Shuttle approach visible from WDW?

[jcb]

I'm curious.
The secondary landing opportunity for the shuttle (today 3 to 3:15 EDT) is to fly over the peninsula, make a loop and land on runway 15. The tracking I’ve seen looks as if the approach will takes it close to WDW but can’t tell for sure. It may be south of WDW.

Has anyone seen the shuttle from WDW on approach to KSC?

(FYI - conditions appear favorable for the first opportunity at 1:39 pm and that would not take the shuttle near WDW)

 

[aes74]

I have not seen it at WDW. I am sure you would hear the sonic boom, though. I live 45 mins south of Tampa and hear it so loudly our whole house shakes.

I have heard of friends who have dashed outside at night and seen the shuttle come in. I have not, though. But I'm thinking if you could see it here, you probably should be able to see it there if Orlando's lights are not too bright.

If I recall correctly, the shuttle doesn't usually land here. It usually lands in Texas, right? So I don't know how many opportunities we've had to see it here.

Did see it take off though on this mission last week from where I live. It was AMAZING.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Everyone in central Florida knows when the shuttle is home.

There are two sonic booms which scare the crap out of you.

The re-entry is far less showy than the lift off and the re-entry runway is a bit more remote.

It looks very much like an airplane landing.

 

[jcb]

So what you are saying is that you can hear the sonic booms from the indian "ocean"?

The idea that something that huge (some 112-113 tons landing weight) can glide to a rolling stop fascinates me. I know landing isn't as spectacular as liftoff visually but I used to sit out at major airports taking photographs of planes landing. It is always a matter of perspective.

Looks like you might get the crap scared out of you around 3 pm as NASA just waved off the 1:39 landing opportunity due to cloud cover.

 

[DisneyKevin]

With the amount of air traffic in and out of central Florida, it's difficult to pick out a certain aircraft.

I can see each and every launch from my front door, but all I see is the fire ball and the contrail. Being about 50 miles away....we can't see the shuttle.

If it's a night launch and it's failry quiet....you can hear the lowgrade rumble of take off. It gets to our house in St Cloud a couple of minutes after take off.

While I have heard the booms many times, I have never seen the actual sircraft coming in except on television.

 

[jcb]

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. I've seen the Enterprise at the Smithsonian and compared to other aircraft, it really is not any larger than the routine flights in and out of MCO.

 

[DisneyDayTripper]

We've never been here for a reentry...so I'm hoping to be able to hear the sonic boom today. I thought they said on TV that if they can't make it today that they will land in CA tomorrow instead. So hopefully they can land today, but I highly doubt they will be able to because I just got done running and the wind is 18-28 mph gusts, which I'm sure will be enough for NASA not to chance it, but who knows.

 

[jcb]

According to this story, NASA won't activate Edwards until Monday but KSC is optimistic the winds and clouds will abate enough to do the 3:14 landing today.

 

[jcb]

NASA has cleared the shuttle to land at KSC at 3:13 pm EDT.

 

[DisneyDayTripper]

I took the dogs out at 3:00 and waited outside, but never heard anything. It could be because of the winds and what not, but who knows.....kinda sad because I was hoping to hear the sonic boom.

 

[DisneyKevin]

The booms were incredible here in central Florida

They happened aat pproximately 3:10pm EST

 

[jcb]

Cool,

I even heard them here in East Tennessee - but only because I was watching the landing on NASA TV.

 

[SamSam]

The first thing I thought when I saw the subject line was "for the best view go to the end of the parking lot". .....or something like that. It was one of Bob's word's of wisdom.

 

[DisneyDayTripper]

The booms were incredible here in central Florida

They happened aat pproximately 3:10pm EST

For real? I'm right outside Clermont and I couldn't hear a thing...DW said she thought she heard something in the distance that sounded like thunder, but I was like uhhh no I don't think that was it especially since people online said it'd shake their house. Guess we'll have to wait for another one if it ever happens.

 

[jcb]

While I can't say what you folks in Florida heard or didn't hear, NASA logs put the twin sonic booms right at 3:10 pm.

Must be the heat.