STS-128 Discovery Launch

Discovery launched last night, so I'm back home for business as usual. That was the last scheduled night launch, so I'm glad I got the opportunity to see it (my first and probably last night launch). Earlier this week, I interviewed some of the researchers who have a materials science experiment on its way to the Space Station. I'll have more on that for you once I recover from the drive.

In the meantime, here's a photo of the launch for you, which I took from a location called 'The Fire Tower'. The Fire Tower is about 4-1/2 miles from the launchpad, pretty much out in the middle of nowhere, unless you are a mosquito, since it's clearly one of their favorite spots for a meet-and-greet and some serious blood-drinking (possibly all of Florida could make that claim). The Fire Tower is a tower that gets set on fire so firefighters can practice their job. As you might imagine, the location would have appealed to me based on its purpose alone, but it offers a great view, too. The top platform is accessed by climbing a vertical ladder. That was a little scary, but the view of the launch was spectacular!