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#460 by Yegor on 28 Apr, 2010 14:23
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Hopefully you don't have to worry about that though...here's to a successful launch on the 14th!
Here! Here!
Thank you guys, for replies! -
#461 by Furner on 28 Apr, 2010 14:30
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Hopefully you don't have to worry about that though...here's to a successful launch on the 14th!
Here! Here!
Thank you guys, for replies!
Yes, indeed! -
#462 by yorky10 on 28 Apr, 2010 16:33
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In that case I would watch from the Orlando International Airport.
50 miles distance is not very good.
Is there windows in the airport on the upper floors facing east?
Top floor of the parking garage
There is the terminal building roof where the helipad is, much higher than the parking garage. I have been up there to watch friends land but they may have the elevator manned to discourage large crowds. -
#463 by Yegor on 28 Apr, 2010 19:13
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Thanks for the info!
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#464 by Furner on 28 Apr, 2010 20:33
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Causeway tickets on ebay are going down in price nicely. FYI if you are on Dolphin, you can cancel 7 days or more before launch for a 100% refund, so if you have Dolphin tix LTT tickets but would rather have straight up LTTs, check out ebay every day or so.
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#465 by STS134 on 28 Apr, 2010 23:19
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Causeway tickets on ebay are going down in price nicely. FYI if you are on Dolphin, you can cancel 7 days or more before launch for a 100% refund, so if you have Dolphin tix LTT tickets but would rather have straight up LTTs, check out ebay every day or so.
Hey Furner-I didn't know that about Dolphin.that's great intel. Thanks! -
#466 by Furner on 28 Apr, 2010 23:34
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Causeway tickets on ebay are going down in price nicely. FYI if you are on Dolphin, you can cancel 7 days or more before launch for a 100% refund, so if you have Dolphin tix LTT tickets but would rather have straight up LTTs, check out ebay every day or so.
Hey Furner-I didn't know that about Dolphin.that's great intel. Thanks!
Their website is pretty vague and you really would not know about the cancellation policy unless you read the fine print in the papers you get after booking. Also, a schedule change more than 72 hours before launch entitles you to either a schedule change OR a refund. -
#467 by Orbiter on 28 Apr, 2010 23:40
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As an example of the traffic in Titusvile: for STS131 when I checked out of the Clarion at 9:30am (3 hours after launch), it took me over 45 mins to go the <2 miles to the I95 entrance. Traffic out of town was still moving very slow, and I was avoiding the path out KSCVC!
Weekend launches are even worse. STS-124 launched at 5 p.m right? I didn't even get out of Titusville until 11 p.m!!
Advice for those trying to get to a launch: Book a hotel to stay the night, enjoy the beach so even if the launch scrubs you have at least a small benefit.
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#468 by STS134 on 28 Apr, 2010 23:40
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So Furner.you are definitely going to see Beautiful Atlantis launch? I know you were fightin' for those tickets. I hope you are going.
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#469 by Orbiter on 29 Apr, 2010 01:00
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I'd also like to know what is the best hotel you can get that has a great view of the shuttles on the pad for a liftoff and how to book in advance.
Orbiter -
#470 by wjbarnett on 29 Apr, 2010 01:06
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Clarion in Titusville - watch from balcony or parking lot directly on the river. However, to get their non-launch rates, you have to watch for schedule changes (here at NSF is great!) then jump online within a few hours to get their normal rate of $80-90/night, verses their launch rates of $189/night with two night minimum
I've stayed there (at the lower rate) for the most recent 3 missions. Plus they have NTV (of course) and free WiFi for NSF access! -
#471 by Yegor on 29 Apr, 2010 02:07
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As an example of the traffic in Titusvile: for STS131 when I checked out of the Clarion at 9:30am (3 hours after launch), it took me over 45 mins to go the <2 miles to the I95 entrance. Traffic out of town was still moving very slow, and I was avoiding the path out KSCVC!
Weekend launches are even worse. STS-124 launched at 5 p.m right? I didn't even get out of Titusville until 11 p.m!!
Oh, my goodness!!!
I booked a Day's Inn in Daytona Beach (which is 55 miles from Visitor Complex) since there were nothing good left in Cocoa Beach. And since I booked with Dolphin Tours I will have to drive from Cocoa Beach (the closest Dolphin Tours pick up location).
When am I going to get back to my hotel?
What time in the morning should I start driving to Dolphin Tours Cocoa Beach pickup location?
Can I just get my tickets from Dolphin tours and drive to Visitor Complex by myself? -
#472 by Yegor on 29 Apr, 2010 16:18
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I just spoke with Florida Dolphin tours. I asked if it would be possible to get my tickets from them and drive to Visitor Complex by myself. They answered that it is not possible - I have to go with the bus.
I asked to make sure that in case of a last minutes scrub to get LTT tickets for the next attempt. She said that I have to talk to the bus driver about this but she said that it is not always possible to get LTT tickets for the next attempt because the tickets are not always offered by NASA.
Does anyone know in what cases NASA will not offer LTT tickets for the next attempt? -
#473 by Yegor on 29 Apr, 2010 16:38
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In the official Kennedy Space Center LTT ticket rules :
http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/LTT.aspx
they do not even mention an opportunity to buy an LTT ticket for a next attempt but plainly say that "you will no longer be able to access the NASA Causeway, you will be invited to return for the next launch attempt with your Visitor Complex admission ticket. Return viewing will be from the main Visitor Complex grounds."
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#474 by dougmichel on 29 Apr, 2010 17:25
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I have heard from a few people that have attended launches that you can get in line and purchase a new LTT if the launch is scrubbed after they have boarded a bus. I am not sure on the Florida Dolphin Tours procedure but I will be asking when I board the bus on the 14th. What I don't know is that if people who already had LTT were given first crack at the next launch LTT or if those at the VC also have a shot at them.
