Expedition Ten launch - observations

Derek Lyons wrote:

The same thing that has held up virtually *every* booster to date.
The sit on their tails.


Not the R-7 or its derivatives.

Pat

"Herb Schaltegger" wrote in message
...
First, I have to say that it was great to see live, in-cabin video all
the way through the sequence. How cool is that?

"Und vy hafent ve been doink dat all along? Vy, now ve are capitalist pigs
und ve haf insurance!"

Pat Flannery wrote:
[snip]
An advantage to this setup is that the rocket doesn't have to
sit on its tail, and so its base doesn't have to be as strongly built;
also, if something goes wrong, the rocket and its propellants fall into
the deep fire pit under the pad as it explodes- minimizing the damage to
the pad itself: http://www.russianspaceweb.com/baikonur_r7_1_2_200.jpg

Now *THAT* is a very impressively sized flame deflector/pit.