Space Shuttle Launch?

[eyoreaud]

Hi anyone :wave:

I hear there is a launch on April 4th, any info on where to watch it or what time to get there to see it would be a great help.

Thanx, Audrey
XXXXXXXXXXX

:bounce:

[OhMickey]

My husband went to see a shuttle launch on our last trip. He said he went to Titusville (across from a Pizza Hut). The launch was scheduled for 10 pm and he found his spot to watch around 7 pm.

My husband would suggest talking to locals. He got his information from a van driver the day of the launch.

Sorry - not much help.

[Miss Jasmine]

Hi. I can't really help you with any sites, since I can watch from my bedroom window or backyard. However, I wanted to pass on some info, NASA is now restircting the release of the launch time. NASA is releasing only a 4 hour hour window. For this launch the window is from 2 pm to 6pm. This is going to make it more difficult to plan viewing a launch unless you plan to spend the whole day over here on the Space Coast. Of course, you can visit the beaches and you get a great view from there.

[Humpbacks1962]

Having seen one a few years ago (the launch of the Delta which later on got lost on Mars, it went over a cliff or something), I found out that everyone sees pretty much the same thing from wherever they are: A great ball of fire.

They do not let people come close enough to get the awesome calendar-quality launch pictures anyhow.

Wanda

[Miss Jasmine]

Humpbacks, then you have never been at the 6-mile mark. WOW! And the shuttle is so much more spectacular than a Delta rocket. From my house I can see the shuttle itself on a clear day, also I can see the boosters fall. What you would see from Orlando is not what you would see if you were in Melbourne, Rockledge, Cocoa, or Titusville.

[Humpbacks1962]

I was right at the Kennedy Space Center during take off, I was NOT in Orlando. All you see is a ball of fire, then hear the rolling thunder.

Wanda

[LKS]

We had an invitation to stand on top of a power station right outside of the KSC and we could see the shuttle on the pad, then in the sky and I thought it was great. Good luck finding someplace to see it and do take your binoculars. I want to watch one from the ground because the roar and vibration from the power station made it impossible to hear the shuttle. We were at John Glen's launch and got there very early to get caught up in all the sky-writing "God Speed John Glen" and excitement. Much more exciting than seeing them from our backyard in Jacksonville, where we could see the night sky light up, followed by the big ball of fire going up in the sky. I would imagine that is more along the lines of what you could see from Orlando.

The toughest part though is that the launches can easily be cancelled at even the last second, so you probably want to have some other activities planned, and launch days are not very good days to tour KSC.

[AK4EVER]

I was in the Space Center too, and learned that during a launch they will close the public viewing areas closest to the platform. So if you planned to pay for the tour to spend more time right in front of the launching area for a closer view, it won't happen.
All we saw was the big ball of fire too. It only lasts a few seconds before it gets lost in the clouds. Knowing what went up was actually more fun than watching it go up.

[webray]

Double check your date before you drive out to see it...they are no longer publishing shuttle launch dates until 24 hours or less before the launch...

[robinb]

webray,

It's my understanding that they are publishing the dates but not the times.

Check out the mixed fleet schedule for shuttle launches and other rocket launches:
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/schedule/mixfleet.htm

[Miss Jasmine]

NASA is providing the launch date and a four hour window. For example the next launch on April 4 has a launch window from 2PM to 6 PM.

[Seahunt]

Local news (out of Orlando) now shows shuttle launch tomorrow (April 4) expected at 5:13 PM - 50/50 chance of going, based on tomorrow's weather conditions.....

[Miss Jasmine]

Seahunt,
I was coming here to post the same thing. :D


I guess I'll see it in my car on my way home from work (provided the weather holds).
:sunny:

[Seahunt]

Shuttle is scrubbed for today, but not due to weather - leak found on shuttle.....

[hercamore]

You can watch shuttle launches from the Holiday Inn Titusville parking lot which is across from the river from the launch pads.

Good view..they charge $10 per car.

Get there early...tt's usually packed.

herc