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Years Later: Day Three: Tuesday, August 9, 2001, The Scrub, Part 2
The show begins with a dramatic introduction and score to the scene as
the announcer tells a story how Aldrin and Armstrong almost aborted the
mission and crashed on the moon before an attempted landing. We watch
actual footage on the monitors as the clock ticks down to landing. Above
our heads, a full size mockup of the Eagle descent to the lunar surface
as it fires its engines. The surface is lit up and the Earth appears in
space above the lunar landscape. A spectacular sight to see and experience
if you ever visit the Kennedy Space Center.
We hear an announcement that the weather for launch is forecast thunderstorms and rain, but to me, the appearance of the skies looked perfectly cleared. By this time, it was t-minus and 8 minutes and holding.
Many people started to take to the bleachers for the launch and started to walk out in the hot, humid weather to find our place as mission control gives us a minute by minute update for launch.
While waiting, we watch in the Banana River, a curious alligator swimming towards us but the fence kept him out. It was curious about us as we were to him. Then above our heads flew a jet, which was sent towards the area of the LC-39A to observe the weather condition. Then it was announced the runaway was not clear for emergency landing so the launch was scrub. It was a disappointment to us all, especially Pete, since he would not be able to attend the second attempt tomorrow. We admittedly hear all the buses revering up their engines, so we got up and headed back for the ride to the Visitor Complex.
We asked the Protocol Office about the status of STS-105 and it was told to us that there would be a 24-hour delay for launch. Luckily for us, we had an extra day to come back for another attempt to see the lift off. At this point, we hear that the weather wasn't looking good either and it may get worse. We head out back to our motel, cold showers and then dinner.
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