Dan Waters Captures the Last Launches

Dan Winters captures the last three Space Shuttle launches in stunning detail

11.20.12 | By: Jeff

Not just anyone is allowed near the launch site of a NASA spacecraft. It is, after all, a dangerous, unpredictable and very, very hot place to be. The only exception to this rule goes to the astronauts aboard the ship itself. Dan Winters, the photographer responsible for the dangerously close-up photographs in his book Last Launch formulated a tactful set of strategies to capture the stunning details of the American Space Shuttle Program’s last three rocket launches.

Winters’ prep work begins the day before the launch, positioning cameras 700 ft away from the launch pad. They are bolted down, covered up and rigged with electronic triggers designed by Winters to react to rocket-related vibrations. The cameras begin taking photos – at a rate of five frames per second – as soon as the launch occurs.

Winters’ collection of photographs is a testament to the awe-inspiring spectacle of space flight and the 30 years of America’s Space Shuttle Program. Here's hoping we get to see another launch in the near future. Maybe Winters will get the chance to photograph a sequel.

Via My Modern Met.