Space Shuttle Launches Viewing Tips? Etc?

[Universal-Excitement]

You are in luck, I live litterally right off NASA property so I get a really great view right from my yard...

Any place off US1 in Titusville on the Indian River is idea... you'd have to leave REALLY EARLY in the morning to get a good spot... on launch days if I don't have to go out, I don't because it's insane. I remember back in 2006 for the debut of Universal 360 on July 1st the shuttle was suppose to go off, but it got scrubbed... and the show didn't start until 8:45 I believe it was... so I decided to leave at 6pm... the launch was scrubbed at like 11am... and I got about 20 miles and 528 was PACKED... I figured no one would take 50 because of the lights so I went to 50... I got to Christmas and it was PACKED... so I couldn't go that day... since the 2nd was scrubbed for weather later that day I was able to go into Orlando to see Universal 360...

However that story is a reminder how bad traffic will be for anyone coming in and going out to a launch... and if that many people are coming in... then spots get taken FAST! There is a park at the end of my street and people actually bring tents out there and sleep there over night just to watch a launch... I am use to the launches, I've seen hundreds of them so I guess I don't know how important it is to actually travel to see one... but people really do go all out to get good spots...

But on US1 in Titusville across from the Walgreens there is a great viewing spot, there is also a little fishing pier you could go down so you are litterally on the water for pictures of the launch. People go to Jetty Park (Which is a beach at Port Canaveral) but I never like the launches from there, you are closer off the Indian River... Another good place would be Sand Point Park off US1 and 402... but PARKING IS REALLY LIMITED... there are only like 20 parking spots on that strip off the highway... but it's the CLOSEST you'll get to to seeing it for free... you could go to NASA and buy a launch ticket and they'll take you out on to East NASA Causeway and you'll have a better view.. you'll only be like mile closer there then you would be if you seen it from Sand Point Park and you wouldn't be out the $80 or more dollars NASA charges...

Hopefully that helped.

Mike

 

[BPCooper]

The tickets get you much closer. Titusville, even at Spaceview and Sandpoint parks, is 12 miles from 39A while the causeway is 6.5 to 7.5 miles and the visitors complex is 7.4.

 

[BPCooper]

The official Launch Weather Forecast for Thursday is calling for good conditions with just a 20% of violation and partly cloudy skies.

 

[Ladybug514]

While this may not help the op, if you are interested in going to actually see a shutter launch, one person that may be able to help you is your US Senator. I worked in a Senate office for a summer and one of our biggests request were launch tickets. You have to plan way in advance and be flexible but many people are not aware of this service! Representatives might also have this, I'm not sure, but def. call your Senator's Office!

 

[ExBellhop]

I've seen 3 launches in my life, from 3 very different vantage points.

1) My first time was at Jetty Park. We spent a whole morning out there, only to have the launch scrubbed. Then we came back the next day and had success. You can really *feel* the launch from here, as well as hearing the thunder from the boosters. Its a good alternative (I think) to being right there.

2) I was working Fantasmic! during a night launch. I still get chills down my spine as I remember the glow erupting from behind the F! Mountain, and then 8500+ people break out into cheers and applause as the rocket goes up, from right behind the Mountain. Awesome.

3) Probably the most underrated, but still a viable spot... I happened to be picking my wife (then girlfriend) up from the Orlando Airport. I purposely parked on the very top of the garage so that she'd get to see it go off after she landed. Not the best view, but it works if you're looking for somewhere to go...

Thanks for reading : )
ExBellhop

 

[Calliaz]

We went to a launch in May of 2000. It was really great to be close, although we didn't have tickets. I think the mission had been scrubbed a few times and was supposed to have left before we got to Orlando. Once we found out we could go, we rented a car and just drove to the coast. Our trip was last minute and without much information so we ended up at some random place. It was still cool.

I recently found this website with information on how to get good viewing spots in the area.

 

[zulemara]

well I know if you're at Port Canaveral on the Disney Cruise you have a nice view of the building where they repair the shuttle. I believe the Launch pad is like 6 miles from the building so it'd be a pretty good show. There you have it, an excuse to book a Disney cruise AND see the shuttle launch You just have to be at port on launch day.

edit: I was hoping the launch would be scrubbed till the last week in December so I could see it on my trip. That looks doubtful and I know they have other missions going up, so I'll just have to hope I get to see one after Jan 09 since that's the next time I'll be down there

 

[enyaj40]

when we were entering the world from an offsite hotel in '88, we saw all these cars lined up along the road

i was thinking, 'what's up here?'

looked straight ahead and saw a shuttle launch

even from that distance, i thought it was stunningly beautiful

maybe because i was remembering the tragedy in early '86

i also saw a launch during an imax movie, and believe you me, i felt like i was right next to the thing

 

[raven69david]

Not sure if it's been posted since i've read none of the responses, but shuttle launches are known to be delayed quite often. Lets hope for everyone that's made plans around this launch that it goes as planned. I'm hoping it'll be delayed until Saturday after i arrive.

