Anyone here ever been to a Shuttle Launch?

[dvcgirl]

I've just been very fortunate and received 2 tickets to view the launch on Wednesday at Kennedy Space Center. Has anyone here ever done this . These tickets are on-site...I guess they transport you to a viewing area on KSC property out to a viewing area that is six miles away (which they say is the closest the general public can get). We have a placquard for the windshield with a time to arrive, and it also includes lunch with an astronaut. Needless to say, we're very excited. I'm just wondering if anyone here has had tickets like this...

If so,

What time should we leave Orlando? Our tickets say to be there at the gates at 9:30 am. We're sure that traffic will be a nightmare, but we're unsure just how bad.

How was it?

Thanks!

 

[dvcgirl]

bumping in hope of gaining some insight....thanks!

 

[aero99]

I have not done it since they started the busing of people. (prior to 9/11 you could drive your car out on the causeway). I used to bring chairs, sunscreen, a hat, a LOT of water, and either binoculars or a camera with a large lense for zooming in. You are close, but you still need something to really help you see the details of the flight. It is an awesome experience but just realize to some people (like my family) it is 2 hrs of waiting and 5 minutes of cool stuff.

 

[EthansMom]

You are too lucky!

You should be aware that it's extremely likely that the shuttle launch might be postponed -- often at the last minute. I worked in the aerospace industry for several years and had several friends who had traveled for business to watch shuttle launches. Very few of the launches ever took place on the original launch date.

 

[golfgal]

I haven't but some friends that live in Orlando were telling us about the time that they did. They got some VIP passes from a friend that couldn't use them and she took her 3 boys out there for the launch. She had a special pass for her window, too. She got to the complex and the guard waved her through a gate, she kept driving and came up on another gate, the guard waived her through again. She started thinking that something wasn't quite right when she came up to a third gate. She stopped at this gate even though the guard waived her through. She said she thought she might be in the wrong spot. Sure enough, she was heading toward the spot where the families of the astronants watch the launch. The guard told her she had to put her car in park, turn off the engine and stay in the car. She couldn't leave the area without a security escort. Sure enough, a few minutes later, the security cars came up and escorted her to the right parking area, oops.

 

[DisneyGirl]

Wow!! How exciting! I would *love* to go to a launch, but I've never been in Florida at the time of a launch-- if I were you, I'd leave as early as possible-- it takes an hour to get there, and I would want to get there at least 2 hours before (that's just me, though)... I would leave at least by 6:30 AM

Enjoy lunch with an astronaut-- I got to do that because of my undergrad major and school-- there were about 6 of us that got to have lunch with Mark Brown, and I've also been to a small (but much larger than 6 person) presentation by Janice Voss-- they have amazing stories to tell, and it's really interesting to hear a more personal perspective other than the generic presentation that the Astronaut's give when they speak to school groups and such for NASA!

 

[chrissyk]

From Orlando, you'll need to allow over 2 hours to get there on account of traffic. I'd probably leave at 6:30-7AM at the latest. Enjoy the launch! You are lucky to get the tickets

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Two launches 'on-site' and tomorrow will be my third. Once from the pass site that your speaking off and once from the VIP Press Site when I was in JHS Journalism, we were the youngest journalist ever to cover a launch, pretty cool! Tomorrow I'm working at the VIP site where the guests of the President, etc will be guiding guests around.

It's really spectacular to watch from so close. We only live 35-40 minutes away and get a good show there, it's 1,000 times cooler near KSC. Night launches are amazing, the flames are so bright it looks like midday when the shuttle goes up.

Have a blast, be sure to arrive on time since it seems there will be lots of traffic tomorrow. I have to be there by 8am.

 

[ducklite]

We saw a night launch from the causeway in 1996, it was spectacular!

Anne

 

[Keli]

I love night launches too!

Everyone is right, you need lots of time for traffic, it gets pretty congested. I'd give myself at least the two hours from Orlando that someone else mentioned because we did a lot of sitting once we got close to KSC.

 

[ducklite]

I just saw on channel 13 that there's an accident at the Beeline and Route 1. Allow extra time if you're headed that way.

Anne