About 6 weeks before the STS-95 launch, my boss, at a small web-casting company, said, "hey, you want to work the shuttle launch?". I replied "yes", figuring I would be back at the studio doing a down link, like all the other web events that month...
Then he asked for my social security number, drivers license. (blink)
A week later, he had a short NASA questionnaire to fill out, regarding past history. "KSC access credential application" or some such. I would not know, whether or not I passed the investigation, until I arrived at the Cape, I was told.
Suddenly, it was "real". I might actually get to go to KSC,
It got more real, in the coming 3 weeks. Frighteningly so.
Pre-production. Gear checkouts. Backhaul, (we used Satellite, to a Webcast hub in CA, and ISDN to backhaul 2 origination "streams" just in case).
Finding a local video crew.
Finding a local crew that had not been busted for pot smoking...
Finding a local crew that had not been busted at all... and might pass the background investigation.
I spent a week, finalizing travel documents, paper tickets, and last minute purchases. I knew nothing about the trip, the cape, or the environment, except that Sen John Glenn was going up, for the second time, and it was a *Big* deal. There were going to be more press people at that launch, since the first one, (or the one after Challenger, for that matter).
Every living formal president was going to be there, standing on top of the VAB.
There were a half dozen check points, some very subtle:
(Pro Tip: When the man with the machine gun, says "stop" by waving his hand, don't "wave back" like my producer did...and blast through the checkpoint at 75 MPH, while talking on his cell phone...It took him nearly 3 hours the following day, while dogs and men in uniform, searched his truck, Most Thoroughly they searched it... while crews from CNN, ABC, and NBC cameras rolled. He was made "the example" for the "Security precautions news report).
Now, I am Mostly an audio guy.
Mostly an audio guy, means that I have a simple 4 channel mixer that leaves one hand free. This is very helpful at concerts. Also, The Oscars, NBA finals, Emmy's, various Red Carpet events, a little gig for the CA Browncoats... say 3,000 gigs, over 15 years, and another hundred or so, for my friends, on a volunteer basis.
Why do I keep a hand free?
Because, that second hand, usually has a camera in it.
At the time, it had my Film EOS-1 Body, and as a backup my venerable AE1-Program.
Both camera bodies had adapters for the "Extra lens" a friend supplied me on loan. He ran a camera store..
http://www.meade.com/product_pages/etx_s
With the the camera set to help the "crippled" lens, I had gotten a dozen or more test shots that I was happy with, by fading evening light. One exposure was perfect, over 4 seconds... orange red hues, brilliant whites.
(There is this little rise, in the area, clock, at the press center. One of the folks in blue jumpsuits, walked me over and said, this is where he likes to shoot from. It frames the pad nicely, and the palm trees give a nice depth of field. It is just to the left of the clock, but in front of it, on the grass, but close to the edge of the paved press parking lot)... More importantly, the rise gives you just enough lift, so you can see the entire shuttle, pad and crawler, which is usually hidden by ground clutter, on the other side of the water.)
I had earlier dropped both my tripods, set them up, and sand bagged my hardware, just in case. I left my cameras mounted answering questions, even from the Pros... Nice to see a guy with 40 years of shooting say, "never thought of that... can I take a few shots?"
Every one of the 2500 press people was now my best friend.
Why?
Well, I had a telescope to look at the shuttle, hard mounted, on a 20lb tripod.
Also, because I had "stayed over" the night before.
Most of the webcast crew were in their twenties. They had no idea or less interest in the actual event. Half did not even understand who Neil and Buzz were, (FYI: They were our "clients" who had hired us to help promote "Space Adventures")
Frankly my crew looked stunned, when I suggested that a few night shots, would be cool, and that I might stay over...
(The other guys in the crew had this bar that they wanted to go to... really, a "Bar" verses spending a night at KSC?)
So, sitting under a tarp, just after midnight, mosquitoes humming and actually bashing into the blue fabric, I heard voices. "Grab your camera, the bus is coming around".
I found myself standing looking at a bunch of middle aged men. Middle aged men with cameras and lenses that were thousands of dollars more than I could afford. Some fat, Some thin. One guy with a 30 foot boom, remotes and a pair of perfectly matched Nikon F1's.
If he used zoom lenses, he extended it out to 60 feet or more.
He waved at me... "you coming? Get your gear!".
Big smile on my face. Quickly loading up another 30 rolls of film. (Kodak had graciously loaned Cape Kennedy a pair of special events trucks. One E6 and one C41. Film and developing were free. 13,000 rolls were shot and processed on site by delighted amateurs and professionals alike). Shoot 10 rolls, deliver them to the truck, get another ten, your negatives are ready when you get back 20 minutes later.
So, we rolled out to the closest viewing point of the pad, perhaps 300 yards away. Even with my widest lens, I could get an engine cone, or a cowling, or looking nearly strait up... an elongated shuttle.
So close, it was impossible to take in.
The guy with the boom, was from Mattel. Mattel had just purchased the "View master" patents. He was shooting the first original View master disks in nearly 20 years. He had been shooting professionally, longer than I had been alive, by 20 years. Big goofy grin on his face... two assistants, wrangling a hinged beast, for "stereo-opticon" photos.
Another middle aged guy... points to me, "hey, get the shot of me will you?". Badge said, "Reuters". Another, "NY Times", All wearing the same yellow green laminated badges I was. Each with the STS-95 logo on it, and "Discovery" in the Background.
