Today's photo was taken during the Discover KSC: Today & Tomorrow tour at the stop which is closest to the launchpad itself, approximately 5000 feet away. Before the launch there is a security buffer a mile in diameter that prevents any individuals from getting any closer, and the tour actually provides the closest vantage point that you can visit before a launch. I took this shot with the Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6L lens which I rented from borrowlenses.com (thanks guys, the lens was great!!). At this site there is also a small bunker which was constructed to protect a generator (from the sound waves (and anything else that could happen in a failed launch)) that powered cameras placed near the site to monitor a launch. The front of the shuttle was protected by the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) that protects the shuttle and is usually pulled back about 24 hours before the launch. That was not the case for the launch attempt on Friday as severe weather rolled through Thursday night and it was not retracted to just before midnight. And then the issue with the heaters on the APU scrubbed the launch so the pictures that I took during the tour are the "space" highlights from our vacation to Florida.
Endeavour on the launchpad
If you are so inclined, please feel free to leave any comments or feedback. Also remember that clicking on the photo takes you to my online gallery hosted over at smugmug where you can view the photos that I have posted in various sizes. Thanks for stopping by!
No comments:
Post a Comment