STS-135 Atlantis: Viewing (Going to launch, tickets, events, landing, etc.)

• #1000 by mahannd on 30 Jun, 2011 15:31
• How early does 401 in Port Canaveral fill up for launches? i dont know how much space is there vs spaceview park, max bridge, etc...
• #1001 by Chris Bergin on 30 Jun, 2011 15:53
• Lots of people asking for photography advice. Knew it rung a bell somewhere, and there was a thread on 134, so moved it to 135:
  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=24885.0
• #1002 by wolfpack on 30 Jun, 2011 15:56
• Quote from: cycleroadie link=topic=23562.msg763924#msg763924

  Have 2 through Gator Tours. If you are interested PM me.
  

  
  PM sent.
• #1003 by DrGuano on 30 Jun, 2011 16:05
• Quote from: Endeavour Forever on 30 Jun, 2011 04:06

  Quote from: DrGuano on 30 Jun, 2011 03:05

  Here is an odd turn of ticket events. I had 6 adult tickets to AHOF to sell at face value and found someone who wanted them. When he received them, he noticed 4 are for STS-135 and and say AHOF ONLY LVO STS-135 CH and one is for STS-134 and says AHOF ONLY LVO STS-134 AD. We assumed that I received 5 CHild tickets for 135 and one ADult for 134. The sixth ticket that I kept says AHOF ONLY LVO STS-135 CH. I sent it off to him FEDEX thinking at worst, he could pay the $4 difference and I could settle with KSC. Then I went to ebay and found three people selling AHOF ticket with pictures. Two postings were selling 4 adult tickets and showed three CH tickets for 135 and one AD for 134.  One even had a note pointing out the 134 AD ticket and said that KSC admitted sending them in error and would honor them for 135.
  
  Has anyone else dealt with this issue? I will be calling KSC tomorrow to clarify.
  

  
  I hear ya.  I received Dine With An Astronaut 4:45am tickets shipped directly from KSC via winning the first lottery round, and they are dated for use on 7/7.  I called KSC (this was last Friday) and the customer service rep did not seem to find this odd (I did), didn't offer to explain what happened, but did say my tickets would be honored on 7/8.
  
  Be prepared for a long wait time on hold, I was waiting quite awhile, and this was almost a week ago.
  

  
  I only had to hold for 20 minutes. The operator at KSC did not even wait for me to finish saying that I had ordered Adult tickets for AHOF before interupting to say they were aware of the issue and honoring CH tickets for 135 and AD tickets for 134.
  
  On another note, my wife's sister and her husband live in Delray Beach and STS-135 will be the third launch we will have attended together.
• #1004 by wolfpack on 30 Jun, 2011 16:31
• Traffic question - what should I expect if driving to KSC? Planning on driving overnight Thurs. If I get a vehicle placard, most seem to indicate 4am arrival time. How bad will traffic be? How far does it back up? Trying to figure out a target time for getting into the area. Thanks!
• #1005 by jmcgauley on 30 Jun, 2011 16:42
• I have the same question as wolfpack.  Driving in from Orlando on launch day.  Supposed to be at my pickup location 4.5 hours ahead of time.  At that hour, how bad will the traffic on 528 be?  I know it's a unique situation, but did anyone perhaps notice how bad it got for the first attempt on 133?
• #1006 by MadameConcorde on 30 Jun, 2011 16:43
• Quote from: booslums on 30 Jun, 2011 14:05

  I had the ticket on Ebay, but the buyer is refusing to pay, as he says he made a mistake reading the auction, as he wanted 2 tickets not 1.
  

  
  Buyers will find any excuse. I would not hesitate to leave him a negative feedback.
  
  Still no tickets here. I hope they will be here by tomorrow.
  This is wasting a lot of my precious time.
  
• #1007 by OneFish on 30 Jun, 2011 17:20
• @ MadameConcorde
  
  I'm in the same boat.  Still no tickets (well except for the 1 VC I received yesterday which belongs to someone else somewhere in Canada).
  
  My stress level is starting to peak.  With Canada Day tomorrow, and Independance Day on Monday, shipping days are dwindling away as we speak.
  
  I must be on the road by Tuesday evening at the latest, so I guess I'll be scrubbing my whole trip if they do not arrive by then
  
  Just not looking forward to telling my stepson.  I already had to miss his grade 8 graduation ceremony as a result of these ticket mix ups.
  
  Keeping my fingers crossed for everyone who is still waiting.
• #1008 by mirak on 30 Jun, 2011 17:22
• Uggg...  Florida is forecast to be SOGGY next week.  Is this just the typical afternoon t-storms, or something worse?
• #1009 by MadameConcorde on 30 Jun, 2011 17:39
• Quote from: OneFish on 30 Jun, 2011 17:20

  @ MadameConcorde
  
  I'm in the same boat.  Still no tickets (well except for the 1 VC I received yesterday which belongs to someone else somewhere in Canada).
  

  
  Looked up tracking on STamps.com and nothing.
  
  Scan History
  Date    Time    Location    Status
  June 24, 2011          Electronic Shipping Info Received
  
  Same old... same old...
  Last launch my envelope got here in 3 days sharp.
  
