Question On Sound of Shuttle Launch

All,

I'm considering visiting Kennedy to witness a shuttle launch--something
I've always wanted to do. My question is I am blind and I'm wondering
if the sound and feel of the launch is impressive enough to make a trip
down there. Or, do they keep folks so far away now that the sound isn't
anything great.

What do you all think?

Thanks,

Andy

It sounds like God herself has reached down and grabbed two fistfuls of sky
and is ripping it apart. The roar is felt more than heard -- rhythmic
pounding
on your sternum, coins jingling in your pocket, sphincter alarm sounding --
and you remain torn between shouting exultantly nback into the sonic storm
or quietly slinking away to hide in a hole.

At least, that's the way it affected ME. Others, it left 'em cold.



"Andy Squires" wrote in message
.. .
All,

I'm considering visiting Kennedy to witness a shuttle launch--something
I've always wanted to do. My question is I am blind and I'm wondering
if the sound and feel of the launch is impressive enough to make a trip
down there. Or, do they keep folks so far away now that the sound isn't
anything great.

What do you all think?

Thanks,

Andy

Andy Squires wrote in
:

All,

I'm considering visiting Kennedy to witness a shuttle launch--something
I've always wanted to do. My question is I am blind and I'm wondering
if the sound and feel of the launch is impressive enough to make a trip
down there. Or, do they keep folks so far away now that the sound isn't
anything great.

What do you all think?

Thanks,

Andy


Not sure where the public viewing is now, but when we watched the launch
in 1985, we were in the parking lot of the visitors center/museum.
the sound of the engines and the low freq pressure waves were well worth
the hours we sat there.

also had the scanner radio with us and listened to the whole countdown just
you hear on NASA Select. makes the experence much more enjoyable knowing
what is happening.

Andy Squires wrote:

I'm wondering
if the sound and feel of the launch is impressive enough

Yes. Oh, yes. Definitely yes.

Oh yes, the sound is so good it hurts.

I've been lucky enough to have seen several lauches, and I'm 5000 miles
away. It is the sound that is the most vivid memory.

Jc.

Jim Oberg wrote:
At least, that's the way it affected ME. Others, it left 'em cold.

Jim's description sounds like what I heard from someone who got a pass to
watch the launch on the NASA Causeway (7 miles from 39B). I suspect Jim have
been closer - the press area at 3 miles, perhaps?

I watched a 1998 launch from Titusville. While the engine noise was audible,
it wasn't particularly loud (and would have been inaudible at that distance if
the path had been over land instead of water). There was no pressure wave.
In some respects it was disappointing.

I think the message is clear: Causeway Pass.

Glen Overby

"Glen Overby" wrote in message
...
Jim Oberg wrote:
At least, that's the way it affected ME. Others, it left 'em cold.

Jim's description sounds like what I heard from someone who got a pass to
watch the launch on the NASA Causeway (7 miles from 39B). I suspect Jim
have
been closer - the press area at 3 miles, perhaps?

I watched a 1998 launch from Titusville. While the engine noise was
audible,
it wasn't particularly loud (and would have been inaudible at that
distance if
the path had been over land instead of water). There was no pressure
wave.
In some respects it was disappointing.

I think the message is clear: Causeway Pass.

Glen Overby

I visited KSC in July, 2003, and ghad the priveledge of getting within
about 1/2 mile (I think) of the launch pad. The tour guide said that the
launches are so loud that even with the water used to dampen the sound, if
anyone were to be standing where we were at that time, they could be
seriously injured by the blast concussion (I assume the injuries would be
intercranial). He also said that during a launch, the sound waves cause
the aligators in the area to want to have sex. Life is stranger than
fiction.

George

"Andy Squires" wrote in message
.. .
All,

I'm considering visiting Kennedy to witness a shuttle launch--something
I've always wanted to do. My question is I am blind and I'm wondering
if the sound and feel of the launch is impressive enough to make a trip
down there. Or, do they keep folks so far away now that the sound isn't
anything great.

Only flight I was there for, I was I think 14 miles away.

When the SRBs kick in you feel it.

In fact theonly way I can describe it with the SSMEs start and then the SRBs
it's almost like you hear the sound coming at you.. and then it hits you.



What do you all think?

Thanks,

Andy

"George" wrote in message
m...
I visited KSC in July, 2003, and ghad the priveledge of getting within
about 1/2 mile (I think) of the launch pad. The tour guide said that the

what is the current fare of tours as ksc these days? reading this, i'm
actually a little concerned... when i was a kid (late late 70s, think it was
sometime after the Apollo-soyuz flight) i distinctly remember...

* a test stand we got to walk around/underneath (saturn 1/1b remnant?
spraypaint/stencil of ABANDON IN PLACE on its side)
* walking around inside a blockhouse from early saturn or earlier (probably
earlier..)
* riding a tourbus or some tour vehicle around one of the 39 launch pads
* entry in the vab, though at a little tour area in some corner. we were at
least inside and could see the hi-bay area
* mobile launcher platforms with saturn gantrys still on them (though they
may have been undergoing disassembly; i seem to remember a bunch of tube
steel trusses on the ground beside one).

i was so impressioned by that trip. given the lack of manned activity at the
time and today's security concerns/paranoia/whatever, i'm afraid i'd be
sorely disappointed in a return visit... :/

-r

"nmp" wrote in message
news
Op Tue, 15 Aug 2006 17:37:44 -0400, schreef George:

I visited KSC in July, 2003, and ghad the priveledge of getting within
about 1/2 mile (I think) of the launch pad. The tour guide said that
the launches are so loud that even with the water used to dampen the
sound, if anyone were to be standing where we were at that time, they
could be seriously injured by the blast concussion (I assume the
injuries would be intercranial). He also said that during a launch, the
sound waves cause the aligators in the area to want to have sex. Life
is stranger than fiction.

Well, the way Jim described it (he has a way with words, hasn't he?)
that launch noise sure seems erotic. So, why wouldn't alligators be
affected too?

Frankly, I had no idea, living on the other side of the planet, watching
launches only on (NASA) TV... But I guess Andy is not going to be
disappointed if I read those experiences here.

Well, if you live on exactly the antipodes and listen carefully, about 18
hours later you'll hear the sounds come in.

:-)