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Space Shuttle Launch
By bigpumpkin | June 9, 2008
Astronaut getting dressed
The astronauts had to be quarantined for a month before the space shuttle launch which meant that we couldn’t meet him, the person who invited us. What a bummer! So all we got to see of him was through this big TV screen that showed him being transported from his quarantined base to the space shuttle where the astronauts got dressed and ready for the big launch. It was a sweltering hot day and I felt really sorry for them in layers of astronaut suits.
At noon, we had to check in at the Kennedy Space Centre where we had 3 hours to shop, browse around the space museums or eat but by 3pm, we had to take the KSC bus that brought us to the VIP launch site. We were warned that this was a dangerous thing to do as not only did the launch produce poisonous gases, things could fall apart and hit us at that close distance. Yikes.
After 2 hours in the hot sun, the countdown finally happened and I watched it atop a wobbly chair on sand with one eye on the camera (frantically taking pictures!) and the other eye on Tee below as she insisted on watching from Ground Zero. It happened so quick but it was bloody exhilarating.
The astronauts needed a few hours in that hot, hot suit to do their check in their space shuttle before launch and I found out that in the next 24 hours after the launch, they do nothing but allow their bodies to get used to weightlessness in space. This means, they will either get seriously sick and puke like mad or they are fine. The rumour is that once you puke in space, you will always puke in space. And apparently, the women astronauts have always fared better in this area. I also learnt that the astronauts were going to survive on liquid food that they would sip through a straw. For a whole two weeks! Isn’t that interesting? They can’t eat normal food because they’d have broccoli and steak floating all over the space ship!
Another new thing I learnt was that the rocket breaks apart and falls into the sea after some time when the space shuttle is reaching orbit. That was scary. What if it fell on us???!!! I always thought that an object gets launched and into space it goes. Who ever thought of it breaking apart, huh? You can watch it here.
Astronaut strapped into space shuttle ready for launch
So we got really lucky. Despite the numerous letters and emails from NASA to the Hubs detailing launch delays, we were really, really lucky that we caught the launch this time round after spending all this money to come to the USA. The stars are working with us, that much I can tell you. And apart from this experience of a lifetime, we are having the most fantastic holiday here!!!
Topics: My Boring Life |
4 Responses to “Space Shuttle Launch”
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June 9th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Sounds exhilirating!!
June 10th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
This is so cool!
June 11th, 2008 at 2:33 am
wow..really an experience worth the 24k trip.
June 16th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I’ll say.. it’s an experienced of a lifetime..