Posted on 05/25/2009 7:44:57 PM PDT by BenLurkin
EDWARDS AFB - The space shuttle Atlantis returned to Earth Sunday morning in a spectacular and rare landing at Edwards Air Force Base ...
Atlantis announced its return to the Valley with its signature double sonic booms ...
Atlantis' landing was the 53rd landing at Edwards.
The orbiter's twin shocks did not generate as many calls to the Lancaster and Palmdale sheriff's stations as what happened when Endeavour landed.
The Lancaster Sheriff's Station reported one call on Sunday,...
Deputies at the Palmdale Sheriff's Station also reported a few calls.
"We just had a couple, there was one woman that called, and thought her neighbor had fallen down in the apartment above her,"
Although the base was closed to the public, Boy Scout Aaron McCain of Troop 412 in Ridgecrest watched the landing with his family after they received a last-minute call from a family friend.
"It was really cool," McCain said.
The 13-year-old said it was a lot different than when a plane lands because it was quiet and the shuttle appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
"I liked it; I liked the sonic boom the best, though," said friend Daniel Hirsch.
Sam McCain, Aaron's 10-year-old brother, said he enjoyed it also.
"It was pretty awesome," he said.
Atlantis will be transported to Florida in approximately seven to 19 days on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet. Once at Kennedy, the shuttle will be separated from the aircraft to begin processing for its next flight, targeted for November.
The next shuttle mission is targeted for June 13 when Endeavour is scheduled to begin a 16-day flight to the international space station that will deliver a new station crew member and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
lol that’s what I was thinking as well.
My thought was “jeepers, when will this guy give up - still chasing ambulances”.
Demo’s don’t talk about him much anymore - wonder why?
I can probably tell this story now. One night I had to fly pretty boy Edwards from the Pacific northwest to a destination in the midwest. After leveling off for cruise east of the Cascade mountain range we encountered some turbulence. Air traffic control advised us that other aircraft were encountering moderate turbulence in the area, and queried us if we wanted to change altitudes for a smoother ride. The other pilot and I said we will ride it out here in hope for smooth air (wink wink). Needless to say he did comment after landing that the flight was really bumpy
. And that is how I did my part in making a smarmy politician have a bad flight.
Did you mess up Silky Pony’s hair?
The only thing that could mess that up would be the atomic winds from the trinity blast.
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