STS-128

Space Shuttle Discovery launch as seen from Titusville!

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-119)

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS 119) launched on March 15, 2009 at 7:43 pm. I drove out to Titusville, FL to watch the launch, and it is very nice to be able to hear the noise that the shuttle makes.





As it got darker, the contrail left by the shuttle started glowing with wonderful colors from the setting sun. Of course, these could have something to do with all of the nasty chemicals that the shuttle spews out in that smoke refracting the light, but it was still nice to look at. In contrast with Titusville's older buildings, this could have provided some great pictures, but I'm not entirely happy with how they came out.



Here's a video of the launch.

Skydiving Shuttle...

A few days ago I posted a very unique perspective of a rocket launching (I said Space Shuttle at the time, but it may be a Delta Rocket instead) as seen from an airplane. Today I came across this video of a skydiver filming the STS-117 Atlantis launch. Not quite as high as the airplane was flying, but still very cool.

Hammerhead

I came across this shark carcass that washed up on shore at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, Florida. This was the first wild hammerhead shark that I've seen, dead or alive. It looks like some kind of scavenger was nibbling on the dead shark around it's gills and stomach. The shark wasn't that big, but I suppose it's better to have something nibbling on on the dead shark rather than having the shark nibbling on your ankles while swimming...