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#80
by
Fourthwall
on 25 Aug, 2008 15:09
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Yeah I only have one problem now - Have the LTT ticket + L with astronout, but need to find a way to KSC which is tricky as I don't drive (being from the UK we dont all drive :-) .
Any suggestions I guess buses etc don't run on launch days?
I know the placard which has to go in the car window is valid for all passangers to get to KSC, so if anyone is interested in a car share??...but I do only have the one ..
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#81
by
jeff2space
on 25 Aug, 2008 15:57
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I heard a lot of people watch the launches from Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral which is on the south side of the Port Canaveral entrance. I think there's a fee to enter the park. I've never seen a shuttle launch from there, good spot though to view CCAFS launches.
If you purchased a LTT ticket print out the STS-125 Launch Transportation Ticket Information pdf from the website you bought the tickets. It has a lot more info. Yes, you'll have to find you're own transportation to KSCVC.
I recommend getting on the bus to the causeway as soon as you can. 1) There are a few island that might block your view of the pad if you end up further east on the causeway. 2) Try to get a spot up front near the ropes, ecspecially if you plan to take photos (you'll need a tripod, remember it's a night launch).
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#82
by
chezbippy12
on 25 Aug, 2008 15:59
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Well my lunch is at 6:30pm, Will I still have a decent amount of time to get a good spot after this event is over?
CAn I skip the lunch part if I wanted to and just go to the Causeway instead? Is it worth it lol? Thanks alot all.
-Jason
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#83
by
jeff2space
on 25 Aug, 2008 16:05
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Well my lunch is at 6:30pm, Will I still have a decent amount of time to get a good spot after this event is over?
CAn I skip the lunch part if I wanted to and just go to the Causeway instead? Is it worth it lol? Thanks alot all.
-Jason
It's a 1:34 AM launch, they won't start loading buses to go out to the causeway until about 10:00 or 11:00 PM. You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the meal and catch the first buses.
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#84
by
chezbippy12
on 25 Aug, 2008 16:08
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Oh thats awsome.
I hope the astronaunt tells me that UFO's DO EXSIST !! lol
-Jason
going to print that pdf file. Thanks for the info...
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#85
by
yorky10
on 25 Aug, 2008 16:19
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Yeah I only have one problem now - Have the LTT ticket + L with astronout, but need to find a way to KSC which is tricky as I don't drive (being from the UK we dont all drive :-) .
Any suggestions I guess buses etc don't run on launch days?
I know the placard which has to go in the car window is valid for all passangers to get to KSC, so if anyone is interested in a car share??...but I do only have the one ..
Where in UK and when are you flying over? We are driving there on launch night but we are driving straight from the airport.
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#86
by
rookie11
on 25 Aug, 2008 16:40
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Ordered a couple causeway tickets without the lunch.
This includes admission to KSC, but are the tours normally open on launch day? This will be our first visit to KSC and we plan on taking advantage of everything KSC has to offer (tours, imax, activities, etc.) and it would really be perfect if KSC is fully open on the launch day since the launch is very late and that would leave us the entire day to take advantage of everything KSC has to offer.
I'm also a little confused about the validity of the tickets. The e-mail states that "the tickets are good for use 2 days within a 7 day period or 1 additional day before or within 7 days following the launch".
So basically, the tickets are valid 2 days (is that for the entire KSC visitor complex?). Is that because on launch day, the tours are not offered so they give those who bought launch tickets an extra admission day (since you need to buy an admission to KSC if you want causeway tickets).
Hope the October 8th launch date holds up.
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#87
by
jeff2space
on 25 Aug, 2008 17:00
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Ordered a couple causeway tickets without the lunch.
This includes admission to KSC, but are the tours normally open on launch day? This will be our first visit to KSC and we plan on taking advantage of everything KSC has to offer (tours, imax, activities, etc.) and it would really be perfect if KSC is fully open on the launch day since the launch is very late and that would leave us the entire day to take advantage of everything KSC has to offer.
I'm also a little confused about the validity of the tickets. The e-mail states that "the tickets are good for use 2 days within a 7 day period or 1 additional day before or within 7 days following the launch".
