yet another business trip

Last week was a busy week. I went to Stennis Space Center to help out with IPD testing and I got to watch RS-68 testing too. They both happened on the same day. If I could have stayed, I would have watched the SSME show firing the next day. I don't know what I can and can't talk about as far as the IPD testing goes so I'll just say that I was in the control room helping watch the data coming in. I got to see it on the monitors and the building was shaking as it fired. At edwards the control rooms are closer but built more like bunkers. It was mostly successful and they have a good idea about what to do to make it better. We went out to the test stand as soon as it was safe to check out the hardware. Parts of it were still covered in ice and dripping everywhere. There might be another test as early as next week so I might be making another trip soon.

While they were preparing the IPD test, Steve threw the keys at me and said "go watch the 68 test." I got quick directions because I forgot where it was and drove out there. I wasn't out of the car two minutes when it started firing. The day before I got a tour of the test stand they are using for the RS-68 and got to get up close and see the engine. The stand is huge. It was kinda cool to be in open air that high up. At edwards the stands hang off the edges of cliffs so they don't have to be so tall (but still have a great view off one side). The engine was covered up by the test stand but you could still see a lot of fire and a HUGE plume. It was loud! I felt it in my chest and it shook my pants. I could only get to the gate so I was pretty far away.

Steve and I went to Burbon Street one night last week. We ate at a pretty nice restaurant and walked around stopping into the bars for drinks and to watch the bands. There weren't many people out with New Orleans as empty as it is. It should have been shoulder to shoulder in some places. I can't remember the name of the bar now ... patty o'brians... some bar famous for hurricanes, isn't even open mondays and tuesdays. A lot of the restaurants closed early evening. I saw a lot of the landmarks mom and dad took pictures of on their trip. I believe that it will take way over ten years to re-build New Orleans. Just looking out from the highways you can see areas that are completely deserted and wreaked. I guess they haven't turned power on in huge sections of the city because they have condemned it. I got turned around a couple of times getting back to the airport. One of the exits I turned around at was completely empty and the street lights weren't even on. There were piles of trash in strip mall parking lots and I saw a boat in another lot. At Stennis there were a lot of fallen trees but that's all that I noticed. I stayed in Slidell and had to pay higher than usual. Some of the hotels haven't re-opened yet because they are still fixing them up and I guess service has taken a nose dive. I know my hotel was a shit hole I could go on about that for a whole blog entry!

I think I am going to try to run today. I didn't get a chance last week and I want to keep this up.