Viewing a Space Shuttle launch

[masraum]

My mother and I are visiting some relatives in Vero Beach in May. I've planned the trip to coincide with a Space Shuttle launch May 14th. Hopefully it doesn't get pushed back to the previous day.

Where is a good location to watch a space shuttle launch from? I suspect it's a bit late to try to get too close, especially since the shuttle program is winding down.

I'm hoping that there are some folks that are semi-local that can tell me some best kept secrets.

I went to college in FL in the late 80s and early 90s and never went to watch a launch. I'd really like for myself and my mother to get to see a launch before the program ends. If May doesn't work out, I might have to make a Shuttle launch only trip to one of the other summer launches.

Thanks

[BRPORSCHE]

Steve, get in touch with mad mike. Send him a pm. He texted me last night with this very question.

[masraum]

Thanks, will do.

[mikester]

Dude, we are totally planning for the same launch. I'll send you a message tomorrow.

[HardDrive]

Please post where you guys are discussing going. I would love to hop down there with my 6 year old and see it.

[Heel n Toe]

Anyone seen a Shuttle launch?

[masraum]

Cool, this post from the other thread looks promising.

Originally Posted by Gene-o

Go to Titusville and stop at Manzo Park, it's less crowded than Spaceview Park.

Plan on getting there a good 3-4 hours before launch. You can park at the shopping mall across Rt 1 from Manzo. Be sure to bring some binoculars or a spotter scope. Don't forget to pack a picnic lunch and bring a radio.

Understand that there will be a good chance that the launch will be scrubbed for the day. If so, walk back to the shopping center and order a pizza. Hang out there for about 2 hrs. By then the traffic will have subsided somewhat.

If it's a successful launch, still go back to the shopping center and have some pizza. You want to let some of the traffic get out of town.

One thing you'll notice is how bright the exhaust is! Enjoy!

It should be a 65 mile trip from my Aunt's house for us. I just hope we get lucky and this is one of the launches that happens on time, or at least the same day.

[carreradpt]

My wife and I just watched Discovery last week. It was a 0621 launch and about 0515 we left the house and drove up to the Canaveral Causeway and found a nice spot to back the truck up to off the road. We joined about 5000 of our closest friends who had the same idea. We could see the Shuttle pretty clearly as it sat on the pad all lit up with spotlights. And the most miraculous part about the whole deal was that it launched exactly on time. That was the last of the scheduled nighttime launches. Hell we could see rocket launches from Daytona, 60 miles north no matter the cloud cover. A local radio station has the play by play.

[masraum]

Back in 1993 or 1994 I lived on the opposite side of FL (Tampa, Gulf Coast), and I was working one morning at about 720 when the guy on the radio said, "if you go outside and look east you should be able to see the shuttle." Well I did, and even from that distance, it was pretty awe inspiring. I can't even imagine what it'll be like in close proximity.

[masraum]

Woo Hoo, less than a week to go and the weather is supposed to be just fine.

Fingers crossed.

[masraum]

We're here at Manzo park as suggested. The weather is spectacular, 80ish with a great breeze. We can see both of the pads in the launch facility 39. Fingers crossed on a good launch.

[Heel n Toe]

Looks like it's gonna happen, even though there was a slight hitch when they discovered... what? ...a ball bearing... somewhere and had to make sure it was okay to go ahead.

It's being reported that there is double the normal number of spectators.

[Heel n Toe]

0 - approx. 1 mile per second in 120 seconds. Gotta love it.

[BRPORSCHE]

Goodluck Atlantis!

[masraum]

The launch was spectacular! I took lots of pictures. The sound was amazing, and launch was perfect. We're getting pizza as suggested watching 1000 other people sit in traffic.

[Super_Dave_D]

I watched it from my parking lot at work - amazing that I can see it 100 miles away!

[mikester]

I saw it from the space center and it was fantastic. My kids loved it (2 year old said 'Rocket! AGAIN!!!) Couldn't take his eyes off of it as it went up.

The 5 year old was reenacting it with his new toy space shuttle in the car, in the traffic on the way out.

We went with my Dad and his Wife, they drove. Big mistake. Ridonkulous.

We got there at 9am which was quite early but it was so crowded we basically didn't get to do much for hours. We went and looked at the display of the shuttle and then went through the gift shop and then to get something to lunch. By then we only had about an hour to the launch. After the launch my dad was like 'Let's Go.' Our original plans were to spend the entire day there - not leave before 3pm. I was ready to go look at the rest of the exhibits but apparently his wife needed a cigarette so bad she was willing to simply leave and wait for us in the car without any further discussion. **ck the fact that we flew cross country, bought the tickets and the resort accommodations to make the whole thing possible and had 3 kids (myself included) who have been dreaming about space flight their entire lives and wanted to see the f'ing exhibits! So, we left at 3pm to get to our hotel in cocoa (Ron Jon's) and didn't get to it until 5:30.

In the elevator my dad says 'aren't you glad we left early so we made it back to the hotel without messing with all that traffic?"

WTF?!

Man I could not be more irritated....

So now I'm going to have to go back tomorrow to see the rest of the stuff instead of just relaxing at the resort, maybe fishing a bit and what not.

Or...just let it go and keep the place on my list.

[bell]

mike.....if it's not so crowded it would be much more enjoyable looking at the exhibits at you and your kids' pace, then having to deal with giant volumes of people.....i would head back, traffic on launch days are stupid......so any other day shouldn't be too bad.....

i was busy at the shop and totally missed the launch, even though i had an alarm set on my phone LOL

[Gogar]

Thanks, Atlantis.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Thanks, Atlantis.

You have GOT to be kidding me!

That is just too damn cool.