Space shuttle lands in California after detour ( Sonic Boom blasts Los Angeles)

AP ^ | Sept 11, 2009 32 minutes ago | ALICIA CHANG

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — Space shuttle Discovery and its seven astronauts took a cross-country detour and landed safely in California on Friday after stormy weather prevented them from returning home to Florida for the second day in a row.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Heard the boom....LOUDLY...finally found this note...

[cripplecreek]

Did CNN report that there was an ongoing attack?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Earlier:

US shuttle to aim for California landing

********************************EXCERPT*********************************

Posted: 12 September 2009 0439 hrs

HOUSTON, Texas - NASA told astronauts on board the space shuttle Discovery to prepare to land in California on Friday instead of at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, because of bad weather.

The switch came after rains and winds thwarted two landing opportunities Friday in Florida, and forecasters said the conditions were unlikely to ease before Saturday.

Conditions at Edwards Air Force base in Florida were expected to grow windy over the weekend, making a California landing late Friday the best course, NASA shuttle communicator Eric Boe told the shuttle astronauts.

[airborne]

Is that honestly how they reported it?

Because if they landed in California instead of Florida, they didn’t fly “cross country”.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Not watching much CNN these days so I have no idea.

But it was loud.

[justanotherdayinparadise]

I was out back with the dogs, the double-boom hit and the pooches scampered for the back door!

Glad to hear they’re home safe and “sound”!

[Sarah Barracuda]

Heard it LOUDLY in West Los Angeles. BOOM BOOM, the dogs started barking like crazy after wards

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I did not change any words.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I thought something bad had happened at the Long Beach airport...

[A.A. Cunningham]

Play-by-Play:

Space Shuttle Discovery Landing Live Thread (09/11/09 5:54pm EDT)

[ErnBatavia]

Ah memories....when we lived in Newhall the very first shuttle landing (I think it was that one) was scheduled for Edwards...........I was up and about in the early morning and not only listened, but watched, the boomers..............visibly shook the hell out of all the sleeping neighbors' windows; got 'em all moving.

Great fun. Wish I could have laid eyeballs on it.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Yeah, I Knew it was a sonic boom since I was watching the local news and they said it was coming. If I hadn’t known I would have thought an explosion happened since it was so loud

[airborne]

I figured it was a case of a “journalist” using a phrase that sounded good as opposed to being accurate.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks....missed that .

[Izzy Dunne]

Conditions at Edwards Air Force base in Florida

Wow, it must have been REALLY windy.

Last I heard, Edwards AFB was in California...

[bd476]

Thanks for the Ping, Ernest. Here I didn't hear any sonic booms. I did get to see the Shuttle and ISS go overhead Tuesday night. That was cool! :)

[Yaelle]

Bummed that I missed it. Was in Surf City at the time. :(

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I missed that when I posted the excerpt...unreal....