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T O P I C R E V I E WBenAs a first timer (3rd attempter..)...WOW!!!!!!!!!!That was the most awesome sight Ive ever seen!I arrived Wednesday...got my press passes and headed for the RSS rollback. MetJimmy Brown..great guy..great advice! Thanks Jim.... IT was delayed an hour,and thus perfect timing. The sun went dowen just as they started, and it lastedinto the night. We first watched it from the side of the pad; later, they tookus to the crawlerway. Hope the pictures came out..my camera may not have beenadvancing the film.Then came launch day. First, the crew walkout. IT was great although I wassqueezed in the second row. Any pictures show the back of the astronauts, asbest as I remember.Then the long, but pleasant wait inside the press building. You can watch NASATV, talk to people, get some free photos from the lab, etc. Speaking of which,I met my friend Howard, the photo lab manager. He gave me some advice onexactly how to shoot it, and then took the film to develop it there. Maybe onewill reach the KSC website ...From the 9 minute point, the time seemed to zip right by. And all of thesudden, a column of liguid gold rose out of the grouns trailing a cloud of deepbrown smoke. Then the sound hits, a few seconds later, growing louder andlouder until all other sounds are drowned out. For this mission from ourprospective, Endeavour went into the cloud about plus 20 seconds, never to beseen again ..but that certainly didnt dampen my spirit!! Some experience if you havent seen a launch yet. WOW! Later I met a few otherpeople, including Ken H. from the cover service, who also provided me with somearea info. After the launch, I couldnt seem to remember anything, literally .Maybe it was that cloud of HCl!...Boy..that made 5/ the last 6 on timers, just what I hoped for! We decided tocome home last night..as long as I saw the spectacle, that didnt matter. Well,thats all I can think of. Of yea...Don Peterson did not sign (I dont thinkanyone signs at the astro encounter). There were quite a few astros at thepress site...all I think ESA. I had nothing to autograph of a pen until laterafter the launch, but didnt come to think of getting autographs (nor felt like risking it). -Ben ------------------______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -Ben "'Time was invented to keep everything from happening at the same time. Space was invented so that everything doesen't happen to you.' -Anonymous"(Feel free to email me, subject line "Collect space", as I will not recognize you otherwise! Thank you.)[This message has been edited by Ben (edited April 20, 2001).]tegwilymExcellent! Seems that the last 2 launches have gone off on schedule. If only I waited until the launch after STS-98....Oh well, I just have a good excuse to go back to KSC again!Maybe you already saw this, but here is a web page about my trip: www.geocities.com/tegwilym/ksc TomBenLast two? 5 of the last 6 have gone off on time, except sts 92. Well, I see 98 was delayed relatively close to launch. But hey...sorry you missed it. This was my third try; sts93 and 101 were scrubbed. And quite frankly, I wasnt expectng this to work out either. But I never give up! Neither should you!! Im n NYC, so its no easy task either. When I get my photos back, I can email them to you. Unless you are a yahoogroups member, then Ill post it to the files section. Wow!!! -Ben[This message has been edited by Ben (edited April 20, 2001).]tegwilymYep, I am definately going back again to make another try at it. I live in Seattle, so I'm about as far away as possible (not counting AK an HI of course!) from Florida.Yes, I would really like to see your pictures! What Yahoogroup is that you are in? I did see the ISS and Endevour fly over Seattle tonight. ISS came over and was fairly bright, then about 2 minutes later the shuttle came right behind it! Very cool! :-)TomJacquelineTom and BenYou think you live a fair distance from the KSC! Try living in the UK where you have to save up approximately $2,000 just to get over to Florida and hire a car. That's not including food, accommodation, petrol or anything else. It takes me 3 years to save up for my trips to USA. So, please, no more complaints about how difficult it is for you to get to the KSC to see a launch. Imagine saving up for 3 years, arriving at the space center and then they cancel the launch! Get my point?JacquelineKirsten<siiigggghhhhh...>Same with me, Jacqueline ..... still thinking of a US journey for some weeks within the next time but it would have to include FLA (preferably during a launch), Houston and Huntsville ...best wishes, KirstenJacquelineHi KirstenI went to JSC, Houston back in 1999. Have to say that the KSC beats it hand down. Next year when I visit the KSC I do not know if there will be a launch. Unfortunately due to my husband's work and son's schooling we only have a limited time to take as a holiday. Let's hope I'm lucky again. I saw STS82 launch in February 1997.JacquelinePhilipWell guys ( & girl ),I have no problem with holidays but just wanted to know if someone in the KSC area could provide us a place to stay (sleep) for a modest price ... Anyone ?BenThe yahoogroups are "astronauts" and "astronautcollectables".9in Titusville), I stayed in The Riverside Inn all three times...but now it appears its going down in quality. There is a hotel, Im not sure of the name, that has rooms for just 35$ a night..it might be the Three Oaks. There is also a Holiday Inn there. If you pick up a free Triple AAA book, you should fine all