shuttle launch

[luvmyfam444]

We are thinking about going to see the launch in April. DH said that ticket sales are closed - but I see a list of 12 places on NASA's site to view from.

Can you give me any tips? Is there a place you'd recommend to go? What time would we have to be able to get there to stake out a place?

Any info would be great - we are completely cluless & it was just a thought we had today @ spur of the moment to check it out

 

[ccgirl]

I thought there wasn't going to be any more launches?

 

[phorsenuf]

I thought there wasn't going to be any more launches?

There are 2 left.

 

[luvmyfam444]

I thought there wasn't going to be any more launches?

Yea I thought that too - til I heard it on the tv today

 

[ccgirl]

Yea I thought that too - til I heard it on the tv today

Perhaps I shoudl watch tv more.

I'm bummed because my DD loves space exploration so much. Perhaps we will still do the tour of the space center next April. I assume that will stay open?

 

[bas71873]

We have decided to go too, last minute, and were lucky enough to find a place to rent on the beach in Cape Canaveral, so we just plan to watch from there and not fight the traffic to get in really, really close. We are driving down from VA and just making a little vacation of it.

My neighbor, retired NASA engineer, attended the last launch of the Discovery and said the area was INSANELY crowded. They get tickets to be up close, but his wife's advice.....have the car gassed up, have snacks & water and go potty before you get back in the car. It took them hours to get out of the area. She also said that for the viewing sites recommended on the website, that people are staking out there spots HOURS early. So I guess their advice would be go early. Go to www.launchphotography.com and there is good info there on viewing sites. Someone here on the DIS recommended that to me when I asked.

Good luck.

 

[englishteacha]

We went and saw the launch on Feb. 27. We paid $20 to park by the Riverside Inn in Titusville and sat on a rock by the shore to watch the launch. We got there about 5 hours early...so I sat on a rock for about 4.5 hours. Ugh. That part wasn't fun. Seeing the launch was really cool, though, and our view was clear across the river with no one in front of us. We gave up a day of our vacation to do it. I wouldn't do it again, but of course, there are only 2 launches left so this was our last chance. I'm glad I go to see it. We grew up with shuttle launches and we both like space stuff, so it was worth it for this one time.

And yes, Kennedy Space Center visitor center will stay open. They're as much about history as the future.

 

[diznygirl]

I thought there wasn't going to be any more launches?

The remaining missions are the last one for that particular shuttle. So Discovery is done, and the next is Endeavor and after that Atlantis on June 28th.

And then that should be the end of all the shuttle missions.

 

[Feralpeg]

Satellite Beach is a very popular place to watch the launches. Do be aware that all of the sites fill up early. Traffic can be horrendous in the areas. Also, launches don't always happen when they are supposed to happen. Delays are very common. The launches can be postponed to new dates.

 

[luvmyfam444]

thanks for the info!
I'm checking it all out!

the NASA site lists 12 different locations! UGH!

 

[Malibustyle23]

And then that should be the end of all the shuttle missions.

EVER? Everywhere? Why? What's going on? Huh?

Can you tell we cut cable and are now living under the Netflix and only occasionally local news rock?

 

[bas71873]

EVER? Everywhere? Why? What's going on? Huh?

Can you tell we cut cable and are now living under the Netflix and only occasionally local news rock?

Yes forever (but never say never right).

Why? $$$$$$$


OH, and your comment about living under the news rock is hysterical!

 

[mnrose]

We watched the Feb launch from Cocoa Beach. It was a LONG day...leaving Orlando at around 9:30 got us to the beach (TONS of traffic, even hours and hours before the launch) around noon. Luckily, we found a space (one of the last) in a city lot on the beach. Getting back was also time consuming, even though we made dinner reservations in Cocoa Beach, and had a leisurely dinner before attempting the drive back. It was *crazy* traffic even hours after the launch. We got back around 9:30 at night.

I was wishing that we had made arrangements for a room in one of the local hotels on the beach...and just stayed the night. OTOH, shuttles may or may not launch when scheduled, so I'd hate to have spent the $$$ and had the launch scrubbed.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Thanks for all the info - we'll definitely be taking stuff to do - food & things to kill our time & then wait it out afterwards before getting back in the traffic to drive back to Orlando.

Now if there was just a way to guarantee they launched!