🚀 go-pugleaf

With all this talk about Vandenberg and the shuttle/747, it brings to mind an
a couple of stories. 

"When I saw the shuttle attached to the 747"

In the summer of 1979 I was finishing my degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 
and taking a "aerospace for non-majors" class.  The class was great fun.  
All kinds of NASA promotional films including a film featuring Hoot Gibson.  
Gibson is a Cal Poly grad and NASA had produced a film on his preparation for 
his first shuttle flight (I can't even remember how many years it was before
he actually flew aboard the shuttle).

The professor teaching the course was involved in the design arguments 
regarding the use of SRB's and main engines.  He had written numerous letters 
and journal articles stating his anger/frustration over the final 
configuration.  (Sorry, I can not remember his name.)

Towards the end of the quarter, he told us that the shuttle/747 would be flying
into Vandenberg and public viewing would be allowed.  San Luis Obispo is 200
miles north of Los Angeles, and just 40 miles north of Vandenberg.  I decided
to trek down there and take some pictures.

The Air Force had an open base policy for the day.  You could drive your car
directly on the runway/tarmack where the 747 was parked.   The shuttle mated to
the 747 was a very impressive sight.  I wanted to see it fly the base was
closed during liftoff.

The 747 doors were open and a line was formed to allow people to go inside.  
I regret not going inside but I busy taking pictures and did not want to stand 
in line.  It was really worth the drive.

"ICBM and Prayer Time"

One Sunday night I was driving back to San Luis Obispo from Los Angeles.  Just
north of Santa Barbara before Highway 101 turns inland at Gaviota I saw a ICBM
take off from Vandenberg.  At first I did not know what was happening.  I 
pulled the car over to the side of the road and prayed it was a test flight. 
For a few very nervous minutes I thought Carter had pushed the button.
The radio stations in Santa Barbara finally announced the flight as a test and
I stopped praying and started feeling silly.

BTW, if you take the AMTRAK Coast Starlight from Santa Barbara to San Luis
Obispo, the Vandenberg missle and the shuttle launch sites can be seen and 
photographed in detail.
-- 
Douglas Brantley                              Cerritos College
Voice:     213-860-2451 ext 219               11110 Alondra Blvd
InterNet:  BRANTLEY@CERRITOS.EDU              Norwalk, CA 90650