Author Topic: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, landing etc.)  (Read 580889 times)

Offline onesys01

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #20 on: 04/26/2010 10:28 pm »
I can't believe my luck. I arranged a 22 day vacation beginning July 27 specifically intending to watch this launch. We're coming all the way from Utah, and didn't even get park tickets because this was going to be our highlight of the trip. We have a cruise at the latter part of this period, but it's going to be a sad one without having witnessed what I've wanted to see my entire life. All the extra time was to allow for slips and scrubs.

I am so upset, LOL.

What a sucky turn of events.

Offline Furner

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #21 on: 04/27/2010 12:37 am »
I can't believe my luck. I arranged a 22 day vacation beginning July 27 specifically intending to watch this launch. We're coming all the way from Utah, and didn't even get park tickets because this was going to be our highlight of the trip. We have a cruise at the latter part of this period, but it's going to be a sad one without having witnessed what I've wanted to see my entire life. All the extra time was to allow for slips and scrubs.

I am so upset, LOL.

What a sucky turn of events.

I thought I had it bad, I have non-refundable plane tickets for STS-134 in July.

Offline John M

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #22 on: 04/27/2010 12:46 am »
WHAT? No July launch? Is it official?

Offline Andy USA

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #23 on: 04/27/2010 01:19 am »
WHAT? No July launch? Is it official?

Hmmm, you might be one of those that doesn't know this is the news site and breaks all the stories. It just happens to have a forum.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/04/shuttle-schedule-extended-sts-134-slip-to-november/

Also see the links in that article that show the history of this slip, something that's been coming for a few months now.

If dates change, this site where you'll see it first. Or you can wait several hours and watch the other sites scramble to quote a PAO. Was funny to watch today. Broken the news, and the memo quotes here, silence, then NASA officially release it, other sites scramble.

Offline TISM

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #24 on: 04/27/2010 11:25 am »
I can't believe my luck. I arranged a 22 day vacation beginning July 27 specifically intending to watch this launch. We're coming all the way from Utah, and didn't even get park tickets because this was going to be our highlight of the trip. We have a cruise at the latter part of this period, but it's going to be a sad one without having witnessed what I've wanted to see my entire life. All the extra time was to allow for slips and scrubs.

I am so upset, LOL.

What a sucky turn of events.

I thought I had it bad, I have non-refundable plane tickets for STS-134 in July.

Sorry to hear of these schedule affects, however you may end up seeing "a" launch if you stay with your plans, not the same as a shuttle but a nice consolation?

Schedule as of today on spaceflightnow.com:

July 21     Falcon 9  •  Dragon C1
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first active Dragon spacecraft, called Dragon C1. The mission will demonstrate the capabilities of the Dragon in a four-and-a-half hour test flight. The company is building the Dragon to fly on resupply missions to the International Space Station. Delayed from 2nd Quarter. [March 15]

July 30     Atlas 5  •  AEHF 1
Launch window: 0852-1052 GMT (4:52-6:52 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 (AV-019) rocket will launch the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft will provide highly-secure communications. The rocket will fly in the 531 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from July 2009. [March 25]

Offline spacedog71

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #25 on: 04/27/2010 12:59 pm »
feel free to double-check my math here...

assuming an approximate twenty-four minute rollback to a launch window every 24 hours, if STS-133 is trying for 11:57 am on september 16th, and thanksgiving is 69 days later, shouldn't that put a launch attempt on november 26th at about 8 in the morning?

so we're kind of back where we started with the july 29th window -- an all-nighter at KSCVC and the causeway, heading towards a just-after-sunrise launch (dawn is 6:57 am in orlando on black friday), with the tantalizing potential for STS-131-esque twilight gorgeousness if it's pushed only a few days later than that.

does that sound right?

Offline onesys01

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #26 on: 04/27/2010 01:56 pm »
I can't believe my luck. I arranged a 22 day vacation beginning July 27 specifically intending to watch this launch. We're coming all the way from Utah, and didn't even get park tickets because this was going to be our highlight of the trip. We have a cruise at the latter part of this period, but it's going to be a sad one without having witnessed what I've wanted to see my entire life. All the extra time was to allow for slips and scrubs.

I am so upset, LOL.

What a sucky turn of events.

I thought I had it bad, I have non-refundable plane tickets for STS-134 in July.

Sorry to hear of these schedule affects, however you may end up seeing "a" launch if you stay with your plans, not the same as a shuttle but a nice consolation?

Schedule as of today on spaceflightnow.com:

July 21     Falcon 9  •  Dragon C1
Launch window: TBD
Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the first active Dragon spacecraft, called Dragon C1. The mission will demonstrate the capabilities of the Dragon in a four-and-a-half hour test flight. The company is building the Dragon to fly on resupply missions to the International Space Station. Delayed from 2nd Quarter. [March 15]

July 30     Atlas 5  •  AEHF 1
Launch window: 0852-1052 GMT (4:52-6:52 a.m. EDT)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 (AV-019) rocket will launch the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft will provide highly-secure communications. The rocket will fly in the 531 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from July 2009. [March 25]

I guess I will take what I can get of course. There is no way to reschedule the trip anyway as it is being paid for with frequent flier miles, early reservations (non-refunable) and what not, still it sure is dissappointing.
« Last Edit: 04/27/2010 01:57 pm by onesys01 »