  If it does not come by the time I leave I am going to have them refund me. This is a contract between seller and buyer they must respect it.
  
  We pay $20.00 for shipment alone. It isn't cheap.
  
   
• #1010 by Albireo on 30 Jun, 2011 17:44
• Quote from: mirak on 30 Jun, 2011 17:22

  Uggg...  Florida is forecast to be SOGGY next week.  Is this just the typical afternoon t-storms, or something worse?
  

  Guess this is called summer in Florida I wouldn't worry about it until we learn about the much more precise forecast for the launch day and launchcountdown here
• #1011 by Endeavour Forever on 30 Jun, 2011 18:04
• Quote from: mirak on 30 Jun, 2011 17:22

  Uggg...  Florida is forecast to be SOGGY next week.  Is this just the typical afternoon t-storms, or something worse?
  

  
  The FL rainy season seems to have arrived a few days ago - prior to that it was bone dry.  Yes, chance of rain every day is typical in July/August.  However it sometimes doesn't start until after lunch, we have that in our favor.  It's almost impossible to have a clue about our weather until nearly the day before, and even then it's difficult since showers can be so localized.
  
  rdale:  we need you 
• #1012 by gchockry on 30 Jun, 2011 18:33
• FYI, Update for delivery travel times to SF Bay Area:
  
  1) KSCVC (2nd round lottery)
  via FedEx Shipped 23-Jun-2011, Delivered 27-Jun-2011
  Actually went via the FedEx hub (Pacheco, CA -> Memphis, TN -> San Jose, CA)
  
  2) Grayline / Gator VIP Causeway (Holiday Inn TG Lee Blvd Airport)
  via USPS (stamps.com) "Shipped" 24-Jun-2011, Notice at Door 29-Jun-2011, Picked Up (signature required) 30-Jun-2011
  
  Best of luck to all of you still waiting!
• #1013 by JDA on 30 Jun, 2011 18:59
• Grayline has just advised that my tickets, allegedly posted to the UK last Friday as per email, are in fact awaiting pickup at their office! They have said they will refund my postage though...
  
  Still have 2 x Dolphin for Festival Mall pickup and 2 x Grayline for International Airport pickup available, looking for 2 x Best Western Lakeside. I will be in Orlando from the evening of 6th July and at KSC on 7th July if anyone wants to meet up?
• #1014 by mheney on 30 Jun, 2011 19:36
• I've got a causeway pass for STS-135 - any suggestions to what I can be listening to for launch status updates?  I presume that the causeway isn't a wifi hotspot - I'll be limited to radio (may be able to get a police band scanner...), and maybe a smartphone (assuming there's decent cellular reception on the causeway...)
  
  Thanks!!
• #1015 by shuttlefanatic on 30 Jun, 2011 20:09
• Quote from: mheney on 30 Jun, 2011 19:36

  I've got a causeway pass for STS-135 - any suggestions to what I can be listening to for launch status updates?  I presume that the causeway isn't a wifi hotspot - I'll be limited to radio (may be able to get a police band scanner...), and maybe a smartphone (assuming there's decent cellular reception on the causeway...)
  

  They'll have NASA audio on the PA system at the causeway.  I've tried using my scanner in the past and not been very successful with the small rubber duck antenna.  AM radio might be a better bet - my understanding is that there are rebroadcasts at AM 1350 and AM 1500 though I've never tried them personally.
  
  If the PA system isn't doing it for you, and you can stomach your phone browser at cellular speeds, try hitting the NSF forums!  The coverage by my carrier (Sprint) was poor, but I was able to pull updates both for STS-133 at the Causeway and STS-134 at Haulover Canal.
  
• #1016 by K8B on 30 Jun, 2011 20:11
• Quote from: OneFish on 30 Jun, 2011 17:20

  @ MadameConcorde
  
  I'm in the same boat.  Still no tickets (well except for the 1 VC I received yesterday which belongs to someone else somewhere in Canada).
  My stress level is starting to peak.  With Canada Day tomorrow, and Independance Day on Monday, shipping days are dwindling away as we speak.
  I must be on the road by Tuesday evening at the latest, so I guess I'll be scrubbing my whole trip if they do not arrive by then
  Keeping my fingers crossed for everyone who is still waiting.
  

  
  I'm stateside - WA state - still no tickets.
• #1017 by MadameConcorde on 30 Jun, 2011 20:55
• The Gator Tours seem to really have messed up on timing shipping the tickets this time.
  
   
• #1018 by mixologist07 on 30 Jun, 2011 21:33
• The thing most people are forgetting is that this liftoff stands to be the most attended one in shuttle history. Nobody, even those of us with experience with launch day traffic, can predict the public.
  
  133 was just under 7 hours from press site to Orlando. 134 was an hour fifteen flat. 132 was around four.
• #1019 by John M on 30 Jun, 2011 21:43
• Quote from: mixologist07 on 30 Jun, 2011 21:33

  133 was just under 7 hours from press site to Orlando. 134 was an hour fifteen flat. 132 was around four.
  

  
  I was like 45 minutes from home in that length of time for 133, upstate SC!!