Yesterday, I took a chance that NASA would call off a Kennedy Space Center landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis due to continued bad weather in Florida. I left Las Vegas at about 4:00 AM and stopped by my friend Ryan’s to borrow his 400 mm Canon prime lens. I checked the excellent updates on Spaceflight Now a few times while driving (yes, I know that’s really bad) and finally got confirmation that NASA had switched the landing site from Florida to California:
1402 GMT (10:02 a.m. EDT)
CALIFORNIA BOUND. Space shuttle Atlantis will not touch down at Kennedy Space Center to conclude its mission. Persistent unfavorable weather conditions at the Florida spaceport has forced NASA to divert Atlantis’ landing to the backup site at Edwards Air Force Base, California.The deorbit burn is scheduled for 10:24:41 a.m., leading to touchdown at 11:39 a.m. EDT (8:39 a.m. local; 1539 GMT) to finish the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Ideal weather conditions await the shuttle in California’s Mojave Desert today. At landing time, meteorologists are expecting clear skies, good visibility and southwesterly winds of 11 peaking to 17 knots down the runway.
And this:
Altman and company had hoped to close out the 126th shuttle mission Friday with a landing at the Kennedy Space Center. But low clouds and thundershowers at the Florida spaceport forced entry Flight Director Norm Knight to order a waveoff in hopes of better conditions Saturday.
The astronauts ran into more of the same Saturday. Knight considered diverting the crew to Edwards then, but ended up deciding the wave off another day in hopes of better weather Sunday. Atlantis had enough on-board supplies to remain in orbit through Monday and forecasters were predicting slightly better conditions in Florida for the crew’s third attempt.
Conditions were, in fact, better but with offshore clouds and rain threatening to move into the landing zone, Knight ordered another waveoff and diverted the crew to Edwards to close out a high-stakes mission that left the Hubble Space Telescope in its best health since launch in 1990. (Link)
I arrived at a spot adjacent to the Edwards AFB boundary fence and overlooking the base just a few minutes before Shuttle Atlantis arrived. Using the Delorme Map Atlas for southern California, I had located a great spot with a good view of Runway 22. After a few minutes, the Shuttle appeared as a white speck, very high and moving fast.
Soon a double sonic boom announced the arrive of supersonic shock waves at ground level.
Atlantis began to make a 200° turn to the left to align with Runway 22.
Gliding like a pair of pliers, Atlantis dropped 7 times faster than the normal descent rate of a commercial airliner.
Gear down!
Flare!
Touchdown!
Drag chute deployed.
Wheels stop!
It was an awesome experience and amazing to watch. My dad had taken me to Edwards to watch Columbia land on July 4, 1982 (STS-4). We were also treated to see the newly completed Challenger do a low flyby on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Now I need to get to a launch before the Space Shuttle program ends in 2010. Anyone at NASA want to get me a seat in the observation area?
8 responses so far ↓
1 Devyl // May 25, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Fantastic pictures. The one time I was near a launch, our batteries died (even my super-geek bf didn’t have any handy – what the heck??), and we took pics with a cameraphone … and then my computer died. *L* Oh well … it was fun watching!!
I have yet to view a landing as an adult. I saw one or five as a kid, but I don’t remember them.
2 William D. // May 25, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Great experiences!
Could you tell me the spot where I can bring my son to there so we can see Atlantis be
transfered. TKS!
William from Los Angeles
3 On a limb with Claudia // May 26, 2009 at 8:28 am
So freakin’ cool! Thanks for sharing your experience! I’ve never seen it in person… Wow.
4 Al // May 26, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Would love to check out the shuttle hitched to the 747 and getting out of there! Not sure when that will happen, does anyone know how much advance notice they would give of that? Some information seems to be available here:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/home/index.html
Author:
Can you describe where your observation point was? I have never been to Edwards AFB but it’s not far from LA so I want to try it. Do you think regular binoculars would work from your obsv. point? Please reply, a good many of us want to see the shuttle in person before they take it out of commission!
5 Mark // May 28, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Great stuff. I saw an early Shuttle landing…I have no idea which one…possibly STS 5. On a whim I drove out to Edwards, saw the landing, and was home that evening. In laws were in S. Fl a few years back by the Cape in their RV, wondered why so many people were there, and saw a launch. We’d like to see a launch, living in Fl, but getting off work, etc., makes it a challenge. Glad you got to see the landing….
6 Scott // Sep 23, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Nice pictures. What kind of camera and lens setup?
7 Robert L. // Nov 1, 2009 at 9:09 pm
awesome pictures man. I’ve always wanted to see exactly what you have photographed here. I need to get to a launch too but i fear the time has passed
8 The Syzdek’s are going to Florida for Space Shuttle Discovery Launch // Mar 26, 2010 at 2:17 pm
[...] Since there are only four remaining Space Shuttle Launches, I have decided to take my two kids to the next launch scheduled for April 5. I’m guessing seeing a launch will be even cooler than a landing. [...]
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