Time exposure of shuttle sitting on pad 39B.
Launch of Atlantis, STS-104, on 24 July 2001.
This is the launch of space shuttle flight STS-104, which is also ISS launch 7A. The primary goal of this mission was to carry the Quest airlock to the station. Quest is also the name of the new Jamis bicycle that I just ordered.
The launch was at 5:04AM. Still night time this time of year. The photos are taken from the NASA causeway. The Shuttle was on pad B, which is a couple of miles farther from the causeway than pad A. Perhaps seven or eight miles. (Some day, I need to find a good map and find out for sure.). My friend, Kim, and her parents had from from Opelika and Dadeville in Alabama to see the launch. Kim is a school teacher, teaches about space in her classroom, and has always wanted to see a shuttle launch in person almost worse than anything. I gave her instructions on requesting passes, and she and her parents got passes for STS-105, which at the time was scheduled for a late June launch. As the year went on, STS-105 got pushed back into Kim's school year, but my friends at KSC, Davids Rainer and Adcock, did their best and were able to scare up a car pass for STS-104 so Kim could make a launch.
Photos are taken on Kodak Supra 100 (I think. I eschew higher speed film unless I really need to use it.) with my Minolta Maxxum 9 and 80-200mm/2.8 G zoom lens at 200mm on a tripod using remote release to minimize vibration. I used NASA's recommended exposures.
Once the shuttle clears the tower, I've only shown every other frame. I wish I could put together an animated GIF.
|
Time exposure of shuttle sitting on pad 39B. |
 |
Shuttle clears the exhaust cloud and I start clicking away. |
8. |
 |
 |
9. |
10. |
 |
 |
Roll program. |
14. |
 |
 |
16. |
18. |
 |