Good place for shuttle launch photos?

[Ratpack]

Just wondering if anyone can help me with a location to view and photograph the next shuttle launch. We are planning to take DD down for her birthday, provided it stays on schedule. But since I haven't been before, any advice about where to go so that I can get decent photos would be great. Also, any advice on the camera settings as well.

Thanks!

 

[ukcatfan]

I do not know about exactly where to go, but I am pretty sure that going to the space center itself is not that difficult.

Are you planning to make the trip just for this? If so, I wish you much luck because they almost never go off when planned. They often scrub a launch with a matter of seconds remaining before liftoff.

Kevin

 

[Ratpack]

That is pretty much the reason for the trip, but we plan on arriving the day of the launch and staying afterwards for any other activity. Who knows, being that close to WDW, we may hit a day there as well. If they scrub the launch soon enough, we could do two days.
If we can arrange the trip based on the date as it is now, we can always find something to do if they change it.

 

[BorisMD]

Hi,

I had planned on doing this for my trip in March, and, as you know, it was postponed.

Anyway, here's some helpful info. Also, I had booked a room at the Holiday Inn in Titusville. You can see the whole thing from their parking lot.

http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/shuttle/guide.txt

http://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html

Hope that helps.

Boris

 

[Ratpack]

Hi,

I had planned on doing this for my trip in March, and, as you know, it was postponed.

Anyway, here's some helpful info. Also, I had booked a room at the Holiday Inn in Titusville. You can see the whole thing from their parking lot.

http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/shuttle/guide.txt

http://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html

Hope that helps.

Boris

Thanks Boris, I have a room booked in Titusville at the Hampton Inn out by I-95. I am sure I won't be able to see the launch pad, but since it is only about two miles behind the Holiday Inn you mentioned, I should be able to see it once it clears the treeline. Also, I plan to try and get tickets to KSC for the launch if possible, but if not, the view that close should be more than enough experience for the kids.

 

[Gdad]

This guy has a good spot.

http://www.pbase.com/rod_ostoski/root

 

[BPCooper]

I am sure I won't be able to see the launch pad, but since it is only about two miles behind the Holiday Inn you mentioned, I should be able to see it once it clears the treeline. Also, I plan to try and get tickets to KSC for the launch if possible, but if not, the view that close should be more than enough experience for the kids.

I am the author of the viewing guide on LaunchPhotography and found this site after being referred from the link above So, I thought I would help.

Ratpack, if you are staying at the Hampton Inn you don't want to just stay there. If you cannot obtain tickets to view from the NASA causeway, which is the closest public spot, or the visitors complex (second closest but has no view of the pad) then you should view from Titusville along US-1 on the river; not just staying at the hotel, no one does that . Titusville presents a perfect view of the launch across the water and there are several parks to relax in.

If you can find causeway tickets (they are specifically called "LTT or Launch Transportation Tickets") I highly recommend it. It will be a lot louder from there. The causeway and visitors complex tickets are sold on the kennedyspacecenter dot com website (it won't let me post a link since I'm new here) but the LTTs are sold out. There is a link to the ticket page in my guide.

Hope you get to see it. Feel free to ask any questions.

-Ben

 

[Ratpack]

Ben,
Thanks for the info. I plan to get as close as I possibly can. I am just thinking that worst case, we should be able to see it from the Hampton Inn if all else fails.

Also, how loud is it from the causeway verses along the water in Titusville? I have a one year old who may not enjoy too loud.

 

[BorisMD]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for finding this site.

I agree, the hotel wouldn't have been the best spot, but the March launch was scheduled for 6AM, and I wasn't about to drag the troops to the park at 2 hours before that.

I was hoping to set the alarm, go outside, watch the launch, and then start the day.

BTW, you'd think that with a multimillion dollar spacecraft, they could have spent a few bucks and gone to home depot for some tarps to cover the foam to protect it from hail, woodpeckers, etc.

Regrads,

Boris

 

[BPCooper]

Ben,
Also, how loud is it from the causeway verses along the water in Titusville? I have a one year old who may not enjoy too loud.

It won't hurt their ears don't worry From Titusville you normally cannot hear more than a rumble; it is 12 miles away. (Of course, the notion that you can hear anything from 12 miles shows just how powerful it is)!

It is very special to see this, so I hope you can get closer or at least view from along the river. You'll be telling your friends about it for the rest of your life.

 

[budbeerlady]

I took pictures (atleast 16years ago) across the waterway in Tuitusville. I used my old NIkon 35mm. The pictures turned out great (it was a middle of the night launch or very early am, it was dark!) So I think any camera now days would do awesome.

On the waterway it isnt really what I would call loud, but it does take your breath away. Someday I hope DD is able to experince a launch when we are down there!

 

[BPCooper]

Night launches are beyond description no matter how many times you see them. The simplest way to put it, well, they are brighter than you think they are. Night launches don't disappoint no matter where you're standing.

By the way if you have any questions on photographing the launch feel free to ask or send me an email.

Give yourself a few days beyond June 8 to see it, you might need it.

 

[Ratpack]

Anyone know anything about the Clarion Inn on Merritt Island?