STS-133 Last Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery

STS-133 Headed Towards the ISS 2/24/2011

Since it was announced the space shuttle program was coming to a close, I figured I should get by butt down to Florida before it was too late and see a piece of history in the making (I have always wanted to see a launch).  I had a preference for viewing Discovery, as it is the oldest shuttle in the fleet and this was her last trip into space.

I arrived at Space View Park in Titusville (one of the best free launch viewing sites) at around 5:00AM on the 24th (shuttle launch was slated for 4:50PM) and I managed to park close by.  The place was already crawling w/ people who had spent the night in motor homes or even better... tents.  I walked up towards the front and noticed a guy w/ all his techno gear setup and I asked if I could plant myself next to him.  I thought I would be reading my Kindle all day waiting for the launch... never dug it out.  Jim from Delaware was awesome company!  Between the two of us... the techno gear was unreal.

The shuttle looked amazing w/ the tower all lit up before dawn.  You don't actually see the shuttle from Space View w/ the naked eye - you are ~12 miles away from it across the Indian River.  Once the sun came up, it was hard to tell where the shuttle was w/out binoculars or a telephoto lens.  As the day wore on, boatloads of people started coming in and you really had to hold your ground towards the end to keep people from surging forward (most people were super nice though).

At the last minute (literally), a computer glitch of some sort took place and the mission was almost scrubbed (w/ in seconds) but then it was announced on the loudspeaker that there was a go for main engine start.  Then you realized where the shuttle was, as you could see the billow of smoke at the base of the tower from the three main engines and two rocket boosters!  People were screaming... it was so cool, but it was silent (the launch I mean - people were still screaming).  The shuttle cleared the tower and arced left towards the ISS (right would be towards Hubble).  It was amazing how fast it moved.  I took a boatload of pictures, but I stopped twice just to watch it happen - definitely a worthwhile experience.  It took quite a while (30 seconds plus) for you to hear the sound!  After two minutes, Discovery jettisoned the solid rocket boosters and the smoke dissipated.  What looked like a bright star moving across the sky was the last we saw of the Discovery launch.  Amazing that all of that waiting and chaos comes down to a few minutes of viewing time but its something that, after 2011, we won't see again. I'm so glad I went to view it.

An extra bonus... the following week I was out in Utah 4x4ing in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park w/ my man and I had looked up the times to view the shuttle going across the sky: we saw Discovery (looks like a fast moving bright star).  Right behind Discovery was an even brighter "star", which was the ISS.  Discovery had undocked and was going to be landing the next day.  That was way cool!

The launch (actual - no zoom) from Space View Park

Bridge (Max Brewer Pkwy) Full of Viewers

Zoomed in as Discovery Clears Tower

For more cool information on Discovery check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Discovery

For more info on the Kennedy Space Center check out:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html
http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/

If you want to view one of the last two remaining launches, check out this site:
http://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html

If you want to view a shuttle, the ISS, or a satellite in the sky, check out this site and plug in your location:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/skywatch.cgi?country=United+States