space shuttle launch

[dvcmagic]

We sail on the Disney Magic on October 5, 2002, 7 day eastern carribean cruise. There is a space shuttle launch on October 6. Will we be able to see any part of the launch? This would be a day at sea and I was wondering if the Captain would try to stay close to Port Canaveral for the launch. This would be too cool to watch a launch from the Magic. Do we have a chance?

[abitjaded]

Anyone??? Oh please, I hope hope. We are on Oct 5 too, and I had noticed the launch also. After missing a launch on another trip due to scrub, scrub, oversleep, I was bummed 'cause of the one day miss.

Carla

[albiats]

I don't have first hand knowledge of sailing on the Magic on a Saturday with a shuttle launch the next day, but I'll offer some opinions:

The Captain has to get the ship from Port Canaveral to St Maartin by Tuesday morning. I don't recall exactly how far that is, but I seem to remember reading that it was about 1200 nautical miles.

The ship travels at a cruising speed around 22 knots per hour.

If the Captain were to 'linger' around Port Canaveral to watch the shuttle launch on Sunday, I don't think he could make up the lost distance to arrive by Tuesday morning, as scheduled. There aren't any shortcuts and he can't go much faster than 22 knots.

If the ship cruised at 22 knots for 24 hours, at 5pm on Sunday it would be about the same distance from Port Canaveral as it would be on land to Charlotte, NC or to Atlanta, NC, or to Mobile, Al from the Port.

So I would have to say that I don't believe you'll be able to see anything this time.

Sorry.

[albiats]

This might not thrill you guys that are sailing on October 5th, but there is another Shuttle Launch scheduled for Thursday, May 30th, a day that the Wonder will be embarking on a 3 day voyage.

They don't release the launch time until within the 24 hour window anymore, but I believe it will be in the late afternoon, early evening time frame. It should be visible from the Wonder, either in Port or soon after it has sailed.

I will be watching the launch from land that day.

[JimB.]

The launch window for the shuttle launch on the 30th is between 4-8 p.m..

Even if the launch is at 8 p.m., and the ship sails on time, you should be able to see it with no problem, weather permitting.

I live about 100 miles north, and see them all the time, but we are going to drive down to the port to try and see this one upclose.

Please note that the shuttle launches on time only about 50% of the time, so don't get your hopes up TOO high.