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| My initial hurried sequence showing the top of the STS 132 stack in the Vertical Assembly Building. The orange is the external fuel tank (at this time empty) and the white cylinders are the solid rocket boosters (fully fueled). |
Abruptly, the lift stopped, and its door opened. Someone said we could either get out here or go on up. Most of the photographers and one of the NASA photographers rushed out.
What was I to do? Only two others remained in the lift, including the elder of the two escorts. Some instinct told me to go with age and not with the experienced professional photographers.
The lift resumed its rapid ascent. Up above the Orbital Manoeuvring System pods. Sliding up along the vast orbiter cargo bay doors. Up past Atlantis' cockpit. Up above its black nose. To a halt where the orange External Fuel Tank loomed still higher.
We left the lift and walked along a platform that stretched across the width of the building's bay that housed the shuttle. At 11:10 pm I began taking photos.
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Text, images and audio Copyright to Andrew Rennnie, 2010