In honor of the last shuttle launch today here is a shot of the first night launch. I was privileged to be covering the first night launch of a Space Shuttle on August 30, 1983 when STS-8 took off into the stormy night sky at 2:32 AM Eastern Time from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
As a photographer it was interesting to be down there in the press tent with many famous photographers from Time, Life, National Geographic and others all wondering aloud what the exposure would be. All were sure there plan was best. I heard a photographer for NASA quietly tell someone based on the candle power of the rocket it should be the same as a mid-day launch. I figured he would know best. Since I was shooting on Kodachrome film there would be little room for error. For the night launch I was stationed at the VIP area which then was to the south of the launch pad. The downside became the wires which cut across the launch area. I set the camera for a mid-day exposure and hoped for the best. My second camera I set on automatic exposure. The mid-day setting was correct!
If you never had the opportunity to see one of these machines take to the air I must say you missed one of the most interesting and powerful thing I have witnessed. The beauty of the craft rising above the launch tower was an amazing sight even from 3 miles away – the closet point you could view it from in the press area. From covering a daylight launch I thought I knew what to expect. The rocket rises majestically above the launch tower in silence and then the sound hits you. And I mean hits you. Your shirt starts waving as the sound waves pass you by in a thunderous roar as your breath is taken away momentarily before you continue shooting the shuttle as it speeds down range. During the night launch the unexpected – yet expected part was the amount of yellow light coming from the rocket engines. It did literally turn the area into afternoon.
So today comes the end of the Shuttle program and we can only wonder what might be the next big space program in the United States. God Speed to Shuttle Atlantis on their voyage this week.
Peace,
Richard Mack
