After arriving around 10:30 PM at the Kennedy Space Center to prepare for the 4:30AM launch, spectators were dissapointed when hours and hours later of waiting in bitter cold weather to learn that the launch would be delayed.
Determined to be a part of the space launch experience, myself along with hundreds of others had passed the time camping out in the center itself – laying blankets on the Kennedy Space Station Floor and sleeping the best that one could while cramped in close quarters next to strangers – many with crying children (or worse, with children who were running around and stepping on people who were trying to sleep!)
After a 24 hour window, however we were bussed back out to the launch site and experienced one of the most rewarding views possible to mankind!
Prior to the countdown, we could hear everything that was being said between the astronauts and the land crew. When the countdown began everyone was anxious and then Endeavor launched and the ENTIRE sky lit up as though it was day!
It was so beautiful, I mean- really, really beautiful! I was so choked up watching the shuttle make its way through the sky over our heads – all the hard work that went into training the crew members and building the equipment – truly an amazing reflection on mankind*