I recall being thrilled to be able to see STS-124 in May 2008, only because the previous launch had been delayed, and the new date coincided with our holiday. A

I recall being thrilled to be able to see STS-124 in May 2008, only because the previous launch had been delayed, and the new date coincided with our holiday. Among other things it was taking up parts to fix a toilet on the ISS! I remember also being struck by not only how loud it was, but also how bright. It's something that photos or video just can't capture.