So basically, the tickets are valid 2 days (is that for the entire KSC visitor complex?). Is that because on launch day, the tours are not offered so they give those who bought launch tickets an extra admission day (since you need to buy an admission to KSC if you want causeway tickets).
Hope the October 8th launch date holds up.
The KSC tour does usually run on launch days (depends on the launch time of course). My guess is tours will run the entire day on Tuesday Oct 7th. Last tour bus departs around 3:00 PM.
All KSCVC admission tickets are good for two days within a 7 day period (whether their launch tickets or not).
Also don't forget to check out the Astronaut Hall of Fame which is west of the visitor center towards Titusville. It's also included with KSCVC admission.
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#88
by
smndk
on 25 Aug, 2008 19:10
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Does anybody know how many LTT tickets NASA sell?
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#89
by
clegg78
on 25 Aug, 2008 20:00
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Hey folks, first time poster here (and new L2 member) - long time space geek and lurker. (Reading a couple good geek books now in fact, the main one is the run down on the Russian Buran program)
I picked up 2 LTT tickets this morning to check out the launch. I am in WI and am planning to drive down a couple days before for some vacation and such. About how early is it recommended to be at the LTT viewing location to get a good seat/view. What restrictions are there on the use of tripods for a camera? I have been to the KSC visitors center as recently as July, but never down there for a launch.
I am also a learning photo geek, any tips/tricks DLSR settings/lenses that are recommended to take night photo's of the shuttle launch? I am assuming its tricky to get a great shot due to the contrast of the bright exhaust and the pitch black night.
I am also thinking of getting on the "Up Close" tour on the 7th to get some nice pics of 2 shuttles on the pad for the last time ever. Which is the primary reason I am heading down to the cape for this... While I understand the STS system in general is considered a failure on many levels, its still what I've grown up with and really want to be there for this last time we will have 2 of them parked on the pads.
From what I've been reading most hotels in the Cocoa Beach area are pretty run down... Any suggestions on a nicer Hotel in the area? We are thinking of staying in Melbourne at a nice 4 star place on the ocean.
Thanks and this site is a wealth of information!
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#90
by
Andrewwski
on 25 Aug, 2008 20:11
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Melbourne is a very nice area. Not too far of a drive from KSC.
There should be some nice places in Cocoa/Titusville as well. Read some of the viewing threads from older launches, I think there's some recommendations in them.
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#91
by
jeff2space
on 25 Aug, 2008 20:23
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Hey folks, first time poster here (and new L2 member) - long time space geek and lurker. (Reading a couple good geek books now in fact, the main one is the run down on the Russian Buran program)
I picked up 2 LTT tickets this morning to check out the launch. I am in WI and am planning to drive down a couple days before for some vacation and such. About how early is it recommended to be at the LTT viewing location to get a good seat/view. What restrictions are there on the use of tripods for a camera? I have been to the KSC visitors center as recently as July, but never down there for a launch.
I am also a learning photo geek, any tips/tricks DLSR settings/lenses that are recommended to take night photo's of the shuttle launch? I am assuming its tricky to get a great shot due to the contrast of the bright exhaust and the pitch black night.
I am also thinking of getting on the "Up Close" tour on the 7th to get some nice pics of 2 shuttles on the pad for the last time ever. Which is the primary reason I am heading down to the cape for this... While I understand the STS system in general is considered a failure on many levels, its still what I've grown up with and really want to be there for this last time we will have 2 of them parked on the pads.
From what I've been reading most hotels in the Cocoa Beach area are pretty run down... Any suggestions on a nicer Hotel in the area? We are thinking of staying in Melbourne at a nice 4 star place on the ocean.
Thanks and this site is a wealth of information!
Welcome fellow Wisconsinite!
Check when you get to KSCVC to see when buses start leaving for the causeway. Probably won't be until 10 or 11 PM. Try to get on the bus as soon as you can. Definitely take a tripod and get up front by the ropes. Also recommend a remote for your camera if you can get one so you can take pictures and watch the launch without looking through the camera. I've seen three launches and the best one was when I wasn't concerned about taking pictures. Take pics of shuttles on pad and play with the settings until your happy with it.
