Shuttle Endevour Launch in April...

[bas71873]

We are taking a quick road trip to FL the week of April 18 so that we can catch the April 19 launch of the space shuttle (I know, weather dependant). A place to stay was hard to come by, but I finally booked a condo in New Smyrna Beach and we'll just drive down to Kennedy for a day to do the tour and then go back on the 19th for the night launch.

My question is, where is the best place, public viewing of course, to see the shuttle launch. The website lists several, but I'm looking for experiences. I wonder how early we should get there too...for parking purposes?

TIA.

 

[dis-happy]

I just got back from the Thursday launch and let me tell you, it was by far (!!!) the busiest and most crowded launch yet (of the dozen or so I've been to). They say the next ones will be even worse. Whatever you end up doing, get there early.

As far as places go, we like Titusville, but it's the only place I know other than the time we scored causeway tickets at KSC.

 

[Sandy51]

We will be staying in a beach-front condo in Cape Canaveral. Hope there isn't a delay! Really looking forward to it.


Sandy

 

[bas71873]

We will be staying in a beach-front condo in Cape Canaveral. Hope there isn't a delay! Really looking forward to it.


Sandy

I actually am in the process of booking a beach front condo in Cape Canaveral too and canceling the original ressie .....we'll just watch it from there and not have to drive the hour south. It's worth the extra money it's costing me IMO

I hope there is not delay too. We are only staying a few days, but if nothing else, we'll get to see the Space Center and see the shuttle on the launch. Let's keep our fingers crossed together!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Very cool. I was watching vids on the NASA site.

I hope you get to see it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It really depends on how much you wish to see.

All of my local friends commented on the heavy cloud cover. So closer would have been better. Typically from our old house, you could see several minutes of the climb. But they said it was not visible for long at all.

That being said, the launch can be seen from several vantage points along the river and beach up and down Brevard County (Mims on the North side down to Palm Bay on the south side).

Traffic on the beach line (528) to get closer to the river and beach tends to back up. Other crossovers from south of their are the 520 and Pineda Causeway accessible from the Wickham road exit.

I usually watched launches from my front yard--but sometimes would venture up to the beaches right near Patrick Air Force Base. I did go up to Port Canaveral once. We could really hear the rumble and the closer vantage point was nice.

Make sure you have access to some kind radio with live launch coverage. Usually folks nearby will have some kind of radio.

 

[Sandy51]

Check this out-you can send your picture or name on a shuttle flight!


https://faceinspace.nasa.gov/index.aspx




Sandy

 

[Imzadi]

Is this the last shuttle flight? I remember reading the President scrapped funding and the flights would end. Are they being continued?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Is this the last shuttle flight? I remember reading the President scrapped funding and the flights would end. Are they being continued?

Well I know that the Discovery is up there and this was the final flight for that.

The Spaceshuttle Endeavour target date is April 19th.

Here is a calendar to help.

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/calendar/index.html#

 

[LindaG4458]

We watch from our yard in Vero Beach. This time we could see some of the lower level climbing but then it was cloudy. There was one break in the clouds when it got higher but, other than that, nothing. We could hear the roar, though.

There were numerous children/grandchildren here to watch. They were disappointed.

 

[bas71873]

Thanks for all the info. We are going to take our chances and hope for a view from the beach in Cape Canaveral. If nothing else, we'll get to spend a day at Kennedy Space Center, some time on the beach, catch and airboat ride and head over to Gatorland for a day. We'll have fun no matter what, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for EVERYONE.

BTW, my former neighbor (retirned NASA engineer) just returned from the Discovery launch (they get tickets to be really, really close) and their advice....be sure your car is gassed up, you have snacks in the car and, in her words "Lord help you if you have to go potty". She said leaving after the launch, it took them 1 hour to go 1 mile and FOREVER to get out of the area.

 

[java]

I am sure the one this past week was so crowded because it had been delayed at least twice prior. I have a friend from Canada that kept flying down to see it only to get postponed. I am so happy they got to finally see it happen. She said it was mobbed.
Have a great time!

 

[dis-happy]

Is this the last shuttle flight? I remember reading the President scrapped funding and the flights would end. Are they being continued?

They also officially added Atlantis to go off approx. June 28th as well. YAY!