Wow. Love the ethereal and ambience in this video. It is full of amazing footage that is at once beautiful and inspiring – as an aerospace buff.

Amazing footage and sound put together by people usually dealing with Science Fiction. I just love the footage of the orbiter peeling away after SRB separation. Amazing in that this is real, not CG and not Sci Fi. Sad in that it is footage from a program we don’t have anymore.

I also recall reading Richard Feynman’s discussion (in the context of the Challenger incident) of dynamic overshoot at SME start and how the SRB ignition is timed such that the orbiter-stack is properly aligned for the release. This effect is very very clearly shown after main engine start and you can see the stack rock away from vertical, back once again and then liftoff, moments after SRB ignition. Wild stuff!