Our vacation, centered around an Easter Caribbean cruise, began by flying
to Miami three days in advance of sailing (the joys of employee travel) to
ensure we wouldn't miss the boat. Since we were there, and a shuttle launch was too,
it just seemed a requirement that we drive up and see it.
We left Fort Lauderdale at 3am and drove 200 miles to Titusville, FL,
just across the Indian River from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.
It was 39 degrees -- cold for a Florida vacation! We found a spot on the
riverbank about 20 minutes before the scheduled launch of STS-102,
the Discovery, which was carrying out an ISS assembly mission and was
transporting the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module to and from the ISS.
A perfect day. Sunrise was at 6:41am and the launch was at 6:42am,
so it was destined to be spectacular. Right on schedule -- engine ignition and launch.
Launch of STS-102, with the massive Vehicle Assembly Building to the right.
The lower portion of the exhaust plume was in reddish hues from the sunrise;
the top of the plume was in brilliant sunlight and was sparkling white,
with the flames of the engines topping the plume.
A view of the sunrise, just to the right of the VAB.
You can see the brilliance of the top of the plume, and the sudden end of it
where the solid rocket boosters separated. Note the shadowy
crepuscular rays cast by the exhaust plume.
From our post-launch breakfast at Burger King in Titusville,
a shot of the plume breaking up in the upper-level winds.
We spent the day touring the facilities of the Kennedy Space Center.
Here, the girls are dwarfed by the first stage of the Saturn V rocket.
Sarah Beth and Emily by a mockup of the Space Shuttle.
The Rocket Garden, with a Gemini/Titan at left, Mercury/Atlas and Mercury/Redstone
towards the middle, and the Saturn IB just peeking from off-camera to the right.
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