Night Shuttle Launch

[whatthehellbrosef]

You can, if it's dark or close enough to sundown. I just saw STS-119 go up about 10 minutes after sundown from a point in Miami Beach, 196 miles SSE of the launch pad. From that far away the trail looks like a regular passenger or commercial jet contrail, but you know it's a rocket because it comes almost straight up from the horizon and keeps going until it disappears outside the atmosphere. Coolest thing I've ever seen.

[turbografx]

That was so awesome.

I'm from Chicago and have been to Florida once. I got to see STS-56 take off at night, on April 8th, 1993 from Cocoa Beach (after the April 6th launch was scrubbed at T-11 seconds). It was amazing, but this is even more impressive.

[gasser5001]

we need more night launches here in florida...

[jacko39]

that is so cool!

[windrivercountrykid]

VERY GOOD

[yorkuni]

Night launches are so pretty! I would never see something like this in Chicago!

[djclip258]

waooo eso es muy bello

[racsito39]

Hermoso

[CapeCanaveral321]

While I am not sure exactly of your location, it is a minimum of 10 to 12 miles from the pad. It appears you are in Titusville or near it, in which case the distance is 11.5 miles to the shoreline on US-1, and more beyond.

[rparis1022]

always a critic. FirehunterS10, I had CapeCanaveral321 critique my distance as well.

[CapeCanaveral321]

Critic? I'm just telling you what it is so you know. Is this a problem?

[rparis1022]

not a problem, just obnoxious.

[screename65278]

Yeah i live in Titusville and its nowhere close to 5 miles away from either pad. But I watched this launch from the river and you could see the shuttle until it went past the horizon it was the most amazing thing ive ever seen. Whens the next night launch?

[CapeCanaveral321]

Based on current dates (for the shuttle only), STS-123, currently slated for mid-March, will be at night.

[iamben69]

You lucky bastard!