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  What was your most memorable launch?

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Author Topic:   What was your most memorable launch?
HouseDadX4
unregistered
posted 07-12-2005 11:28 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
MSNBC has a section that asks this question in a similar fashion and I answered there but I thought I'd post this question to my fellow collectspacers and share my answer with everyone..

Looking south, a spectacular view

I lived in Savannah, Ga., for six years and was able to view the shuttle launches on clear nights from Tybee Island even though KSC was some 350 miles away. Tybee is a barrier island about 20 minutes from Savannah. I think the most spectacular launch I've seen was the launch of STS 113 on the night of Nov 23, 2002. It took about two minutes from the time the shuttle left the pad until it came up over the horizon where it was visible to us. We always knew when we would have a visual because the whole south sky would light up bright orange. That particular night was so clear that we were able to get a distinguishable view of the solid rocket boosters separating as the shuttle made it's way up the coast en route to the ISS. It was the last in person launch we saw, not because of the Columbia accident, but because we moved to Oklahoma in June of 2003. When we first started going out to Tybee for night launches in 1997, only a handful of people would gather to watch, but by November of 2002, the whole pier was full of onlookers and astronomers with their telescopes and hand held radios.

--Brian Sandeen, Yukon, Okla.

Spacepsycho
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Posts: 818
From: Huntington Beach, Calif.
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 07-12-2005 11:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Spacepsycho   Click Here to Email Spacepsycho     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Being on the left coast I've only gotten to see one shuttle launch in person and that was from 20 miles away.

The launch that I'll never forget was when my grandfather woke me up in the middle of the night PST, to watch Alan Shepard be the first American to go into space. I remember sitting with him while he was excitedly yelling at the screen while we watched it live on a 13" B/W screen.

The others I remember vividly were the Apollo 11 & 17 launches and televised EVA's. It was a magical time that was one of the best memories of growing up in the 60's & 70's.

heng44
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Posts: 3386
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 07-13-2005 03:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for heng44   Click Here to Email heng44     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I watched STS-1 lift-off from the Press Site at KSC and it was the biggest thrill of my life. The emotion of seeing a manned launch after such a long pause of six years was overwhelming. And to top it off I saw Columbia land at Edwards two days later.

Ed

tegwilym
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Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-13-2005 03:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My favorite?
Probalby the first one that I'll see in person!

I'm 0/2 on launches now. I tried to attend STS-98, and last October I had a chance to see an unmanned Delta....delays.

Tom

trajan
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Posts: 109
From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
Registered: May 2004

posted 07-13-2005 04:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for trajan   Click Here to Email trajan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I, alas, haven't had the pleasure of seeing a launch first-hand, (loved your evocative description, though, Housedad), but the mission experience I remember most is STS-1. I was 10 at the time and, on launch day, went out for a meal with my parents and a couple of aunts and uncles. I can't belive that, even at 10, I didn't kick up a fuss about going to the restaurant!! However, I was allowed to take a radio and remember the thunderous sound of Columbia leaving the pad. That night, we got home, turned on the news and Columbia was in orbit; I remember seeing the far end of the payload bay on the cameras.

Even better than that, 2 days later, we were on holiday in Greece. My dad and I wanted to see the landing, so we found one of the hotel managers who found the right TV channel. He then translated from Greek for us so we could follow the orbiter's progress. The great thing was that, at first, it was just me, my dad and the manager. Slowly, more and more guests gravitated in, and by the time John Young put it "right on the money", the whole hotel was gathered and erupted into prolonged applause!

micropooz
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Posts: 1512
From: Washington, DC, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 07-13-2005 05:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for micropooz   Click Here to Email micropooz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Have seen 5 shuttle launches, one Delta and one sounding rocket.

The first launch that I ever saw was a sounding rocket launched at the Cape in the early 1990's. I was watching from the Cocoa Beach Hilton. It went off like a bullet arcing over the ocean. All we could see was a dot with exhaust pouring out the back end. Then it turned to go straight up. Then it appeared to stop, still making exhaust. At that point we all realized that it was either heading straight away from us orrrr...straight toward us! Either direction was bad news. About the time that we made that realization, Range Safety blew it up, and we watched glowing pieces fall earthward.

My first Shuttle launch was STS-53. I was standing just under the overhang of the LCC. When the sound hit, it vibrated all of the dirt and bird dung off the side of the building right down on my head...

On the STS-65 launch, I was inside, behind some shaded glass so the outside glare was gone. I was standing with some Japanese folks (there was a Japanese astro on the flight). Knowing how bright the solids would be when they lit off, I put on my dark glasses at about T-15 seconds. The Japanese all thought that was pretty funny until the solids lit off, then they all scrambled for their shades.

One night launch that I saw, either STS-63 or 67 was visible up until about 30 seconds before MECO before it went below the horizon - phenomenal visibility! We all thought we would see a MECO for the first time, but alas no.

KSCartist
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Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 07-13-2005 06:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for KSCartist   Click Here to Email KSCartist     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Brian-
Great Topic-

I'vebeen fortunate to see many launches but a few stand out as memorable.

Apollo 17 in 1972 - I just had to see a Saturn V launch. My parents gave me the trip for my 16th birthday.

Challenger STS-7 in 1983 - My hometown had its Bicentennial Medallion aboard and I was the lucky representative. Got to meet Gene Cernan and Bob McCall.

But the best was STS 60 in 1994. I took my parents to it. Standing at the Static Test Road viewing site. The shuttle launched at dawn and when it rose high enough in that clear cobalt blue sky, a fantastic shadow was created by the sun passing through the SRB plumes. Incredible. My Dad passed away the next year.

Tim

Ryan Walters
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Posts: 78
From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 07-13-2005 07:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ryan Walters   Click Here to Email Ryan Walters     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've only been to one shuttle launch and one Titan launch. But the shuttle launch, STS-94, I attended as a VIP and watched from the Saturn V Center stands. I would recommend these passes to anyone, and they didn't cost me a thing! Heck of a show!!

zee_aladdin
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Posts: 781
From: California
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 07-13-2005 08:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for zee_aladdin   Click Here to Email zee_aladdin     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
AIT-2 Atmospheric Interceptor Technology from Kodiak Island Alaska ... I worked for one year as an electrical engineer on the rocket, but I wasn't able to make it to Kodiak Alaska, so I just watched it from the monitors ... and now i have a copy of the launch at home.

Tom
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Posts: 1597
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-16-2005 12:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Tom   Click Here to Email Tom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think all 13 launches that I've seen from KSC, wether it was from the Press Site (6) or the NASA Causeway and similar vantage points (7) ranging from Apollo 15 through STS-93, are memorable
But the most unusual ones are the 6 or so that I was able to see the last 30 seconds or so of powered flight...including MECO, which is pretty spectaular to watch!
Living on Long Island, just east of New York City, we have a great view of that portion of shuttle flights that are launched at either 51.6 or 57 degree azimuths...before dawn or after dusk with clear skys.

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited July 16, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited July 16, 2005).]

Rob Joyner
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Posts: 1308
From: GA, USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-17-2005 12:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rob Joyner   Click Here to Email Rob Joyner     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I really can't choose. Endeavour's maiden flight, Glenn's launch aboard Discovery and Columbia's last.
They are all very special.

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