Author Topic: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)  (Read 124417 times)

Offline astrobrian

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #160 on: 11/15/2008 04:50 am »
didnt have the luck with launch pics i had hoped, but here is one that did come out well

Offline padrat

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #161 on: 11/15/2008 05:46 am »
I did see the clouds open up when the shuttle went through.
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Offline Aobrien

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #162 on: 11/15/2008 12:20 pm »
Here are pictures of the launch. We drove to right before space view park and found this great spot. It was on this sea wall. Some people might know were I'm talking about. There was this great big building. I think we in the parking lot of it. But it was a great spot. We just sat on the sea wall and could see the pads and the VAB. It was kinda hard to take pictures before the launch of like the pad and the VAB because it was dark but it was great. We got there about an hour before launch because we hit more traffic than we expected coming from Tampa. They were just starting to get a lot of people. We managed to get right on the Sea wall. There were some small branches there but they were fine. I 'm posting my pictures now and a good video we took later. :)
« Last Edit: 11/15/2008 12:21 pm by Spaceboy7441 »
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Offline astrobrian

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #163 on: 11/15/2008 01:01 pm »
yeah the VAB was hard, the wind was making it hard too but got this shot of the xenons prior to launch

Offline psloss

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #164 on: 11/15/2008 01:09 pm »
Really nice picture on the front page of SpaceWeather.com this morning.
http://www.spaceweather.com/

Offline Aobrien

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #165 on: 11/15/2008 01:12 pm »
Yea the wind was really scaring me that they might scrub. Thank goodness that it went up on time with no problems. :)
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Offline MTAS

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #166 on: 11/15/2008 08:28 pm »
Incredible - I can hardly describe it.  This was my second launch viewing (first night and first from Space View Park), and my wife's first.  We unfolded our chairs at SVP just after 3pm, and the astronauts hadn't even been taken to the pad yet.  The wait, while a long one, was made entirely enjoyable by the camaraderie with the people around us.  A great bunch of people and if any of you are reading this, I had the black John Force Racing t-shirt on  ;D
Once the final hold on the clock was released and the countdown resumed, the anticipation was unreal.  When the pad lit, the crowd went nuts and my God it was amazing.  To see it on a large HDTV is really nice, with all the great close up shots and sounds from the microphones.  However to experience the sheer beauty and raw power of a Shuttle launch, it goes without saying that it has to be seen in person and as close as you're allowed to get.  My wife doesn't have the interest in anything to do with space that I do, and while she's not a NASA detractor, she does understand why space exploration something we must do.  Any way, seeing and hearing the Shuttle that close brought her to tears.  It's guaranteed that we'll be at SVP once again on February 12th 2009.  8)
Dave

Online robertross

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #167 on: 11/15/2008 09:47 pm »
Really nice picture on the front page of SpaceWeather.com this morning.
http://www.spaceweather.com/


Thanks for that link! What an awesome image. Smokin'

Offline Edgecrusher

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #168 on: 11/16/2008 01:49 am »
jacqmans, fellow Dutchman here (although I live in Canada); it was also my first launch experience, and I couldn't agree more, picking a night-launch was definitely the right thing to do! What an absolutely amazing experience. I was in Spaceview Park, great view from there as well, and we had a little more luck with the sound because the wind was blowing in our direction. All in all, worth the six-hour round trip from my condo in Ft. Lauderdale!

Offline Aobrien

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #169 on: 11/16/2008 01:55 am »
Ya I was coming from Tampa and going there it only took about 3 hours when normally it takes 2 hours. Going back was a different story. 5 Hours to get back to Tampa. Normally it takes 2hours. It took us 3 hours just to get out of Cape Canaveral area. It was basically dead stop traffic. But I must say it was well worth it. I personally have lived in Tampa 13 years (My Life Time) ;) and this was my first launch seen from Titusville. Normally you can see it a little from Tampa but nothing like you can from Space View Park Area. :)
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Offline dwfx

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #170 on: 11/17/2008 12:19 am »
Here are a few pictures I took from the launch.  We were down on the Causeway, towards the far end where all the buses were.  This was my first launch, it was an incredible experience!  Everyone had said to just watch the launch and not worry about pictures, so I just took a couple long exposure shots. 

#0162 is from liftoff until about T+1:00 (held it open too long, but I was too busy enjoying the view)! 
#0164 is from T+1:55 to T+2:40 --  you can see SRB Sep fairly clearly.  I'm not sure if the extra glow is from the SRBs burning out or from the SRB Separation Motors.  Towards the end of the trail you can see multiple trails as the SRBs fall away.

Can't wait to go back and do it again.

Offline capcomespace

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #171 on: 11/19/2008 10:14 am »
I m wieving the endeavour launch last fryday from Causeway and I took a lot of pics like us.

The first is the lifoff (400 mm, 400 ISO on pod) and the second is a pose Bubl T-10 s at MECO.



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Offline Eksath

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #172 on: 11/19/2008 06:20 pm »
Here are a couple of mine (taken from about 3 miles out)..Enjoy.

The link is to a picture from March...just wanted to show the different angle from directly South of the Pad (4 miles south)

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NASA/Rockwell-Space-Shuttle/1403876/L/

Offline gfagley

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #173 on: 11/20/2008 12:02 am »
I finally had a little time to post some of my pictures up on my web site from this past launch.

http://www.fagleynet.com/pictures/STS-126/page1.htm

This was my first launch.  time to start planning for my next launch
These where from the Max Brewer Memorial Pkway (Parrish Park)

Offline astrobrian

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #174 on: 11/20/2008 03:25 pm »
Here are a couple of mine (taken from about 3 miles out)..Enjoy.

The link is to a picture from March...just wanted to show the different angle from directly South of the Pad (4 miles south)

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NASA/Rockwell-Space-Shuttle/1403876/L/

bows down in awe of the mighty pictures :)

Offline chezbippy12

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #175 on: 11/21/2008 08:16 pm »
I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who were so helpful and up to date on this mission board. That was my first Shuttle Launch and It was amazing to see from the Causeway.

 Especially a big thank you to Chris Bergin. Made all the diffrence with your updates daily. Thank you..

-Jason

Offline trebloc

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #176 on: 11/29/2008 05:42 pm »
Watched the launch from the VC, it was amazing! Came all the way from Ireland for the launch so I was trilled it went on time. One problem I had with the VC viewing is they had no audio of the countdown for anyone watching on the large screen at the side of the Launch Experience building. I had to move back next to the Explorer orbiter mockup to hear anything. This surprissed me as it is hardly the first time they covered a launch. Not impressed at all with that.
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Offline tek

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #177 on: 11/30/2008 07:58 am »
Per Edwards AFB South Gate, The Mercury Blvd viewing area is going to be open.

Offline shuttlefanatic

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #178 on: 11/30/2008 04:03 pm »
Tentatively landing Rwy 4.  Public viewing area is going to be looking right into the sun :(

Offline psloss

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #179 on: 11/30/2008 04:14 pm »
Tentatively landing Rwy 4.  Public viewing area is going to be looking right into the sun :(
That's too bad; the view of the orbiter on final to Runway 22 from the public site was spectacular the one time I got to see it.  (Touchdown itself, not so much.)

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