Offline hopeful

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #27 on: 04/29/2010 04:35 pm »
So, is it too early to take the kids out of school and plan an extended Thanksgiving holiday 11/25-? of a week or so :)  I almost had one other chance to see a launch which ended up being scubbed due to weather.  So, I would like to at least get the actual week right if at all possibe!  Nice heads up on the Clariion hotel in Titusville - where everyone will probably be :) 

Offline psloss

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #28 on: 04/29/2010 05:39 pm »
So, is it too early to take the kids out of school and plan an extended Thanksgiving holiday 11/25-? of a week or so :)  I almost had one other chance to see a launch which ended up being scubbed due to weather.  So, I would like to at least get the actual week right if at all possibe!  Nice heads up on the Clariion hotel in Titusville - where everyone will probably be :) 
Not too early to be thinking about plans, but definitely too early to be making any financial commitments.  It's probably going to be well into the summer (Northern Hemisphere) before there's more clarity on schedules, launch opportunities, etc.
« Last Edit: 04/29/2010 05:41 pm by psloss »

Offline ChrisGebhardt

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #29 on: 04/29/2010 08:54 pm »
feel free to double-check my math here...

assuming an approximate twenty-four minute rollback to a launch window every 24 hours, if STS-133 is trying for 11:57 am on september 16th, and thanksgiving is 69 days later, shouldn't that put a launch attempt on november 26th at about 8 in the morning?

so we're kind of back where we started with the july 29th window -- an all-nighter at KSCVC and the causeway, heading towards a just-after-sunrise launch (dawn is 6:57 am in orlando on black friday), with the tantalizing potential for STS-131-esque twilight gorgeousness if it's pushed only a few days later than that.

does that sound right?

Yes, approximately that is the correct time ballpark figure you can expect for a Thanksgiving day launch.

Offline Jorge

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #30 on: 04/30/2010 02:39 am »
So, is it too early to take the kids out of school and plan an extended Thanksgiving holiday 11/25-? of a week or so :)

Way too early. 11/26 is a work-to date and is clearly labeled as such in NASA's internal documentation. Base your plans on it and you will get burned, period.
JRF

Offline Orbiter

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #31 on: 04/30/2010 03:26 pm »
Out of curiosity, is a launch in the given November time frame a Night or day launch? I'd love a night launch as long as its before 11 p.m, then all the historic stuff on orbit will happen at night and I really don't want to be up on a work night for that.

Orbiter
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Offline spacedog71

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #32 on: 04/30/2010 04:18 pm »
Out of curiosity, is a launch in the given November time frame a Night or day launch? I'd love a night launch as long as its before 11 p.m, then all the historic stuff on orbit will happen at night and I really don't want to be up on a work night for that.

Orbiter

go back two posts.

Offline SpaceWriter

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #33 on: 05/26/2010 11:53 pm »
This may be premature, but I'm curious if anyone on this forum is making plans, or is aware of a group making plans, to make the trip to Cape Canaveral to view the final space shuttle launch.

Is anyone doing anything special for this final launch? 

Did anyone see the first launch and hasn't seen one since? 

Offline LoveMrEd

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #34 on: 05/28/2010 03:50 pm »
FYI--the Clarion in Titusville is CLOSING---will no longer be a hotel, I have been told that it may used as a religious retreat.

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100519/BUSINESS/5190327/1006/news01/Titusville+Clarion+Inn+closing

« Last Edit: 05/28/2010 03:56 pm by LoveMrEd »

Online PahTo

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #35 on: 05/28/2010 04:02 pm »

Wow.  Another victim of (imo) misguided national priorities...

Watched Atlantis launch on STS-122 from the second floor breezeway with family and (new found) friends.

>FYI--the Clarion in Titusville is CLOSING---will no longer be a hotel, I have been >told that it may used as a religious retreat.
>
>http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100519/BUSINESS/5190327/1006/news01/Titusville+Clarion+Inn+closing

Offline TheFallen

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #36 on: 06/08/2010 10:51 pm »
Don't know if this pic was already posted on NSF, but what the hey. :)

Offline spacedog71

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #37 on: 06/09/2010 06:26 pm »
someone please check my math here, but i'm calculating a launch window on february 24th, 2011 of approximately 7:20 pm, with sunset at 6:22 pm.

(there are way too many butterflies flapping their wings between now and then to start getting excited about this, and not that day launches aren't awesome, but i LOVE night launches.)  :D

Offline ChrisGebhardt

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #38 on: 06/09/2010 11:32 pm »
someone please check my math here, but i'm calculating a launch window on february 24th, 2011 of approximately 7:20 pm, with sunset at 6:22 pm.

(there are way too many butterflies flapping their wings between now and then to start getting excited about this, and not that day launches aren't awesome, but i LOVE night launches.)  :D


Launch on 24 February 2011 would be ~1630 EST. So no, not a night launch.

Offline Orbiter

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Re: STS-134 Endeavour: Viewing (Going to launch, etc.)
« Reply #39 on: 07/01/2010 04:09 pm »
Launch on February 26th is 4:19 PM EST. That is also a weekend launch.

Orbiter
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