Rocketman

[TEWKS]

This is a recycled set of pics but they work well together. The top part is my pic of one of the last shuttle launches, the lower portion is a web pic.   Theme Music  

 

[Endobob]

@TEWKS - Pat - perhaps you should change your Board name to "Rocket Man"    

 

[longjohn]

One of my favorite songs. I love the acoustic guitar strums.  

[Bill_Walker]

On 8/7/2019 at 7:48 PM, longjohn said:

One of my favorite songs. I love the acoustic guitar strums.  

But probably not in this version.

[TEWKS]

Bad, and not to the bone, IYKWIM!  

[longjohn]

19 hours ago, Bill_Walker said:

But probably not in this version.

No. There are no well placed guitar strums in that one, and who ever did that arrangement in the original was/is a genius. 

[Bill_Walker]

3 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Bad, and not to the bone, IYKWIM!

Or, as Huey Lewis and the News put it in a song, Sometimes Bad is Bad.

[powwow]

Years ago, I was flying south from Philadelphia to the Turks & Caicos.  Everyone on the plane was grumbling because the flight had left an hour later than scheduled.  Much to our surprise and delight, the pilot had timed the flight so we could watch one of the shuttle launches...from 30,000 feet.  We watched it go right by the airplane (obviously, from the safe distance).  Pretty incredible experience.

[MikeB60]

I got to see it land at Edwards back in the 90s.  Also saw it mounted on the 747 but missed the takeoff.  It was cool but nothing compared to a launch.  

[TEWKS]

I think I may have told this story already, we were down in Disney during this launch. I drove over early in the day and waited right across from the launch site (Kelly Park I believe) Anyway, had front row seating for about four hours. Then towards the last half hour or so, I saw this guy back near the parking lot setting up all kinds of expensive camera equipment. (He must know what he's doing me thinks) 

 

So I made the decision to pull up stakes in the front row area and went back to where he was set up. Thought it a little strange because trees blocked the view of the pad but still figuring this guy had it down. Oh, the sinking feeling I had when it fired and the trees in front of me lit up like there had been a Napalm Strike that just occurred through the forest. 

 

Nothing I could do at that point, I missed it leaving the pad, hence the higher photo. 

 

Edit...not that it really matters but I don't think it was Kelly Park I was viewing from, looking on google maps tells me I was somewhere in Titusville.

[RandyShields]

I had the exact same experience watching the shuttle go up, but without the delayed takeoff.  It was probably 20-25 years ago on a flight south to Miami.  We had to swing inland a long way.  The pilot likely had to struggle with the trim as everyone on the right side of the airplane shifted to the left to see what they could see.  Very very cool.

 

 

[wbw6cos]

When I lived in Orlandp, I used to walk out my apartment door and look to the right.  I had some blury photos taken with a MF SLR 35mm film camera sporting telephoto lense.  It was a 100-300 mm zoom with a 2x adapter,  Seems like I saw a few night time launches.  Pretty cool.  I wish I could remember if I heard the launch from my door step,  Ah, memories.

 

EDIT:  added words germane to my comments on sound.  (Thanks Neil!)

 

"A thunderous roar shakes the air
Like the whole world exploding

Scorching blast of golden fire
As it slowly leaves the ground
Tears away with a mighty force
The air is shattered by the awesome sound"