The Holy Grail

Two Science Buffs live the Holy Grail...

As Ed and I prepared for our trip to Florida we knew that we were about to experience something that very few humans have seen and done. We were about to embark on a journey that would lead us to unknown limits on our physical being, a journey that would take us to actual size Space Shuttle simulators, gravity defying harness equipment, the vomit comet triple axis gyro and finally, to a live viewing of STS-125 (Space Shuttle Atlantis) launching from Kennedy Space Center.

Our quest for the Holy Grail started in October 2008, after I received our launch package and airline tickets, and then watched in agony as NASA reported the Hubble telescope had broke down two days before the launch. It was delayed until 2009. Ugh. But, we re grouped, recalculated, regurgitated and replanned and were on our way.

Atlantis Launch (STS-125) to Hubble: First and foremost. There is nothing like this in the entire world, with the exception of sitting in one of the 7 seats aboard the craft. I have seen DeltaIV rocket launches from Cocoa Beach (even at night) and that doesn't even hold a solid

rocket booster to what we witnessed. Humans are only allowed in 3 places (if you want to get close) The nearest (3.5 miles) is the press site, the second, (5.5 miles) is the viewing causeway. We were on the causeway only because NASA didn't think that press credentials were proper for two guys who don't work for any press publication. (Whatever). So out to the causeway we went and sat for about 1 hour until we heard the final countdown. And when that thing takes off, it's mind boggling. I can think of no other words to describe it.

Holy Grail part 2 (is there such a thing?) was Astronaut training. Here we met Bob Springer, Astronaut, and test pilot, and completed an entire Shuttle Mission. I was Mission Specialist #4 (experimentation and sciences) and Ed was SSO (Support for Shuttle OEX) at Mission Control. We went though the mission (about an hour) and had to extend the arm, retrieve a Space Station Module and then land again at Kennedy. Along with that, a half day of training about how to fly it, land it, and operate the over 15,000 buttons and controls that make it up. We had a great time.