Written by Melissa Kacena
As the rains diminished and skies began to clear on Thursday afternoon, the team’s spirit began to rise.
By 4 pm, the probability for favorable launch weather was up to 50 percent, and by 5:45 pm we heard it was 100 percent a go from a weather standpoint. That was music to our ears!
10-9-8-7 … The sun is actually shining and blue skies are all around.
6-5-4 … Excited whispers turn into shouts ‘this is really going to happen!’
3-2-1 … Plums of smoke surround the launch pad and the engine glows red.
LIFTOFF … Awe, joy, pride and relief! My words can’t do it justice because this launch was such a sensory and emotional overload.
