Atlantas STS-132 Launch

I don't know better how to share this except to borrow excerpts from another blogger, Bill Owen:

http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/i-had-a-blast-at-the-blast-off

"The departure clock is at T-minus-20 in a pre-planned hold, but even the NASA commentators on the loud speakers are amazed at what a "clean" countdown process this had been. It looks like the launch is actually going to happen as scheduled (which seldom happens!). Once the countdown resumes the level of excitement among the crowd really cranks up. Sitting there, baking in the hot Florida sun, the crowd gets quieter and quieter as the numbers on the countdown clock grow smaller, listening to the NASA countdown audio.

Ten.

Get the camera out. Is it set right? Oh, I don't want to blow it!

Nine.

Put the camera back up. They told us it was a better idea to use the pics that would be posted on the NASA web site and just experience the launch unencumbered.

Eight.

Please, oh please, don't let them scrub this launch!

Seven.

Please, oh please, let the astronauts--Commander Ham, Pilot Antonelli, and Specialists Bowen, Good, Sellers, and Reisman--be safe!

Six.

Go for main engine start.

Five.

OMG this is actually going to happen!

Four.

Ridiculous amounts of white smoke begins to pour out of the base of Launch Pad 39.

Three.

Go for SRB ignition.

Two.

The first blast of pure white noise hits our ears in the viewing stands.

One.

Here we go......

ZERO.

BLAST OFF! Launch of Atlantis on Mission STS-132 to install the last modules of the International Space Station!

And at that instant the Shuttle literally leaps from the launch pad. And I got the first glimpse of "rocket's glare." It's not red--it's yellow. And it's bright. Really bright. Amazingly bright. Looking-into-the-sun bright.

As the shuttle accelerates (zero to 100 in just eight seconds!) it begins its rotation to a head-down attitude and turns just a little to our left. Getting higher. And higher. And smaller.

All the while assaulting our ears with triple-digit-decible noise.

After just 60 seconds the vehicle is already travelling at over 1,000 mph and, despite being 40 miles away from the launch pad is still clearly, brightly visible. Two minutes after launch, the two solid-rocket boosters fall away--I can see them separate from the shuttle and its main fuel tank.

And within a few more seconds....it's over. Out of view. The crowd goes wild with applause, and then it's time to".. reboard the bus and head back to our pick up point.

The bus ride back to the hotel takes a very long 4 hours.. traffic is at a crawl. Milton jokes that we should do a Chinese Fire Alarm around the bus .. kids get up and tell jokes, people share emails & photo requests. It's been a very, very good day

First 4 Photos shared by: Lee A Steinbrenner