Rocket Launch at Cape Canaveral while we are in Orlando!

[Travel Mum]

I'm so excited because I just checked the Kennedy Space Centre website and I can see there is now scheduled to be a rocket launched while we are in Orlando!

" SpaceX Falcon 9
October 8
Time(s): TBD
Location: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida


The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the third Dragon spacecraft, called Dragon C3. The mission will demonstrate the rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station. The company is building the Dragon to fly on resupply missions to the International Space Station.

Launch date and time subject to change. "



It is scheduled for the day we check out of POR, pick up our rental car and move offsite to Staybridge Suites. So now, we can hopefully drive to Cape Canaveral and watch the rocket launch! Has anyone done this before? If so, what time is a rocket normally launched? Did you drive there and back from Orlando in the same day to see it?

WOW, this is amazing and I so hope the date doesn't change

 

[battymum]

I thought I already replied to this thread so if it is a double post sorry...

But, yay, we are going to still be there on that day but, can I fit it in....

There is also one scheduled for 23rd September, so looks like we get two. I was hoping that one would get postponed as it is quite difficult to fit it in to our itinerary. On one hand we really want and should go and see it but on the other we would have to give up a Disney day to do it.

 

[Travel Mum]

I know what you mean about the schedule. It seems incredible timing to me that it is currently scheduled for the day after we finish WDW and on a day that we were only going to be moving hotels/relaxing! Even if it is delayed to the following Saturday, that is the day we will actually be in Cape Canaveral visiting the KSC and then staying the night before our cruise so that would probably work too

 

[Oz-kateer]

Unfortunately there's no "usual" time for launches at Kennedy, it varies by mission. They're also subject to chronic change.... sometimes they're in the middle of the day, sometimes at unholy hours of the night/very early morning. The one we went to was at 4am! It also depends on what is being launched.

 

[Oz-kateer]

I just read this again and realised that the launch you are talking about is at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and not Kennedy (NASA). They are two different places.

Double check on whether there is public access to the Air Force base, as from memory I don't think there is in the same way there is at NASA.

The launch we went to was at Kennedy, not the Air Force Station.

 

[battymum]

http://www.patrick.af.mil/questions/topic.asp?id=665

I know these launch dates are unreliable, especially this far out, thats why I am not including it as a definite in our itinerary, if it works when we are there, we might go have a look.

We are hiring a car and driving to Canaveral on the 24th for KSC and I have booked to pick up the car on the 22nd with the launch on the 23rd in mind. I am also booking Saana for lunch on that day and Narcoosees for dinner which I will want to be back for.

Its only an hours drive - so easy to go there and back in one day. I hope its a reasonable time though.

We plan to be at Hard Rock Hotel on the 8th, but we wont have a car, so would mean hiring one just for that.

 

[Travel Mum]

Yes, I'm just putting it as a possibility in our itinerary too as I understand they are extremely subject to change. Also, if the time is announced to be the middle of the night, we will have to work out if we really want to do it. I've decided to delegate this one to DH and have given him all the links to keep watch of He's certainly not a travel planner but I hope this one might be of interest to him! This way, at least we can go away being prepared with all the info in case we need it.

 

[kylieh]

My DH is really hoping the one on the 23rd is delayed by a day or two or three. We arrive in the evening of the 23rd!

 

[Travel Mum]

My DH is really hoping the one on the 23rd is delayed by a day or two or three. We arrive in the evening of the 23rd!

I think the chances of that are good as it sounds like they are often delayed!

 

[DizOz]

Travel mum cross everything for their usual delays.

We were lucky enough to be there with the shuttle at the launch pad and the gantry doors were open so we got a good view from the observation platform. It was an awesome sight.

 

[Travel Mum]

Travel mum cross everything for their usual delays.

We were lucky enough to be there with the shuttle at the launch pad and the gantry doors were open so we got a good view from the observation platform. It was an awesome sight.

OMG what an amazing experience that must have been and a true once in a lifetime experience!!