I'm 1 of 150 civilians chosen by NASA to attend the final launch of the space shuttle Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center, 3 miles from the launch pad. This is as close as any civilian can get to the shuttle. This photo gallery chronicles my trip.
Day 1 of the road trip to #NASAtweetup. Blue skies through most of the 12.5 hour drive to NC.-- April 26, 2011
Day 1 of the road trip to #NASAtweetup. Virginia welcomes us but we have no idea where we are on this map.-- April 26, 2011
Day 2 of the road trip to FL - Behold! South of the Border in Dillon, SC. -- April 27, 2011
Pedro, the mascot of South of the Border in Dillon, SC. I present this figure without further comment.-- April 27, 2011
South of the Border in Dillon, SC.-- April 27, 2011
Kitsch at South of the Border in Dillon, SC. -- April 27, 2011
This is Pedro, the mascot of South of the Border in Dillon, SC. Yeah... -- April 27, 2011
So, we made it to Titusville, FL and @AVJessica drove TWO HOURS to come see me. I love this woman! (And notice her kickass shirt too.) -- April 27, 2011
Dixie Crossroads restaurant. Delish rock shrimp with a giant mascot. -- April 27, 2011
Me and @AVJessica outside of Dixie Crossroads. Admit it, we make a cute pair.-- April 27, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 -Countdown clock for STS-134. Right outside the tweetup tent.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The tweetup tent!-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - View of the VAB from the tweetup tent. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - My official credentials. Still in disbelief that I'm actually here. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Space dork fun while waiting for the tweetup to start. -- April 28, 2011
A view of the #NASAtweetup tent/attendees.-- April 28, 2011
Podium setup for day 1 presentations.-- April 28, 2011
A view from just inside the tent to the countdown clock.-- April 28, 2011
This photo is for @AVJessica. My sweet AVI-SPL cooler is what's holding my lunch on #NASAtweetup day 1.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Levar Burton (@levarburton) coming into the tent.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Seth Green coming into the tent too.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Seth Green in the tweetup tent.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Photo taken while I was in mid-sentence. I don't care. @LevarBurton has his hand on my shoulder. I love him so much!!-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Received my official tweetup shirt. Sweet! -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - NASA's chief scientist Waleed Abdalati -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - NASA's chief scientist Waleed Abdalati -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Dana Hutcherson, NASA Flow Director for Endeavour. She noted in her presentation that all three of NASA's flow directors are women. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - International Space Station Associate Program Scientist Tara Ruttley. She brought several examples of what's going into space with the Endeavour crew, including Golden Orb spiders and a canister of salmonella (in a triple safe container, of course!)-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Astronaut Clay Anderson (@Astro_Clay)-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Astronaut Clay Anderson (@Astro_Clay) -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Buses lined up for the tour around the Kennedy Space Center complex.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - My @smugmug swag is working hard. Plus, just love the shot with Columbia patch seen over my shoulder. Location: in the VAB. -- April 28, 2011
A close-up of the special credentials for the tour. #NASAtweeup day 1. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Our tour guide, @NASAman, was quite animated. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The Shuttle Mate-Demate Device (MDD), which places the shuttle on its 747 carrier for transport. Amazing feat of engineering. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The VAB! Used to be known as the Vertical Building Assembly building. This is the building where the Space Shuttle is stacked. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Inside the VAB. This building is massive. 550 feet tall and a roof big enough to the Yankee Stadium on top with room left over. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The VAB. Notice the tiny people at the bottom of the photo. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The VAB. April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Employee signatures on the wall of the VAB. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Banners line the railings in the VAB.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The remaining pieces of Columbia are in permanent storage in the VAB. Behind the mission patch on the wall is where the 84,000 pieces are kept. Academics and researchers have access to this secure room. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - VAB interior shot. Notice the tiny people.-- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - @NASAman narrating our VAB tour. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The Apollo Saturn V Center. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Apollo Saturn 5 Center lobby. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Apollo Saturn 5 Center lobby. