Author Topic: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)  (Read 124450 times)

Online Orbiter

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #120 on: 11/11/2008 04:16 am »
Spaceboy, the little cape area were N Washington Ave and S Hopkins Ave meet seems to be the best place.
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Offline Andrewwski

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #121 on: 11/11/2008 04:57 am »
I believe that's the location of Spaceview Park.  Good location, but probably going to be packed, especially seeing as it's a Friday night.

Just go to Titusville and go down US1.  Pull in anywhere along the water that you can see the pads from.  View is good from pretty much anywhere in Titusville.
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Offline astrobrian

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #122 on: 11/11/2008 12:20 pm »
Photos taken today at KSC by me
wow, were you by chance on the 9:50 tour or later? cause we were there too
« Last Edit: 11/11/2008 12:24 pm by astrobrian »

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #123 on: 11/11/2008 12:49 pm »
Photos taken today at KSC by me
wow, were you by chance on the 9:50 tour or later? cause we were there too

I had the 10.20 bus tour (up close tour)...
Jacques :-)

Offline Aobrien

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #124 on: 11/11/2008 02:02 pm »
Just wanted to make sure that if I pull in any where on Titusville coast and can see the pads, will it still be as good as space view park?
Also just wondering if from Titusvill can you feel the rumble of of the SRB's igniting?

Thanks ;)
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Offline Andrewwski

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #125 on: 11/11/2008 03:32 pm »
Yes...the distance is pretty much the same from anywhere along the river in Titusville.

You may not feel the rumble of the SRB's, but you'll hear them.  Because sound travels much slower than light, it'll take you a long time to hear them (about 50 seconds to a minute after launch).  If you're going to feel anything, it'll be then.  By then, the vehicle is almost at SRB sep.

If the water is still (no waves) I've heard you can see the rumble creating waves across the water.
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Offline Aobrien

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #126 on: 11/11/2008 03:39 pm »
Ok Thanks I guess I will just find some where along the coast that isn't super crowded.(If there is) :)
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Offline trebloc

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #127 on: 11/11/2008 10:42 pm »
I guess KCS visitor centre is going to be closed on Friday unless you have a viewing ticket. If launch is delayed to saturday and then sunday, will the visitor center remain closed to visits?
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Offline ChrisGebhardt

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #128 on: 11/11/2008 11:21 pm »
Photos taken today at KSC by me
wow, were you by chance on the 9:50 tour or later? cause we were there too

I had the 10.20 bus tour (up close tour)...



Regarless, you'll both meet each other Thursday night at Dixie Crossroads! :)

Offline Andrewwski

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #129 on: 11/12/2008 12:42 am »
I guess KCS visitor centre is going to be closed on Friday unless you have a viewing ticket. If launch is delayed to saturday and then sunday, will the visitor center remain closed to visits?

Yes, AFAIK the tickets for Friday would be the ones accepted for that day.
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Offline ChrisGebhardt

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #130 on: 11/12/2008 12:57 am »
I believe that's the location of Spaceview Park.  Good location, but probably going to be packed, especially seeing as it's a Friday night.

Just go to Titusville and go down US1.  Pull in anywhere along the water that you can see the pads from.  View is good from pretty much anywhere in Titusville.


Just FYI, some places along US-1 will make you pay for parking.

Offline Andrewwski

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #131 on: 11/12/2008 02:41 am »
Yup...I believe that I may have mentioned that in an earlier post.

During STS-118 most places seemed to charge between $5 and $10.  Reasonable to me as they want $25 to park at a football game around here...

By the time I got up to Titusville, there was actually no parking spaces left in Spaceview park (and this was about 4 hours before launch).  They were directing people to some field about a half mile away and you'd have to walk to and from your car (not bad, unless you wanted to keep going back and forth to it throughout the day as we did).

So it made more sense to pay the $10 and park close and be in a convienent location.
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Offline chezbippy12

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #132 on: 11/12/2008 08:11 pm »
Question for you experts..
 

This is my first launch view ever, (LTT luckily). If there is a lot of clouds does that make the launch not as spectacular to view? Especially since it is a night launch, would we rather wait the 24, or 48 hours if it meant a better "view" of the shuttle? Does the ISS Shuttle go straigh up? Arched? Sorry for noob ?'s just my first time. Flight leaves tommorow AM.  cannot wait and thank you all...

Online DaveS

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #133 on: 11/12/2008 08:17 pm »
No launch vehicle just goes "straight up". They form an arc as that's how you get into orbit, it's the horizontal velocity that matters the most, not the altitude. So in order to build up that horizontal velocity, you need to pitch-over which results in an arc-looking trajectory.
« Last Edit: 11/12/2008 09:25 pm by DaveS »
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Offline Andrewwski

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #134 on: 11/12/2008 09:01 pm »
Yep...for ISS it arcs north.  Since ISS is 51.6 degree inclination, it's quite a bit north  (as opposed to around 28 degrees...which would be pretty much east).  Since you're looking west-east if you're in Titusville, or southwest-northeast if on the causeway, you'll see quite a bit of arc. It is also traveling east, but when looking west-east you can't really notice that.

Here's one of my pictures from STS-118 in Titusville to illustrate.
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Offline dannyshuttle5

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #135 on: 11/13/2008 10:53 pm »
STS-126 in Google Earth

Offline Ronsmytheiii

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #136 on: 11/13/2008 11:02 pm »
STS-126 in Google Earth

Very cool, it would be nice if we could get a real time track...but that is probably way too complicated.

Offline Andrewwski

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #137 on: 11/13/2008 11:11 pm »
Do you have any capability to calculate how far away MECO will be visible from?

I've seen sighting tracks in the past that put me either right on the edge of or outside of it (I'm in Buffalo NY).

I could get a very clear view of the low eastern sky.

Also...I see Chris now has a new thread for Launch/FD1.
« Last Edit: 11/13/2008 11:12 pm by Andrewwski »
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Offline postalworker

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #138 on: 11/13/2008 11:57 pm »
Do you have any capability to calculate how far away MECO will be visible from?

I've seen sighting tracks in the past that put me either right on the edge of or outside of it (I'm in Buffalo NY).

I could get a very clear view of the low eastern sky.

I've witnessed MECO and ET separation low, below the tree line from the southern NC coast at Cape Lookout.  This was a similar night launch and was favored with extremely clear, post frontal skies.  If you have a low [<5 degree] horizon, I'd go fer it!  Binoculars a must, with a fast short tube scope preferred.

Best of luck,
Jeff

Offline bkellysky

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Re: STS-126: Viewing (Going to the Launch etc.)
« Reply #139 on: 11/14/2008 12:29 am »
Sorry I can't find a copy right now, but a web site - I believe space.com, had a map of visibility of an ISS shuttle launch a few launches ago.  I've seen several night STS launches as a bright point of light low in the southeast from about T+5 min to MECO, from just north of NYC.  I think Buffalo, NY was at the edge of the visibility area.  An altavista image search may turn it up.

bob
 

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