Saturday, December 6, 2014

Fwd: Orion launch photos



Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: December 6, 2014 2:11:55 PM CST
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: Orion launch photos

Thanks to Gary and Gary's retired KSC friend-Joel Reynolds for sharing his spectacular photos of the Orion launch and his perspective on the launch.  Joel took these pictures from over 15 miles away with a very nice telephoto lens.

 

Enjoy.

 

Larry

 

From: usersg4282@aol.com [mailto:usersg4282@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, December 5, 2014 4:00 PM
To: Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)

Subject: Orion launch photos

 

Larry,

Attached are some photos taken by Joel Reynolds (KSC retired) of the Orion launch (also see his comments pasted below).

Thought you might want to share them with your list.

I'm copying Joel on this e-mail in case you want to communicate with him directly.

Gary L. Bennett

 

 

 

Well, I wouldn't have given you 5 cents betting that Orion would have
launched this morning, much less on time at 7:05 AM.  At 4 minutes before
launch, we on US 1 in Titusville, on the Indian River got a heavy dose of
rain.  But the NASA commentators were saying T-5 then 4 minutes and
counting.  I couldn't even see across the river and wasn't getting out of my
car to set up my big 500 mm lens.  At about T-2 minutes, the rain stopped, I
could see across the river to Launch Complex 37, and set up my camera.
 
I expected to hear launch hold, but instead saw ignition across the way on
the complex - man was it bright!!!  I wondered if everything was okay
because I could see fire, but no Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle.  Then the
vehicle rose up, very slowly, with an extremely long flame trailing -
characteristic of liquid propellant engines - wow!!!  It reminded me of the
Saturn V vehicle lift-offs years back.   And, after the vehicle entered the
clouds, the loud rumbling hit us - again reminding me of the big Saturn V. 
 
Now Orion has also landed in the Pacific and the launch vehicle,  the
spacecraft plus all the parts and pieces performed flawlessly!  And what
wonderful television coverage on the Delta rocket, Orion itself plus a UAV
circling the landing area in the Pacific.
 
America still has it!!!!
 
Joel   

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