Weekend Adventure
So, my Father-in-law had this crazy idea. He suggested we all, 8 adults and 3 babies, caravan out to the wasteland that is Mojave at 11:00 pm, sleep in (pile into) the motorhome, and wake up at 5:45 am...all to witness a bit of history in the making. If you can't tell, it didn't sound like the greatest plan to me. I grumbled along, trying not to complain to the Munkee but not really succeeding, as usual.
Despite my reservations and dumpy attitude...it turned out to be really cool.
We witnessed the flight of SpaceShipOne:
...a rocket plane designed to carry a smaller rocket plane 62.2 miles above the Earth and launch it into the outer atmosphere. Apparently, this was the world's first commercial manned space flight. The craft was privately funded by a co-founder of Microsoft and is supposed to open doors to commercial space travel for everyday people. Pretty neat stuff...and we saw it!
It was actually really moving to see the two planes soaring side by side as they made thier spiral descent. Someone was playing Elton John's Rocket Man loudly on a stereo as they circled the clear sky. (cue: cheesy Sara gets dewy-eyed).
I don't really know how I feel about it all. Such crazy technology both scares and fascinates me. I do know that the design of this thing seems so much more clever and practical than what has been used in the past. Who knows what this may lead to. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, I'll try not to complain as much and go more with the the proverbial flow.
So, my Father-in-law had this crazy idea. He suggested we all, 8 adults and 3 babies, caravan out to the wasteland that is Mojave at 11:00 pm, sleep in (pile into) the motorhome, and wake up at 5:45 am...all to witness a bit of history in the making. If you can't tell, it didn't sound like the greatest plan to me. I grumbled along, trying not to complain to the Munkee but not really succeeding, as usual.
Despite my reservations and dumpy attitude...it turned out to be really cool.
We witnessed the flight of SpaceShipOne:
...a rocket plane designed to carry a smaller rocket plane 62.2 miles above the Earth and launch it into the outer atmosphere. Apparently, this was the world's first commercial manned space flight. The craft was privately funded by a co-founder of Microsoft and is supposed to open doors to commercial space travel for everyday people. Pretty neat stuff...and we saw it!
It was actually really moving to see the two planes soaring side by side as they made thier spiral descent. Someone was playing Elton John's Rocket Man loudly on a stereo as they circled the clear sky. (cue: cheesy Sara gets dewy-eyed).
I don't really know how I feel about it all. Such crazy technology both scares and fascinates me. I do know that the design of this thing seems so much more clever and practical than what has been used in the past. Who knows what this may lead to. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, I'll try not to complain as much and go more with the the proverbial flow.
6 Comments:
I kind of envy you. I am secretly a space nerd (and cadet). I go to the library and check out all the books about trips to the moon and all how rockets work and more fun stuff that I won't go into right now.
Did you know that this mission is the first space mission not to be funded by the government? Interesting fact.
You know I can remember my Dad dragging me out to Edwards AFB to watch the Shuttle (Columbia, I think) land, back when they first started using them.
It was a neat experience - thousands of people in the middle of nowhere filled with alot of patriotism, which feels particularly good and wholesome when it needn't involve ending other people's lives.
there is something nice about being gathered together with so many people to watch something like that....
erica, i think they are doing it again in two weeks...you should ask your parents to take you.
same place, i believe.
I will be in Boston. So I will be nowhere near it. Plus, it's probably not something my parents would take me to. Oh, well.
oh, i forgot about boston...too bad. i think it's cool tht you are into space technology...no need to keep it in the closet! you go, girl!
And it was completely independant of NASA too. Pretty incredible.
I can't wait to go into space. :D
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