Space Shuttle Launch

[jprzybyla]

Space Shuttle launch on May 11, 2009. Shot from across the river ten miles away in Titusville, Florida. I am fortunate to have viewed several. When the engines ignite a cloud of white smoke is first seen. As the shuttle clears the launch pad the bright exhaust flames become visible. No sound is heard because of the difference in the speed of light and sound. When the sound arrives it is deafening, one of the loudest roars you could imagine. The ground feels as if it is shaking. Only one word can describe it...AWESOME!!! The quality is not up to DSLR standards as it was shot with a point and shoot camera, I apoligize for that.

[Donald]

The quality is not up to DSLR standards as it was shot with a point and shoot camera, I apoligize for that.

Still a pretty impressive image, Joe. There may be thousands of images taken from this particular viewpoint, but this presentation is, for me, a first. And that alone makes it worth looking at. I haven't seen a shuttle launch picture that looks like this. I think your choice of composition, with the shuttle just where it is relative to the plumes still visible blowing out from the launch pad, is very good.

I don't know what that is we are seeing right at the bottom over towards the right, but it could be easily cloned out.

[jprzybyla]

With your eye for a compostion Donald your comment is special. Thank you.

[Carl in Louisiana]

Thanks for sharing, it is a first for me also from that angle WOW!

[Loose Canon]

Pretty spectacular image, Joe.

The white “smoke” you see at the beginning is not smoke at all but actually steam. The pad is deluged at 6.6 seconds prior to launch with 300,000 gal. (US) through six 12’ high “rainbirds” into the flame deflector trench to protect the vehicle from acoustic shock and flame damage. It is said to take around 41 seconds to dump the 300,000 gallons reaching a maximum flow rate of some 900,000 gallons per minute.

It is all pretty much instantly vaporized into steam it is so hot.