rtphokie
Photo board moderator
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 3,607
We'll we tried, several times, to see STS-127 launch. Got launch tickets from our congressman which made things much easier. In the end we had to get home before the 6th and final launch attempt. Did have a great time and really enjoyed the process despite the disappointment.
We were there in June for 2 launch attempts that were scrubbed before we even made on KSC property and came back in July. The first window was scrubbed before they even began fueling due to horrendous weather including several lightening strikes on the launch tower the night before.
In the 2 different launch attempts where we actually went out and waited a couple hours, we were at the Nasa Causeway location first.
It's about 6 miles from the pad and has a beautiful view straight up river, it was a bit hazy but you can make out Endeavor on the pad in the distance.
300mm lens with lots of cropping and cleanup in Photoshop.
Clouds moved in minutes before launch and the attempt was scrubbed due to weather concerns about the shuttle landing facility in the event of an abort which required the shuttle to immediately return to KSC and land there.
We stayed a few more days and tried the next launch attempt. This time they bussed us to the Banana Creek viewing area which is at the Saturn V center for anyone who has toured KSC. The view there isn't quite as good (you are looking at the shuttle stack from the side and the tower blocks much of orbiter, boosters and external tank. On the plus side, it's about 3 miles closer than the causeway viewing location.
300mm, uncropped from the Banana River location.
There are a couple of plusses to the Saturn V location. You sit for a couple hours before the launch. There is plenty to do in the Saturn V center to pass the time. I never get tired of walking under that big 'old rocket. They had both shows (the mission control room, and the Apollo 11 landing show) running.
Launch or no launch, we'll treasure this photo, though I need to Photoshop out that dust spot before we use it in the Christmas card this year:
We were there in June for 2 launch attempts that were scrubbed before we even made on KSC property and came back in July. The first window was scrubbed before they even began fueling due to horrendous weather including several lightening strikes on the launch tower the night before.
In the 2 different launch attempts where we actually went out and waited a couple hours, we were at the Nasa Causeway location first.
It's about 6 miles from the pad and has a beautiful view straight up river, it was a bit hazy but you can make out Endeavor on the pad in the distance.
300mm lens with lots of cropping and cleanup in Photoshop.
Clouds moved in minutes before launch and the attempt was scrubbed due to weather concerns about the shuttle landing facility in the event of an abort which required the shuttle to immediately return to KSC and land there.
We stayed a few more days and tried the next launch attempt. This time they bussed us to the Banana Creek viewing area which is at the Saturn V center for anyone who has toured KSC. The view there isn't quite as good (you are looking at the shuttle stack from the side and the tower blocks much of orbiter, boosters and external tank. On the plus side, it's about 3 miles closer than the causeway viewing location.
300mm, uncropped from the Banana River location.
There are a couple of plusses to the Saturn V location. You sit for a couple hours before the launch. There is plenty to do in the Saturn V center to pass the time. I never get tired of walking under that big 'old rocket. They had both shows (the mission control room, and the Apollo 11 landing show) running.
Launch or no launch, we'll treasure this photo, though I need to Photoshop out that dust spot before we use it in the Christmas card this year:
