In '98, I got invited to go watch John Glenn go back in to space aboard STS-95. We sat in the closest observation deck to the launch (closer than Clinton, who we could see behind us).
There is nothing in the world like hearing these engines at full throttle. Even at several miles away, the roar was amazingly intense, like standing in a blast furnace.
I can remember thinking at the time how amazed I was that we as humans could create this. We've got a ways to go before we can actually be considered a space-faring race, but just the fact that we're willing and capable of building machinery like this says a lot.
@Segador: you might not have known this but there is a very large noise suppression system for the Shuttle. The engines are loud enough that if they didn't have this it would damage the Shuttle and other items.
You can see the system in operation - it's the water spray that starts up a bit before the main engines light off.
I love the look of this era, too. The new bowling game for the Zune HD has the coolest loading screen that is a neon bowling alley sign that looks like it came right from the 50's. I love watching it so much I don't mind how long it takes for the game to start.
Fantastic photos. This is another example of the stellar 50's gadget aesthetic. Stuff of that era had this durable optimism to it; it looks built to last 500 years.
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11:16 AM
There is nothing in the world like hearing these engines at full throttle. Even at several miles away, the roar was amazingly intense, like standing in a blast furnace.
I can remember thinking at the time how amazed I was that we as humans could create this. We've got a ways to go before we can actually be considered a space-faring race, but just the fact that we're willing and capable of building machinery like this says a lot.
11:25 AM
You can see the system in operation - it's the water spray that starts up a bit before the main engines light off.
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11:07 AM
Jesus is trying too hard to make a joke.
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Once again, I vote for a '50s week on Giz.
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Then again, it could possibly be mistaken in that same way here as well.
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@Segador:
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er.. I think that's what it says
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Otherwise cool photo.