Another Era Draws to a Close

The Space Shuttle Atlantis landed tonight from its last voyage into space. There are 2 more shuttle launches before that program comes to an end. Talk about the end of an era!

The shuttle has been a big part of our family's life since it's first voyage. Living in Florida made it hard to ignore, but it was more than that. Long after shuttle launches became routine in the day of the life of a Floridian we were still waking up in the middle of the night to see if we could see the launch from our backyard. As much as we loved watching it, our fascination was also strengthened by our daughter's fascination with the stars. As a little girl, one of Jenny's favorite books was Franklyn M. Branley's "The Big Dipper", fondly referred to as "the dippy cup book". Every time we read the book, we had to go outside and look for the Big Dipper in the sky. She loved reading about the moon and the stars. As she got older she would look through binoculars at the moon to see its seas.
In Florida you can see the launch from almost anywhere in the state. We watched it in Tampa and in Ft. Lauderdale. It never ceased to enthrall us. We weren't alone. Go outside at launch time and you will see other neighbors doing the same thing. Classes of children will be taken outside by their teachers in hopes of catching a glimpse of the silver speck arcing through the sky on top of the plume.

I was privileged enough to view the launch live from the edge of the inter-coastal waterway on two occasions. One was a night launch which is spectacular, but it was during a day launch that I got my best science lesson on the speed of light, the speed of sound, as well as sound waves. We watched the clock count down the seconds. Suddenly we saw the flame, then the shuttle began to rise. Next we became aware of a rumble rolling across the water toward us. As we watched the rumble got louder and the water began to ripple. When the roar actually reached us the water was bouncing in little waves. The rumble rolled over us, and kept on going and the water calmed down again. It was such a cool experience of sight and sound. The shuttle rose above the launch pad, the flame below lighting up the sky. We were mesmerized as we watched it until it was nothing more than a speck. It is a truly awesome experience.

The landing of the shuttle was just as big for me. The first time it landed, my heart was in my throat. Would it burn up on re-entry? How hot was it inside? What were the astronauts feeling? It was such a relief to see it safely land. I watched as the pilot and crew got out and walked around that plane. They were so exhilerated at the beauty of that flight. Whenever it landed in Florida I would hear the twin sonic booms as it flew overhead before landing. If I was asleep, the booms would wake me up. I would puzzle over what awoke me and then suddenly think "Shuttle's home!". I would turn on the TV just in time to see it land at Cape Kennedy over 100 miles away.

Of course, not all shuttle experiences are happy. There was the day the Challenger blew up. Thankfully, I was teaching pre-school that day and not outside, but Larry was in a parking lot and watched as the plume separated and spiraled down. I heard what happened a few hours later and went outside. The spiraling vapor trail was still visible, a sacred place in the sky where several heroes lost their life. Then, one day Jenny called me. "Mom", she asked, "Did you hear the twin booms this morning?"

I was in a hurry to leave for a hair appointment, but her question stopped me cold. "No, was I supposed to?" I asked.

Jenny, who lived in Orlando and was closer to the action answered, "Columbia is 15 minutes late."

It was a heartbreaking moment. Even before there was any real news, the truth was apparent. The shuttle is never late.

Knowing the program is coming to an end saddens me. Times have changed. Presidents have changed. Goals have changed. I can understand change. I have changed, and my view of the world has changed. Change is a part of growth. Sometimes it's good. Other times it is hard to watch. Whether this proves to be a wise decision, or not isn't relevant to this rambling of a shuttle watcher. I've loved being a spectator in this exploration of our world. I will miss it when it ends.