I watched the space shuttle launch tonight.

We watched a family friend go up in November on STS-129. One of the most amazing experiences of my life. I'd basically give anything to see STS-130 lift off in a few hours. Can't imagine what a night launch must be like.

 

Scrubbed because of cloud cover. Try again Monday at 4:14 am.

 

Oh, man, I was bummed. We got to the base around 2:30 and it looked fine, but the clouds came in. Bro-in-law said pre-Columbia, the weather wiylc have been deemed OK but they wouldn't risk it now.

My sister was quite bummed, too, but for different reasons. They both have to work today. Bro-in-law said the higher-up management folks was going to be upset since they have to arrive around 4 p.m. and stay until launch (or scrub, I guess.) No Super Bowl for those guys. He said it likely wouldn't be piped in because it would be distracting.

 

Apparently go for launch in about 5 minutes.

 

Good launch through SRB sep. Tracking up past the east coast.

 

Looks like a piece of foam came off and hit a wing about two minutes in. That will bear watching. Fortunately they're going to the ISS and can leave it there if any damage was done, and come back down on a Soyuz.

 

Didn't get to see it from the base this morning; we stayed and watched from the yard. Very cool. I'd never seen one before.

 

House shook for about 5 minutes when it went up this morning.

 

Watched this morning's launch -- the last pre-daylight one -- from what doubles as the press place. As close as you can get, essentially.

Took my mom and my nephews, who got to listen to their mom giving pre-flight instructions to the crew broadcast over speakers. (She rejected my ideas for a send-off, opting for something about "lighting up the sky" and "17,000 miles an hour"--to which the Japanese astronaut let out a rebel yell--instead.

Only three launches left, then my sister and 22,999 others in Brevard County alone are out of work.

If you get the chance to see one, do it. Absolutely awesome, and worth the 3-hour commute back to their house.

 

I'm going to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Cal Tech for a tour next week.