Endeavour

hello Endeavour! 

Last Friday, the space shuttle Endeavour did a much-anticipated flyover through much of California. Strapped to the back of a 747, this was its last hurrah before going to its final resting place at a Southern California museum. Since the well-documented end of the U.S. space program as we know it, many have been sad, but others cynical, saying that it never did us much good in the first place.

I have always, always been of the former group. I am obsessed with space and have been since I was old enough to know what it was. Studying space, going to space ... these things are important. For the world, for society, for the future of mankind. I also believe that to concentrate on an Earth-centric future is folly. I may be a Star Trek addict, but this isn't just the mad rambling of a Star Trek addict. Seriously.

But anyway. Last Friday, a bunch of my coworkers and I went up on the roof of our building to wait for the flyover. We weren't quite sure what to expect. Would we be able to see it? How big would it be? Exactly how low would the plane be flying? When would it be here? I was really concerned that it would be too high up to really appreciate.

There was no need to be concerned. As you can see in the photo above, it was so amazing! The plane ended up flying right over my building, and it was much closer than it appears in my Instagram shot. Every single person on that roof, whether they were excited or cynical, ended up saying wow, this is so incredible! I had tears in my eyes. It was a beautiful moment, grander than I could ever hope to express in words (or in crappy photos), and one I will never forget.

the incredible view from my office's roof

coworkers checking smartphones to see the shuttle's proximity

the roof looking east, toward the hills 

it was very sunny