Thoughts I had as I was driving to work at 4:20 a.m. after watching TV to see that the shuttle did indeed do its deorbit burn and was thus on its way home thus requiring me to be here to support the entry on the off chance that something goes awry (translation, I sit in my office at 5 a.m. watching the entry but not doing anything because everything is good):
+ YAWN. It is early. I’m sleepy.
+ It sort of blows my mind that as I was getting dressed, the space shuttle was burning its engines somewhere to slow itself but juuuuuust enough, from 17,500 mph to 17,300 or so, to fall out of the sky.
+ If they did the deorbit burn over somewhere dark, and you were on the ground looking up at just the right spot, could you see it?
+ Why are night landings always in the wee hours of the morning? It certainly feels like they always are. Can’t the shuttle land at 10 p.m.? I’d be awake then.
+ It is a very clear morning. The stars are brilliant. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Sirius was a planet. It’s so bright.
+ I wonder if Barbara is awake? She always runs so early, and posts to her blog at like 6 a.m. Oooh, I’m going to post earlier than her today! She’d be happy to know that there is something exciting going on at 5 a.m. for once.
+ YAWN. It is early. I’m sleepy.
+ Why is the CNN Gulf Coast truck stopped at the security gate? Seems like they would have figured out all their security issues by now, seeing as how the mission’s been going on for more than a week.
+ Things always seem a little different to me when a mission is up. Last night as I walked past the pictures of the crew at Gilruth, I was like “I’m about to go running, ho hum, while there are people in space. That is so cool.”
+ If I got pulled over by a cop this early in the morning, do you think he’d let me go once I explained that I was on my way to help the space shuttle land?
+ I wonder if Katie had a better day yesterday? She wrote a frustrated, but very funny, blog entry on Tuesday.
+ The space station crew can see the plasma trail. That is so cool. Best seat in the house is from orbit! I mean, WOW, that would be cool to see.
+ I wish I was on the Yucatan this morning. They’re gonna see a plasma trail go straight overhead.
+ Only 2 more hours until the Starbucks kiosk in the cafeteria opens. I think I can make it.
+ YAWN. It is early. I’m sleepy.
Every time you go running there are people in space!!
But Cari, the station is bor-ing, therefore, they do not count. 😉
I think a bold hit me in the head when I was getting into my car this morning.
Are there any pictures from ISS of the plasma trail?
OOOhhh you were up early! I would have liked to have been in the Yucatan this morning too – 1) I could see the plasma trail and 2) I could enjoy a cold drink in a coconut with an umbrella while watching the plasma trail!
You were up earlier than me! My schedule is a little off this week – starting the day later and ending later. But I’ll be back on track next week!