We were family... professionalism out the window... we were taking (and Trading!) the shots *we* wanted to take, for *us*, not for work.
There were giddy calls, of "check this out!" and suddenly 35 shutters would snap, from behind a rise, or next to a patch of grass.
Hundreds and hundreds of frames that night, as the moon rose, fell behind the ship, perfectly back lighting the image.
One (very polite) reminder from our press attendant as I backed into the sand to get a better shot: "don't go off the blacktop. There are things in the weeds that you don't want to meet". (I was later told that armed troops had secured the area, in addition to ten foot alligators.)
Next stop, the beach, on the other side of the pad, flood lights and now the moon, are perfectly backlighting the shots. We are farther back now, so *good* photographers, could push their depth of field, and get a shot of a person, with the shuttle framed and lit behind... Perfect images, even with my camera. "Here, try mine! ($14,000 worth of glass passed into my hand).
I remember clearly that my legs started to itch. Little creatures biting me... Sand Fleas, I was told. I had on flip flops, and shorts, in the 85 degree night.
Sometime around 8:00 AM, I finally put my head down for an hours nap... having been driven to more than a dozen "photo op" sites, between midnight and sunrise. There were a fist full of holds that day, some programmed, some not. This was our second "attempt" day. Eventually, with a Burst of noise, that was "felt" as much as heard, Discovery, rose into the sky.
With my ETX objective, and my spare camera body, (the EOS locked up, one minute before launch). I framed, manually focused, shot, and repeated the process 34 times, missing a perfect frame, only once. It was nearly 2 minutes into the flight that my telescope, even saw anything but the actual ship itself... The raw negatives were digitally copied by the guys in the Kodak Truck.
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So, some thoughts to you folks, who are about to head out, if I may be so bold:
Bring the best camera you can afford, borrow a spare, bring dozen(s) of spare batteries, and a power strip, just in case you find extra power, or an unused outlet.
Bring bug spray.
Wear socks and real shoes.
Long pants.
A *good* flashlight.
Take *every* opportunity that is offered that you can.
Don't go to your hotel, if you have the opportunity to "stay over".
A Small tent, light sleeping bag, carefully tucked away... subtle is good.
See what is offered, be thankful and gracious.
Get Bix to take your picture... He is pretty good at it. (Take his picture too.) I doubt he remembers me, but he forgets very few people.
Talk to the folks in the blue jump suits... they are as excited for you to be there, as you are to be at the Cape yourself.
Learn their names, missions, who and what they studied...in school, or for their flights. They are an amazing resource, both historically, and logistically. You will probably be outnumbered by them at times... don't be afraid, they are people too... (they also know where the bathrooms are located, I found).
Don't even *try* to be aloof. Trained journalists with 30 years of experience nearly pee their pants, on their 10th launch. You won't fool anyone... (my dad worked 8 for CBS).
Don't be afraid to "ask"... but always ask "permission".
Buy your mission patches at the gift shop (early!). Get a hat too.. I'll spot you 20 bucks if you get me a patch too.
Post Office! Get your "first day" cover envelopes. Hand Cancelled on launch day, at the KSC center. The gift shop has them going back decades as well.
If you can find an old USPS space stamp, (the old Flat Rate envelope stamps had a shuttle image on them), mail it from KSC, and it will be canceled with a unique stamp, only on that day, from that location, for that mission.
Envelopes are in the gift shop. Sometimes.
Bring a box of plain white ones, and a roll of plain stamps. Mail history, to your friends and family. Address them in advance.
If you find that old engineer that sells "launch team" pins. Be happy to pay for them, if he offers... but be subtle. (have cash, about 10 bucks), just like your pin from the gift shop, but "launch team" on the rim.
Bring a film can to store those pins. They like to run away, or get lost in pockets.
Bring something to offer in kind... something unique to the event, even if you make it yourself. Get a crew of Astros to wear a half dozen "Jayne Hats" on camera.
Take pictures in front of the clock. All the cool folks do it. For 50 years.
Talk to the guys at the front corner (Press lot, space #1), from the local radio station. Their station, has not missed a "live broadcast" of a launch since Apollo. They might offer you some hints as well. There is a reason why they have space #1, in the press lot. Never missed a flight I was told.
Maybe you might see some folks that you recognize from the history books. Bring something to have them sign. Something simple. Maybe even a napkin from the KSC commissary. J.Glenn, N. Armstrong... you never know who you might end up talking with.
I was stunned when I realized who I was holding a camera for... so he could take a shot with a dozen school kids.
But even if you don't have the energy to haul 50 lbs of gear, build a webcast team from scratch, find (beg, borrow, steal) bandwidth to get your story out. Remember to record it the best way you can... digital tape, a hero camera, your old "point and shoot", whatever you choose to use.
However, I'll suggest one additional medium. With pen and paper in hand, sit and *write it down*, before you leave. A lab book and pen, and maybe some tape, for a few unique objects. Your kids will appreciate it. So will theirs...
I am envious of you folks, from a myriad walks of life. I cannot say how much I enjoyed my 3 days at KSC, their gracious hospitality, and the "adventure of a lifetime". Frankly, The words fail me, all these years later.
God speed, to you and the crew you are there to see off. Safe travels to all.
Regards,
@thwrex
P.S. I can be on a plane in an hour, and still have my old laminate...
P.P.S: If you really love me, you will go get a "KSC" hat, that looks vaguely like an AC/DC logo from the 80's for me from the gift shop. The venue kind of "defines" rock and roll, so to speak.
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