Whistling the Shuttle home

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:27 pm

I was just sitting here at home working out a whistle roll demo for a friend, when I was interrupted by the whole house doing a quick shake. That usually means either a small earthquake, or exercises at one of the local military bases. Then I flipped on CNN in time to see live video of STS-117 five minutes out from landing at Edwards AFB. Hmmm ... could it be?

Here's the trajectory of today's shuttle landing:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/1806 ... 19_mid.gif

Wow, right overhead. I guess the sonic boom is old hat for Floridians, but it's a unique experience here in San Diego. And even whistle-related. Very cool!

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:34 pm

MT, ya had me worried there for a sec... what with making the demo whistle roll for your friend, I thought maybe you were going into competition with me.

The Shuttle sure shakes the shutters.

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:03 pm

Cool!

Normally we hear it up here too but I missed it!

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:39 pm

anniemcu wrote:MT, ya had me worried there for a sec... what with making the demo whistle roll for your friend, I thought maybe you were going into competition with me.

No, no, the other kind of whistle roll. With bakery-fresh bread and plenty of mayonnaise.

Rest easy, annie, you don't want to see my sewing skills. I'm handy with a stapler.

Aanvil, I wonder if it was even audible in LA this time. Looks like it turned inland around Oceanside. This was a real treat for me. I'm such a geek.

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:08 pm

MTGuru wrote: I'm such a geek.

Hehe. I'm right there with you.

Don't even get me started talking about ANYTHING with wings stuck on it.

Bygawd the drone of a Double Wasp or the thunder of an Allison or Merlin RR will bring a tear to my eye every time.

I have no idea what the secondary approach to Edwards is. I assumed that they were pretty much set in stone.

All I know is that we have heard the booms before.

Im curious now. I'll have to check it out.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:12 pm

As a kid, listening to the B-52s go over from the base... I still get shivers ...

CountryKitty · Post by **CountryKitty** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:25 pm

Da Hubby and I got a real treat a coupe of months ago...

At just 20 miles from Fort Campbell--Home of the 101st Airborne, the Screamin' Eagles--we're used to seeing C130's and Chinooks at a distance, and smaller choppers nearer (assisting the law in locating fields of Kentucky's number 1 cash crop, LOL!).

But a couple of months ago I heard a lower, slower roar from above and got into the yard in time to see a pair of A-10 Warthogs cruise slowly overhead. Hubby got out the door too late to see them and was really disappointed--til the next pair suddenly appeared overhead.

Freedom isn't free, but it has an awsesome sound!

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:27 pm

MTGuru wrote:I was just sitting here at home working out a whistle roll demo for a friend, when I was interrupted by the whole house doing a quick shake. That usually means either a small earthquake, or exercises at one of the local military bases. Then I flipped on CNN in time to see live video of STS-117 five minutes out from landing at Edwards AFB. Hmmm ... could it be?

Here's the trajectory of today's shuttle landing:
http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/1806 ... 19_mid.gif

Wow, right overhead. I guess the sonic boom is old hat for Floridians, but it's a unique experience here in San Diego. And even whistle-related. Very cool!

I was of the understanding that the Space Shuttle came in with no power - that they're basically gliding in.

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 8:01 pm

brianc wrote:I was of the understanding that the Space Shuttle came in with no power - that they're basically gliding in.

Sure ... But gliding in overhead at 7,000 miles per hour, around Mach 9, make big boom.

Jumper · Post by **Jumper** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:28 pm

My teenage daughter and I heard it while we were in the same room. It sounded like two large objects hit the house about half a second apart, and we looked at one another, puzzled. Then it dawned on me what it was, and I had to explain to her what had caused the sound.

My wife heard it too, at work about 40 miles from here. She thought someone upstairs had dropped something on the floor right above her.

We used to have a lot of these here when I was young, but they're pretty rare nowadays. This was the first time I've heard a sonic boom in years.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news ... -DFRC.html

You can't claim all of the geekiness, MTG. Leave some for me

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 7:16 am

Aanvil wrote:
MTGuru wrote: I'm such a geek.
Hehe. I'm right there with you.

Don't even get me started talking about ANYTHING with wings stuck on it.

Bygawd the drone of a Double Wasp or the thunder of an Allison or Merlin RR will bring a tear to my eye every time.

I started a favorite airplane thread a while ago and got some interesting responses.

A co-worker went out and heard the boom in Fullerton, CA where we work.

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