© 2024
NPR for Northern Colorado
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

'Space Junkie' Expects To Cry At Last Launch

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

We're also following the scheduled space shuttle launch today. It is light now in Florida. We're still awaiting a final determination on whether the weather is good enough.

One of the people watching the final shuttle launch today is a self-described space junkie, Lloyd Behrendt. His dad was a weather officer on the first rocket launch from Cape Canaveral in 1950, and he brought along Lloyd who was 18 months old. Behrendt has seen hundreds of launches since then.

Mr. LLOYD BEHRENDT (Artist/Photographer): The last 10 or 12 launches, I have plunked myself on the left side of the flag pole next to the countdown clock, and that's where I'm going to be for the last one. And I'll be out there with my lucky 45th space wing hat on with all my mission pins. And you know what? I'll probably cry.

INSKEEP: NASA has allowed Mr. Behrendt to photograph launches from up close in the press area, even though he is not a journalist. He does paint space art.

Mr. BEHRENDT: Over my years, they added professional artists to the group of people that are allowed to come out there, because I wouldn't stop coming out. They kept telling me no and I kept going like I'm coming anyhow.

But, you know, I was here for the first launch and I wasn't going to let some bureaucrat tell me I wasn't coming out to watch the rest of them.

INSKEEP: Behrendt won't be hanging up his camera after today. He will shoot whatever lifts off next.

Mr. BEHRENDT: When you're a space junkie, you're a space junkie. It's in your blood. And I'm getting up there a little bit, so maybe I might miss one or two in the wintertime. But I'll be out there for 98, 99 percent of them, for sure.

INSKEEP: A space junkie for life on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.