By my camera clock, we were at about Launch +16 seconds. I was privileged to meet some family members of the crew before the launch. At this point, the shock wave is hitting us, and my thoughts were for the crew's safety - amidst dumbfounded awe.
I was standing on a grandstand with a thousand or so cheering friends, family, and space-geeks, about 3.5 miles from the launch pad. The sun was beginning to set behind us which gave perfect light for viewing. It was warm and humid, but a breeze was coming at us from across the water. An altogether perfect event.
