STS-121 Discovery Go For Launch

Clouds are rapidly building... weather will likely play a role in this...

 

Weather Channel predicts rain at the Cape from 10AM to 6PM so I guess that means I won't go to see a scrub Plus, it must be very crowded today since everyone has the day off and people are vacationing in FL. At least I can still see it from my house.

 

I would like to see a night launch, those are really something. Hopefully all goes well on a july 4th launch. Turn up the volume and watch the show.

 

IIRC no more shuttle night launches... they want to be able to have a accurate film/video record of launches to review for possible problems while shuttle is in orbit.

 

Goin supersonic.

 

Man, I regret not going to the launch! Here are a couple pics I took from my backyard (~50 miles from the Cape). Right in the middle of the 2nd pic is the shuttle (white dot). You could see it moving off to my left and then it disappeared into the blue sky.

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/6885/img0083a2dl.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3852/img0086a4ye.jpg

Simon, do you know of any good places were I could view the landing?

 

Don't know much about shuttle landing viewing for the public...

This site seems pretty good / accurate:

http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/shuttle/guide.txt

Here the landing portion cut out of the above link....

Landing Information
===================
Unfortunately the KSC landing strip cannot accommodate a "viewing public"
because it is situated on wetlands, however [email protected]
suggests:

If you do happen to try and view the landing at KSC, do not despair when you
realize actually how far away US 1 is from the runway. Even a moderately
powered set of field glasses will provide good views of the Orbiter as is
decelerates into the KSC area. That twin sonic boom is very unique and, for
me, was well worth the drive by itself. You will actually be able to see the
Orbiter as it comes into the KSC area and turns on the heading alignment
circle better than during the final approach.

Don Diego ([email protected]) and others also suggest:

The best viewing site for the Shuttle landings is the Shuttle Landing
Facility (SLF) Mid-Point. There are bleachers available about 140-180 metres
from the runway. What a great spot. Not only is it the best possible viewing
site, you get to hob knob with astronauts and VIP's. VIP invitations now sent
out by NASA headquarters are for launches or landings (see following section on
VIP passes). Other passes from NASA may also invite you to the landing if you
are a shuttle worker or involved with the payload. Unless you have very good
connections, the general public cannot have access to the SLF.

As with the launch facilities NASA Select audio is provided on site as are
restroom facilities and vending areas run by NASA.

For a realistic spot there's really only one choice. On US1 in Titusville
across the Indian River from KSC. Hope it's not early in the morning,
otherwise, you're going to be facing directly into the sunrise. I've tried on
several occasions to try to catch a glimpse of the orbiter coming in as I was
in Cocoa Beach or the city of Cape Canaveral but you're just too far away.

Whether you get lucky enough to get on KSC or have to settle for the US1 site
you're in for a real treat. A landing is every bit as exciting as a launch.
During a launch it's Boom, Zoom and in two minutes it's gone. But with a
landing you have time to soak it all in. The key is picking it up visually as
soon as possible. The thing to remember is at 15,000 metres (50,000 feet) the
orbiter can be seen directly over the landing sight. Look straight up and
watch for the puffs of smoke coming from the Reaction Control System (RCS)
jets. Once you pick those up you should have no difficulty following it
around the HAC and all the way down. Contrary to popular belief the thing
doesn't land silently. When you've got an object that big and bulky cutting
through the air at that velocity you get a wind rushing noise that has to be
unique.

US1 in Titusville can be accessed from SR50 from Orlando or I-95 from the
North or South. Local radio stations that have the best NASA coverage for any
NASA related event are WMMB AM 1240 or 99.3 FM. Prior to any operation events
can be followed locally on TV channels 2, 6 or 9. Or pick up a copy of the
local newspaper The Florida Today. Some hotels in the area also carry NASA
Select.

Kim Keller <[email protected]> writes:

It is amazing that a vehicle as large as the orbiter would be hard to see
landing, but it is! Here are some tips. The orbiter approaches KSC from
either the northwest or the west, depending on the orbital inclination. As it
enters the vicinity of KSC, its altitude is somewhere between 12 to 15 km. It
will look like an airliner at high altitude, if you are fortunate enough to
catch sight of it before it enters the heading alignment circle. Sometimes,
you may catch sight of short contrails as the aft RCS thrusters are used to
assist the rudder in steering the vehicle. They are the best clue to catching
sight of the vehicle at high altitude, but they are unreliable; you may or
may not see them. I start looking in earnest for the vehicle when I hear the
PAO announcer say the vehicle is approaching Titusville. At that point it's
helpful to know which direction the orbiter is approaching from. Generally,
if it's returning from a high inclination orbit, it'll approach from the
northwest. If it was a low inclination orbit, look to the west. As it flies
over the runway, it's still at high altitude, and will begin a turn around
the heading alignment circle. The direction of the turn depends on the runway
direction the orbiter will use. The turn takes it out over the Atlantic.

KSC has one runway, referred to by two numbers: 15 and 33. These are
abbreviations for compass headings of 150 and 330. 150 runs from northwest
to southeast, 33 is just the opposite. The PAO announcer will have announced
much earlier which runway will be used. This will determine where the best
place to view the landing would be. If runway 15 will be used, your options
are limited. You will need to be in Titusville to see the final approach.
There is a park on the edge of the Indian River at Route 407 which gives the
best view of the area of the runway, but you won't see the runway itself. It
is about 8 km from the park. When the orbiter touches down you will lose
sight of it, except perhaps for a view of the tail. It depends on how high
the trees have grown!

