10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0... Big Rocket go now!

[cd34]

That rocket launch was a NASA program called Deep Impact. The idea is, send up a telescope and a probe, and slam the probe into a comet, and watch it with the telescope that is 300 miles away.

They had a 1 second launch window.

The one night launch that I recall of the shuttle was actually visible from my backyard. An orange streak, but, not bad for being 150 miles away.

I keep saying I'll get up there to see a launch one day -- its not like we don't send a new military satellite up every 6 weeks.

Very cool pictures!