We Had Liftoff

 

The Forrester has landed.

It was a whirlwind trip to the Cape for the launch of Artemis II. I said it was for research for the new book, " Beyond the Launchpad: The Unsung Women of the Space Race," but come on. It was the experience and the history I was there for and all I can say is WOW! Incredible!

I was fortunate enough to land the Feel the Heat tickets to view the launch from the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, the closest you could get to the launch (about 3.5 miles). We arrived early, 6 a.m., and was the 5th car in line at the gate. From there, the line stretched…and stretched…and stretched.

I have visited KSC many times before, sometimes for article research, sometimes for fun, but it’s always an experience each time I go. We did a little exploring but knew we had better get in line to get on the bus to take us to the viewing area. We waited in line for quite a while, but that’s half the fun of the adventure. We met so many wonderful people from all over the country and the world who came in to experience the history. Canada was well represented in honor of astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

A built-in hold in the countdown occurred at T-10 minutes. When it was released, launch director, Charlie Blackwell Thompson gave another moving send off as she did during the unmanned Artemis 1 flight to the flight team and contractors. This time, it was to the first Artemis astronauts who would circumnavigate the moon.

I remember as a kid watching television coverage of the launch of Apollo 8. The reaction to the event, the first time humans would travel to the moon, was exactly the same for Artemis II: people started praying; kids were getting fidgety in anticipation; grownups began hopping up and down like a kid on Christmas morning with excitement.

Then it happened - the most brilliant light lit up the launch pad and they were off. I looked around and just about everyone was in tears, cheering the SLS and the astronauts on. Then it hits you - the roar - an incredible, bone rattling roar.

(This photo was taken by Chris Hotshell)

Now the bad news - I was in such awe over that experience....I DIDN'T RECORD IT!! LOL! I did get some really quick videos - like 8 and 13 seconds of it soaring above us and a longer one of the SRB's separating, but that’s okay. The experience was amazing. The following is a montage of pics / short clips:

For Artemis III, if you can snag the Feel the Heat tickets, go for it. The staff at KSC was great and the viewing package included everything – an extra day admission to the center, a delicious buffet meal for ticket holders, and a limited edition collector’s item. For Artemis II, it was a collector’s pin set to remember the even by. Like we wouldn't remember it.