Liftoff

About a month ago I spent one night helping a hot air balloon crew at the Ballunar Liftoff Festival, an annual tradition at Johnson Space Center. I was mainly there to drive a truck, so I didn't have many duties during the actual preparation of the balloon. So I got to look around while all the people around us got ready. It's amazing how little wind becomes a problem for hot air balloons. These guys were hanging on to their balloon for dear life, hoping for a calm in which to launch. Eventually, they decided to stay on the ground.