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Picture of the day - December 11, 2006
Nighttime Launch Of Space Shuttle Discovery
Photo courtesy of
NASA / George Shelton.
Some sights and sounds have the power to take one's breath away.
For example, most everyone has been caught out in a thunderstorm and
experienced the awesome power of a nearby lightning strike. Most
likely your chest felt the thump of the shock wave and your ears
started "ringing" from the booming thunder clap. There is nothing
quite like a "too close for comfort" lightning strike to demonstrate
the power of nature and the God who created it.
But if you have ever witnessed a space shuttle launch in person, you
would probably agree that NASA can sure produce quite a breathtaking
event as well - especially at night. The shuttle and its attached
booster rockets just sit there in the darkness for what seems like
an eternity as the countdown timer silently ticks off the seconds.
Some people say it is actually a bit boring during the waiting
period, but then...
When the clock finally shows all zeros, the shuttle's mighty engines
and solid rocket boosters roar into action, creating over 7 million
pounds of thrust in order to lift the 4.5 million pound shuttle
assembly from the launch pad. The night sky becomes as bright as day
and a thunderous roar drowns out all other sounds as the craft rises
into the air and heads for earth orbit.
For the next couple of minutes you
watch in awe as the brave crew rides into space aboard what is
perhaps the most complex machine ever built by human hands.
Finally, you get your breath back and suddenly realize just what an
amazing event you have just witnessed. Another space shuttle mission
is now underway.
About the photo: Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off from Launch
Pad 39B at 8:47:35 p.m. EST on Dec. 9, 2006. Mission STS-116 is
Discovery's 33rd mission - and the first nighttime shuttle launch
since 2003.
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