Living in Central Florida with The Space Shuttle

[aeliop]

Living in the Orlando area the Space Shuttle and the space program impact all of us in many ways. "The Cape" is 20 something miles east of us and thousands are either directly or indirectly employed by the space program. For the rest of us, every launch is still a major event. Television programming is interrupted for coverage of launches and safe returns. When the shuttle returns it must break the sound barrier, the impact is a loud sonic boom that will rattle the dishes and shake the foundation of a house. For this purpose most times they try to have the shuttle return at reasonable hours. Any deviation from the precise return could cause destruction to not only the shuttle but structures in the area. Talk about engineering pressure, we think we have it bad trying to time are water and peaking for prejudging, imagine what's at stake for these guys if they don't get it quite right and spill over. When the shuttle is launched, if it is during the day you can see it pretty clearly and for many (Marilyn) these launches never grow stale. She hasn't missed one yet I don't think. When it is launched at night it looks like a ball of flame in the sky. Last night Marilyn snapped this picture of the shuttle launch, for those of you who don't live in the area you can experience some of what we witness. I wish the crew a safe flight and return. It takes a lot of balls to go up there.

 

[StoryOfTheYear]

I watched it too last night! I live more North in Jacksonville! The whole space program I find really interesting! I try to catch as many as I can also. They have to launch within a five-mintute window..... precisely when the space station is passing over! I think that's really cool to think about! -StOrY

 

[mondaine]

Last night was the coolest launch I've seen in years. I watched it off of Lake Monroe in Sanford area

 

[HUTCH]

I went to Cape and watched one up close back in Junior High...One of the coolest things ive ever seen...I use to live in Palm Bay/Malabar for a couple years, also lived in Coral Springs for a year...Love Florida

 

[Chuckblonde]

we could see those booster rockets fall off from orlando, i had never seen one that close before

 

[SABAGOY]

I use to live in Daytona Beach and we always had great views for the shuttle launches. I know there is a technical term for it but i remember one time about 2 minutes after it was out of sight the windows in my apartment started shaking and it felt like an earth quake.

 

[aeliop]

Sonic Boom

I use to live in Daytona Beach and we always had great views for the shuttle launches. I know there is a technical term for it but i remember one time about 2 minutes after it was out of sight the windows in my apartment started shaking and it felt like an earth quake.

Sonic Boom

 

[JETHRO TULL]

Alieop, I've never seen anything like that before.

Sounds like quite an experience.