Discovery Launch

I am remiss in not posting about being a "Launch Guest" at the Kennedy Space Center for the August 28 launch of the Spaceshuttle Discovery. This is the first spaceshuttle launch that I have ever viewed in person. When I was a kid growing up in central Florida, I saw launches of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects from about 50 miles away. Of course, space exploration was something new and fascinating back then and we trotted outside to watch every launch from our front yard or the school yard. But I have not lived in central Florida for many years, so missed all of the space shuttle launches. Fate intervened last month when the launch had to be delayed and we just happened to be visiting family in Cocoa. My brother-in-law is friends with someone who works for the rocket manufacturer Pratt and Whitney. He was able to get us VIP passes to the space center where we observed the night launch from the grandstands three miles away! It was sensory overload -- the rockets turned the night into day, there was a loud roar, and I could feel the rumble in my chest! I just kept thinking about the astronauts sitting on top of that fireball and how brave (or foolhardy!) they are! I could see the fireball for a long time and even could see when the rocket boosters fell away. What a fabulous sight -- I have to say I got a little choked up by it!