STS-125 Atlantis: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)

• #500 by astrobrian on 14 May, 2009 17:41
• If it is anything like some of the shots I have taken of the moon, bright objects sometimes give reflections in the lens. That would be my guess as shckwaves would not be paralleling the stacks direction.
• #501 by darren1 on 16 May, 2009 00:37
• Does anybody know the landing attempt times for Atlantis (Assuming clear weather at KSC)? I'm due to go away for the weekend on Friday afternoon, but it's always good to watch on the web, so may be able to arrange "flexibility" when I leave if the time is close to leaving home time.
  
  Any current info would be appreciated.
  
  Thanks
  
  Darren
• #502 by dsmillman on 16 May, 2009 00:45
• Quote from: darren1 on 16 May, 2009 00:37

  Does anybody know the landing attempt times for Atlantis (Assuming clear weather at KSC)? I'm due to go away for the weekend on Friday afternoon, but it's always good to watch on the web, so may be able to arrange "flexibility" when I leave if the time is close to leaving home time.
  
  Any current info would be appreciated.
  
  Thanks
  
  Darren
  

  The current landing time is 11:41 AM .
• #503 by darren1 on 16 May, 2009 01:03
• Cool, thanks for that.  Thats 16:41 over here so will be able to leave on time right after landing (Assuming weather is good!!) currently 30% chance of rain with isolated Thunder storms
  
  
• #504 by ChrisGebhardt on 16 May, 2009 01:09
• Quote from: darren1 on 16 May, 2009 01:03

  Cool, thanks for that.  Thats 16:41 over here so will be able to leave on time right after landing (Assuming weather is good!!) currently 30% chance of rain with isolated Thunder storms
  
  
  

  
  It is way, way too early to be taking any weather forecast for Friday,May 22 seriously.
• #505 by darmok on 16 May, 2009 02:37
• Folks,
  
  Here's one from the series of launch shots I got from the causeway. I, too, can't say enough about how this forum enhanced my 3,000 mile trip to see the launch. I was unable to make it to the dinner Tuesday and had no way to contact any of you. I'm home now and starting to go through my images. This is a great group of people and I hope to meet many of you in the future.
  
  

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• #506 by LSenus on 16 May, 2009 17:43
• In Orlando Int'l now, flying home.  We went to Playalinda yesterday morning with all the camera gear for some "up close & personal" time with Endeavor.  Again, the weather was cloudy and very humid at the beach with more than a slight haze in the air.
  
  Just a quickie attached from yesterday...

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• #507 by SteveSauter on 17 May, 2009 01:31
• Folks-
  
  I was at the launch from the NASA Museum Alliance as Director of the Basset Planetarium at Amherst College.
  
  I have blog post at http://steveslookout.blogspot.com/
  
  and as a teaser I offer this photo that I took from the Press Site:
  
  

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• #508 by Bubbinski on 17 May, 2009 03:31
• Lots of great shots!
  
  I'm back home, here's what I managed to capture with my Lumix from my spot on the causeway:
  
  
  
  

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• #509 by zerm on 17 May, 2009 14:22
• Here's a general question- I was at the VIP site for the launch, and after having seen about sixteen STS launches beginning with STS-1, I thought that this one did not seem as loud as most others, nor did it seem to shake us as much. I've seen them from the press site and from the early VIP areas as well as from the Hall of Fame area and the assorted areas near T'ville... the all seemed, from my best recall, to shake you a lot more than this one. Wonder if the weather had something to do with it? Any ideas?
• #510 by jeff2space on 17 May, 2009 14:42
• Quote from: zerm on 17 May, 2009 14:22

  Here's a general question- I was at the VIP site for the launch, and after having seen about sixteen STS launches beginning with STS-1, I thought that this one did not seem as loud as most others, nor did it seem to shake us as much. I've seen them from the press site and from the early VIP areas as well as from the Hall of Fame area and the assorted areas near T'ville... the all seemed, from my best recall, to shake you a lot more than this one. Wonder if the weather had something to do with it? Any ideas?
  

  I've seen four launches, including this one, all from the NASA Causeway and this one had the most intense sound and feel.  Weather, ecspecially wind, has a lot to do with feeling and hearing the launch.
• #511 by CJones5461 on 17 May, 2009 15:07
• Nick, Leo, and Justin-
  
  Great,great photos and, I'm awfully glad you all posted them. At dinner Tuesday after seeing some of the shots you had taken, I had a sinking feeling that mine were going to be horrible as I was so torn between watching through the camera screen and watching with the naked eye. When I got home Thursday night, I found out that I was right! But, having the photos that you all posted took a great deal of the sting out of it! Thank you all for posting and, what say we all do it again very soon?
  
  Chris Jones
• #512 by LMSenus on 18 May, 2009 01:05
• Quote from: CJones5461 on 17 May, 2009 15:07

  Nick, Leo, and Justin-
  
  Great,great photos and, I'm awfully glad you all posted them. At dinner Tuesday after seeing some of the shots you had taken, I had a sinking feeling that mine were going to be horrible as I was so torn between watching through the camera screen and watching with the naked eye. When I got home Thursday night, I found out that I was right! But, having the photos that you all posted took a great deal of the sting out of it! Thank you all for posting and, what say we all do it again very soon?
  
