Shuttle Launch at 7:55 PM

[Missing20K]

I'd love to be a part of the program.

My life took a dramatic turn when I found out about 16 months after coming back from Space Camp that I had to get glasses and my dreams of attending the Air Force Academy, becoming a test pilot, and ultimately Commander of a Space Shuttle mission all went down the tubes. Unfortunately, I didn't continue to stick with my initial dreams, as now they allow LASIK and corrective surgery.

Being a nerd has its perks. Space flight certainly comes to mind.

 

[Greg34]

Never be able to get that again because if things stay with the current plan, this was the last night launch of the shuttle program.

They also said that on the last night launch.

 

[Tinkerbella16]

Fortunately I was able to see it from DTD lastnight. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen...everyone just stopped in their tracks and waited for it.

 

[PhotoDave219]

They also said that on the last night launch.

Exactly. It could happen with the Hubble Repair Mission next year.

My photo of the last one (time exposure) looks like a damm nuke went off....

 

[rhine_paul]

I use to go down and watch all the shuttle launches. The night launches are by far the best. I really wish I was home to see this one. I guess my parents were able to see it pretty good from our back yard up in Jacksonville.

 

[donsullivan]

They also said that on the last night launch.

No question that things can change moving forward but all the reports on the local news media in Orlando said that the current schedule of launches going forward to the end of the shuttle program were all daylight launches.

Of course there is always the possibility that with the change of administrations we could see the shuttle program extended for a few more years until the replacement is actually ready to fly. I know the central Florida economy would certainly like that; nobody is looking forward to the job losses when active space flight stops for 3-5 years.

 

[PetePan]

I actually got to see the shuttle in flight from the airplane I was on. It's funny because if my flight wouldn't have been delayed, I would not have caught it. This was actually the second time I've gotten to see a shuttle launch from a plane I was on. Good timing I guess.

 

[Missing20K]

I actually got to see the shuttle in flight from the airplane I was on. It's funny because if my flight wouldn't have been delayed, I would not have caught it. This was actually the second time I've gotten to see a shuttle launch from a plane I was on. Good timing I guess.

That is soooo cool. Could you hear or feel it?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I actually got to see the shuttle in flight from the airplane I was on. It's funny because if my flight wouldn't have been delayed, I would not have caught it. This was actually the second time I've gotten to see a shuttle launch from a plane I was on. Good timing I guess.

How far away were you!?

 

[PetePan]

That is soooo cool. Could you hear or feel it?

No, but that would have been awesome. We could just see it out the right side of the plane. The pilot turned a little so we could see it.

 

[PetePan]

How far away were you!?

We flew out of Orlando International.

 

[PhotoDave219]

How far away were you!?

You can see both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean when flying north as you climb out of OIA.....

also....

to answer the other question, it takes about 10-15 seconds for the noise/feeling to reach the closest photo area to the pad.

 

[thecompman]

I saw it from my plane too. We were waiting to push back from the gate, our departure time was 7:55 also, but you can guess that the shuttle took precedent. Anyway everyone leaped to the left side of the aircraft and you could see it go up, pretty cool.

 

[Gucci65]

I have a few pics on my cell phone that were taken Friday night on Cocoa Beach BUT I do not have the internet on my phone. So if anyone wants to see the pics you will have to let me know how to go about posting them here.

It was pretty cool and my first night time launch!!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Fortunately I was able to see it from DTD lastnight. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen...everyone just stopped in their tracks and waited for it.

I was lucky enought to see two launches from WDW...one daytime in July and one night in Dec. If you are in MK, the launch begins on the right side of SM and arc's over it to the left (I'm sure Walt & company designed that on purpose). From what I understand, viewing from inside Epcot has it rise over MS.

While the daytime launch was impressive, the night launch is unbelievable. First you have a big orange glow that looks like sunrise, that dies down and a few seconds later you can see the shuttle and fire from the tail. Night allows you to see booster separation and tracking until you blink and loose it amongst the other stars. Defininite goose-bump moment, even from 60 or so miles away!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I was lucky enought to see two launches from WDW...one daytime in July and one night in Dec. If you are in MK, the launch begins on the right side of SM and arc's over it to the left (I'm sure Walt & company designed that on purpose). From what I understand, viewing from inside Epcot has it rise over MS.

While the daytime launch was impressive, the night launch is unbelievable. First you have a big orange glow that looks like sunrise, that dies down and a few seconds later you can see the shuttle and fire from the tail. Night allows you to see booster separation and tracking until you blink and loose it amongst the other stars. Defininite goose-bump moment, even from 60 or so miles away!

Yep.

It sounds AMAZING.

We could even see a little bit of that from Miami!:sohappy:

 

[Hoop Raeb]

Weird weather that night. Some people in Orlando saw it as clear as can be. A friend at All Star Sports was caught in a heavy downpour and missed it. I was on my way home on I-4 and saw squat. My buddy in Tampa didn't see anything either.