Better than strapping yourself to a rocket…
After seeing the July 4 shuttle launch from Cocoa Beach, FL last week, I have yet to extract the photos from my cell phone. Most of them look a lot like this.
The coolest shuttle footage I’ve seen so far is from the solid rocket booster camera. There is no audio, so I recommend listening to something spacey while watching. The video is 12.5 minutes long, so here are the highlights: Liftoff @ 1 min, separation of booster and shuttle @ 3 min, plummet towards Earth resolves @ 5.5 min, booster passes through clouds @ 7 min, impact with water @ 7.5 min. The booster and parachute float in the water for the rest if the video; this is uneventful but oddly meditative (especially if listening to said spacey music).
Or, if you think the booster cam is a total drag, check out this footage from the Korean Taepodong missile cam, which is shorter and has lovely audio. If you prefer a CG version, check out this optimistic video showing the US shooting down an Alaska-bound Taepodong 2 long range missile.
That’s a healthy dose of rocket science. Next time I’ll have to get back to nanobots and booze…
nizome said,
July 13, 2006 @ 7:05 pm
Yeah, that booster camera video is alright — but it would probably be better if we were watching it together while drinking beer and wearing bikinis . . . .
Problem solved! I’ll bring my laptop to Mark’s on Sunday : )
nizome said,
July 13, 2006 @ 7:06 pm
P.S. You’re not still wearing one are you?
monkey said,
July 13, 2006 @ 7:28 pm
No, I had to switch to actually wearing clothes. The bikini just wouldn’t be practical around the office… I mean, where would I clip my badge? Back to beachyness on Sunday!
shannon rock said,
July 20, 2006 @ 10:00 am
your shot of the launch was much better than mine. unfortunately my mother had our camera and all that you can see is a trail of smoke…lovely.
monkey said,
July 20, 2006 @ 4:48 pm
Actually I think that was a better shot than I have too! It is actually from someone else that I found online (since I still haven’t managed to get my pix off of my camera phone). Most of mine look like it, which is true, but I think we were a bit further away! It was still pretty awesome seeing the launch! (My first one - but maybe not yours?)
Shannon Rock said,
July 20, 2006 @ 8:04 pm
ahh… well then it makes sense. i didn’t think camera phones had that good a shot. it was totally awesome. much better than the picture turned out. i was hoping they would do it at night personally. somehow add it in before the fireworks? yeah it was my first launch. good thing you guys came a week before the usual.