Question
Was it worth it to view a Space Shuttle launch in person?
Answer
I watched one of the rare night launches from a cruise ship. Easily one of the highlights of my life. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
The night was overcase, and nothing seemed to happen as the launch time came and went. People on the deck of the ship began shuffling restlessly and complaining.
And then suddenly a small orange dot appeared behind the clouds. Then it emerged. It was a huge tongue of orange flame streaking across the sky (about half a degree arc, around the same size as the full moon). It looked kinda like this, but higher up, without such a long trail (due to the obscuring clouds). But the real thing was 100x more dramatic than even the best photos/videos I've seen.
Everybody shut up in stunned silence for a split second and then the "Oh wows" and hoots and "that's incredible" shouts could be heard.
I don't know if the day launch will be the same (I believe the last launch is a day one, right?), but I suspect you'll get much the same experience watching any large rocket launching, so even if you miss it, you could always go look at a Delta launch or Ariane in French Guinea or something.
The night was overcase, and nothing seemed to happen as the launch time came and went. People on the deck of the ship began shuffling restlessly and complaining.
And then suddenly a small orange dot appeared behind the clouds. Then it emerged. It was a huge tongue of orange flame streaking across the sky (about half a degree arc, around the same size as the full moon). It looked kinda like this, but higher up, without such a long trail (due to the obscuring clouds). But the real thing was 100x more dramatic than even the best photos/videos I've seen.
Everybody shut up in stunned silence for a split second and then the "Oh wows" and hoots and "that's incredible" shouts could be heard.
I don't know if the day launch will be the same (I believe the last launch is a day one, right?), but I suspect you'll get much the same experience watching any large rocket launching, so even if you miss it, you could always go look at a Delta launch or Ariane in French Guinea or something.