Kennedy Launch & Visitor Tickets

[JU JU1970]

Can anyone help?
When we are in Florida there is going to be a launch at Kennedy. We are planning to go to the space centre, but does anyone know.....
does a Visitors day ticket also allow access to see a launch , or do you have to buy seperate tickets?
When viewing a launch are you able to combine it with the normal visitors day or do I need to visit on two seperate days?

Thank you for any information provided.

 

[epcot1stfave]

You will need to pre purchase tickets for a launch day. You will still be able to tour the centre and if it is cancelled you can go when it is re scheduled upto a week later I think.kennedyspacecenter.com/

 

[lisaj]

We were lucky enough to get LTT tickets for launch day in October, I understand they are hard to get and we just got really lucky. Anyway, the view was fantastic, if you can get them i would highly recommend that you pay the extra dollars.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

We were lucky enough to get LTT tickets for launch day in October, I understand they are hard to get and we just got really lucky. Anyway, the view was fantastic, if you can get them i would highly recommend that you pay the extra dollars.

What does LTT stand for?? (I assume its not Liberty Tree Tavern!!! )

 

[lisaj]

Whoops, should have been LTC, I believe it is the launch transport causeway, basically you are with the invited guests of the astronauts and a few hundred others! You stand on a causeway in the middle of the water and are shepherded on security checked buses from Kennedy to LTC. They have you there about 2 hours before launch and there are a few burger stalls and souvenir stalls and a few covered gazebos with seating. We had a clear view of the shuttle as it is ignited, the sounds from the control area are relayed on loud speakers (including countdown) not much to see other than flying fish while you wait for the launch but according to our tour rep the only way to get closer to the launch is be working on it or marry an astronaut. We just got lucky as we booked our trip 18 months out at a random date and it just happened to be launch day. We had a phone call from the tour rep in Orlando asking if we wished to upgrade to a LTC ticket. We jumped at the chance my 9 year old son was studying Space as his project for the term and his teacher couldn't believe one of her students was going to be in Florida for the launch.

Beforehand I was a bit unsure about going (we had a 3am start from CSR) but it was truly a once in a lifetime experience and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

We could clearly see the shuttle before during and after take off. You have a fairly short timescale to return to the transport (something to do with the gases which come from the shuttle after take off) and then we spent a few hours at Kennedy.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

thanks for that Lisa!! Sounds terrific!!!

In 1998 we had tickets to watch the shuttle launch, but it was just that, it didn't include any other part of Kennedy - we basically parked our car on a grassy verge and walked up to where lots of others were camped out with their picnics!!! Not sure if this ws the same area that you are talking about??

But I agree it was certainly a spectacular sight and surprisingly emotional - lots of cheering, clapping and quite a few tears (perhaps this has always been the way - or I wondered whether it has been the case since Challenger) - anyway its certainly not an experience you will ever forget, is it??