Don't take the "Up Close" tour on the 7th. The will be fueling the shuttle and they will not take you past the pads. They will only stop at the opservation gantry which you can get to through the free KSC tour. I plan to take the "Up Close" tour on the 8th after the launch, hoping they'll go past the pads then and at least see Endeavour up close.
You can find some nice hotels on Cocoa Beach.
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#92
by
yorky10
on 25 Aug, 2008 22:08
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Hey folks, first time poster here (and new L2 member) - long time space geek and lurker. (Reading a couple good geek books now in fact, the main one is the run down on the Russian Buran program)
I picked up 2 LTT tickets this morning to check out the launch. I am in WI and am planning to drive down a couple days before for some vacation and such. About how early is it recommended to be at the LTT viewing location to get a good seat/view. What restrictions are there on the use of tripods for a camera? I have been to the KSC visitors center as recently as July, but never down there for a launch.
I am also a learning photo geek, any tips/tricks DLSR settings/lenses that are recommended to take night photo's of the shuttle launch? I am assuming its tricky to get a great shot due to the contrast of the bright exhaust and the pitch black night.
I am also thinking of getting on the "Up Close" tour on the 7th to get some nice pics of 2 shuttles on the pad for the last time ever. Which is the primary reason I am heading down to the cape for this... While I understand the STS system in general is considered a failure on many levels, its still what I've grown up with and really want to be there for this last time we will have 2 of them parked on the pads.
From what I've been reading most hotels in the Cocoa Beach area are pretty run down... Any suggestions on a nicer Hotel in the area? We are thinking of staying in Melbourne at a nice 4 star place on the ocean.
Thanks and this site is a wealth of information!
Welcome fellow Wisconsinite!
Check when you get to KSCVC to see when buses start leaving for the causeway. Probably won't be until 10 or 11 PM. Try to get on the bus as soon as you can. Definitely take a tripod and get up front by the ropes. Also recommend a remote for your camera if you can get one so you can take pictures and watch the launch without looking through the camera. I've seen three launches and the best one was when I wasn't concerned about taking pictures. Take pics of shuttles on pad and play with the settings until your happy with it.
Don't take the "Up Close" tour on the 7th. The will be fueling the shuttle and they will not take you past the pads. They will only stop at the opservation gantry which you can get to through the free KSC tour. I plan to take the "Up Close" tour on the 8th after the launch, hoping they'll go past the pads then and at least see Endeavour up close.
You can find some nice hotels on Cocoa Beach.
Observation gantry also closed prior to RSS retract and therefore prior to tanking (fueling). I went to KSC for STS-123 which was a similar launch time to STS-125 and the observation Gantry closed early afternoon. In addition I think your arrival time on your car pass will not be before late afternoon. If its just the pad you want to see then you should definately take the 'Up Close tour' on your return day however if you want to see Endeavour the up close tour only takes you to the perimeter fence of Pad A not Pad B so you would need to take the standard tour in addition (included in admission) so leave enough time to do both. Hope this helps. Enjoy :-)
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#93
by
jeff2space
on 25 Aug, 2008 22:59
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Observation gantry also closed prior to RSS retract and therefore prior to tanking (fueling). I went to KSC for STS-123 which was a similar launch time to STS-125 and the observation Gantry closed early afternoon. In addition I think your arrival time on your car pass will not be before late afternoon. If its just the pad you want to see then you should definately take the 'Up Close tour' on your return day however if you want to see Endeavour the up close tour only takes you to the perimeter fence of Pad A not Pad B so you would need to take the standard tour in addition (included in admission) so leave enough time to do both. Hope this helps. Enjoy :-)
The gantry may still be open the morning of the 7th when KSCVC opens. Car pass will tell you the latest you can arrive but you can get there earlier. When I took the Up Close Tour in 2006 we went past both pads...not sure if that has changed.
