Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Shuttle

I remember the countdowns to the Mercury launches, and the excitement of hearing men actually flying into space. And I remember the Mercury model I had. And of course I remember the moon landing.

Unfortunately the taxpayer doesn't pay me to take vacations in Florida. I was working in Melbourne, with a heavy schedule. So I didn't get to the Kennedy Space Center. But we all went up on the roof to watch the shuttle launch. From all those miles away you couldn't hear a thing, of course, and the shuttle itself was tiny, but the match-flare light of the boosters was clear--much more orange than I expected, but the main engines' light is blue and hard to see. It went in and out of the clouds, and then was gone from view; but with a huge curly cloud trail behind it.

I'd love to take a ride on it. Still.

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