kohldad
Goose Creek, SC
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With only 5 launches left to experience, I want to make sure I make it down for one. Wanted to try for one that was planned for late week so I would be able to hang around in case of a delay. Was reading in another thread about viewing the STS-129 landing which made me think to check the schedule. At this time, STS-130 is planned for Thursday, Feb 4, 2010.
I've heard that the best viewing is along the "causeway" and they allow folks to boondock the night before to get a good view and beat the traffic. So, I'll be loaded up and headed down after work on Wednesday, arriving at the "causeway" about 1am.
Question 1: What is the best place to boondock the night before yet have a great view of the launch?
Question 2: Anyone else want to plan on meeting up and having a TC group watch the launch together?
Disclaimer: Plans subject to change by NASA.
* This post was
edited 11/19/09 08:18am by kohldad *
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silversand
Montreal
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Sounds like an excellent idea! Wish we had the schedule to allow for it.
It would be interesting to have all 3 EMSs covered by truck campers (like a launch/landing boondocking party, etc). All communicating by laptop vid-conf from each site's "Host's" camper (outside).
We'd need a volunteer for one ALS however, like Moron, AB, in Spain ?
Cheers,
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BiGG
MI - WI - FL
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kohldad,
I have a home in Orlando and have been to many launches. If you have never seen one make sure you do before they end (or all five remaining as you will never get tired of seeing, hearing and feeling a launch)! I suggest getting a ticket to get out on the causeway if you can (you need a vehicle placard), otherwise Titusville is great also and there you can park the night before.
If you can, get tickets (and pay attention on the information on the link below where it says they sell out fast because they do), park in Titusville the night before and drive onto the cape when they open the gates in the morning. Titusville has several places to park and many homeowners allow cheap parking on their property but get there early for the best spots. I’ll still be here in Feb and plan on attending.
Read about on and off the cape parking/ticket info here
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btggraphix
Golden, CO
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That is a great idea - I've been wanting to see one forever (although I did get to see one way back when from the gulf side of the state which doesn't really count) but I have a feeling I won't manage to see it before it is all over.
Anyone have a link to the expected scheule for these last launches handy?
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kohldad
Goose Creek, SC
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Here is the website: NASA Launch Schedule
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kohldad
Goose Creek, SC
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BiGG, thanks for the info, was interesting reading and still have more to do.
Looks like the area I was thinking of to park was on the A. Max Brewer Parkway just before the bridge (which is where I guess they close the road). Or is there a better recommended place to park it Titusville?
Still have more research on exactly where I can park and when I need to get there to secure a spot. But since it will be a once opportunity, I want to get it right the first time.
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sbassfsu
Florida
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Heading north on US1 from garden street you will come to a bridge right before the bridge there is a road that goes to the Right toward Titusville Marina and Sandpoint park it would be a good place to watch it from and you could probly stay the night before and not have the police mess with you...Manatee Hamock is a Brevard county camp ground on the river that would be a good place to stay and watch the launch as well it is in south Tville..eat at Dixie Cross Roads on Garden Street get rock shrimp yummy...I was born there and my parents still live there I will ask my dad where he has seen RVs parking before the launch and post...If you have any other question let me know.
Back when it first started they came weeks before and parked everywhere I have been gone for the past 15 years so Ill ask what has been happening on the past few but I know it as been getting busy again because it is coming to an end.
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tcman
Aldergrove, BC
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I saw one a few years ago. It is real tough to get anywhere close unless you have a contact in the aerospace industry & can get a site pass. The fact that Florida is so flat makes it hard to get a good vantage point. A freeway overpass was the best I could do, and I could not see it til it cleared the tree line, but it was still impressive.
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sleepy
Oak Ridge,Tennessee
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In the early '70s we were regulars around the cape.
We stayed in a little campground oalong Indian river... from there we could see the base of the rockets at night.
We watched the night shot to the moon in December of '72 with a TV camera sharing the top of our camper with us... the whole top was a deck.
We dropped the jacks to stabilize the camper.
The time was set for about 9 pm... but the rocket didn't get away until a little after midnight. It changed the first day covers for the US Post Office.
We were 3 miles away.... our kids still talk about it occassionally.
Go for it if you can...
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5Alive
Salt Lake City
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First time I went to the "Cape" was in '76. I was a kid, but I still remember that it was much more open back then now. I remember seeing the shuttle in its huge building. I think we walked right up the the big doors and looked in, although I could be wrong. I've been told I couldn't have seen the shuttle in '76 (first launch was in '81), but it was there. It looked complete, but for all I know it was an empty shell, it was there though.
Later, about '91 or so, I got a driving tour of the old launch pads by a Navy officer that was stationed there. You'd be surprised at how many overgrown old launch pads there are. I guess early on they built a new pad for just about every test and mission.
Last experience was when I was on a ship in the Atlantic. I suppose were were there as some sort of emergency response in case something happened. Not that we could do anything except look for debris. About the only thing we could see was tiny light in the night sky.
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