Comments on: NASA Tweetup for STS-129: Day 2 http://www.starstryder.com/2009/11/16/nasa-tweetup-for-sts-129-day-2/ Blogging one sidereal day at a time Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:26:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum http://www.starstryder.com/2009/11/16/nasa-tweetup-for-sts-129-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27826 Richard Drumm The Astronomy Bum Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:33 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=1197#comment-27826 In 1981 (I think it was) I went down to the cape to see the first shuttle launch. I didn't think they'd have a successful reentry, (I didn't trust the tiles, you see), so I wanted to see it take off. My parents had a condo in Cocoa Beach that I could stay in, and my Dad came along, so that helped. The people in the condo below them had gotten tickets for entry to the base and viewing the launch from the causeway, lucky ducks! We were just going to watch from the condo balcony. Then there was a technical problem and the Monday (if I recall correctly) launch was scrubbed. These neighbors couldn't be there on Tuesday, they had something they had to do, so my brother & I got the passes and saw the launch from the causeway! Man oh Manaschevitz! Somewhere I have the 16mm film I shot that day... Ought to locate it and get it transferred to Hi-Def video... The shuttle landing was on the radio as my Dad & I drove back to Va (we were on I95 in NC at the time) and I was very impressed with the altitude numbers that the chase plane was calling out. It was dropping like a stone! As you would expect it did asymptotically slow down at landing but it was fun to listen to it drop! I'd like to take my daughters down for the last shuttle launch. Maybe we can get a ticket, maybe not. Even if we were just standing on the beach it'd still be a hoot! In 1981 (I think it was) I went down to the cape to see the first shuttle launch. I didn’t think they’d have a successful reentry, (I didn’t trust the tiles, you see), so I wanted to see it take off.

My parents had a condo in Cocoa Beach that I could stay in, and my Dad came along, so that helped. The people in the condo below them had gotten tickets for entry to the base and viewing the launch from the causeway, lucky ducks! We were just going to watch from the condo balcony.

Then there was a technical problem and the Monday (if I recall correctly) launch was scrubbed. These neighbors couldn’t be there on Tuesday, they had something they had to do, so my brother & I got the passes and saw the launch from the causeway!

Man oh Manaschevitz!

Somewhere I have the 16mm film I shot that day… Ought to locate it and get it transferred to Hi-Def video…

The shuttle landing was on the radio as my Dad & I drove back to Va (we were on I95 in NC at the time) and I was very impressed with the altitude numbers that the chase plane was calling out. It was dropping like a stone! As you would expect it did asymptotically slow down at landing but it was fun to listen to it drop!

I’d like to take my daughters down for the last shuttle launch. Maybe we can get a ticket, maybe not. Even if we were just standing on the beach it’d still be a hoot!

]]> By: Jón Grétar Borgþórsson http://www.starstryder.com/2009/11/16/nasa-tweetup-for-sts-129-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27814 Jón Grétar Borgþórsson Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:23:21 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=1197#comment-27814 If one wants to know about the countdown, at what times things happen and what all the letters stand for you should check out http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/count.html If one wants to know about the countdown, at what times things happen and what all the letters stand for you should check out http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/count.html

]]> By: Alex http://www.starstryder.com/2009/11/16/nasa-tweetup-for-sts-129-day-2/comment-page-1/#comment-27813 Alex Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:57:10 +0000 http://www.starstryder.com/?p=1197#comment-27813 For of us that cant stand next to the countdown clock NASA tv is covering the launch right now and you can stream it off NASA.gov Green light for launch! What do you have to do to actually watch the launch from the stands? (other than just flying down there of course :-)) For of us that cant stand next to the countdown clock NASA tv is covering the launch right now and you can stream it off NASA.gov

Green light for launch!

What do you have to do to actually watch the launch from the stands? (other than just flying down there of course :-) )

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