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#475 by beef5stew on 29 Apr, 2010 17:35
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I always thought that the tour groups have worked out with Kennedy to take their bus to the causeway. So individual people on the tour don't have an LTT, the bus itself is cleared to go to the causeway.
If the launch is scrubbed, the tour company still has to pay for the bus and driver..which is why they don't offer an alternative. If you get back to the VC and buy an LTT for the next attempt, you won't have a parking placard, so there will be no way for you to get back to the VC. -
#476 by Yegor on 29 Apr, 2010 18:05
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I have heard from a few people that have attended launches that you can get in line and purchase a new LTT if the launch is scrubbed after they have boarded a bus. I am not sure on the Florida Dolphin Tours procedure but I will be asking when I board the bus on the 14th. What I don't know is that if people who already had LTT were given first crack at the next launch LTT or if those at the VC also have a shot at them.
People posted in this thread that people at VC can also buy LTT tickets for the next launch attempt and they have even better chances because KSC starts to sell ticket almost right away.
About Florida Dolphin Tours procedure I think that it works in the following way: In some very special rare circumstances (I do not know which ones) KSC will not offer LTT tickets for the next launch attempt to anyone. Otherwise everyone (including those who are with bus tours) on KSC grounds gets a chance to buy an LTT ticket for for the next launch attempt. From what I spoke with Florida Dolphin Tour - they will provide the transportation for the next attempt to VC and if KSC will offer LTT tickets, to NASA Causeway.
So I think that we are in equal conditions here with whose who got direct LTT tickets.
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#477 by dougmichel on 29 Apr, 2010 18:20
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I have heard from a few people that have attended launches that you can get in line and purchase a new LTT if the launch is scrubbed after they have boarded a bus. I am not sure on the Florida Dolphin Tours procedure but I will be asking when I board the bus on the 14th. What I don't know is that if people who already had LTT were given first crack at the next launch LTT or if those at the VC also have a shot at them.
People posted in this thread that people at VC can also buy LTT tickets for the next launch attempt and they have even better chances because KSC starts to sell ticket almost right away.
About Florida Dolphin Tours procedure I think that it works in the following way: In some very special rare circumstances (I do not know which ones) KSC will not offer LTT tickets for the next launch attempt to anyone. Otherwise everyone (including those who are with bus tours) on KSC grounds gets a chance to buy an LTT ticket for for the next launch attempt. From what I spoke with Florida Dolphin Tour - they will provide the transportation for the next attempt to VC and if KSC will offer LTT tickets, to NASA Causeway.
So I think that we are in equal conditions here with whose who got direct LTT tickets.
So it sounds like that if they scrub the first attempt Dolphin Tours will get to come back to the causeway and we pay Dolphin Tours the $25 bucks to return to the causeway and we personally will not have to get in line for the tickets. -
#478 by nono_in_space on 29 Apr, 2010 18:33
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I have to admit, that I've never attended a launch but if I'm thinking about the process this is what's going on in my mind:I have heard from a few people that have attended launches that you can get in line and purchase a new LTT if the launch is scrubbed after they have boarded a bus. I am not sure on the Florida Dolphin Tours procedure but I will be asking when I board the bus on the 14th. What I don't know is that if people who already had LTT were given first crack at the next launch LTT or if those at the VC also have a shot at them.
People posted in this thread that people at VC can also buy LTT tickets for the next launch attempt and they have even better chances because KSC starts to sell ticket almost right away.
About Florida Dolphin Tours procedure I think that it works in the following way: In some very special rare circumstances (I do not know which ones) KSC will not offer LTT tickets for the next launch attempt to anyone. Otherwise everyone (including those who are with bus tours) on KSC grounds gets a chance to buy an LTT ticket for for the next launch attempt. From what I spoke with Florida Dolphin Tour - they will provide the transportation for the next attempt to VC and if KSC will offer LTT tickets, to NASA Causeway.
So I think that we are in equal conditions here with whose who got direct LTT tickets.
Best chances of getting new LTTs in case of a scrub is for those
who are at VC at time of announcement of the scrub.
If you didn't enter the bus to the causeway, you didn't loose your LTT and as far as I understood my travel agency (Gator) my LTT isn't lost.
But everybody will try to get new LTTs - even if his own one is still valid - to be on the safe side for former launch attempts (or even only to make money with reselling). So it's the question if there are any LTTs left to buy, if you've been on the bus - or right there at the causeway.
(or do they sell new LTTs at the causeway?)
For the people travelling with a tour bus there will be an additional problem. Will they return to VC after the scrub from the causeway or not? (my little help for this problem might be an additional VC-Ticket with PP I own - but as quoted in other comments this will not work).
So my strategy will be:
Using the LTT from gator on the first attempt and praying.
If I left VC to go to causeway and scrub will be announced:
hoping for new LTTs from Gator.
If this doesn't work;
Use the VC-Ticket for the next attempt (with a bit of hoping for scrub).
In the case of scrub: Running to the ticket booth as fast as I can
buying 1, 2, 3... LTTs to be on the safe side for all later attempts.
That's all I can do.
Do you think this a good strategy? -
#479 by dougmichel on 29 Apr, 2010 19:10
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Well from what I understand of the tour process is that the bus gets the placard to enter the center, you have a ticket personally to enter the vistor center and see the sights and then get back on your tour bus which has a different colored LTT and you go out to the causeway. At least with the tour I am on they do NOT return to the center after the launch or a scrub, but I was under the impression that you could pay a fee and get sent back for the next launch at the causeway. I don't know how you would be able to obtain a normal LTT and get on property with a personal car since you won't have a placard in your posession to get onto property.
