Space is Still Significant

Just returned from the STS-126 launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and before we got there, I had no idea what it would be like. Well, maybe a small idea as I attended one of the early launches back on college spring break and I was situated way out with all the other space geek slobs. We could barely see anything but luckily next to us was a van with a ton of telescopic and photographic equipment. Let's say that for a couple of beers we got to see some good closeups before the launch. That launch was exiting because the Shuttle was still very new and humans were starting to get back into space on a routine basis. Between then and this weekend, I spent several years at NASA and its contractors, went on to the dot.com/bust and other things, got married and had a son, lived through two STS accidents, and now 25 or so years later, finally got to witness a launch closeup at the Banana Creek viewing site courtesy of my sister-in-law, a Spaceflight Awareness award winner (!).

Two major impressions. First, this was a perfect one to view because it was night, the weather was pleasant, and there were just enough light clouds to witness a spectacular event. When the Shuttle got close to the cloud cover, fast concentric multi-colored ripples appeared in the clouds, like a stone hitting a pond but much more. Then the clouds parted as the Shuttle pierced through what was left of them. Very cool. The next thing that impressed me was the shear quantity of enthusiasts at this event. Maybe because it was one of the last (or maybe last) night launch, there were a ton of people and the drive back on the Shoreline towards Orlando was brutal. It took us three hours (normally one) and my wife and her sister award winner five hours on a chartered bus (lousy driver). I was heartened by the numbers and all types of people, young and old, geek to chic. Being in that type of a traffic jam was preferable to my normal ones.

Perhaps there are enough of us interested to keep pushing forward. After this experience and the X Prize Cup I attended two years ago in New Mexico, I'm heartened. My son, now 15, is considering aersopace engineering like his father and aunt. I think it's time to get back into the aerospace business. With the Constellation program (back to Moon and on to Mars) and private spaceflight starting up, there's no time like now to get involved. I'm getting psyched once again, like when I saw Neil Armstrong walk on the Moon.