 

[Eclpz314]

Not sure if it's been posted since i've read none of the responses, but shuttle launches are known to be delayed quite often. Lets hope for everyone that's made plans around this launch that it goes as planned. I'm hoping it'll be delayed until Saturday after i arrive.

That makes two of us......three if you count dh. Last year it took off while we were still at the airport waiting to fly to Miami. We've toured the space center and would love to see a launch one time. We arrive on the 8th.

 

[carlyle688]

Space Shuttle launch is scrubbed for today. They are going to try again tomorrow.

 

[raven69david]

shuttle launches are known to be delayed quite often

See what i mean.

 

[BPCooper]

See what i mean.

This was the fourth shuttle launch of the year. All three shuttle launches this year, STS-117 118 and 120, lifted off on time on the very first try.

Earlier this year, a study was done by the AP and found that the shuttle launches on the first try just over 40% of the time.

 

[raven69david]

This was the fourth shuttle launch of the year. All three shuttle launches this year, STS-117 118 and 120, lifted off on time on the very first try.

Earlier this year, a study was done by the AP and found that the shuttle launches on the first try just over 40% of the time.

Sorry, but you're incorrect. There are many posts on here (if the search worked as intended you could find the articles) with alot of disappointed people who have missed launches due to delays.

STS-117 was delayed due to being damaged from a hail storm. Launch date was scheduled for March 15th; launched on June 8th.

STS-118 was delayed 1 day to repair a valve in the shuttle's crew cabin pressurization system. Original day was august 7, actual launch was august 8, 2007.

STS-120 was originally scheduled to launch on October 20, but due to the International Space Station program requirement, launch was delayed to October 23, 2007.

All of the launches in 2007 were moved back due to problems with external fuel tanks. They hadn't received modified fuel tanks in time to complete prelaunch work on the shuttle fleet.

The "if the AP said it, it must be true" mentality has got to stop.

 

[Eclpz314]

Space Shuttle launch is scrubbed for today. They are going to try again tomorrow.

I think they should hold off until Saturday........say, after 10:45am or so.

 

[BPCooper]

The launch is now set for Saturday at 3:43pm EST. A decision as to whether to proceed with this will be made Friday afternoon at the mission management team meeting and that will follow with a press conference around 5pm or later.

The statistics I posted are based on first launch attempts, not dates planned in advance. Your facts are also correct above though. STS-117 was the first time the shuttle launched on the first try since Columbia five years ago. STS-120 was then the first launch to lift off on the date set at what is known as the flight readiness review (FRR) held about two weeks before launch (Oct. 20 was changed a couple of months before hand; this delay was a given as the Russian Soyuz flight was slated for Oct. 10-21 and cannot overlap).

Planning for a launch requres careful skil and willingness to change if the date changes in advance but once a date is set at the FRR you have a more decent shot.

 

[raven69david]

I have no "mentality" as you describe. I'm not sure just some fan reading AP stories lol.

Sorry Ben. That wasn't directed at you at all. I stated it because alot of news events in the past few months have had alot of "facts" quoted from AP articles and have been presented as fact, when in fact they were only speculation. Sorry if you took it the wrong way, but i can guarantee that it was no personal attack in the least.

 

[disneyfan19712006]

Sorry Ben. That wasn't directed at you at all. I stated it because alot of news events in the past few months have had alot of "facts" quoted from AP articles and have been presented as fact, when in fact they were only speculation. Sorry if you took it the wrong way, but i can guarantee that it was no personal attack in the least.

If we are at MGM which way should we look? I wish it was on Sunday while we are on the Wonder. We will not have a car but even a glimpse would be nice. I just need to know which way to look.

 

[BPCooper]

The launch is now being targeted for Sunday. T-0 would be 3:21:00pm EST.

 

[BPCooper]

Atlantis is officially go for a launch attempt on Sunday at 3:21:00pm EST.

The test of the fuel sensors comes around 6:41am as fueling begins, so whether they are working or not will be known early. Keep an eye out on news sites such as:

www.SpaceflightNow.com

...for updates to see if all is go or no-go early before you leave.