Shuttle launch - how best to see while in Florida?

debsy42

August 2007 we were really lucky to see the launch of this shuttle mission.

We drove down to Cocoa Beach and found a strip of land next to one of the bridges and parked up there. Quite a few other people were doing this as well, no problems as there was loads of room. We found a radio station and tuned into the countdown from mission control.

We saw the shuttle going up and then about 20 seconds later the boom, the noise was incredible. It was truly one of the most fantastic things I've ever seen. I definately wouldn't pay to go anywhere and watch it, there's so many places you can watch it from for free.

jonesMUFCforever

Incapuppy wrote: »

I'm talking 15 years back but we just drove up to a nearby beach (I think it was about 7 miles away) parked up and had a fabulous view.

Wonder if its the same one I went to at Veterans Cove near Tuitsville (spelling?) - which have concrete hand prints of all of the Apollo astronauts.
It's about 8 miles across from Kennedy space centre.

JackRS

Two_Hoots wrote: »

I will keep my fingers crossed for you. If you do see the launch could you up date these posts with your experience I'd love to hear.

Enjoy Florida

We had a great and very long day which started at 4:15am, couldn’t believe how many people were at KSC. It was a lovely hot day with blue skies, Discovery launched on time and we had a fantastic view from the causeway. Took over 4 hours to get back to Orlando due to the traffic but a small price to pay. According to NASA website just read that it could have been canceled, see below:

The launch came after a last-minute technical glitch with the Air Force's Eastern Range that left only four seconds in the launch window and a practical limit of two seconds because of draining requirements with the external fuel tank.

Got some photo’s and film clips to share if you’re really interested? May need to wait until back in England, fly back Monday 28th Feb.

BillTrac

Lucky you, looked perfect from here, even the launch director said it was ine for the books.

Love to see your stuff.

Next launch April 19th then final shuttle launch June 28th.

I think I may make a special trip over for the final one.

Went to Florida several times in the 90s generally for Thanksgiving time. 1990 as we flew into the airport the pilot said we would be down quickly as a shuttle was due to launch. (So I guess airspace is restricted around launch time). Landed, got hire car, drove to hotel, put tv on to see launch. Then went outside to see this orange glow in the distance.

'92 we were on a day tour of Kennedy and as we got off the bus we saw signs for the shuttle launch. It was the cost of a day tour then, $26 for the four of us. Bit more now though. Had special pass to get onto Kennedy, bacon rolls in the 'terminal', bus out to the beach (which stayed so you could strectch out and wait) where they had tannoys so you could hear Mission control talking to the astronauts, coffee huts etc. I guess there were a couple of thousand people there. At t-60 the noise level lowered slightly, more so at t-30. Well, at t-10 you could have heard a pin drop (onto sand at that.:rotfl:)

Well, as said in an earlier post you see the steam, and the shuttle lifts off and you don't hear a thing. Until a couple of seconds later when the noise comes rolling across and wow!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, to waffle. Great, fantastic memories. Luckily all on video..:T

JackRS

Sounds similar BillTrac, assuming the beach is the same thing as the causeway and it launched from 39A? Oh and it now costs a fortune to see it there unless you get a ticket from KSC in the ballot/draw. Otherwise you have to get it from a coach tour company, Virgin were offering the same thing for $50 a ticket more, so that can be avoided. Like I said I'll post some links to video clip of launch from where we were, obviously you get better videos of the launch from Nasa site or from others with proper cameras. my son took a clip with his digital camera without any zoom so you can see what it was actually like. We don't have the right cables to upload it here. Off to Wet and Wild now for some wet thrills...

Incapuppy

So glad your luck was in Jack RS, it remains one of the most fantastic things I have ever had the privilege to witness; I actually found it quite emotional and shed a few tears!

We had it all on video but ex-OH got custody of that!

JackRS

Ditto that Incapuppy, the tears bit.

Incapuppy

It's funny, when I got up the other morning (Thursday?) and saw the shuttle launch on the breakfast news, my first thoughts were: 'oooh, I hope that chap from MSE saw it!'

Not sure how long the shuttle is up for or how long you are away; no matter about being away - this website will configure for anywhere worldwide, but it shows the times that the shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) will be visible to the naked eye.

I *may* be guilty of standing in my back garden and jumping up and down and waving whenever they fly over :wave:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

welda

Just noticed this thread, we had the priviledge to view billions of $$$$$'s heading skyward and into space 2001, we found a good spot on the India River (CoCoa Beach) have pics and video footage, one of those experiences that will be difficult to beat, one point I will never forget as I was sitting on car roof filming. Radio was on playing take off coverage, I recall narrator stating " now 17 mile high and soon to jettison booster rockets" which were like matchsticks from a distance, it was at this point I remember hearing the thunderous roar from shuttle, I could also feel the shock waves hitting me from 17+ miles high, anyone else share a similar experience?

:beer:

Ps, night take off must be an awesome sight too!!

pippa93

I saw one Oct 2007 from Kennedy- absolutely amazing experience, and one very few people will have now.

They gave us a number to ring which told us the probability that it would launch on that day- I remember ringing up on the morning (morning launch so about 5am!) and hearing that there was an 80% chance it wasn't going to go due to weather conditions, but it still did so don't be too disheartened if you hear that.

I remember very vividly watching it take off and thinking, "this is OK, but now what?" and then the sound hitting me - almost knocked me off my feet and I could understand why the 'regulars' were sitting down.

IMO, it's worth whatever price you have to pay, although we bought direct from Kennedy. Night launch might be even better, as it was a very, very early start from Orlando, and a lovely vibe with all the elderly American men who have been to many launches in their time.