Phlogging: Watching Space Shuttle Atlantis' Last Flight

Although loyal blog readers may not have known I was gone all week thanks to the wonderful Blogger scheduled post capabilities, I was in fact gone all week.  Myself, along with another professor colleague and an ex-student, left Pennsylvania by car and drove down to Florida to watch space shuttle Atlantis' last launch. 

We arrived in Florida Wednesday night and spent a little time walking around the town of Titusville, FL (and visiting the Space Walk park).

It was a porpoise, not a shark in the river separating Titusville and the Kennedy Space Center.

The space shuttle lit up at night - two days prior to launching.

On Thursday, we spent the day at the Kennedy Space Center.

Casualties of the Space Program over the years.

Vehicle Assembly Building - apparently it's so large it has its own weather...including clouds and the occasional rain inside!

A view from the Observation Gantry of the Space Shuttle Atlantis going through final preparations.  Approximately T-minus 24 hours 'til launch!

A view of the Apollo command center - a neat little reenactment took place which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Kennedy Space Center.

The Rocket Garden.

Apparently "Value Meals" mean something different when you are part of a billion dollar program...

We also visited the Astronaut Hall of Fame which was similar in style (plaques, etc.) to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

And finally, on Friday we watched Atlantis' blast off from Kennedy Space Center!

There a TON of people there - most of them arriving around 9:00 AM EST for the 2:20 PM EST launch.

Seconds before ignition.

And ignition!

Almost out of sight...

And just like that, it was gone!

Now that I'm back, it's time to get back to busting packs for the Group Break - plus I have a number of mail packages that need to be opened (and written about).  I also wish to remind you about my contest going on - see full details here.