(July 8, 2011 – Kennedy Space Center)
My daughter and I arrived at Kennedy Space Center for the launch of STS-135, the final launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, and the last space shuttle mission ever.
KSC Launch Control got the shuttle in the air – essentially flying through a hole in the clouds.
The stills below are some of my shots of the launch, followed by my video!
STS-135 - Liftoff!
(Cuyahoga Falls, OH)
Here’s the launch plan for the next couple of months…
August 13th launches
-Artemis-DD (X2A-01) “Pathfinder” booster test flights
– Perseus Eagle launch (E-18) – Camera pod test / Gallifrey search
August 27th launches
– Aurora Big Red II (E-18) – Camera pod Tests / Gallifrey Search
– Perseus Columbia launches – Camera Pod tests / Gallifrey Search
September 10th launches
– Artemis-DD (X2A-01) “Pathfinder” Dual Deploy attempt
– Aurora Firefly night launch (E-18)
Remaining events for Summer / Fall
-Perseus (X4-06) “Vega” maiden flight
-Artemis X2 “Philadelphia” – Anti-zipper mod test flight
Details behind each launch will be published over the next few weeks…
(((( ))))
(June 25, 2011 -Cuyahoga Falls, OH )
Our club countdown clock is running for launches on June 25th.
A new nose cone camera is being completed tonight to fly aboard Aurora X5 “Firefly” on a mission to get arial footage of the treetops in an effort to locate Perseus rocket “Gallifrey” lost in the trees during the launches on June 11th. Two missions are planned.
Artemis X2 rocket “Garfield” is planned to complete a few launches as well. Garfield is the first Artemis rocket to be retrofitted to use an anti-zipper scheme. The purpose of these missions is to test the design under normal flight conditions.
I will report back later Sunday on the results…
((( )))