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Originally Posted by SIM Curly
Anything I suppose. Just curious on what made you like space shuttles  |
Well I did see many of the launches including STS-135. Anyone who's ever seen a launch in person can back me up here: Seeing a Space Shuttle launch is very moving. It would leave you speechless during the entire launch and even after that. It's like an addiction. Once you see one, you can't stop.
I was at Kennedy Space Center after the loss of STS-107, and I'll never forget the feeling that everyone felt stepping on the space port's property after their first space-worthy Space Shuttle was destroyed. I remember looking over at launch pad 39A, seeing how eerie it looked. The last Space Shuttle to launch from that pad was Columbia, and now her and her crew were gone. NASA even still left the Space Shuttle Columbia pad configuration for an extended period after she was gone. The pad looked perfect. It looked like it was protecting yet another Space Shuttle while on the pad. Except there was one thing missing.. the Space Shuttle.
It's truly funny how a piece of land can convey so many emotions. The last time I was at KSC was for STS-135. And along with the usual feelings of excitement, there was also a cloud of uncertainty. There is no doubt that we were (and still are) worried about the future of NASA.
Growing up in Florida, you learn to live with and love the shuttles. They were a huge part of the Florida economy. We really did suffer when they were retired, and we're still recovering. But living in Florida after a certain amount of time, you get use to what the Space Shuttle does. When you're in your living room watching TV and hear twin sonic booms, most people would think a bomb or gun was going off, but we always knew it was just the Space Shuttle.
To say the least, I can't wait to go back to the Kennedy Space Center in July. It'll be good to reunite with the past and see a good old friend..