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#94
by
yorky10
on 25 Aug, 2008 23:42
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Observation gantry also closed prior to RSS retract and therefore prior to tanking (fueling). I went to KSC for STS-123 which was a similar launch time to STS-125 and the observation Gantry closed early afternoon. In addition I think your arrival time on your car pass will not be before late afternoon. If its just the pad you want to see then you should definately take the 'Up Close tour' on your return day however if you want to see Endeavour the up close tour only takes you to the perimeter fence of Pad A not Pad B so you would need to take the standard tour in addition (included in admission) so leave enough time to do both. Hope this helps. Enjoy :-)
The gantry may still be open the morning of the 7th when KSCVC opens. Car pass will tell you the latest you can arrive but you can get there earlier. When I took the Up Close Tour in 2006 we went past both pads...not sure if that has changed.
I asked the question about the bus going up to the pad last time I was there in March and I seem to remember hearing that when a vehicle is on Pad A the up close tour drops at the observation gantry so I assume there would be a similar restriction on Pad B and it would be omitted from the tour. I did the up close tour in August '06 when Atlantis was on Pad B for STS-115 and the tour never went near Pad B. A quick view of the top of ET was all I got when there was a break in the tree line which was only a couple of seconds at most.
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#95
by
clegg78
on 26 Aug, 2008 01:52
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I will call the KSCVC and see if they know when the last tour to the observation gantry is scheduled for and when the last Up close tour happens.
Pics from the 39 gantry is something I am really looking forward to with some good zoom lenses to get a nice set of pics of shuttles on both pads. (even though the RSS will be blocking view of the stacks except for the top of the ET)
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#96
by
bday
on 26 Aug, 2008 02:46
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How are you going to get there? As far as I know you can't be on the beaches along KSC or CCAFS. You have to be quite a ways north.
Re: Cape Canaveral - I was referring to the town of Cape Canaveral, south of CCAFS and the Port Canaveral area (north of Cocoa Beach). I stayed there last year during a business trip to KSC. There's a nice long stretch of public beach, and I think I saw the VAB OK from there; don't remember if the pad was visible from that vantage point.
Anyway, I'm planning to be at Disney World with my family until 10/8 and was hoping to skip out for the night to see the launch...
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#97
by
badchap
on 26 Aug, 2008 14:55
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Hi there, all.
Hoping to get some advice from those who have succeeded in getting launch/causeway tickets from overseas.
I'm not planning a trip over to US until next year, but I want to start getting some info here and there, if possible.
I'm in Australia, and I read on the KSC website that the LTT tickets are shipped to your home address - so for people travelling from outside the US, when will your ticket package arrive, if they are only sent out from 22nd September ?
I'm not too sure about how that works, what with the anguish of the mail arriving in plenty of time so you have your launch ticket package in your hot little hand before booking and boarding the flight over there.
I read this thread with interest, and a little envy as well - enjoy !
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#98
by
smndk
on 26 Aug, 2008 15:35
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I'm in Australia, and I read on the KSC website that the LTT tickets are shipped to your home address - so for people travelling from outside the US, when will your ticket package arrive, if they are only sent out from 22nd September ?
I'm not too sure about how that works, what with the anguish of the mail arriving in plenty of time so you have your launch ticket package in your hot little hand before booking and boarding the flight over there.
I had to enter when I was leaving for the launch when i bought my tickets. So I entered the date when I was leaving home (i live in Denmark). Hope they use it to ensure that I get the tickets in time.
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#99
by
yorky10
on 26 Aug, 2008 23:42
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I'm in Australia, and I read on the KSC website that the LTT tickets are shipped to your home address - so for people travelling from outside the US, when will your ticket package arrive, if they are only sent out from 22nd September ?
I'm not too sure about how that works, what with the anguish of the mail arriving in plenty of time so you have your launch ticket package in your hot little hand before booking and boarding the flight over there.
I had to enter when I was leaving for the launch when i bought my tickets. So I entered the date when I was leaving home (i live in Denmark). Hope they use it to ensure that I get the tickets in time.
I also usually get mine sent to the UK in plenty of time. Its usually International 3 day UPS.
