John Glenn’s Shuttle Launch From 1998 (video)

It’s so loud the sound waves distort the view toward the pad during their fifteen second journey to the visitors area.

There was a shuttle launch this afternoon. We’ve all become fearful since the two disasters that struck NASA’s shuttle program. On Facebook and Twitter I posted:

I am always uneasy before the shuttle launches

I have been to two shuttle launches at Cape Canaveral. It’s impossible to truly understand the scale of what’s going on unless you’re there. From the banks of the Banana River in front of the giant digital clock you see and feel the shuttle’s blastoff. It’s so loud the sound waves distort the view toward the pad during their fifteen second journey to the visitors area.

Someone on Facebook mentioned the John Glenn launch. As it turns out I stumbled upon a CD I’d burned with that day’s coverage including my live shot from the Cape.

The package was shot and edited by George DeYounge. We ran late and scrambled to get the video to the satellite uplink. I was huffing and puffing and greatly out-of-breath, but we made it!

It was an exciting day… a historic day. I hope I conveyed that.

6 thoughts on “John Glenn’s Shuttle Launch From 1998 (video)”

  1. The use of solids in manned space operations, in the US at least, was against the rules until the shuttle. Liquid just doesn’t have the ummph. Even on TV, when the solids light, it’s breathtaking. They’re lifting that tank full of fuel in addition to the shuttle.

  2. What I remember most was “God’s speed John Glenn”. And later on throughout the space program was Walter Chronkites reaction to the mood landing. Have you seen the movie, “The Right Stuff”? It’s all about the earliest days of the space program. Not to mention the popular movie directed by Ron Howard, “Apollo 13”. I think we all hold our breath when any of the launches take place…even back in the day.

  3. I hold my breath too. It’s really an amazing thing. I remember the Sputnik and how we felt the USA was lost in the race for space. We’ve come a long way since then.
    I’m glad you shared that with us Geoff.

  4. I was fortunate enough to also be at that launch because I had a family member who was involved with one of the projects that went up on that flight. It was incredibly exciting to see the shuttle launch and to be present for that historic day. You mentioned the traffic…..I remember that twice as many people, that had been expected, came to see the launch. We sat in the car for hours in the traffic to get back to our hotel. It was worth it though to be there on that day. Thanks for bringing back some cool memories!

  5. Awesome to watch Geoff. I wasn’t around (born yet) when this took place so it’s great to see it. Too bad I’ll never have the chance to see it in person as the last one left or is leaving soon.

    Ann Nyberg looks sooo young…she should wear her hair like this again, it suits her.

    Thanks for sharing…

  6. I remember watching this on TV. I was in 6th grade when the launch happened. It’s good to see this as it’s very nostalgic. It’s cool to hear the old News Channel 8 music as well.

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