I'm doing science and I'm still alive.

[hellziggy]

Well OK, not exactly doing science. But geeking out over science. That counts, right?

While I've been an LJ slacker I've been sitting over here getting all excited about the fact that in less than a month I'M GOING TO SEE A FREAKING SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH!!!!! (Because it WILL NOT be delayed. Right? RIGHT?!)

Discovery makes a safe landing tomorrow. Then they will start moving Atlantis to the launch pad at 6:00 pm tomorrow evening. I assume they will be using that super awesome crawler that I saw on Dirty Jobs. (I ♥ Mike Rowe)

Our group that will be there on launch day now includes me, hellbob, genevra, akdar & the Monkeys, our friend Mark & his girlfriend Sarah, and HellDad! We're all traveling on different days & times and staying at different places, but we'll all be there for the launch, hopefully on the Causeway.

Our dad was so obviously jealous that we were gonna see a shuttle launch that genevra & I are covering his costs. It really is the least we can do for the man that made sure that the movies we saw at the theater as children were things like Star Wars, Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan, and E.T.!

We don't have our tickets for Causeway Launch Viewing yet. *sigh*
The web site *used* to say Space shuttle launch viewing tickets typically go on sale four to six weeks prior to the scheduled launch date. Now it says three to six weeks prior. It changed about a week and a half ago. This week is 3 weeks prior, so I've got the ticket page set as my homepage so that I'll hopefully see as soon as they go on sale. This is a once in a lifetime thing for me, I want to be as close as possible!!!

Speaking of once in a lifetime, I'm trying to decide if I want to take pictures of the launch or not... LOL! Just f**king with you. Of course I'm going to take pictures. I'm planning to bring my super giant monster 400mm 2.8 lens with me. After all, if I'm going to be 6 miles from the launch site, I need a little bit of a zoom. I don't have a tripod I can take with me though because mine is just too big & heavy. The current plan is to rent a carbon fiber one from Lens Pro To Go and have it shipped to our timeshare where we are spending the first night. Then I can use it the whole time we're down there and send it back before we fly home.


I just signed up for this today:

NASA Hosts the Ultimate Tweetup at Space Shuttle Launch in Florida

For a second time, @NASA Twitter followers are invited to view a launch in person.

NASA is hosting this Tweetup for 150 people on May 13-14 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The two-day event will provide NASA Twitter followers with the opportunity to view the shuttle launch and speak with shuttle technicians, engineers, astronauts and managers. The Tweetup will include a "meet and greet" session to allow participants to mingle with fellow Tweeps and the staff behind the tweets on @NASA.

How awesome would that be if I was one of the 150 people chosen? It is just for one person though, I wouldn't be able to bring a guest. I'd feel a little guilty about abandoning the rest of the family for something so awesome, but I wouldn't let that stop me. Besides, they pick on me about Twitter. If they Twittered they could enter too. Despite the no guest rule, I would be sneaking one in - a certain adventurous little Moose! I'll know by the 22nd if I'm one of the lucky 150 picked. Fingers crossed!

To Infinity, and Beyond!

Comments

[ltlpengy.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that is awesome, and quite a trip for you...top of the country to the bottom (excluding Alaska)

[genevra.livejournal.com]

Apparently, Discovery's re-entry this morning was over MN, and should have been visible if it wasn't too cloudy. There was no way I was getting up at 6am to *maybe* get to see it though!

[hellziggy.livejournal.com]

Nope, didn't end up going over Mpls. The first landing window with deorbit burn at 6:28a ET and landing at 7:34a was scrubbed due to concern about fog. This is the path that would have taken:




The weather improved so they went with a deorbit burn at 8:02aET to slow the shuttle for a 9:08a landing at Kennedy.

This is the path it ended up taking:



Of course, I learned all this *after* she was safely on the ground!

[genevra.livejournal.com]

Very glad I didn't get up for it then!

[scubagrrl.livejournal.com]

Space shuttle launch, in person, is definitely worth geeking out over!! Good luck on getting close and for no delays!!!! I'm jealous!

[whimsywinx.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck on the Twitter thing. (That'll learn 'em for not engaging in addicting social media.)

Can't wait to see pics of you and Moose there!