The Delta IV Heavy Rocket was launched yesterday. We didn't hear a thing but saw the trail in the sky about four minutes into the flight. Vandenberg Air Force Base is about 50 miles south of us and we had thought the noise would remind us to look for it just after 1 PM.
Back in the 60's when they first started launching Atlas rockets from Vandenberg, Hubby was in The Air Force and was one of the photographers on site to record it. The whole world stopped and was glued to the TV. It was a major news event! Hours and hours of pre-launch programing went on. They filmed the Command Center and we could listen to all the conversations and then the count down... 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1... we have lift off!
Now we are lucky if they interrupt the day time soaps for a minute or so.
It still sends shivers up my spine and is an awesome sight!
P.S. January 23
While I was working in the Butterfly trailer yesterday, I talked with a young man from Vandenberg AFB who worked on this rocket. I asked him why it was so quiet. His response was that they have engineered them that way unlike the Atlas and Titans.
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