Author Topic: SpX/CRS-10 launch and landing viewing (Read 30358 times)

wxmeddler · « **Reply #20 on:** 02/04/2017 01:03 am »

Quote from: Jim on 02/03/2017 12:08 pm

28.532443, -80.616868

I am going to try here. Splitting the difference and it is on berm

That location is behind the guard gate, not likely that you will be allowed to that place if you are public w/o a press pass.

Jim · « **Reply #21 on:** 02/04/2017 01:00 pm »

Quote from: wxmeddler on 02/04/2017 01:03 am

That location is behind the guard gate, not likely that you will be allowed to that place if you are public w/o a press pass.

I work there, I have many badges

CyndyC · « **Reply #22 on:** 02/04/2017 08:44 pm »

It's got a bit awkward for me because Johnny Depp's mom is an extended family friend.

teetlebomb · « **Reply #23 on:** 02/07/2017 06:25 pm »

Is CRS/SpX-10 planned to head Northward or Southward?

Me and the family will be on vacation at Daytona Beach on the 17th (escaping some of the Wisconsin cold). Considering driving down to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch and landing.

Follow-up: If planning to watch from Jetty Park (good idea, bad idea?), with a roughly 10:11 launch (I think I saw that somewhere), when should I plan to arrive at Jetty Park? will there be a crowd I should be planning for?

sghill · « **Reply #24 on:** 02/07/2017 06:38 pm »

Quote from: teetlebomb on 02/07/2017 06:25 pm

Is CRS/SpX-10 planned to head Northward or Southward?

Me and the family will be on vacation at Daytona Beach on the 17th (escaping some of the Wisconsin cold). Considering driving down to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch and landing.

Follow-up: If planning to watch from Jetty Park (good idea, bad idea?), with a roughly 10:11 launch (I think I saw that somewhere), when should I plan to arrive at Jetty Park? will there be a crowd I should be planning for?

There will be plenty of parking at the Jetty Park and nearby. You can get there whenever you want for unmanned launches.

The booster will be hidden at the jetty until its aloft, so I personally don't go there unless I have kids in tow, and I want them to play on the beach.

You can see the pad from Rt. 401 across from the cruise terminal. I get there around an hour early for unmanned launches because parking is on the shoulder only, and once it's full, it's full. The cops cruise up and down the road, but they only care about keeping you off the travel lanes.

Exploration Tower will offer the best launch view from the port area, and the best landing view from anywhere for a LZ-1 landing. You have to pay though.

The roof deck at FishLips offers good views and great seafood if you want to hang out in case there are delays. However, a launch delay won't be an option on a CRS flight. It'll be flight or no flight that day.

You can get closer by going to the space center and buying a ticket. They are pricey for something that ~~likely won't~~ may not happen.

teetlebomb · « **Reply #25 on:** 02/07/2017 07:01 pm »

Quote from: sghill on 02/07/2017 06:38 pm

Quote from: teetlebomb on 02/07/2017 06:25 pm
Is CRS/SpX-10 planned to head Northward or Southward?

Me and the family will be on vacation at Daytona Beach on the 17th (escaping some of the Wisconsin cold). Considering driving down to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch and landing.

Follow-up: If planning to watch from Jetty Park (good idea, bad idea?), with a roughly 10:11 launch (I think I saw that somewhere), when should I plan to arrive at Jetty Park? will there be a crowd I should be planning for?

There will be plenty of parking at the Jetty Park and nearby. You can get there whenever you want for unmanned launches.

The booster will be hidden at the jetty until its aloft, so I don't go there unless I have kids in tow, and I want them to play on the beach.

You can see the pad from Rt. 401 across from the cruise terminal. I get there around an hour early for unmanned launches because parking is on the shoulder only, and once it's full, it's full. The cops cruise up and down the road, but they only care about keeping you off the travel lanes.

Exploration Tower will offer the best launch view from the port area, and the best landing view from anywhere for a LZ-1 landing. You have to pay though.

The roof deck at FishLips offers good views and great seafood if you want to hang out, but a launch delay won't be an option on a CRS flight. It's be flight or no flight that day.

You can get closer by going to the space center and buying a ticket. They are pricey for something that ~~may not~~ likely won't happen.

Thanx sghill - Awesome information!

I saw STS-131 from the NASA causeway. We are considering the space center (haven't been there since Atlantis moved in). The kids are coming (13,12,8), and I thought Jetty Park might give them something to do.

I will have to look into Exploration Tower. I haven't heard of that, but the website looks promising and states they open at 10 am, so it might do the trick!

leetdan · « **Reply #26 on:** 02/07/2017 07:11 pm »

Has it been confirmed that Playalinda will be open for 39A F9 launches?

(or looking ahead, for FH?)

sghill · « **Reply #27 on:** 02/07/2017 07:23 pm »

Quote from: leetdan on 02/07/2017 07:11 pm

Has it been confirmed that Playalinda will be open for 39A F9 launches?

(or looking ahead, for FH?)

That's an excellent question, and I have an answer from the park service headquarters there for you ((321) 267-1110).

The nice lady there has told me that the South District (the part closest to the pads) are open for all launches now. I reminded her that space shuttle used to close the beach, and she told me: "It had bigger boom and tighter security needs."

So there you are.

teetlebomb · « **Reply #28 on:** 02/07/2017 07:31 pm »

Sounds like we are planning a picnic for Playalinda!

ThanX for all the footwork. I have just packed my tripod and extra cameras.

Orbiter · « **Reply #29 on:** 02/07/2017 08:20 pm »

Quote from: sghill on 02/07/2017 07:23 pm

Quote from: leetdan on 02/07/2017 07:11 pm
Has it been confirmed that Playalinda will be open for 39A F9 launches?

