^^^ Type S Tony, great pics.
We should call this the awesome photo thread!!!
Interesting fact about the space shuttle launch. The big plumes of smoke, most of it is actually steam. There's a series of high pressure water nozzles set up on the launch pad. They spray water into the rocket exhaust gases which turns it all into steam.
This is done as the steam creates a form of pressure barrier to protect the shuttle from damage. You see the booster rockets, the exhaust gases are coming out of them at a super-sonic speed!! If there was no pressure barrier the sonic boom / shock waves would rebound off the launch pad & ground and cause physical damage to the shuttle. That's how 'off the chart' the physics are in a shuttle launch.
The super-sonic rocket thrust is what gives big rocket launches that sound - crackling and popping. What you're hearing is a whole series of very closely packed sonic booms.