03.23.11

The Golden Ticket (i.e., I’m Going To See A Space Shuttle Launch From The VIP Site)

Posted in Astronomy, Space Shuttle at 8:00 am by Rebekah

Some dreams really do come true.

Ever since I was born, I have had a deep desire to witness a space shuttle launch. I have always been fascinated with the stars, and spent several years intensely studying astronomy.

I published and sold my own astronomy newsletter, called “The Stellar Report”, for over 4 years (with a couple of special issues a few years later). I sent in a question to a 2-minute program on NPR that I listened to when I was younger, called “Earth and Sky”, and they used my question and mentioned my name on a broadcast on January 2, 1999 (PDF transcript here). I was an officer and member of the Central Washington University Astronomy Club for my undergraduate years (we stargazed, put on planetarium shows, etc.).

I used to really want to be an astronomer before I got more into geography and meteorology, and I have often dreamed of going to space. I still love watching the stars and taking photos of stars, comets, the Moon, and other space objects with my camera and telescope. I took perhaps my best astrophotos of Comet Hale-Bopp in April 1997, using my Dad’s SLR mounted to a binocular tripod set on an upside-down barrel, standing where our barn collapsed due to snow on New Year’s Day. Sometime I’ll get around to scanning those photos and posting them online.

However, as the space shuttle program is winding down, I was beginning to think that my lifelong dream of seeing a space shuttle launch would never be fulfilled.

In August 2005, while in Oklahoma at the end of an undergraduate research program, I got to see the Space Shuttle Discovery fly overhead about 24 hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. This shuttle mission, STS-114, was the first return to flight following Columbia’s disaster in February 2003.

In June 2007, I visited Washington, DC, and the highlights of my trip were touring NASA Goddard and seeing the Space Shuttle Enterprise on display at the Udvar-Hazy National Air and Space Museum.

While these events thrilled me to the core, I still wanted to experience a launch.

Last week, I found out that NASA recently began hosting “Tweetups” (meetings of people on Twitter). Last Monday, for 24 hours, NASA Twitter followers could throw their names in a hat for a chance to view the penultimate space shuttle launch in April, from the media site at the countdown clock.

On a whim, I threw my name in. I knew they would have several thousand people entering, and would only choose 150.

By Monday, I had forgotten about my entry. I then happened to check the junk mail folder of my email in the late afternoon, and saw I had an email from NASA.

I had to read the email a few times before I realized that I wasn’t seeing things. It began thus:

“Dear Rebekah LaBar,

Congratulations, your registration has been selected to attend the NASA Tweetup at space shuttle Endeavour’s targeted launch April 18-19 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida! The event will provide you the opportunity to speak with shuttle technicians, engineers, astronauts, and managers, and to experience the launch of space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station.”

WOW!!!!!!!!!

I’d won a golden ticket, even better than one for Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory!

I began to shake.

I also teared up.

What this means is that out of over 4,100 entries, I was randomly invited along with 149 others to attend a 2-day event on which we would tour the Kennedy Space Center facilities, hear speeches from and talk with NASA astronauts, shuttle engineers, etc., and view the April 19th launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-134)…from a mere 3 miles away!!!!!!! This location will be at the media site, by the countdown clock and Vehicle Assembly Building. This is the closest you can get to view the launch, and you can’t even buy tickets for anywhere nearer than 6 miles away (and even those tickets are scarce…the free viewing area is 12 miles away).

Here’s a satellite image pointing out where we’ll be in relation to the launch pad (click to enlarge). The image came from a former NASA Tweetup attendee.

I’m still in disbelief, and I know it won’t start to sink in until I begin my trip, in just 3.5 weeks!

I plan on driving, for various reasons: 1) I hate flying anymore, it is too much of a hassle; 2) driving would be cheaper than flying and renting a car (we still pay for our own expenses, as the ticket is just for the event); 3) if the flight gets delayed, I can easily change my plans, rather than worry about switching a flight date and paying fees; and 4) less important, but the only part of the Southeast I have seen is Atlanta, and I would like to see some of the Southeast from the ground.

My car seems to be fine, but today I’m taking it in for a check-up to make sure everything’s good to go.

I will be sure to write more about this once-in-a-lifetime, dream-come-true, unforgettable experience as the time approaches, and of course throughout the trip. As it’s a Tweetup, I think that means I’m expected to tweet through the event on Twitter, but of course I will be doing that in addition to taking countless photos and videos. 🙂

One more thing: May 1st will mark my 25th birthday, which will now be extra special this year between my sister coming down for a few days that weekend and the Florida trip and space shuttle launch just before that!

Thank you NASA, and praise be to God!

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