Two questions:1) Anyone on the east coast of the US going out to see Endeavour come up the east coast during powered flight? I was ready to go this morning, but I don't think I can do the earlier wake up on Monday and still have a productive week at work. The moon was in the southeast, and it would have been a really cool sight.2) At the end of the first orbit, will the shuttle be passing over the eastern US? About 90 minutes after launch, it will be twilight here and the shuttle would be visible. There is an ISS overflight here in the NYC area at 5:32EST. Any chance we'll see the shuttle at the end of the first orbit? I haven't been able to find a web site that plots the first orbit.bob
Last night we arrived early (9:30) for our Causeway Viewing for the Dine with an Astronaut. Timing wise everything worked out great. Anyone now how the line to park and go through screening was later, or how it might be later tonight? We are thinking of a arriving later but with enough time to park, make it though screening, and make the last couple rounds of buses. My five year old is going to be a wreck, and want to minimize the damage.Thanks.
Orlando TV station said if liftoff does not occur tomorrow they would not make another attempt until the weekend. I have not heard that officially though. Any info on whether that is the case? If so tomorrow is my last chance since I am heading home no later than Wednesday. Maybe shuttle must stand down to accommodate SDO on Wednesday.
Quote from: TNCMAXQ on 02/07/2010 10:36 pmOrlando TV station said if liftoff does not occur tomorrow they would not make another attempt until the weekend. I have not heard that officially though. Any info on whether that is the case? If so tomorrow is my last chance since I am heading home no later than Wednesday. Maybe shuttle must stand down to accommodate SDO on Wednesday.Bill Harwood's site indicates the same.If for some reason, they can't go Monday a.m., Atlas 5 gets the range and Endeavours' next attempt is Feb. 13.
View from Merritt Island on the SR-528 Causeway. Was able to follow it to within about 30 seconds of MECO, when someone with a car wanted by me. Nice roar and an appreciative crowd. Four more to go. Now a nap and off to work.
1) Anyone on the east coast of the US going out to see Endeavour come up the east coast during powered flight? I was ready to go this morning, but I don't think I can do the earlier wake up on Monday and still have a productive week at work. The moon was in the southeast, and it would have been a really cool sight.
Quote from: bkellysky on 02/07/2010 09:10 pm1) Anyone on the east coast of the US going out to see Endeavour come up the east coast during powered flight? I was ready to go this morning, but I don't think I can do the earlier wake up on Monday and still have a productive week at work. The moon was in the southeast, and it would have been a really cool sight.A friend and I, plus several other people from around town, went down to Fort Fisher (near Wilmington, NC) to the secluded southern tip of the island to watch. We saw it from about 1 minute, 30 seconds MET to MECO. It looked amazing with the SRBs taking it up. A beautiful bright red color with a long, prominent flame trail, making a very apparent arc over the ocean. It was much like seeing it from the Cape, but in miniature. What blew me away more than seeing it at the Cape, though, was that you got a real idea of how amazingly fast the thing goes. In the time it takes me to take my garbage can from the side of the house to the street, the Shuttle went from being stationary in Florida to being over 400 miles away, off the coast of NC, due East of me. Another 3 minutes brought it 30 degrees east of North according to my position. In just 7 minutes or so, the thing had gone from horizon to horizon at about a 150-degree angle. Incredible.
I didn't see too many videos of liftoff yesterday since it hardly compared with being there. But I just watched the NASA TV video and see there was some frost on the tank. That is unusual.I thought Allard Beutel's pre launch commentary was quite good. However in those final seconds he seemed a little hesitant. Almost sounded like he was asking "zero?" at T-0. ;-) That is one reason why watching out at the Banana River site I was almost afraid we were going to see a last second abort. Thankfully that has not happened for many years though, and with luck they will get through these remaining 4 missions without that occurring again.But having eyewitnessed the engine shutdowns on 41D, 51F, and 68, I think of those events with every launch and practically hold my breath until I see the solids ignite. I was also there for last second scrubs on STS 56 and 93, but saw them lift off a couple of days later. So my past experiences always have me aware that things can go wrong right up to the end. 130 went perfectly though and I am thrilled I was there to see it.