One for the Earlybirds

[Paul Evans]

28th August - times approx

0522 - Discovery Launches from KSC

0530 - ISS passes over Ireland - a high pass

0540 - Discovery passes over Ireland - with tank below

0620 - Sunrise.

If the weather works out, and the forecast is encouraging, this will be an excellent photo-op!

[brianb]

Or the very late ones....

With the weather we've been having lately I can't imagine it cooperating, but thanks for the "heads up"!

[Paul Evans]

As it turned out the launch was delayed by another day. This worked in my favour - the sky at Newgrange was still clear at 0520, though clouded over later, and was dark enough for the passing spacecraft to be very spectacular, though dawn was well on the way.

So here's the image - Space Shuttle Discovery with the External Fuel tank falling away below, 21 minutes after lift-off from the Kennedy Space Center....



By the way, though the sky was clear, the wind was well up, hence the slight jagginess of the trails which represent 4 seconds of travel at 17,500mph!