By @NoisyAstronomer
It's taken me a while to write this post. Mostly because I've been so busy, but also because I've needed some time to process things. This month has been my busiest ever - I'm actually a bit shocked I survived. I feel a bit like I'm recovering from PTSD. The 16 hour days, the constant pressure every waking moment, the night terrors, day terrors, paper cuts, dreaded delays, and waves of emails: all threatening my sanity.
This launch was the hardest thing I've done in quite a long time, and I poured my heart out into every bit of my role. I hope it showed.
Ugh, so many thoughts... How do you explain the feeling of a once-in-a-lifetime moment? Or sad happiness? Fulfillment and trepidation all rolled into one? I have to at least try...
On February 1st, 2010, I checked my email and saw this:
Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the Grand Prize Winner of the “Champion: What’s Your Everest?” contest, and recipient of the $10,000 prize for fulfillment of your goal. I'm ashamed to say the first word out of my mouth was one my mother probably wouldn't have approved.
$10,000... Who
wins that?!? Who gets an email saying that someone is going to give them lots of money - and it's actually legit?? On Feb 1st, it was me.
OMGOMGOMG!
Last night I saw my first night launch. Last night I saw the very last night launch. The moment was bittersweet in many ways. The first launch attempt was scrubbed due to weather so this was our second night out in the cold from 1am-4:30am. Everyone was tired, but the excitement carried us through. The only word I can use to describe the experience is 'overwhelming.' Night turned to day, and the center was bathed in the light of the explosion that put a crew of humans into space. We watched people go to space. Constellation might be gone, but this story isn't over. I'm still going to be an astronaut when I grow up.
I'm tired.
This trip has been characterized by a distinct lack of sleep. Last night the shuttle was no go. Took us 2.5 hours to travel about 15 miles. Arrived back at the hotel as the sun was rising. And now we have to do it all over again tonight. #doubtingmyloveofnasa...
Due to the current state of my brain I'm going to refer you to two other blogs which describe the event in more detail:
http://privon.com/blog/space/the-part-they-dont-tell-you-about-shuttle-launches/
and
http://noisyastronomer.com/
I believe they can still spell...
'Little SDO'
Things have been so nuts around here lately. It completely ruined my "I'm going to blog every Friday" resolution. Last Friday I was in Florida, this Friday I will be on my way TO Florida again... The marathon has begun, forces are in motion, and there is no way to get off this ride, even though I'm at the doors yelling "LET ME OFF!"
I've shared a little about the projects keeping me busy, and since I've done nothing new since then I thought I'd share some more details. These aren't your every day regular projects. They are first time ever done projects, which might explain my fried nerves.
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