[meteorite-list] Shuttle Launch Photos

[Greg Hupe]

Dear List Members,

I was lucky enough to view the shuttle launch from an awesome location. I 
was just five miles from the launch pad directly across the Indian River. I 
spent the night before at a friend's house just one mile from where we 
watched it. Just so happens it was the same tiki bar we were at the night 
before.

We arrived at 7:00am and secured what I thought was the perfect 
photographing spot. I wanted something in the foreground to use as a 
reference to judge the distance. The distant sky was a little hazy but 
awesome all the same. Just before launch time the owner of the outside bar 
turned off the music and began a countdown. We did not hear anything until 
the shuttle pierced through the cloud deck and then you could hear and feel 
the rumble of the booster rockets. It was unlike anything I had witnessed 
before, very cool! I got goose bumps watching and feeling it. After the 
shuttle had vanished into space I gave the guy next to me a high-five. He 
had tears running down his face. He simply exclaimed, "I'm not too much of a 
man to admit I can cry for something this wonderful". The whole crowd had a 
sense of patriotic joy, you could feel it. Great job NASA!

Here are a few pictures I took for your viewing pleasure:

Sunrise over the Indian River. You can see the shuttle hanger in the 
distance just above the two people's silhouettes.
http://www.lunarrock.com/shuttle/shuttle1.jpg
Crowd gathering at the outside tike bar.
http://www.lunarrock.com/shuttle/shuttle2.jpg
Close-up just after liftoff.
http://www.lunarrock.com/shuttle/shuttle3.jpg
Full view just after hearing and feeling the booster rockets echo over the 
river.
http://www.lunarrock.com/shuttle/shuttle4.jpg
Close-up before shuttle disappears into space.
http://www.lunarrock.com/shuttle/shuttle5.jpg

Hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I did taking them.

Best regards,

Greg Hupe