What's special about this picture?

[najab]

I can think of at least four reasons this is a cool photo...how many can you come up with?

 

[Leovinus]

1) Columbia which is no longer with us<br />2) White ET<br />3) Saturn V launch tower (?) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Leovinus]

Actually, that looks like a Saturn 1B tower since it has the pedestal on it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[najab]

Yes! That's the pad with the milkstool!

 

[omegamogo]

1:It's a Space Shuttle<br />2:It's Columbia<br />3:It's a Space Shuttle

 

[mrmorris]

...<br />4. Hey! Isn't that SG leaning against the railing right near the tail of the shuttle? <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[drwayne]

It does look so different with that white paint.<br /><br />Wayne<br /><br />p.s. Cool, somewhere in the space/time of this picture, I am *much* younger! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[trasone]

The white tank means that this was the first shuttle launch. Thats one. Otherwise its just special cause its a shuttle, specifically columbus as far as I know.

 

[Leovinus]

There were 2 launches with white tanks. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[drwayne]

What do you feel/see/hear when you are riding along there?<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[najab]

I was waiting to see what SG had to say. I think it's a cool picture because:<br />1. It has the white ET.<br />2. Pad 39-B hadn't been converted yet, so there was still an outside chance that the MLP was going to be used again.<br />3. It's the first shuttle rollout.<br />4. It's <b>not</b> Columbia!!! It's Enterprise! The picture was taken in 1979, Columbia was in the OPF getting dressed for her maiden performance. As a result the role of the Orbiter in the fit checks was played by her understudy - OV-101.

 

[Leovinus]

I had a feeling that it might have been Enterprise. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[drwayne]

Cool trivia!<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"... (They love to peck into the ET foam) "</font><br /><br />And if you spot a woodpecker or two.. what do you do, shimmy up the ET and say 'Shoo'?

 

[nacnud]

Shotgun, oh wait...

 

[Leovinus]

Of course not -- that would further damage the foam. Instead, they shoot BBs at them. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[najab]

Of course, Enterprise wasn't the <b>first</b> 'Shuttle' to grace the KSC, that distinction goes to Pathfinder, but OV-101 was the first shuttle that actually <b>looked</b> like a shuttle.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Very cool pic, and I didn't know that Enterprise was ever involved in a roll-out, so I'd of said it was Columbia just because it's the only one I know that had a white ET on STS-1, before they opted for the no paint approach - very cool trivia.<br /><br />I take it that the roof at the bottom of the picture is the Kennedy Firing Room?

 

[Leovinus]

Obviously, your mind is in the gutter. That never occurred to me... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[najab]

Pathfinder...

 

[shuttle_rtf]

My bad SG - but the good news is I'm now entertaining myself with re-watching the first four launches of Columbia. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[shuttle_rtf]

I can only imagine!

 

[mrmorris]

It's bizarre that the woodpeckers are even attracted to the ET. Woodpeckers are really good at recognizing wood -- however disguised (i.e. plywood, siding, etc.). Normally they only peck non-wood items while courting (called 'drumming')-- at which time anything that makes noise will do. Perhaps the ET has really good acoustics for attracting the ladies. I imagine while empty the ET might well amplify the pecking quite admirably.<br /><br />Perhaps once NASA has the Doppler radar in place to look for foam shedding, they could use it in pre-launch conditions to target computer-aimed 'Super-Soakers' in fighting the Woodpecker menace.

 

[nacnud]

Have you tried wood pecker alarm calls, or even real owls?

 

[davf]

najaB: that pic of Pathfinder would have made a great 'caption this' pic. 'Burt Rutans first shuttle' or 'New, from Ronco: Build Your Own Shuttle!' or 'Faster, Cheaper, uhhhhh... Cheaper' <br /><br />Great shots, though, and thanks for posting! It brings back memories. I have only seen one shuttle launch: STS-3. I thought it looked very strange to have an unpainted ET. It's funny how strange a painted one looks now!