Space Shuttle Launches Viewing Tips? Etc?

[BPCooper]

Everyone should see one up close at least once, especially at night. These two wide angle shots from Titusville give you an idea of the spectacle.

 

[portocall]

If you take the Beachway (toll road, used to be the Beeline) it will bring you straight to Cocoa Beach, any beach is a great view, Merritt Island along Route 1 is good to. It is about an hour ride, traffic is bad the closer to the beach you go, however, it is worth it. The only thing I will say is that they often get delayed. If weather is a concern, you will be able to see it from WDW okay. Jetty Park is the best place in the world second to the cape itself. When my dad worked there, we got passes all the time to the viewing area, but after 9/11, they stopped giving those out for free.

 

[BPCooper]

To clarify, it is called the Beachline now; and U.S. 1 in Titusville is what you mean. U.S. 1 is not on Merrit Island.

Jetty Park is not a good place to see the shuttle because you cannot see the launch pad from there, and it is unnecessarily further away than, say, Titusville. Jetty Park is, however, the best place for unmanned Delta 2 rocket launches, and the closest spot to that pad. Admission to Jetty Park costs $5 per car. So after being on site via those tickets (used to be the free passes), Titusville (and the KSC visitors complex) is still the best off-site viewing location for the shuttle.

 

[BPCooper]

For anyone not aware, NASA today formally approved new dates of Oct. 10 and Nov. 12 for STS-125 and STS-126, due to TS Fay and Hanna.

The launch time for the Hubble mission Oct. 10 is 12:33am EDT, and for STS-126 Nov. 12 is is 8:43pm EST.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts125/status.html

 

[ummchacha]

Just took 8 yr old ds to see Fly Me To The Moon tonight. Oh, is he crazy to see a launch now!! We are gonig to be in WDW till the 10th!! May just have to let him stay up extra late to see this....even if from a far distance. Just need to be sure the visability will be "okay" at best.

 

[Tinkjenny]

What do shuttle launches do to Kennedy Space Center the day before it happens? We planned on going Dec 5th. Will a lot be shut down?

Jenny

 

[BPCooper]

What do shuttle launches do to Kennedy Space Center the day before it happens? We planned on going Dec 5th. Will a lot be shut down?

Jenny

There are no launches planned for December 5 or 6.

 

[theparenttrap]

I have always wanted to see a shuttle launch. It's one of the things I want to do before I die.

 

[BPCooper]

I have always wanted to see a shuttle launch. It's one of the things I want to do before I die.

There are only ten more shuttle missions, so get going I encourage everyone to see one at least once in their lifetimes, and time for the shuttle is running out.

 

[Lizzymees]

We plan on going to the space shuttle launch on our visit. The launch date actually helped us decide when to go in November. Now I just need to pray that the Nov. 10 launch holds together.
My oldest is a brownie and this would help her earn her space try-it. We already did the Houston space camp in. She had a blast and her interest in space has really been sparked.
We plan on viewing from Titusville, as that was what we heard was the best place. After reading the interest in the board, it sounds very crowded. Lots of people to enjoy watching what we are watching...so very cool.
Perhaps some of us from the board could actually be standing next to each other! See y'all there...hopefully.

 

[BPCooper]

Now I just need to pray that the Nov. 10 launch holds together.:

It's Nov. 12. And be aware that the date of that launch depends heavily on the launch of STS-125 Oct. 10. They are nearly day for day in terms of delay, so if the Hubble flight delays beyond Oct. 10 it is likely to push the November shuttle launch by the same amount.

 

[firechick139]

Aww, did they change the Nov. 10th launch? We were looking forward to seeing it on my brother's birthday.

 

[firechick139]

Darn, I just looked up the NASA site and they did change it. Hopefully they will have that launch before the 16th. That's when we go home.

 

[BPCooper]

To keep up to date with launch dates, bookmark this site:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

The NASA schedule is available here, but it only includes the shuttle launches and those rocket launches with NASA payloads (the majority of rocket launches are not NASA and thus not listed):
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

Anyone planning on attending a launch should not see the date and assume that's it. You should continue to check the schedule on a regular basis right up until launch date.

 

[krbq]

BPCooper: Thanks for keeping us up to date on the launch schedules. We hoped to be able to make the October shuttle launch but it just isn't going to work out this time (unless they move it back a few days, then we might make it!). The link you provided helps us look forward to 2009

 

[robindennis]

We drove in the direction of Vero last time and saw a white stream. not much but pretty cool nonetheless.

 

[BPCooper]

Everyone should keep an eye on things at this point following Ike, as the Johnson Space Center is not expected to reopen for at least a week to normal operations. This could prompt delays to both launches this year. But, none of this is known yet so we'll see soon.

 

[OhMari]

I signed up at the Kennedy Space Center with my e-mail, so I could buy tickets when the become available. I haven't looked on this thread in a couple of weeks. We were all set to go see it with our dd, who is training at Glynis AirForce Base-she had a long weekend with Veterans Day being on Nov. 11. Oh well, I'm sure she will see it at least in the sky.

 

[firechick139]

Yes, BP, thanks for bringing up that point. For as many launches as I have followed and how many delays there have been in the past, it never once entered my mind that there might be a change in date because of a delay.

 

[NOVATraveler]

Actually, the website says there will be one on 10/10 at 12:43 a.m. I'll be at OKW; any hope I could see it? It's worth setting the alarm for!