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Back at the tweetup tent and waiting for the trip to the launch pad to see the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) retraction. Dark clouds coming towards the twent alert us to a problem. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Storm is coming.... -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Storm clouds converge on the VAB. Lightning is seen dispersed in the clouds. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - Storm clouds converge on the VAB. April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - No more sunshine. Storm is building. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - We are moved from the tweetup tent to a safer location in the press auditorium. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - The press auditorium where we'll wait out the storms. -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 1 - In the NASA press auditorium. Our government dollars (and sense) at work. Do not block this area... are you sure?! -- April 28, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - My favorite sight to see as I approach Kennedy Space Center. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Me and Seth Green, who is so super nice in person. He said, "Twitter is all about community." Hell yeah. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Astronaut Leland Melvin (@Astro_Flow) talking to someone outside the tweetup tent after his presentation. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Astronaut Leland Melvin (@Astro_Flow) and me in front of the countdown clock. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - @michaelbmoore meets his hero, @Astro_Flow. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Well, we did see a first.... The Astro Van came by, and then turned around because of the launch scrub. At least I know where I was when it was called (standing on the side of the road waving to the van.) -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - The Astro Van pulls into the launch control center (LCC) parking lot. This wasn't supposed to happen. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - The Astro Van pulls into the launch control center (LCC) parking lot and turns around... something's up. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Aaaand, there it goes. In the opposite direction from the launch pad. Seconds later, we get news that the launch attempt has been scrubbed. -- April 29, 2011
In case you were wondering what's *behind* the countdown clock. Don't trip on the plug...
#NASAtweetup day 2 - The group gathered at the rope line to wave/photograph the Astro Van. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Outside the tweetup tent, media are setting up their shots. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Another fave photo: Photographers in the foreground and Endeavour in the background. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Launch is scrubbed. What to do while waiting for traffic to clear? Pose with the @thinkgeek CEO. Mission accomplished. -- April 29, 2011
#NASAtweetup day 2 - Paying homage to the @thinkgeek CEO. -- April 29, 2011
What was waiting for me when I got home from #NASAtweetup - first launch attempt. -- April 29, 2011
Early morning on launch day - May 16, 2011. Countdown clock on the left and Endeavour on the far right.
Early morning on launch day - May 16, 2011. Press tents set up with the VAB in the background.
Signs for the Astro Van, just in case they decide to do a u-turn again. -- May 16, 2011
The Astron Van streaks by with the Endeavour astronauts inside on the way to the launchpad. -- May 16, 2011
A briefing about the Sensor Test for Orion RelNav Risk Mitigation (STORRM) system and new sensor technology that would make it easier for docking with the International Space Station.
People claim their spots along the water within sight of Endeavour. -- May 16, 2011
Sun rises on Endeavour (left) -- May 16, 2011
Sun rises on Endeavour -- May 16, 2011
The sun rises on Launchpad 39A and Endeavour. -- May 16, 2011
The sun rises on Launchpad 39A and Endeavour -- May 16, 2011
Sun rises on Endeavour (left) -- May 16, 2011
The sun rises on Launchpad 39A and Endeavour (left) -- May 16, 2011
Dawn on launch day - May 16, 2011. Endeavour to the left. Awesome sunrise on right.
Bill Hemmer of Fox News (formerly of CNN) was set up next to our bleacher seats. -- May 16, 2011
Cameras lined up waiting for Endeavour's launch. -- May 16, 2011
NASAtweetup redux - My pal Jennifer Huber. Check out her blog at Solotravelgirl.com.
NASAtweetup redux - (From left to right) Jillian Davis, Jennifer Huber, and me trying on the different layers of an astronaut's spacesuit glove. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Huber.)
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour lifts off!! -- May 16, 2011
A video of the Endeavour launch from my spot at the Kennedy Space Center press site - 3.1 miles from the launch pad. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour about to punch through the cloud cover. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour disappears through the clouds. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Endeavour's trail. -- May 16, 2011
Me and Jennifer Huber (@jenniferhuber) at the countdown clock now counting *up* after Endeavour is launched. -- May 16, 2011
Love bugs splattered all over this news truck. -- May 16, 2011
Heading out to the press site parking lot, we spot a chopper landing on the helipad in front of the VAB. -- May 16, 2011
Thank you, NASA and Endeavour. Godspeed to you for a safe landing on June 1, 2011. (Photo taken May 16, 2011)
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