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From: snidely@nosun.UUCP (David Schneider)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Launch at last!
Message-ID: <598@intelisc.nosun.UUCP>
Date: 28 Feb 90 16:59:30 GMT
Reply-To: snidely@isc.intel.com (David Schneider)
Followup-To: sci.space.shuttle
Organization: intel Scientific Computers, Beaverton OR
Lines: 32

Well, you all know by now that Atlantis lept into the sky in the wee
hours of the Cape morning (about 11 pm Tuesday for us on the west coast).
(I feel silly not knowing the time of liftoff, but I was watching the
screen, not the clock.  Was it about 2:10 EST?)
While I don't approve of thousands of repeats of widely available
TV news, I do like to get a record of the launch into the net archives.

The CNN commentator on the spot noted that the orbital inclination made
the shuttle dissappear quicker for his position.  I'm not sure why,
since there would be no mountains in the way in that direction, either,
and the curvature of the earth should be about the same over the significant
distance.  Does this indicate a different rate of climb?

CNN also had a quiz about which shuttle flight held the record for
launch delays; I missed the answer, so I look forward to seeing your
Also, does anyone still know the record for non-shuttle manned flight
launch delays?

I had hoped to get coverage on CSPAN II (forwarding NASA select), but it 
seems they took their usual tack of just covering the launches that go from 
a well-publicized time.  Which hasn't fit any of the recent launches,
classified or otherwise.

Well, congratulations to the crew and ground teams, and (to adapt the
Irish wish) may they land with the wind in their face.

					Dave Schneider
					Wednesday, Feb 28
					
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