  Chris Jones
  

  
  We had a great time too.  Leo's got so many photos to go through, he'll be busy for weeks.  We're definitely going to do it again, but we think we'll try for a launch during a cooler time of year, like, say, February 
• #513 by comethunter on 18 May, 2009 01:29
• Quote from: jeff2space on 17 May, 2009 14:42

  Quote from: zerm on 17 May, 2009 14:22

  Here's a general question- I was at the VIP site for the launch, and after having seen about sixteen STS launches beginning with STS-1, I thought that this one did not seem as loud as most others, nor did it seem to shake us as much. I've seen them from the press site and from the early VIP areas as well as from the Hall of Fame area and the assorted areas near T'ville... the all seemed, from my best recall, to shake you a lot more than this one. Wonder if the weather had something to do with it? Any ideas?
  

  I've seen four launches, including this one, all from the NASA Causeway and this one had the most intense sound and feel.  Weather, ecspecially wind, has a lot to do with feeling and hearing the launch.
  

  I've seen one launch from the causeway (51-G in 1985) and at least a dozen including this one from Titusville.  I made the comment after this launch that folks on the causeway had to have got rocked pretty good.
• #514 by Bubbinski on 18 May, 2009 01:39
• Thanks Chris I'm glad you enjoyed them.  I liked seeing Leo's and Nick's pictures too and I was happy to meet you all.  I'd love to do something like that again.
  
  I don't know if I'll ever be able to see a shuttle launch again, but if there's an extension I could well go for it.  And I'll definitely come out when the new system comes on line (the stick?  Delta 4?  Direct?)....or maybe for a Dragon launch if they start launching crews. 
• #515 by floron on 18 May, 2009 02:00
• Quote from: comethunter on 18 May, 2009 01:29

  Quote from: jeff2space on 17 May, 2009 14:42

  Quote from: zerm on 17 May, 2009 14:22

  Here's a general question- I was at the VIP site for the launch, and after having seen about sixteen STS launches beginning with STS-1, I thought that this one did not seem as loud as most others, nor did it seem to shake us as much. I've seen them from the press site and from the early VIP areas as well as from the Hall of Fame area and the assorted areas near T'ville... the all seemed, from my best recall, to shake you a lot more than this one. Wonder if the weather had something to do with it? Any ideas?
  

  I've seen four launches, including this one, all from the NASA Causeway and this one had the most intense sound and feel.  Weather, ecspecially wind, has a lot to do with feeling and hearing the launch.
  

  I've seen one launch from the causeway (51-G in 1985) and at least a dozen including this one from Titusville.  I made the comment after this launch that folks on the causeway had to have got rocked pretty good.
  

  
  This was my first shuttle launch so i don't have much to compare the experience to, but i have to say i was pretty impressed with the noise...it wasn't overwhelmingly loud, but i seemed i could actually feel the air around me moving and feel the vibration thrumming in my chest. It was a big noise.
  
  ...and the brightness of the SRB flame caught me by surprise, too. It was like looking at the sun: it left after-images on my retinas.
  
  Anyhoo, it was great meeting the gang at dinner. I'm going to try and catch the next night launch (i'm not sure i can survive sitting out in the Florida sun for three hours a second time), so i hope to see you kids out there again. 
  
  I've put some of the pics i took up on Flickr (including one of us at the dinner), and i'm putting the video of the launch and some time-lapse movies up on Vimeo (bear with me as this might take a while)...
  
  http://www.vimeo.com/user933459/videos
  
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/38517199@N06/
• #516 by SgtBulldog on 18 May, 2009 14:33
• I was one of those unlucky fellows to have missed this launch by about 5 hours due to my planning for the May 12 launch date.  The cost to change the flight was $1000, which was far beyond my budget.  For those of you who have done this multiple times successfully, do you have any tips about how and when to buy airline tickets?  Which airline is the most flexible about changing dates without charging exorbitant fees?  I only have enough money/time for one more chance before the program ends, so I'd like to give it the best shot I can.
  
  Thanks.
• #517 by dmurphy on 18 May, 2009 14:37
• Quote from: SgtBulldog on 18 May, 2009 14:33

  I was one of those unlucky fellows to have missed this launch by about 5 hours due to my planning for the May 12 launch date.  The cost to change the flight was $1000, which was far beyond my budget.  For those of you who have done this multiple times successfully, do you have any tips about how and when to buy airline tickets?  Which airline is the most flexible about changing dates without charging exorbitant fees?  I only have enough money/time for one more chance before the program ends, so I'd like to give it the best shot I can.
  
  Thanks.
  

  
  Book with Southwest - there are no change fees - all you'd have to pay is the difference in cost between flights .... which was very little in my case, even across the almost year's timeline between launch attempts. :-)
• #518 by leresistant on 18 May, 2009 16:52
• Hello Everybody!
  
  I've posted on flickr some pictures I've found on the NASA website. These pictures are modified by myself, with photoshop, and captureone.
  
  What do you think about them? All critics are welcome!
  
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/pierrethurau/sets/72157618057658415/
  
  
• #519 by SgtBulldog on 18 May, 2009 19:18
• Quote from: dmurphy on 18 May, 2009 14:37

  Book with Southwest - there are no change fees - all you'd have to pay is the difference in cost between flights .... which was very little in my case, even across the almost year's timeline between launch attempts. :-)
  

  
  Thanks for the tip.  How far in advance do you usually book your tickets?