STS-134 Space Shuttle Endeavour Launch from Apollo Beach

Canaveral National Seashore, Apollo Beach, 24 miles (north) from the Launch Pad. May 16, 2011. This was as close as you can get to the launch pad from the north.

Notes: Taken with my Canon T1i at 720p, 55mm lens, in the morning sun, approx. 9 AM. The camera didn't capture much in the way of rumbling sounds from the Shuttle, perhaps being drowned out by the waves. Long booms and pops were heard (from over the Ocean) for several minutes after the Shuttle launch.

Soon after the launch, Endeavour entered a layer of low clouds, but shot out the other side momentarily. Endeavour then proceeded on a trajectory seemingly into the sun, so my panning stops just short of head-on at the sun. The Shuttle was clearly visible overhead (to the naked eye) atop a plume of exhaust as it arced overhead.

Jason hypothesized in the video that it is a "balloon". :-)

One other note: I was using the NASA app for iPhone for the countdown, and it appeared to be about 20-25 seconds off.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• STS-134
• Endeavour
• Apollo
• Beach
• Launch
• Space
• Shuttle