We were in France on the day of the shuttle launch -- about 3pm EST and 9pm in France. We saw a streak of light going up to the sky and were wondering if that was the shuttle during launch???
2006-07-13 14:51:39 · 6 answers · asked by evets449 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You could see the latest phase of the launch, when shutlles was already in orbit performing the orbital maneuvering system thrusting maneuver.
BTW, you're right about the time difference between France and Florida - it's 6 hours.
2006-07-13 17:53:20 · answer #1 · answered by hec 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely you could see it. Now if what you saw was the shuttle, that is another story.
The problem here though is that we are currently on EDT which puts us 4 hours behind GMT. I believe most of France is either in GMT or 1 hour ahead.
The shuttle left the pad at 2:38pm EDT or at the latest 7:30pm your time. Probably not dark enough to see it.
Now...interesting thing is that it makes one orbit about every 90 minutes. So at about 9pm your time, the space station and shuttle might have been visible from your location. My guess is that you would not have noticed the shuttle as anything but an airplane with no blinking lights, but the ISS is very bright and very big. You probably saw it passing over your area.
In any case, if it blinks, then it is probably an airplane. If it is steady, then it is probably something in orbit.
Keep looking up...you never know what you might see!
Clear Skies!
2006-07-13 16:13:37 · answer #2 · answered by IC1369 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in New england. They had a night launch (pretty close) and the orbit was polar. I saw the shuttle fly overhead, still in launch climbing mode, several minutes after it left Florida. I am not saying you did see it, I am saying it might have been possible.
2006-07-15 17:39:58 · answer #3 · answered by orion_1812@yahoo.com 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
,No, absolutely not. If you were in France, the "curvature" of the Earth alone would drop the entire horizon and even the highest alttiudes above Florida far below YOUR horizon...and, if it WAS possible, the "speed" of the lift-off from such a great distance away, would appear as though it was sitting "still", and certainly not a "streak" in the sky. What you most likely saw, if you saw a "streak" of light in the evening sky, was a meterorite hitting our atmosphere and burning-up.
2006-07-13 16:03:12 · answer #4 · answered by LARRY M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the shuttle is way too far to see the launch from france
2006-07-13 14:54:40 · answer #5 · answered by Rajan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the shuttle has a stealth coating to prevent being observed by the French. It also cannot be seen by any other persons with sympathy toward terrorist states.
2006-07-13 14:58:28 · answer #6 · answered by TruthIsRelative 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