[ATMoB-discuss] Shuttle launch article in Eagle Trib

[Peter Bealo]

Paul,

You've got all the issues. But don't throw out the baby with the
bathwater...The Eagle Trib (at least) insist that THEIR reporter write the
story - they will not use an article I write...so the choice is an article
full of (mostly) minor errors or no article. Being the Product Line Mgr that
I am, I go with the adage "perfect is the enemy of the good enough"...so
I'll take it.

BTW..this reporter is not a neophyte, she just doesn't know the subject
matter. But she does care enough to go out and get multiple sources.

Peter


-----Original Message-----
From: valleli at rcn.com [mailto:valleli at rcn.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 10:18 PM
To: Peter Bealo; 'ATMOB-discuss'
Subject: Re: [ATMoB-discuss] Shuttle launch article in Eagle Trib

Gosh, Peter, neophyte reporters can really mess things up, can't they ?

The newspaper ends up with a bunch of hype that will leave the average
reader greatly disappointed. Spaceflight alone, is awesome enough without
hyperbole.

Here are the errors I spotted:
1. The shuttle will pass east-southeast of NH
2. It will only be about 7 degrees above the horizon, trees or buildings may
easily block it from view.
3. I have never heard reports of a passage brighter than 2nd magnitude,one
hundredth or so fainter than a plane's landing lights.
4. There are no flames at T+7:00 only hot blue-white exhaust from the
burning of Hydrogen and O2.
5. A night launch is used when NASA doesn't want to delay a month to get a
rendezvous opportunity. That has nothing to do with a normal landing, just
an emergency one.
6. Viewing time with binoculars will be about three to five minutes with a
clear view of an ocean horizon, not 30 mins. Separation of the fuel tank
from the orbiter may be seen if there are no intervening clouds. A wide
angle telescope may be able to view a "go for orbit".

What other errors did I miss?
Paul