kicker23 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 We were a little delayed coming back from St. Martin Sunday, the 15th. The pilot had told us that there was an outside chance that we could see the launch from the right side of the plane if we were delayed enough. Because of bad weather in Atlanta, we were delayed even longer, and the pilot asked ATC to hang a right just past Orlando to give us a little more time to see the launch. We had an idea of about where the launch site was because they were flying planes above the site trying to guage wind direction, etc. I'm estimating that we were at least 75 miles away when we first saw it. We didn't get the best view because the plane wing was in the way, but these are the unedited shots I took with my camera. I was more concerned with getting the shutter speed right that I didn't even think to manually focus the lens, and the end result is that several shots aren't as crisp as they should be. The last few shots are after we had banked to the left, so it gives the impression that the shuttle isn't that much higher above us, but that's just an illusion. You can see the booster rockets had separated at that point. The object to the right is actually both rockets, and if you zoom close enough in the last shot you will see that the single blur is actually two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker23 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcon_bob Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That's awesome. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mookie3127 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Saturday? is that you? :P couldn't resist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker23 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 Saturday? is that you? :P couldn't resistI figured that was coming. Actually, Saturday, me, and Jimmy B all had a good laugh about that down in the islands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDaveG Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That is amazing stuff. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodoleboy58 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 thats awesome man good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton80Kid Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 those are some pretty cool shots...I have a friend who grew up in Titusville...she they used to sit on their back porch and see the shuttle after it launched...they took some pictures...yours reminded me of theirs...I think you've got a pretty cool story to tell yours and Saturday's grandkids about someday... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodoleboy58 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 i must have missed the "saturday" thing... i remember she always had some grand stories but were they ever proven false? i must not have seen that thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
House Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I always wanted to go watch a shuttle launch and plan on going to a shuttle launch in December, the launch is on my birthday. The last night before Discovery's last sunday Atlanta was suppose to see the SRB and the Orbiter. I'm in the process of uploading some pics that I took last september when both Orbiters were on the pad. One was Endeavor and the other one was Atlantis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Duncan Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Very cool, we went outside at the time of the launch, but it was way too cloudy to possibly see anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summerbunny Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Nice thanks Kicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mookie3127 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 i must have missed the "saturday" thing... i remember she always had some grand stories but were they ever proven false? i must not have seen that threadGrab some popcorn and a cold one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Those are really cool pictures. Thank you for posting them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Dark Helmet Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That is awesome. I always wanted to see the shuttle launch in person. I have seen it return to earth 25+ times. I lived 3 miles from Edwards Air Force base in CA and it would fly over my house. The sonic boom would shake the whole area when it re-entered the atmosphere. My father worked for Rockwell and helped assemble every shuttle so it always will be a special thing for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tipp78 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Awesome pictures! I imagine you got a better view from the airplane then you would from the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker23 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 Awesome pictures! I imagine you got a better view from the airplane then you would from the ground.I'm sure we did. The sun had already set on the ground, so at launch it was was fairly dark on the ground. You can see the vibrant colors from the shuttle's plume start just above the haze. I just wish I wasn't on the **** wing, or I could've seen the actual liftoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanboy3000 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That's awesome Kicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlo Bull Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I was in Daytona Beach for my Spring break and I was lucky enough to get some pictures from a bridge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kicker23 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 I was in Daytona Beach for my Spring break and I was lucky enough to get some pictures from a bridge!Oh **** yes! Sweet! I read an article where the guys at Mission Control called it the most amazing launch they'd seen in years...I was curious to see what it looked like from the ground. Glad to see you guys had the same vibrant colors we did. Curious, but could you hear it from Daytona? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlo Bull Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I don't remember hearing it, by the time we actually stopped the truck and got out it had already separated from the boosters in one of the the darker pictures I showed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott da 6'0 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Cool stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryowens__ Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 wow thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
House Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Here's a few pics from KSC last September. I had to use some digital zoom to get a close pic of the Shuttle.This is Space Shuttle Endeavor(Its about a mile from where I took these pics to the pad), its next launch is May 15. The Shuttle was moved to the pad earlier in the morning when I went.Here's a pic of Shuttle Atlantis, its next launch is schedule for May 12, but may get delayed because of Endeavor or vice versaIts about 2 miles to the pad from where I took this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octoslash Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Wow kicker, I'm impressed. You really know Saturday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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