7/13/2005
Happy Birf day a yo
It's my birthday today...so: Happy Birthday to me! I don't feel different...I never really do until about six months later. Then I start to feel my age. But that's no different than anybody else I suppose.
I think I'm more excited about the shuttle launch scheduled for today. Today marks NASA's "Return to Flight" as the space shuttle Discovery makes the first launch since the Columbia disaster just a few years ago. Working here at NASA WSTF is exciting today simply because excitement is contagious. Everybody here has had their part in the shuttle's success, weather it be large, small, direct, or indirect. I think everyone feels a little bit of pride today as the shuttle sits on the launch pad, ready to ascend into the sky. We're all scheduled to watch the launch from the conference room today. I can imagine that everybody will be holding their breath as the timer continues to count down...and they will continue to hold it as Discovery rises from sight. I hope everything goes well with the launch today and I know it will prove to be a spectacular sight. I wish I could be there.
Another interesting fact I learned recently is White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH) is the primary emergency landing site for the space shuttle and the third alternate site as well. What this means is: If the shuttle should have some malfunction or emergency, and NASA deems it "unsafe" to land at the normal location, it would land here in New Mexico at WSSH. This would be an incredible and exciting event in itself, but I hope it doesn't land here...because that would mean there would be a potentially dangerous problem. In case of bad weather or other complications at the primary and alternate landing sites, WSSH would also be used to land the shuttle.
Currently listening to: Pre-launch Commentary - NASA TV
I think I'm more excited about the shuttle launch scheduled for today. Today marks NASA's "Return to Flight" as the space shuttle Discovery makes the first launch since the Columbia disaster just a few years ago. Working here at NASA WSTF is exciting today simply because excitement is contagious. Everybody here has had their part in the shuttle's success, weather it be large, small, direct, or indirect. I think everyone feels a little bit of pride today as the shuttle sits on the launch pad, ready to ascend into the sky. We're all scheduled to watch the launch from the conference room today. I can imagine that everybody will be holding their breath as the timer continues to count down...and they will continue to hold it as Discovery rises from sight. I hope everything goes well with the launch today and I know it will prove to be a spectacular sight. I wish I could be there.
Another interesting fact I learned recently is White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH) is the primary emergency landing site for the space shuttle and the third alternate site as well. What this means is: If the shuttle should have some malfunction or emergency, and NASA deems it "unsafe" to land at the normal location, it would land here in New Mexico at WSSH. This would be an incredible and exciting event in itself, but I hope it doesn't land here...because that would mean there would be a potentially dangerous problem. In case of bad weather or other complications at the primary and alternate landing sites, WSSH would also be used to land the shuttle.
Currently listening to: Pre-launch Commentary - NASA TV
