It’s getting close to 2 years ago now that I was waiting in Orlando desperately hoping that I’d get to see the Space Shuttle Discovery launch in person, only to have it ripped away from me. I take solace in the fact that it was one of the longest launch delays in the Shuttle’s long history and whilst I didn’t get to go and see it when it did launch all those months later I did watch the online stream and my heart was renewed. Ever since then I’ve wanted to know what the experience would have been like and today it looks like I got my wish.
An enterprising YouTube user has set out to accomplish just that, and it’s magnificent:
Playing it back on my meagre Logitech speakers was impressive enough so I can only imagine how it will go with a proper sound system. I’ve scared the cat enough today with just the first play through so I’ll probably lay off it for a little bit but suffice to say it’s an impressive recreation of what it would be like to be at a shuttle launch. I certainly got nerd chills listening to it.
One of my great regrets; never saw a Shuttle launch.
I feel your pain mate .
I’ve made a promise to myself that I’ll go and see the first of the next generation of manned launch vehicles. Whether that’s the Orion capsule, SpaceX Dragon or something else completely doesn’t really phase me, I want to be there at the birth of the next step of manned space exploration. I think that will overtake any regrets that I had about missing seeing the Shuttle.