What’s it like to watch a Space Shuttle launch? Here’s the answer.

People who have never watched a shuttle launch in person often ask me what it was like. It’s a very unique experience – I’ve never seen anything else that compares to it.

First you see the fireworks coming from the launch pad. The crowd around you is so quiet, you can almost hear a pin drop. Then the shuttle starts to take off and begins the roll-over that precedes the ascent into space.

Only then does the sound reach you… first you hear it as a low roar that gets louder and louder until it’s rattling your insides. You can literally feel your organs shaking inside you. That’s when it becomes an emotional experience. It’s a real rush. And it’s all over in one and a half minutes.

Watching a space shuttle launch is definitely one of the truly unforgettable experiences in my life.