of them. Good luck! When are you planning for Phillip? -BentegwilymJacqueline,No, I'm not complaining about missing a launch, mostly just commenting that I didn't get to see one. The bonus of a cancelled launch is that you can get a much closer view of the shuttle on the pad than if you did see a launch - for obvious reasons! I definately admire your attempts and efforts to see a launch living over in the UK, and do hope you get lucky on your next try. Maybe we will both get lucky on our next attempts!TomScore: KSC Visit: 1Launch: 0 Shuttle up close: 1BenTom,If you get those VIP or press passes ever, you can see the shuttle up close the day or night before. For me, RSS rollback was right as the sun went down, so it was beautiful. -BenBob M I, too, was fortunate to get a special passfor the STS-100 launch & saw it at the Banana River NASA Guest viewing site. Thislocation is about 3 1/2 miles from Pad A &is a favorite viewing area for former ¤t astronauts. Besides seeing a spectac-ular launch ( from our vantage point, we could follow Endeavour for about 4 minutes,well after SRB sep), I also met & got autographs from eight astronauts, includinga desired "Story Musgrave" from the 6-time Shuttle astronaut, & other flown astronautsEd Lu & Michael Lopez-Alegria. Also therewere unflown astronauts Heidi-Marie S.-Piper,Alan Poindexter, new Russian Shuttle astronaut Konstantin Valkov, C.J. Ferguson,& P. Nespoli. Also at KSC for the daily Astronaut Encounter the day before launch were Don Peterson & a surprise appearance by GeneCernan! But neither were autographing,although a few brave souls got quickly applied scribbles from Cernan as he walked away. STS-100 more than made up for the disappointment of STS-101 a year ago when NASA tried three straight days to launch STS-101 & gave up after high winds canceled each attempt & we had to return home without seeing the launch. Then I met & got auto-autographs from 5 astronauts, so it wasn't a total loss. But STS-100 was more like it! BobKirstenAnd how can one get these special passes for the Banana creek sighting area? Only by having good contacts with people at KSC, I think ... Thanks, KirstentegwilymSeems that I should talk with some of you guys on this board before my next attempt!When I went in January, I got most of my information from people on the sci.space.shuttle newsgroup. Bob MKirsten, You asked how to get a NASA Guest viewingpass for viewing a Shuttle launch at theBanana Creek NASA Guest viewing site. CheckKen Havekotte's 2nd posting in "Free Space"in the "My trip to Kennedy Space Center,"as he explains how to get such a special pass. They are possible to get, but not easy,but well worth the effort if you want to seea launch close-in & with the real possibilityof meeting several astronauts. I met 8 thereat the STS-100 launch. BobBenI just got my photos back! Wow! They are great...better than I anticipated. If anyone would like to see, just email me at dehbeaver0@aol.com. I have yet to get all of the RSS rollback photos back, and my crew walkout ones. I fear the worst on the RSS...my camera was not advancing the film properly...and from what I see so far are also overexposed. If you want the technical info as well, please ask. -BentegwilymBen, Of course we want to see them! Put them up on a web site! TompauljKen's posts detail how to obtain a vip pass in the us, not from the uk (please correct me if I have missed anything). When you are shelling out $1500 for a trip to ksc, you want to make the most of the launch. I visited ksc in oct for sts92, I paid $150 for a vip pass through nss, including transportation. They don't offer vip passes anymore because they had a poor response, I had an email from them 5 days before the launch, telling me they may have to cancel becuause they didnt have enough people to cover costs. I had flights and accomodation all booked, I got the pass in the end, but the launch was delayed and I missed it anyway.If anyone knows how to get hold of one of these passes from the UK without having to pay a third party, please can you post a reply or email me pauljenkinson@hotmail.com.Thankyou.Paul.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
That was the most awesome sight Ive ever seen!
I arrived Wednesday...got my press passes and headed for the RSS rollback. MetJimmy Brown..great guy..great advice! Thanks Jim.... IT was delayed an hour,and thus perfect timing. The sun went dowen just as they started, and it lastedinto the night. We first watched it from the side of the pad; later, they tookus to the crawlerway. Hope the pictures came out..my camera may not have beenadvancing the film.
Then came launch day. First, the crew walkout. IT was great although I wassqueezed in the second row. Any pictures show the back of the astronauts, asbest as I remember.
Then the long, but pleasant wait inside the press building. You can watch NASATV, talk to people, get some free photos from the lab, etc. Speaking of which,I met my friend Howard, the photo lab manager. He gave me some advice onexactly how to shoot it, and then took the film to develop it there. Maybe onewill reach the KSC website ...
From the 9 minute point, the time seemed to zip right by. And all of thesudden, a column of liguid gold rose out of the grouns trailing a cloud of deepbrown smoke. Then the sound hits, a few seconds later, growing louder andlouder until all other sounds are drowned out. For this mission from ourprospective, Endeavour went into the cloud about plus 20 seconds, never to beseen again ..but that certainly didnt dampen my spirit!!
