My Day at the Space Shuttle Launch.

[Kyle]

I got last minute tickets to go to STS-124's Discovery launch, I got to stand near the VAB For the Launch, And I tell you, even though its 100$ for one ticket, it was worth it. We left at 8ish that morning, Drove our way to the cape, and got to the Cape, were we got on a Bus that took us to the Launch
Pads. I had a feeling of anxiety, of fear and excitement. I saw at 2:00 the Arm come off the top of the Space Shuttle, and then 1:54 Minutes later, a Huge Bellow of smoke come out, then followed 6 seconds later by another one, and then the Space Shuttle came out, at first 5 seconds, into the Roll Program, it was silent, then the SSME Sound from Ignition hit us, than the SRB sounds hit us! Now that was an impressive site! Because the fish in the water, were all jumping out of the pound and out of the pound near the Launch Countdown clock! They were all having heart attacks, then a near buy bird went mad and flew right into the VAB. Then, all the Car Alarms went off, It was Chaos! The noise was so loud, it rang in my ears for a day. It sounded like popcorn, very loud popcorn popping. It was also interesting to feel a wave of warm air hit you, with total chaos around you.

 

[tblaxland]

Great story, Kyle. Thanks. I've often wondered what that sound would be like. Did you get some good photos?

 

[Belisarius]

I envy you. Living in Europe it's unlikely that I'll ever see a Shuttle launch or any other spacecraft launch. I'm shocked that they charge $100 a ticket, though. Are there STS ticket scalpers?

 

[Kyle]

Great story, Kyle. Thanks. I've often wondered what that sound would be like. Did you get some good photos?

 

[Kyle]

The fish weren't having heart attacks at that moment, a few seconds later they did

 

[Zatnikitelman]

Holy wow! Great story and lucky devil! BTW-were you actually AT the VAB? I never knew the public could get that close.

 

[Pilot7893]

The closest I ever got to a shuttle launch was 27 miles at Disney Land last August

 

[Master of Blades]

You lucky sod...

 

[Kyle]

Family Member, and NASA Employees, and the people they invite, or they buy in are allowed near the VAB For launch. I was on the left side of it.

 

[Star explorer]

The closest I ever got to a shuttle launch was 27 miles at Disney Land last August

disney land is in californa what your talking about is disney world.

PS: remember late last year when they launched the first teacher in space well i was in disney world at the time i got to actullay see the launch even though i was over 20 miles away at that distance i was able to see the flames from the shuttle it looked like a comet going upwards

 

[movieman]

I envy you. Living in Europe it's unlikely that I'll ever see a Shuttle launch or any other spacecraft launch. I'm shocked that they charge $100 a ticket, though. Are there STS ticket scalpers?

In the old days you just wrote in and asked for a pass, and hoped they had enough to fit you in. I believe that post-9/11 they charge money for it instead .

Landings are the ones that are really difficult to get to, as there's only space for a couple of hundred people.