Shuttle launches mark end of era

The mission was to space, but I couldn’t help but think of a line out of an old Western movie.
“I want to see the frontier before it’s gone.”
The line was spoken by John Dunbar, the character played by Kevin Costner in the movie “Dances With Wolves.” In that movie, Dunbar is a wounded Civil War hero who is given his choice of assignments. He chooses to leave the war to explore what’s left of the quickly fading Western frontier.
That’s how I felt this past weekend as I made two nighttime treks to Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center to observe the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on its voyage to the International Space Station.
I wanted to get all the shuttle launch experience I could before it’s gone. I wanted to know what it was like to witness a launch from the perspective of flight controllers in Houston. I had already experienced a launch of the shuttle from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
While nothing compares to seeing a launch in person, being at Mission Control was as close as I could get before the day comes later this year when the great birds thunder no more beyond the bounds of gravity. After Monday morning’s launch – the last scheduled nighttime launch of the shuttle – only four more shuttle flights remain.
After President Obama essentially scrapped the future of American spaceflight by eliminating funding for Constellation – the successor to the shuttle program – I can’t help but feel I may have seen one of the last launchings of humans into space by this country in my lifetime. I hope I’m wrong, but the possibility added urgency to my desire to witness this small part of space history.
I got the OK from NASA last week to view the launch from the VIP seating area above and behind Mission Control. The scheduled called for Endeavour to go up Sunday morning at 3:34 a.m. VIP guests were to arrive at the gate between 2:15 and 2:45 a.m. to catch a shuttle (bus) to Mission Control.
On my way there, I was listening to Buzz Aldrin’s memoir “Magnificent Desolation” on CD. I guess you could say that listening to the former astronaut’s story added a little more buzz to my enthusiasm.
I was one of the first to arrive and boarded the bus while waiting for others to show. We were given special passes that we pinned on and were then taken to the building that houses the control centers for both the space shuttle and the space station.
We exited the elevator and took our seats in the stadium-style seating area behind the huge glass windows. We were treated to coffee and a packet of papers that included information about Mission Control, the space station, the current mission and photos of the crew and autographed photos of Ellen Baker, the astronaut assigned to brief us as the launch unfolded.
Various NASA officials greeted us and explained their part in the mission while we waited at the scheduled hold at the nine minute mark. The countdown never resumed as low clouds in Florida forced NASA to scrub the launch. Ironically, a small break in the clouds passed over the launch pad during the scheduled hold in the countdown.
It was disappointing to head home that early morning not knowing if I’d get another chance as this again. The launch was rescheduled for 3:14 a.m. Monday, almost 24-hours later. Already feeling the affects of sleep depravation, I had to decide if going back was worth messing up my day at work.
I went home, slept a couple hours, went to church and returned home again for a few more hours of shuteye. I got up in time to go to a friend’s house to watch the Super Bowl. After the game, we went home and put the kids to bed. I napped for about an hour before heading back to JSC. This time the viewing gallery was sparsely populated compared to being nearly packed the night before.
When we arrived, the launch was a no-go due to low clouds at Cape Canaveral and rain at the abort runway in Spain. But as the launch window grew closer, the weather in both places cleared. NASA ignited the booster rockets and sent Endeavour on her way to the ISS with a crew of six people and the Node 3 and cupola that will give astronauts a great view out the window on the station.
It was a spectacular launch, but nothing compared to being there where you can feel the vibration and heat and smell the exhaust from the spacecraft. Still, I feel privileged for having been able to experience shuttle launches from both Kennedy and Johnson space centers. I just hope I’m not among the last to do that.
There is a lot of uncertainty at NASA about the future of American spaceflight. Hopefully private industry will pick up where the public sector leaves off. That’s the plan anyway. I’m trying to keep a positive attitude about it, but you could feel it weighing heavily on those who depend on NASA for their livelihood.
I hope that there will be more opportunities for America in space. I’d hate to think that I’ve seen the last of the final frontier in my lifetime.