Space Shuttle (STS-129) Launch

At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for the launch with my friend Andy. The launch pad is 7 miles away, behind the trees so I started with the live video feed on the monitor.

At 4 seconds into the video (T minus 6 seconds), the main engines light. The rocket sways off vertical (called the "twang"), then sways back to vertical for the launch.

At 10 seconds into the video (T zero), the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) light.

At about 50 seconds, the rumbling bass sound of the rockets reaches us.

At about 53 seconds, the announcer reminds us that they throttle back to avoid overstressing the ship.

At the end of the video you can hear Houston control (who took command at T zero) giving the command for throttle up.

Eight and a half minutes after launch the fuel is spent, the rockets and tank have been released and the orbiter is traveling at 17,000+ mph one hundred miles above the Earth's surface.

Filmed with my Motorolla Droid phone.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• nasa
• space
• shuttle
• launch
• sts129
• kennedy
• center
• ksc

[draginfly]

wow! from this angle, it looks like its going straight up!~ kewl!