Some experience if you havent seen a launch yet. WOW! Later I met a few otherpeople, including Ken H. from the cover service, who also provided me with somearea info. After the launch, I couldnt seem to remember anything, literally .Maybe it was that cloud of HCl!...Boy..that made 5/ the last 6 on timers, just what I hoped for! We decided tocome home last night..as long as I saw the spectacle, that didnt matter. Well,thats all I can think of. Of yea...Don Peterson did not sign (I dont thinkanyone signs at the astro encounter). There were quite a few astros at thepress site...all I think ESA. I had nothing to autograph of a pen until laterafter the launch, but didnt come to think of getting autographs (nor felt like risking it). -Ben
------------------______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -Ben
"'Time was invented to keep everything from happening at the same time. Space was invented so that everything doesen't happen to you.' -Anonymous"
(Feel free to email me, subject line "Collect space", as I will not recognize you otherwise! Thank you.)
[This message has been edited by Ben (edited April 20, 2001).]
Seems that the last 2 launches have gone off on schedule. If only I waited until the launch after STS-98....
Oh well, I just have a good excuse to go back to KSC again!
Maybe you already saw this, but here is a web page about my trip: www.geocities.com/tegwilym/ksc
Tom
I did see the ISS and Endevour fly over Seattle tonight. ISS came over and was fairly bright, then about 2 minutes later the shuttle came right behind it! Very cool! :-)
You think you live a fair distance from the KSC! Try living in the UK where you have to save up approximately $2,000 just to get over to Florida and hire a car. That's not including food, accommodation, petrol or anything else. It takes me 3 years to save up for my trips to USA. So, please, no more complaints about how difficult it is for you to get to the KSC to see a launch. Imagine saving up for 3 years, arriving at the space center and then they cancel the launch! Get my point?
Jacqueline
Same with me, Jacqueline ..... still thinking of a US journey for some weeks within the next time but it would have to include FLA (preferably during a launch), Houston and Huntsville ...
best wishes, Kirsten
I went to JSC, Houston back in 1999. Have to say that the KSC beats it hand down. Next year when I visit the KSC I do not know if there will be a launch. Unfortunately due to my husband's work and son's schooling we only have a limited time to take as a holiday. Let's hope I'm lucky again. I saw STS82 launch in February 1997.
I have no problem with holidays but just wanted to know if someone in the KSC area could provide us a place to stay (sleep) for a modest price ... Anyone ?
9in Titusville), I stayed in The Riverside Inn all three times...but now it appears its going down in quality. There is a hotel, Im not sure of the name, that has rooms for just 35$ a night..it might be the Three Oaks. There is also a Holiday Inn there. If you pick up a free Triple AAA book, you should fine all of them. Good luck! When are you planning for Phillip? -Ben
TomScore: KSC Visit: 1Launch: 0 Shuttle up close: 1
If you get those VIP or press passes ever, you can see the shuttle up close the day or night before. For me, RSS rollback was right as the sun went down, so it was beautiful. -Ben
Also at KSC for the daily Astronaut Encounter the day before launch were Don Peterson & a surprise appearance by GeneCernan! But neither were autographing,although a few brave souls got quickly applied scribbles from Cernan as he walked away.
STS-100 more than made up for the disappointment of STS-101 a year ago when NASA tried three straight days to launch STS-101 & gave up after high winds canceled each attempt & we had to return home without seeing the launch. Then I met & got auto-autographs from 5 astronauts, so it wasn't a total loss. But STS-100 was more like it!
Bob
Thanks, Kirsten
You asked how to get a NASA Guest viewingpass for viewing a Shuttle launch at theBanana Creek NASA Guest viewing site. CheckKen Havekotte's 2nd posting in "Free Space"in the "My trip to Kennedy Space Center,"as he explains how to get such a special pass. They are possible to get, but not easy,but well worth the effort if you want to seea launch close-in & with the real possibilityof meeting several astronauts. I met 8 thereat the STS-100 launch.
I have yet to get all of the RSS rollback photos back, and my crew walkout ones. I fear the worst on the RSS...my camera was not advancing the film properly...and from what I see so far are also overexposed.
If you want the technical info as well, please ask. -Ben
When you are shelling out $1500 for a trip to ksc, you want to make the most of the launch. I visited ksc in oct for sts92, I paid $150 for a vip pass through nss, including transportation. They don't offer vip passes anymore because they had a poor response, I had an email from them 5 days before the launch, telling me they may have to cancel becuause they didnt have enough people to cover costs. I had flights and accomodation all booked, I got the pass in the end, but the launch was delayed and I missed it anyway.
If anyone knows how to get hold of one of these passes from the UK without having to pay a third party, please can you post a reply or email me pauljenkinson@hotmail.com.
Thankyou.Paul.
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