So, one might be a little puzzled about the title of this post. I had awaken early on Wednesday February 10th, well, actually I overslept but awoke at 6:20am, I had only hoped I would still be 1st in line at Kennedy Space Center at 7am at opening. Today was the day the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was to be launched at KSC on an Atlas V rocket. I could hardly believe my luck! 1 vacation, 2 launches of something into outer space...how cool was that! I had to get there early because (you know me) had to get the BEST spot! So, after 2 hours of waiting outside on a 40 degree windy morning I boarded the first bus. It may sound chilly, but I had on my fleece and was quite comfortable. A worker urged me to wait inside where it was warmer, that lasted maybe 5 minutes before I overheated and about threw up! Colder = better. Anyway, the rocket (pictured here at right-photo courtesy of some display at KSC) was to carry the Solar Dynamics Observatory into space. I was lucky enough to hear a lecture on its functionality by a grad student from Montana State University who worked on it the previous day. This satellite is about the size of a small school bus and is outfitted with 3 instruments that will measure minute fluctuations in the sun's UV output, map the magnetic fields on the surface and look below the outer opaque layer on gas, and also 4 telescopes that will photograph the surface and atmosphere in 10 different wavelenghts. It will be operational for 5 years and the hope is to understand sun cycles more and how it effects our planet. Exciting stuff. For more info go to http://www.sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
So, to make a long story short....we arrive at the Saturn Center and my new friend Mr. Sacramento (that's where he was from...we never really exchanged names) ran toward the fencing to get in a great area. Met a few other fine folks there as we were assembling tripods and trying to figure out which launch facility actually had the rocket on it. After perfecting everything and having about an hour to kill before the 1 hour launch window opened, we all began chatting about the other nights launch. Out of nowhere an older KSC employee with a NASA badge approached us and told the 4 of us that we were in the WRONG area and we MUST follow him IMMEDIATELY! We tried to argue but he was getting VERY agitated and kept flashing his NASA badge. What choice did we have, so packed up and quickly followed him......right into the VIP viewing section! Yes, past the guards and all! It was only about 2-3 minutes before some very important security man asked us WHY we were in this SECURED area for VIP's when we CLEARLY were not scientists or other dignitaries! Mr. Knowitall then got reamed out big time! He said something about quitting. As we ran out of the area (to get our spots back) the guard at the checkpoint was now getting an ear full about letting us in! Unfortunately people were already in our spot, but we begged and they moved over...we didn't have as much room, but we all made it work.
Everyone, re calibrated their camera just in time as the window opened at 10:26....now we just had to wait. It was certainly not optimal launch conditions, very gusty day, the threshold was 20 mph winds. We could only wait and hope....Mr. Sacramento brought up an interesting thought...he said that the Atlas rockets were originally designed to launch ICBM's in a nuclear war. His theory was if there was ever a need to launch an ICBM, the military wouldn't think about delaying it because it was a windy day! But...I suppose when you have a multi million or billion dollar research project on board that changes things. The winds began to die down and shortly after 11am countdown clocks began and the rocket would go at the very last minute of the launch window 11:26. Well, at T-4 minutes a 25+mph gust was recorded and they shut it down. Too bad, I think it would have been interesting to see! It did launch the following morning but I did not have enough time in my schedule to stay another day. I did find a video on you tube from this area and is interesting to see if you are interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N6zs4s_f68. I'm sure I will be in Florida again sometime in my life an be able to see a rocket launch, at least I finally saw the space shuttle!
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