. EVENTUALLY THE GLOW TURNED INTO A BRIGHT DOT THAT LOOKED LIKE A STAR. I'M THINKING THIS WAS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T AS MUCH ATMOSPHERE UP THERE TO DIFFUSE THE LIGHT. FINALLY, YOU COULD SEE THE PROJECTILE OF THE MAIN ENGINE CHANGE AS IT DROPPED OFF THE SHUTTLE AND FELL BACK TO EARTH. YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AFTER THAT, AND IT WAS OVER.

I AM DEFINITELY PLANNING ON GOING TO AS MANY OF THESE AS POSSIBLE. EVERY TIME A LAUNCH COMES AROUND, I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HOW IT'S THE LAST ONE. THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. LET ME FILL YOU IN ON THE TRUE STORY. LAST NIGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAST NIGHTTIME SHUTTLE LAUNCH. THERE ARE SIX MORE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES SCHEDULED. THE NEXT ONE IS TARGETED FOR NOV. 12 AT 4:22 PM.

HERE'S A PICTURE OF THE LAUNCH FROM THE NASA WEBSITE. THE PICTURE I TOOK DIDN'T TURN OUT THAT GREAT AT ALL.