Thursday, September 21, 2006

Our crew made it home.

Well I got home at 3am because this week I have been working 2nd shift.. I go into work at 2pm and don't get out till about midnight or later. It messes up your whole sleep pattern and I have found it difficult to sleep during the day when planes are passing by low and neighbors are doing yard work. As I was getting ready to leave, some of my co-workers were getting into work to head out to the Shuttle Landing Facility. They are there at the runway to witness landing and then to walk-down the orbiter to document discrepancies before it is rolled into the bay. Regardless of difficulties in sleeping, after getting home at 3am, i put my alarm for 6:10 because I wanted to hear the sonic boom. I left the TV on tuned to the NASA channel so I wouldn't miss a thing. At exactly 6:18 I heard the sonic boom. It's amazing hearing it. It's like some let a shot gun go off right outside your window, but just enough to make a tiny shake to your windows. I continued watching the landing and when I knew they were safely home, I went back to sleep. I experienced another mission with a great team, and great teamwork!



Sunday, September 17, 2006

I'm back, and Atlantis coming home soon...

I'm back from houston and it was a great trip. The team was able to resolve all of the Thermal Protection System issues and approved Atlantis safe to fly home. Landing will happen on Wed. Sept 20th at 6:00 am. Should be nice to wake up to a sonic boom. The NASA photographer got some shots of me working while I was supporting the mission imagery team.







Sunday, September 10, 2006

Successful launch for Atlantis!!











I hope those of you in central FL. were able to see the launch. It was a little cloudy, but still a beautiful site. Now, to houston I go to inspect the thermal protection system. Be sure to keep up with the live updates during the mission. Long days awaits our inspection team, but i have a feeling that we won't be seeing much tile damage. Hopefully no protruding gap fillers either!!

Friday, September 01, 2006

Let's try this launch again!!!

Sept.6 at 12:28:48 pm. EDT. will be the next launch attempt for Space Shuttle Atlantis. Tropical Storm Ernesto did not effect us like we though, but we still took the hurricane percautions. I helped my mom put shutters up in her home since she lives in south florida, and then we had a day off incase the weather became worse. But to me, it was just like any other rainy day in florida. However, with a few afternoon squalls of rain you just wouldn't want to drive through. I think it's a good idea too that the launch is scheduled to be at 12:28 pm because usually the scattered thunderstorms occur later in the afternoon.

Other major news....Lockheed Martin won the contract to build the CEV spacecraft. They won this contract over Northrop Grumman and Boeing. You can read all about it here.

Hope everyone has a great long weekend. My birthday is on Monday (I'll be 25) and I get to enjoy a holiday.