On the way to Pluto.

As you know we're down here in Central Florida and the park we're in is
about 80 miles from the Kennedy Space Center. One of my hopes was that we
would get to see a shuttle launch, but it's just not gonna happen. The next
launch was scheduled for March, then moved to May and now stands at August.
So it's a no go on a shuttle launch.

Next best thing is a "big rocket" launch, and an Atlas V is pretty big. I've
been watching the launch schedule, and we had planned on going over to watch
the New Horizons, Mission to Pluto on January 17th. Mary had a hair cut
appointment that morning and by the time we could get rolling it was too
late, so I just figured we'd missed our chance. Well, the weather was with
me, and the launch was canceled because of high winds in the launch area. It
was set for Jan 18th. We were packing stuff getting ready to head over to
The Cape Wed AM and decided to double check the launch schedule. It had been
canceled because of a power outage in Maryland at John Hopkins University
center, that had responsibility for control of the New Horizons Space Craft
power and control. Reset for 1:00 PM on the 19th.

We left the RV park at about 10:00 am and got to Kennedy Space Center at
about 12:00. Found ourselves a good viewing point and waited for the launch,
listening to the countdown get closer and closer to zero. They explained
there is an automatic 10 minute hold built in at the 4 minute mark. As they
got close to the end of the hold, they started calling for go/no go on the
various areas of responsibility for the launch, and the range weather
officer called a 30 minute delay. Too many clouds. Then he called another 15
minutes, then another 5, and another 5, and another 5. I was getting nervous
and was beginning to believe it wasn't going to happen, and they went
through another go/no go check. And the weather guy called a go. All systems
were go. They moved into the 4 minute count, then 3, 2 and 1 minute. 30
seconds, 15 seconds, no one is calling a hold, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,
1, zero, ignition. We have ignition and lift off of New Horizons. WOW. WOW.
WOW.

Pictures here. :-)
http://www.bobhatch.com/otherFunStuff/missionToPluto/index.htm

--
"Just as the Left was anti-anticommunist,
so too then are they anti-antiterrorist." --Robert Spencer
http://www.bobhatch.com
http://www.tdsrvresort.com


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