FFfAW Challenge-Week of September 19, 2017

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Pamela S. Canepa

If you wish to participate, click here for details:
https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/fffaw-challenge-week-of-september-19-2017/

They were heroes in the making and their names would go down in history.
However, after less than an hour, their excitement was soon replaced with anxiety, concern and then borderline panic.
They were committed, had nowhere to go as it wasn’t a simple case of turning the vehicle around or walking out.
Having no option now but to abort, they were dependent on others and the weather for a safe return.
The three friends prayed together, and after a journey plagued with problems, frustrations and failure, relief radiated from their visored faces as they realised Touchdown was only minutes away when the landing lights appeared in the shuttle cockpit window .

111 words

Note:
when I first saw the prompt, my thoughts generated my post. Now I’m seeing it in a different light and can see my story is totally unrelated!
(I suppose I could say the space shuttle crew may also have been mistaken which would have led to disaster.)