Atlantis has left the planet, again...

[FloridaFialaFan]

Gav saw these photos earlier today and suggested I post them here for everyone to enjoy. This documents the Atlantis Space Shuttle launch of Novermber 16, 2009. We won't be seeing many more of these lift-offs.

We're just 70 miles up the Right Coast from Canaveral and enjoy both day or night launches.

In this photo, Atlantis had just left the Cape heading for the International Space Station already in orbit. As the launch rises into sight from our driveway out front, you can only see the huge fireball on the front of its exhaust trail.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mauser/ATLANTISLAUNCH11-16-09001_edited.jpg

Further out from the Cape the booster rockets have expired and will soon drop off into the Atlantic to await a salvage crew to pick them up. At this point you can now see Atlantis sitting out front on her exhaust trail. She's on her way.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mauser/ATLANTISLAUNCH11-16-09006_edited.jpg

In this pic is the First Christion Church, across the street from our house, and next door to it, to the right, is another HUGE church, First Baptist. Ours is a rather quiet neighborhood most of the week...

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not. ~ ~ ~ Thomas Jefferson

[Gav-n-Tn]

Thanks for sharing the pics FFF. Pretty neat to be that close to the action. Good stuff.

[FloridaFialaFan]

Hope everyone enjoys them, Gavin.

Our youngest daughter is a NASA Aerospace Engineer working at the Dryden Experimental Aircraft Lab inside Edwards AFB out in the center of the Mojave Desert in Californy. She gets to see the shuttles up close and personal when they have to land out there due to bad weather here.

They then load the shuttle piggy-back on a big 747 and bring it back to the Right Coast. We've been priveleged to watch one of those taxi jobs arrive down at the Cape.

Below is her standing in front of the lift crane with 747 "taxi" in place. They were getting ready to load the shuttle Endeavor on it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mauser/JERIWITHEndeavorNov08landing.jpg

She said this morning she was jealous we got to watch the launch from our front yard.

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

[dew38]

thanks for the pictures fff.................:)

[NGaMtnHunter]

Great Pictures FFF!! Thanks.

[shooting50]

Outstanding FFF!! GOT ANYMORE YOU CARE TO SHARE? Would love to watch an actual launch someday.:music4:

[FloridaFialaFan]

Thanks, shooting50. I've got similar photos of various earlier shuttle launches, but the pics look boringly the same. But, if there are any readers out there who enjoy the aeronautical end of things, I just received some really great photos of the 2009 Open House held at Edwards AFB which I'm glad to share.

We've visited our daughter at work there at Edwards a couple of years ago. Fantastic place, She's an engineer on the Dryden Lab projects and recently told us they're soon moving the operations elsewhere.

Right this moment on the TV news they're talking about how our Emperor is shutting down the NASA operations. Thousands more out of work here on the Right Coast soon.

Anyhoo.... check out this URL for the fantastic photos mentioned:

http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1a/Edwards09/Edwards09.html

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

[shooting50]

There you go FFF, you have done it again! "OUTSTANDING" Amazing Photography, Got to Love it!! Should have known from the Shuttle photos
you were a Class Act Photographer. Great Job, we love it, keep'm comming.