|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
I had the privilege to witness and photograph for my newspaper,STS 92 launch of the Discovery Shuttle at nighttime.This 100th launch of our shuttle system,from the press site.NASA has
some sort of a lottery system for visitors to attend from this close location.There is nothing quite like watching this event.My eyes welled up and my heart rate quickened,as the space craft leaves the Tower.Something all Americans should experience!The only
other similar situation in my life was seeing the Birth in the delivery room of my two children.Fuji 800 press print film f5.6 1/15,Nikon 300 f2.8 with 1.4 converter.
Follow Ups:
I worked for NADSA in Houston for 4 years from 1964-the end of '67. I was there when the Apollo fire occured with spacecraft 203. I had worked with Ed White in 1965 on the first US spacewalk (co-designer of the manuevering unit he used)and got to know him a little, and he died in the fire along with Grissom and Chaffee. It was a sad day. Later, I watched the shuttle explosion with horror, and it brought back all the bad memories of the fire. Now we have another disaster, and I'm reliving it all again. It's very sad.We must remember these are all Heroes. Not for going into space, but for volunteering and accepting the very great risks. They believe in the program and to them the goal is more important than the risks and trhat's what a Hero is.
This is a far cry from stepping onto a scheduled airliner. Despite everyone's best attempts to reduce risk, it is terribly dangerous. Every launch and every re-entry is a great risk. The risks of the lunar landing were beyond belief. Still they volunteer, and still they fly.
We can only admire and honor their courage.
Jerry
It is truly sad. I guess that's part of why they call it "The Right Stuff"!
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: