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This morning Traction Control was on hand for the first night-time shuttle launch since Columbia (the 30th in the Shuttle program’s history) with the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor.
The NASA access provided a vantage point some 400 yards closer than the press facilities.
(The diagram on the right shows the layout of our access area).
Our Observation site – (Click image to see the Launch Site to the right)
Scheduled for 2:28:06 AM the launch was a Go and the night was turned into daylight as the 4.5 million pound stack soared upwards through the clouds.
The sound, and the physical buffeting that reached us at our vantage point were the most vivd feelings of the impressive amount of raw power expended in the launch which burned 11000 pounds of fuel per second.
(Ignition)
(Lift Off)
(Smoke Plume)
Update: Flopping Aces has a great photo of the launch.
Update 2: Little Green Footballs has a video of the Launch. “Turn up the volume and stand back.”
Cool, you lucky bastard.