WOW!

[ellie]

We have just stood outside our villa in Orlando and watched Discovery climbing into space, seconds after she was launched.

The sky was lit up, a huge orange glow over the roofs of the houses, followed by the sight of the shuttle, blazing into the sky. We stood transfixed for a few minutes as we watched the bright orange trail in the sky as it rose higher and higher, gradually turning white and becoming a star in the sky.

It is 25 years since the first launch of Discovery, so what a way to celebrate this anniversary.

Truly a moment to remember.

[Steve]

Fantastic sight isn't it ellie? I have seen 3 shuttle launches from the cape but never a night launch.

[Shirls]

I missed out again in June and July. We went over to Cocoa beach twice in July but it was postponed both times :(

[lizpaterson47]

We saw a launch from the beach in May this year our first despite having gone a few times in the past, they were all canceled at the last moment

[pbensur]

You were very lucky to witness that Ellie! I'm jealous! We've never been fortunate enough to see a launch - we were a day off once!

[ellie]

We saw a shuttle launch a couple of years ago, but it was during the day time. Even so, it was pretty spectacular, and VERY atmospheric - we went to the park at Titusville and were surrounded by Americans so it was quite an emotional moment when it blasted into space. At the time there were thoughts of the shuttle which had exploded previously so there was a huge sigh of relief when the shuttle was safely into the air. Magic.

We were lucky to see it last night but we are kicking ourselves as we took my daughter to the airport and were half way there and could have gone onto Titusville but we hadn't realised that the shuttle was launching.<:embarr A night launch is certainly quite spectacular.

[Mary and Colin]

Sounds wonderful. We have only seen a day launch but feel very lucky to have seen it. A memory we will all treasure.

Any photos Ellie ?

Mary

[ellie]

Sadly, no photos. I could not get my camera to take any as it was dark. It is a new camera and I should have read up on how to take night time shots, but unfortunately I didn't so we missed it. <:cry<:cry

Bit like the time we were in Miami, staying at a hotel prior to embarking on a cruise. We only realised there was a shuttle launch when we heard other people talking about it. We rushed out of the hotel and peered into the sky only to find we had missed it as it was on the other side of the hotel <:embarr - this was a daytime launch so not so much to see in the sky.

[Shirls]

Ellie that sounds like my sort of luck. The first time we went to Florida, there was a rocket launch (before the shuttle started) and we were lying in our motel room, wondering what all the noise was outside <:confused

My husband was lucky enough to see a night time take off in March from BA2036, just after he had taken off. He went to take a photo from this unique view and the camera battery died. Being a man, he didn't ask others on the plane to email theirs :(

I was there in June when it was cancelled and twice in July when we drove to Cocoa Beach. When it did go on Colins birthday, we were being blasted on the Rock n Roller Coaster, so missed even a distance view. We could have made it over there too, as the firework boat trip on the lagoon we had planned was cancelled that night due to storms in the area <:eyesroll

[ellie]

Oh, no, Shirley! Remind me to make sure we aren't in Florida at the same time! <:wink We don't want a double dose of disaster, do we! <:lol