Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Space Shuttle Barf Syndrome

I just watched the Space Shuttle Endeavour blast off!
It was sheer dumb happy luck on my part, as I just happened to check ksl.com twelve minutes before lift off.
It was enthralling. I watched all the equipment maneuvering off the shuttle as the minutes ticked down. I watched the steam/smoke/whatever that is (NASA? Do you know?) waft from the engines. At 1 minute, 30 seconds I panicked in sympathy for the astronauts on board. I mean, honestly, how do you hold it together at that point? I almost jump overboard just riding Splash Mountain!
At this point in the countdown, I began to encounter what I have diagnosed as "Space Shuttle Barf Syndrome." It happens every time I watch a space shuttle take off. Heck, it happens every time I watch 'Apollo 13!' I can only explain it as extreme antsiness bordering on throwing up into my hands. I just have severe sympathy nerves for those people involved. And I pray. And I hope I didn't tune in just to see the Space Shuttle blow up, 'cause that would scar me for life, and honestly -- who needs that? So I pray some more. I have another wave of nausea for the families of those people madcrazy enough to belt themselves into a nuclear-strength rocket about to blast them into outer space. Pray. Sit on edge of seat.
The engines lit into incredible flames and 4, 3, 2, 1, BLASTOFF!!! I don't know how they do it, but I watched that baby shoot all the way into the atmosphere. It was incredible.
In fact, I cried.
Call me crazy, but watching these amazing, peaceful accomplishments performed by us -- man(andwoman)kind -- does powerful things to me. Kinda spiritual, if you will.
So with tears in my eyes I watched from the camera on board as the shuttle rose safely through three different orbits (did they just say 40,000 miles per hour!?!?!) and eventually separate gently from it's booster engines. I felt good. I felt real good.
Holy granola bars, that round blue orb is our planet -- and I'm on it. Right now.
Awesome.

4 comments:

Tink said...

Sounds amazing! I wish I could have watched!

Megan said...

My friend had her music launch with the space shuttle to be listened to be the astronauts. She was excited. She's a song writer in Nashville.

The Farnsworths said...

I love watching space shuttles launch, it is very suspenseful, kind of like watching a movie. I think most people kind of take space travel for granted. Sometimes I watch the Nasa channel for an hour and it's just goes back and forth from inside the shuttle to the control room but it's kind of cool. Thanks for reminding us of the awesomeness of space travel!

Kevin

Ducksoup said...

had no idea about the space shuttle. thanks for letting me know the good news. you are H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S. love it. you could write a book on any old thing you wanted to.