Dreams Realized

I have a lot of dreams. Some I'll see come true, some I won't. My beautiful wife took the initiative and made one come true for me today.

I've been a NASA geek since I could spell it. I still own the poster at right. No, it's not for sale.

So, when Jayne suggested we take a vacation and view a shuttle launch, she didn't have to ask me twice. Problem 1: they're notorious for delays, and Problem 2: the program is ending. Now, I don't suffer from the depression that many others do over the end of the space shuttle's active life; it has done its job. Neil deGrasse Tyson said it best on Twitter: "Many lament the shuttle era's end. But that's misplaced sentiment. Lament instead the absence of an era to replace it." That's all I have to say about that.

So we made plans, had to break them because of delays, got special invitations, had to decline them because of our jobs and the potential for delays, and finally got the chance this Summer to see the VERY LAST space shuttle launch, that of Atlantis on STS-135. But only if it launches on time. After a car trouble scare, three days on the road, and trepidation over how best to witness this history when "up to a million" other people have the same idea, we found ourselves on Florida's Space Coast waiting for a 5-minute launch window and only a 30% chance that weather would cooperate.

Amazingly, it did.

Honestly, I don't have the words to describe how it felt. It was amazing. It was too short. It was exhilarating but sad. It was loud but not loud enough. It was clear but not clear enough. We were close but not close enough. It was great because it went on time but it was disappointing because I'd have happily come back to watch it again. It was an amazing relief when it achieved orbit safely. I am ecstatic to have experienced it. I feel guilty to admit a small twinge of "is that it?" I could spend hours telling you about the experience. I really don't feel like typing any more inadequate descriptions now.

One thing I didn't do was take pictures or video of the launch. I got great advice from professionals who said, "Don't ruin the experience by stressing over picture-taking details. Just watch. Just experience it." So that's what I did. If you want to see pretty pictures or compelling video of the STS-135 launch, you can find endless resources online. I took pictures before and after, though, and my beautiful wife took a few pictures during the launch, mostly to demonstrate what the experience was like for us; distance, visibility, etc. I'm including the best below. You can click each to embiggenate.

Despite all the conflicted opinions you see above, I can say without equivocation that I'm really, really glad we came to experience this. I love my beautiful wife. Thank you, Jayne.

We came here for the SpaceView Park Tweetup, but it was quite a madhouse. We found more elbow room a block North.

Box at right: Vehicle Assembly Building. Between the boats: Launch Pad 39

For size reference: Jayne at left, VAB at right. We were about 4 miles from the VAB, 7 miles from the pad.

The launch tower peeks out from the right side of a distant hill.

After a scary last-second delay, we have liftoff!

Go, Go, Go!

Just about to punch through the clouds...

And with that, 20-some seconds after liftoff, our viewing is over. But not the event...

Fully 20 seconds after the ship disappeared from view, the sound reached us. And what a sound! After 7 miles, it had diminished greatly. That said, if that sound was "diminished," I can easily believe that the sound alone would kill a person standing in the vicinity of the pad.

The family and I shared a moment I'll never forget.

Is it really over?

 Then we went to lunch (cobbler!), waited for the traffic to clear, and took the long way back to the house. What a day! Thank you both for reading this far!