Beginnings

I got involved in photographing the space program initially through the planetarium at the college I worked at in Cocoa, Florida. But, it was a call I received to assist in disposing of some old photographic chemicals that really set me on the path of exploring the deactivated space launch complexes at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. I was a photography professor at the the time. In the process of assisting the Air Force with this project, I saw the original Gemini Titan Launch pad (long abandoned) and I immediately knew I had to photograph it.

Flooded Room Beneath Gemini Pad 19 at Cape Canaveral

Little did I know this chance visit to one of these old pads would lead me on a twenty year journey through the history of America's space program. I have photographed at most of the launch sites at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Numerous historic events have taken place there.

Launch Ring, Apollo Complex 34,
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Launch Ring Restored, Apollo Complex 34,
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Many of the facilities I have documented have decayed, been demolished, or been repurposed for current launch vehicles.

Universal Environmental Shelter, MST, Complex 40 (Demolished),
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Along with Cape Canaveral, i have photographed at many of the other NASA centers and test facilities.

7 X 10 Foot Wind Tunnel,
NASA Langley Research Center, VA

Pressure Gauge Panel, Santa Suzana, CA

Welcome to the STS 133 Launch Blog

Hello,

My name is Roland Miller. I am a photographer who has been photographing America's Space Program for over 20 years. The purpose of this blog is to give you some insight into what happens during a Space Shuttle launch. I'll be photographing the launch from the Media Site at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After the launch, I hope to make some photographs of the facilities and possibly the other orbiters. I'll be posting photographs and more as my work progresses next week. Let me know what questions you have and I'll do my best to answer them.

Here is a photograph I made of the launch of STS 129 from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center. I'm in the process of photographically documenting the winding down of the Space Shuttle Program. There are only three Space Shuttle launches remaining and the fleet will be retired in mid 2011.

I have photographed at many of NASA's centers in an attempt to document the various stages involved in the production, processing, and launch of the Space Shuttles.The image to the right is from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans where the Space Shuttle External Tanks were manufactured.