Anyone ever been to a Space Shuttle launch at Kennedy in Florida?
Nov 23, 2006, 7:47 pm
#16
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Slightly off topic--I was at the launch of the Deep Impact rocket two years ago. One of the greatest experiences of my life. Yes, it was loud, and it was amazing to see the rocket go up and away just as on tv, but it was in real life. I envy you; you'll never forget it.
Nov 23, 2006, 8:12 pm
#18
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Originally Posted by Fly16
Slightly off topic--I was at the launch of the Deep Impact rocket two years ago. One of the greatest experiences of my life. Yes, it was loud, and it was amazing to see the rocket go up and away just as on tv, but it was in real life. I envy you; you'll never forget it.
Nov 23, 2006, 8:39 pm
#19
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Originally Posted by Traveller
Sometimes the rockets are louder than the shuttle... I've heard the reason is because the shuttle has a bigger launch pad that absorbs more of the noise.... I have no idea if that's true or not but it sounded good when I heard it.
In perspective, the ambient noise in nature is about 60dB. The noise in your car when you are on the highway is about 80dB. A loud rock concert pushes 110dB. You will have permenamt hearing loss at 120dB.
More importantly than the decibels is the sound pressure level which is what will cause objects to shake off my walls.
I'm curious what the actual noise level will be at my home. I have a dB meter I'll break out that night.
Nov 23, 2006, 9:12 pm
#20
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Originally Posted by tkey75
To deaden the noise of the shuttle when it launches, there is a water based noise supression system that dumps 900,000 gallons of water per minute onto the launch pad. It lowers the noise at the launch pad to a relatively quiet 143 decibels.
In perspective, the ambient noise in nature is about 60dB. The noise in your car when you are on the highway is about 80dB. A loud rock concert pushes 110dB. You will have permenamt hearing loss at 120dB.
More importantly than the decibels is the sound pressure level which is what will cause objects to shake off my walls.
In perspective, the ambient noise in nature is about 60dB. The noise in your car when you are on the highway is about 80dB. A loud rock concert pushes 110dB. You will have permenamt hearing loss at 120dB.
More importantly than the decibels is the sound pressure level which is what will cause objects to shake off my walls.
Nov 23, 2006, 9:26 pm
#21
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Originally Posted by CPRich
Decibels (dB) is a measurement of Sound Pressure Level (SPL). And dB readings are meaningless without a distance. The shuttle launch measured from my living room is approximately 0. I'd believe 143 at the base of the pad, where no humans are located. I'd bet an SPL measurement where the nearest people are would be in the 110 range. And I've been exposed to 120dB sounds with no hearing loss. I bet everyone has. dB exposure over time is what causes hearing damage.
I'm interested what my dB meter at my home (~5 miles from the launch pad) says. I'm guessing about 95-100 under A weighting and you likely close at 110+ C weighting.
Nov 24, 2006, 3:50 pm
#22
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Originally Posted by rje
A night launch is an absolutely spectacular event. You'll talk about it for years!
The view can be good from Titusville - saw the launch of Apollo 12 from there way back when I was at the U of F.
Watching the moon rocket go was great but it was a leisurely affair. A shuttle launch is actually more spectacular!
Nov 24, 2006, 6:13 pm
#23
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I've been in Fla for several launches, they were all delayed and I never saw it. I'll be down for the do on the 8th, if it's delayed a couple days we may make the trip up, otherwise I'm no longer going to try to schedule it around them anymore, I've been disappointed way too many times.
It's curretly set for:
STS-116
STS-116 will deliver a third truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components during the shuttle's 20th mission to the International Space Station.
Launch Time: 9:38 p.m.
on the 7th.
It's curretly set for:
STS-116
STS-116 will deliver a third truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components during the shuttle's 20th mission to the International Space Station.
Launch Time: 9:38 p.m.
on the 7th.
Nov 24, 2006, 6:33 pm
#24
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Originally Posted by tkey75
Traveller, it wouldn't be a party without you.
BTW, if ANYONE is interested, I am hosting a lunch party at my home that evening, provided the launch goes as scheduled (ya never know until the last - literally, seconds). Please just RSVP so I know how to plan.
See this thread
BTW, if ANYONE is interested, I am hosting a lunch party at my home that evening, provided the launch goes as scheduled (ya never know until the last - literally, seconds). Please just RSVP so I know how to plan.
See this thread
Nov 25, 2006, 4:32 am
#25
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This is one of my dream topics, as seeing a shuttle launch with my own eyes is on top of my must do list.