If runway 33 is in use, you have more options. The best place to view is from
the parkway near the KSC Industrial Area. You can take some excellent
pictures from this spot. This is just past the KSC Visitor Center. If you are
in this area, the orbiter will pass from right to left. As it approaches, you
will be able to hear it. The airflow over the structure and the sound of the
APUs combine to make it sound like a powered jet. You will also see one of
the Shuttle Training Aircraft flying loose formation off to one side. It will
disappear from view to the north as it reaches the runway threshold. Other
viewing spots for a 33 landing are the Beeline Expressway between Merritt
Island and Cape Canaveral, or along the Indian River at Titusville.

 

I saw one about 10 years ago standing on the beach about 30 miles North of the launch. It was, without a doubt, one of the most amazing things I'll ever see. The launch was at 2am, so my dad and I (the folks live in New Smyrna) got up and drove to the beach. It was a really dark, moonless night, plus most lights were off due to the late hour. Suddenly you could see a flickering on the horizon, and the shuttle began to shoot up. My first impression was how quickly it rises. It lights up the sky like the morning sun, and suddenly you could see the masses of people all down the beach watching it. Thousands upon thousands of people. We watched it continue to ascend, and a few moments later felt and and heard the shock wave. The darkness of night returns once the shuttle gets up way up there, and after the boosters separate it glows like a really bright star. I guess from the main engine? You can actually follow this for 20 minutes or so as it gradually dims from sight. If anyone ever gets the chance to see a night launch--by all means do it.

 

^The night launches are incredible. The last one I went to in person was a night launch at 6 AM back in March 2002 (I think it is now the last one they did and will do at night). It was amazing because it lit up the entire sky like daylight since we were very close to it.

Here are some pics from NASA's site of that launch:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-109/ndxpage34.html
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-109/ndxpage35.html

The thumbnail on the top right of the second link shows how bright it gets. That isn't the sun coming up at that time of day, it's the shuttle going up! After it got high enough, it turned pitch black again like you said. Something I will never forget.

 

Couple years ago I was in Jupiter Florida and they had a night launch, I was standing on the beach. Just see this fireball go up up up over the water, then the sound (or i thought it was) hits you. One of the most amazing things i have ever experienced.

 

I think these are such cool pix

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0142049&WxsIERv=Ebpxjryy%20Fcnpr%20Fuhggyr&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=ANFN&QtODMg=Gvghfivyyr%20%28%2F%20Pbpbn%20Ornpu%29%20-%20Fcnpr%20Pbnfg%20Ertvbany%20%28Fcnpr%20Pragre%20Rkrphgvir%20%2F%20Gvpb%29%20%28GVK%20%2F%20XGVK%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Sybevqn&ktODMp=Sroehnel%207%2C%202001&BP=0&WNEb25u=Evpuneq%20Uneqbba&xsIERvdWdsY=BI-104&MgTUQtODMgKE=Fcnpr%20Fuhggyr%20%22Ngynagvf%22%20%28zvffvba%20FGF-98%29%2C%20%20gnxra%20sebz%20CN-28-235%20%405%2C500ZFY&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=345023&NEb25uZWxs=2001-02-13%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&width=546&height=740&sok=%20BEQRE%20OL%20ivrjf%20qrfp&photo_nr=37&prev_id=0926274&next_id=1025605

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0421834&WxsIERv=Ebpxjryy%20Fcnpr%20Fuhggyr&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=ANFN&QtODMg=Bss-Nvecbeg%20-%20Xraarql%20Fcnpr%20Pragre&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Sybevqn&ktODMp=Abirzore%2030%2C%202000&BP=0&WNEb25u=Ora%20Jnat&xsIERvdWdsY=BI-105&MgTUQtODMgKE=Ynhapu%20bs%20Fcnpr%20Fuhggyr%20Raqrnibhe%20sebz%20Cnq%2039O%20ba%20zvffvba%20FGF-97.%20Guvf%20vf%20n%20svir%20zvahgr%20rkcbfher%20gnxra%20sebz%20gur%20Pnhfrjnl%20%28nobhg%207%20zvyrf%20njnl%20sebz%20gur%20cnq%29.%20Gnxra%20jvgu%20n%20obeebjrq%20nyy-znahny%20Avxbzng%20pnzren%2C%2024%20zz%20yraf%2C%20s%2F16%2C%20Xbqnx%20Eblny%20Tbyq%20100%20svyz.%20Jura%20gur%20rkcbfher%20jnf%20fgbccrq%20va%20guvf%20fubg%2C%20gur%20fuhggyr%20jnf%20nccebkvzngryl%20229%20fgnghgr%20zvyrf%20qbjaenatr.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=252553&NEb25uZWxs=2003-09-14%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&width=1024&height=722&sok=%20beqre%20ol%20ivrjf%20qrfp&photo_nr=66&prev_id=0231286&next_id=0709171

 

It was partly cloudy down here in Palm Beach but I could see part of the launch. Maybe I saw it for 6 seconds. One time I was out and saw a nite launch and another I was at the Cape for a tour and they launched a rocket.

 

Anyone watch the docking yesterday afternoon? Pavel and Jeff have finally gotten their 3rd roommate. Just another 3 months before they come home.

 

It just landed 1 minute ago safely. Heard the sonic booms about 5 minutes ago. First time we've heard those in FL for over 3 years now. I was wondering what that sound was for a couple seconds and then I realized. I missed hearing those!

 

You should come see it in person, you seem like a big fan of the stuff. MSNBC news reporting on it is saying the next mission is Atlantis and as early as August 21st.

 

Just heard it come in about an hour ago. Huge, house-rattling BOOM! Everything in here shook...and I'm on the other coast!

Love those sonic booms.

RMX