Because I recently learned how to use a panorama stitching tool (you probably noticed), I felt like taking several panoramas on launch day—especially when it became clear that we would actually launch. But because I am now really busy and (at least for now) sleep deprived, and because the interestingness of photographs might drop off, I will be rationing my launch-day photos until I can get through them all.
To start with, I have the panoramas that I’ve roughly stitched together during brief breaks in the early-flight action. Not all are good, none are finished, and at least one wasn’t originally intended to be stitched together, but they’re good enough now to share.
[image title=”Morning” size=”large” id=”4605″ align=”left” alt=”Another shot of the weather, for our “Marginal Marginal” day. Launch was still very uncertain (even doubtful) at this point” ]
Like our last rollout, I decided to document the weather in the morning. This was a “Marginal Marginal” day. Launch was still very uncertain (even doubtful) when I took this picture.
[image title=”Parachute” size=”large” id=”4606″ align=”left” alt=”The parachute, in a slightly mangled mashup” ]
I took a bunch of pictures of the parachute. There are just barely enough to kind of stitch this mashup together
[image title=”Pre-Inflation 360″ size=”large” id=”4607″ align=”left” alt=”360 degree view from my pre-inflation vantage point, at the side of the pad” ]
Until after the first little bit of inflation, I was allowed to go off to the side of the pad to take pictures of the process. While waiting for inflation to start, I took a 360 degree panorama: pad on the left, highbay in middle, and mountains to the right
[image title=”Flightline” size=”large” id=”4608″ align=”left” alt=”Full flightline panorama inflation. This picture is the primary reason I was placed beside the pad for as long as I was allowed to stay” ]
This flightline panorama was the primary reason I was stationed out by the side of the pad. Shortly after taking this I had to leave for the highbay’s deck, where everyone was being herded by the safety officers
[image title=”From the Deck” size=”large” id=”4609″ align=”left” alt=”Similar, more condensed view from the highbay’s deck. I had to go here once the side of the pad was “no longer safe”. Before launch we were all, disappointingly, forced to go inside” ]
A little further into inflation, I took a very similar set of shots from the deck. Because the winds were towards the highbay, we were forced inside for he launch itself. Very disappointing.
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