(or looking ahead, for FH?)

That's an excellent question, and I have an answer from the park service headquarters there for you ((321) 267-1110).

The nice lady there has told me that the South District (the part closest to the pads) are open for all launches now. I reminded her that space shuttle used to close the beach, and she told me: "It had bigger boom and tighter security needs."

So there you are.

Well, they'll definitely close it for an SLS launch!

ChrisGebhardt · « **Reply #30 on:** 02/08/2017 03:52 pm »

Quote from: teetlebomb on 02/07/2017 06:25 pm

Is CRS/SpX-10 planned to head Northward or Southward?

Northeast. Nothing from Cape can go Southeast because of overflight restrictions for The Bahamas.

c · « **Reply #31 on:** 02/08/2017 04:40 pm »

RE: Playalinda Beach

Hey teetlebomb - there's a reason sghill calls Playalinda the happiest place on Earth. It's a clothing optional beach ;-) You'll be fine on the south end but walking north along the beach is always interesting.

I've heard from two separate sources that Playalinda (Cape Canaveral National Seashore) is open. I'm surprised as the southern most point of the beach (up against the fence of CCAFS) is well under 3 miles to 39A. Woopie!

RE: Launch

39A opens up a lot of low cost / free viewing options. Max Brewer bridge, Max Brewer Hway or Playlinda Beach road are all great spots. IT WILL BE CROWDED since this is the first launch from 39A in awhile. I'll give away my secret spots to anyone bringing the bloody marys.

There is NO good landing viewing from this area.

RE: Landing

Best spots were already covered above by sghill & others. Jetty Park is your best bet but it'll be packed. There are other good options in that area. Just remember, you won't be able to see the actual touchdown due to the berms.

Happy launch day,
c

Walter S · « **Reply #32 on:** 02/08/2017 04:55 pm »

Why is everyone so skeptical about Playalinda being open and refusing to believe the NPS and established sources? Playalinda is still not as close as the LC-39 tickets sold by the KSCVC for Atlas viewing.

ZachS09 · « **Reply #33 on:** 02/08/2017 05:05 pm »

Quote from: Walter S on 02/08/2017 04:55 pm

Why is everyone so skeptical about Playalinda being open and refusing to believe the NPS and established sources? Playalinda is still not as close as the LC-39 tickets sold by the KSCVC for Atlas viewing.

For those of you who already heard my opinion, disregard the following answer to Walter S's question.

My reason is because SpX-10 is going northeast and could possibly fly over the Playalinda spectators, which is why I think any debris from a failure could impact the viewing area.

c · « **Reply #34 on:** 02/08/2017 05:13 pm »

Quote from: Walter S on 02/08/2017 04:55 pm

Why is everyone so skeptical about Playalinda being open and refusing to believe the NPS and established sources? Playalinda is still not as close as the LC-39 tickets sold by the KSCVC for Atlas viewing.

No doubt. LC39 is a spectacular 2.3 miles to pad 41 (that should be a bucket list item for anyone on these boards). BUT... Playalinda if more "public" than LC39 and I doubt the same safety protocols are in place. Seems there are valid reasons to be skeptical. That's not to say I won't be first in line at the ranger station ;-)

c

Walter S · « **Reply #35 on:** 02/08/2017 05:16 pm »

Quote from: ZachS09 on 02/08/2017 05:05 pm

Quote from: Walter S on 02/08/2017 04:55 pm
Why is everyone so skeptical about Playalinda being open and refusing to believe the NPS and established sources? Playalinda is still not as close as the LC-39 tickets sold by the KSCVC for Atlas viewing.

For those of you who already heard my opinion, disregard the following answer to Walter S's question.

My reason is because SpX-10 is going northeast and could possibly fly over the Playalinda spectators, which is why I think any debris from a failure could impact the viewing area.

I am not understanding? The rocket does not fly up the beach! If that was the case, wouldn't any launch with that trajectory be a threat, be it from 40 or 41? The FTS would blow it up as soon as it went five feet off course.

Getting hundreds of spectators off an observation gantry down to buses seems like more of a danger to me.

edkyle99 · « **Reply #36 on:** 02/08/2017 05:22 pm »

Playalinda was always closed for Shuttle launches from 39A. Why wouldn't it also be closed for Falcon launches?

- Ed Kyle

teetlebomb · « **Reply #37 on:** 02/08/2017 05:28 pm »

Quote from: edkyle99 on 02/08/2017 05:22 pm

Playalinda was always closed for Shuttle launches from 39A. Why wouldn't it also be closed for Falcon launches?

- Ed Kyle

As sghill said yesterday:

Quote from: sghill on 02/07/2017 07:23 pm

That's an excellent question, and I have an answer from the park service headquarters there for you ((321) 267-1110).

The nice lady there has told me that the South District (the part closest to the pads) are open for all launches now. I reminded her that space shuttle used to close the beach, and she told me: "It had bigger boom and tighter security needs."

So there you are.

Walter S · « **Reply #38 on:** 02/08/2017 05:59 pm »

The NPS may very well re-evaluate their stance on the launch viewing, however, in the past week, they have said the beach would be open. What I am trying to get across is that is is not unprecedented for the public to be this close to a rocket launch. The Delta II launched for years just three miles from peoples homes for instance and we all know they had their problems. As with anything, it is still best to call ahead before making the long trip over!

teetlebomb · « **Reply #39 on:** 02/08/2017 09:11 pm »

According to Launch Photography(http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html), NPS is reassessing having Playalinda open. As Walter S says, I best be calling ahead.