Space Shuttle Discovery on Launchpad 39A
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Taken from: ~4800 feet, handheld, very windy
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Space Shuttle Countdown Clock
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Taken from: Saturn Causeway
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Space Shuttle Crawler-Transporter
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Bomb shelters
The Space Shuttles have been described as bombs with wings. When they launch, the sound waves are so powerful, and the heat so intense, that either could kill people nearby.
The nearest observation area is 3.5 miles from the launch pad. But in the case of a contingency on the launchpad, there is a launchpad rescue team stationed in M133 Armored Personnel Carriers about 1.5 miles from the launchpad.
Here’s a shot of those M133’s from inside our tour bus. Note too the crawler paths in the foreground.
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Our second row seat for the launch of STS-133
We planned this vacation specifically to catch the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on Monday, November 1. Two days before we left, we learned the launch had been postponed until Wednesday, November 3. That actually turned out OK, as I was now able to score some tour tickets to see the shuttle on the launchpad–something we otherwise would not have been able to do.
On our way out of Kennedy Space Center on November 3, we read on the display board there that the launch would be delayed until Thursday, November 4. Since we planned for this contingency and had not prebooked any hotels all week long and had other places we wanted to see, this was fine, so we headed up to Daytona for the night.
We got up early morning on Thursday morning to catch the fueling go/no-go announcement and it was a no-go due to weather concerns and would be scheduled for Friday, November 5. That was OK because we still had other things to do, so off to Saint Augustine we went.
Again we got up early on Friday to catch the fueling go/no-go announcement. It was a go and we scrambled to get out of the hotel, drive two hours to Titusville in hopes of getting a reasonable spot at the nearest public viewing area possible, so I could get some photos. We got to Spaceview Park about 7:40 AM to catch the 3:04 PM launch.
The fueling process takes three hours and began shortly after we left Saint Augustine. About 8:15 AM, a nice guy also waiting at the park tells us they discovered a leak and the launch was scrubbed for the day. Since we don’t leave until Saturday afternoon, I was hoping we’d get one more chance and we’d catch it from the plane home since the time was about right. But a crack in the foam was discovered and 3 1/2 months later, Space Shuttle Discovery took off without us. Here is what our view would have been like if it went the day we were there.
You can see the shuttle on the launchpad on the horizon in between the center of the arms of the two chairs (almost exact center of photo). The other building to the right above the right chair is the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Spaceview Park
Titusville, Florida
November 5, 2010
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Space Mirror Memorial
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 5, 2010
As I messed up the shot and you can’t read all the names, here they are:
Manley L. “Sonny” Carter, Jr.
Theodore C. Freeman
Francis “Dick” Scobee
Michael J. Smith
Ellison S. Onizuka
Judith A. Resnik
Ronald E. McNair
S. Christa McAuliffe
Gregory B. Jarvis
Rick D. Husband
William C. McCool
Michael P. Anderson
David M. Brown
Kalpana Chawla
Laurel Clark
Ilan Ramon
Virgil “Gus” Grissom
Edward H. White, II
Roger B. Chaffee
Elliot M. See, Jr.
Charles A. Bassett, II
Michael J. Adams
Robert H. Lawrence Jr.
Clifton C. Williams, Jr.
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Space Shuttle Processing Hangars
Dwarfed by the Vehicle Assembly Building behind them, these surprising small buildings are where the space shuttles go to get checked out after landing and get prepped for their next launch.
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Space Shuttle Discovery on Launchpad 39A.
After touring Kennedy Space Center this day and learning on our way out that the STS-133 launch would be delayed another day, we stopped by on our way to St. Augustine to catch this night view of Space Shuttle Discovery 11 miles away. Wish it were better, but I’ll take it for as windy as it was. The 7D with a 400mm lens and 1.4 teleconverter acted like a sail in the wind.
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Launchpad 39B
What is left of Space Shuttle Launchpad 39B, decommissioned January 1, 2007.
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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Crawler-Transporter path from Launchpad 39B
The Space Shuttle goes down this path no more since Launchpad 39B was decommissioned January 1, 2007.
Kennedy Space Center
Titusville, Florida
November 2, 2010
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