One Week Ago

It seems hard to believe, but another week has sped by. Just one week ago today, I and a few million other NASA geeks and spacetweeps went through an entire range of emotions. Anticipation, yet preparing for disappointment. Skeptical of the weather, but hoping it would clear. Excited that the clouds were clearing and the sun was coming out, then worried it would kick up the convection and set up storms. As the countdown proceeded through each scheduled hold, and the possibility of a launch looked more likely, the energy rose, then the clock stopped at T-31! The utter disbelief,the fear of something gone wrong. Then, the clock resumes, and as MS2 Rex Waldheim said today in an interview, "The clock restarted and we had no time to think. It was like, ready, set, go!"

Joy, jubilant cheers, thunderous applause, tears, and utter shock. The awesome beauty and power was beyond belief.

Here are a few of my photographs from the launch. Click the photo below to open the album and launch the slide show.

STS135Launch