One of the previous posts mentioned the sound suppression system by water, this is NASA link with some photos and explanation of it.
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/f_watertest.html
Also both youtube and google video has some outstanding clips of various shuttle launches taken from a variety of cameras, the most interesting is the one from camera mounted on the fuel tank.
One of the previous posts mentioned the sound suppression system by water, this is NASA link with some photos and explanation of it.
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/f_watertest.html
Also both youtube and google video has some outstanding clips of various shuttle launches taken from a variety of cameras, the most interesting is the one from camera mounted on the fuel tank.
Nov 27, 2006, 7:49 am
#27
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I have been nothing short of blessed to have spent most of my professional life in the space program. I've seen and worked at over a hundred launches and the fire is still in the belly! Here's an edited copy of my post from last June. (You obviously won't have to worry about thunderstorms in December.)
I've spent most of my career in the space program and have been at the Cape for my share of launches. I agree with the locations people have suggested. Virtually all of the Shuttle launches these days dock with the International Space Station, which is inclined in about a 53 degree orbit. So, the Shuttle flies north hugging the coastline as close as range safety will permit. It you can get close to Titusville, you will see more of the ascent than at Cape Canaveral or Cocoa Beach, which is south of the Kennedy Space Center. From the south, you'll generally be looking up the back end as it ascends away from you. From Titusville, the vehicle will ascend from right to left as you view it. Another reason to consider driving to Titusville is that this launch is from Complex 39B, which is closer to Titusville than 39A. You'll get a good look across the river and will probably see it leave the pad.
If you decide to drive from Cocoa Beach to Titusville, remember that thousands of your closest friends will we doing the same thing, so get out there VERY early. Getting there at 5-6:00 PM for a launch window that opens at 9:38 PM is not too early.
Download the ascent profile from either The NASA Website or SpaceflightNow so you'll be able to tell what's happening during the ascent. Bring a stopwatch and start it right at T-0 and you'll be able to predict when events happen. Even though the Challenger failure happened 20 years ago, I still count to "132" during a shuttle launch. "132" is the nominal number of seconds that the solid rocket boosters burn. (For this mission, the solids burn for 123 seconds.) During the burn of the solids, the crew has virtually no chance of aborting and landing safely. Also, bring a portable radio, because the local radio stations will be covering the launch. Spaceflightnow is also an excellent source of information on launch day. They have a reporter with a laptop in the control room who publishes a real-time blog. If you have wireless capability, bring your laptop or handheld with you. Another important milestone is that the crew goes to the launch pad about 2 1/2 hours before launch. The launch window is only five minutes, so if the crew hasn't arrived at the pad around 7:00 PM, they aren't going to launch that day.
I hope you stick with it. I've been involved in probably a hundred or more launches over the last 30 years and I still get pumped.
If you decide to drive from Cocoa Beach to Titusville, remember that thousands of your closest friends will we doing the same thing, so get out there VERY early. Getting there at 5-6:00 PM for a launch window that opens at 9:38 PM is not too early.
Download the ascent profile from either The NASA Website or SpaceflightNow so you'll be able to tell what's happening during the ascent. Bring a stopwatch and start it right at T-0 and you'll be able to predict when events happen. Even though the Challenger failure happened 20 years ago, I still count to "132" during a shuttle launch. "132" is the nominal number of seconds that the solid rocket boosters burn. (For this mission, the solids burn for 123 seconds.) During the burn of the solids, the crew has virtually no chance of aborting and landing safely. Also, bring a portable radio, because the local radio stations will be covering the launch. Spaceflightnow is also an excellent source of information on launch day. They have a reporter with a laptop in the control room who publishes a real-time blog. If you have wireless capability, bring your laptop or handheld with you. Another important milestone is that the crew goes to the launch pad about 2 1/2 hours before launch. The launch window is only five minutes, so if the crew hasn't arrived at the pad around 7:00 PM, they aren't going to launch that day.
I hope you stick with it. I've been involved in probably a hundred or more launches over the last 30 years and I still get pumped.
Nov 28, 2006, 9:33 am
#28
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Originally Posted by tkey75
You're right. I am corrected, or confused 
. It's approx 17,000 feet (not miles - that's a looooooong way - apogee is only about 35 miles)
. It's approx 17,000 feet (not miles - that's a looooooong way - apogee is only about 35 miles)You were probably thinking of the speed -- the shuttle's orbital velocity is around 17,500 mph. ^
Nov 28, 2006, 10:05 am
#29
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Originally Posted by intrepid720
You were probably thinking of the speed -- the shuttle's orbital velocity is around 17,500 mph. ^
