I missed the actual launch of the shuttle 1:38 PM CDT, but- in viewing the rebroadcast, taking into consideration the speed and power of the shuttle's launch system, in a mathematical connotation. The word to express amazement from this can only be adequately expressed in one word...

>DAMN!<

Watch the launch

Six minutes after launch, the same amount of time it takes me to walk from my desk to the parking lot, the shuttle was already 66 miles high, and 475 miles down range, moving at 6,900+ miles per hour. Pardon me, but that's moving. What's even more amazing is that the F-15 (Streak Eagle) can actually cllimb to 95,000 feet faster than the shuttle can. The race is over after that though (no air for the jet, plus- no competition even if there was..)

The main rockets seperated, and in what looked like 2-3 minutes later, with the shuttle's main engines only, it was blasting right on through 13,000 MPH, and plasma began to come off the heat shield, as it does on re-entry. I don't remember how far it was down range, but apparently it began to level off, because it was back down to 63-64 miles above the earth. I'm sure they went uo higher, because the guy doing the commentating, said their is still some atmosphere at that altitude, which is why we saw the aura coming off the shuttle.



That tank must hold a million gallons of fuel, because the guy put it into perspective by saying the three main engines on the shuttle drain the equivalent of an olympic-sized swimming pool every minute.

From what I've read, that Apollo's Saturn V rocket was faster... Slower off the pad, but faster overall.

 

You know with an XCall II I bet it would really move.

 

I bet it'd be even faster with a K&N Air filter on it, and a set of duals.

 

Don't forget a turbonator (or whatever that damn thing is called).

 

20" Spinners on the landing gear for some style wouldn't hurt either.

 

And don't forget the "Powered by NASA" decals.

 

Needs an "R" decal too.

 

Now lets not get silly....


You sure the heat shield can withstand that much speed-related stress?

 

But it does have a dual setup, also as the bonus tri-flow setup as well!

 

We watched it go up from my back yard while swimming in the pool. It is really awesome to see in person close-up. I once went to a night launch with a buddy who worked at NASA. We were about as close as you can get. When it fired up it looked like the sun was coming up. Then the ground started to shake. I have never experienced anything like it before.

 

I'm sorry but everytime I read someone post about an interesting job I must ask, what does he do and how did he get there. That was a nice video, so how far can you Florida guys see the shuttle lift off from, I'd imagine it'd be pretty visible for many many miles (how much of the state can view it).

 

I was at the Hilton at 1550 Atlantic Ave. in CoCo Beach, FL- hoping to see a launch. Any kind of launch.. Alas, it was not to be... Maybe next time. You can see the big building where the shuttle is assembled, very clearly.

Straight-line distance couldn't be more than 2 miles.

 

If you want mods on the shuttle, you might want to look into improving the mileage with those 'magik pills'.:santa:

 

Wow, I had heard you can see them from a good distance...what a crock. When are they going to start making ejection seats for these guys.

 

Not gonna happen... They could probably punch out, and not get burned to death, for the first 45-60 seconds of the flight (maybe), but- after that they're too high, and going too fast to punch out safely... On re-entry, the shuttles moving at about 17,000 MPH. The old Appollo capsules used to re-enter at Mach 25+ (18,000 MPH give or take a 1,000)

What they'd have to do is have an entire compartment that could be jettisoned, far enough, fast enough to clear the shuttle's trajectory, vertical stabilizer, and firey rocket blast, and also be able to withstand the sudden and violent rush of air. then after falling away for a few seconds, deploy the parachutes, and descend to earth.

Once they're at the upper edges of the atmosphere, or out of it- all bets are off. They'd need to carry seperate re-entry vehicles (say 3 old Mercury capsules, or 2 appollo capsules) in order to re-enter the atmosphere, with a known safe heat sheild. I don't think the shuttle's bay can hold either- but perhaps a new shuttle, built a bit wider could...

I remember when Columbia flew apart a few years back. The guys at NASA said, even if they could have bailed out, they would have been instantly killed by the tremendous speed (which their bodies would still be traveling at), the violent rush of air, and the heat from the friction of their falling bodies until they reached an altitude where the parachute could be opened.

I tell you what... I'd love to go up (which used to seem like the scary part). Now, we know coming down is equally scary- and, probably more dangerous- given the frailty of the heat sheilds.