Author Topic: STS-135 Atlantis: Viewing (Going to launch, tickets, events, landing, etc.) (Read 546554 times)

beef5stew · « **Reply #20 on:** 03/14/2011 06:35 pm »

Quote from: robertross on 03/11/2011 12:22 am

Quote from: beef5stew on 03/10/2011 07:00 pm
Curious...why does this section still list the mission STS-335/135??? Isn't it now officially STS-135?

TJ

Because the original plan was STS-335, and all the old documentation refers to it. That's like changing the folder name on your computer of old pictures - hard to find them again!

Looking through the forum...I think this was STS-132 at one time..so re-naming isn't uncommon.

Ford Mustang · « **Reply #21 on:** 03/14/2011 06:50 pm »

Quote from: beef5stew on 03/14/2011 06:35 pm

Quote from: robertross on 03/11/2011 12:22 am
Quote from: beef5stew on 03/10/2011 07:00 pm
Curious...why does this section still list the mission STS-335/135??? Isn't it now officially STS-135?

TJ

Because the original plan was STS-335, and all the old documentation refers to it. That's like changing the folder name on your computer of old pictures - hard to find them again!

Looking through the forum...I think this was STS-132 at one time..so re-naming isn't uncommon.

Yep. The Shuttle-specific forums change the names to reflect the upcoming missions. Since I've been here since STS-117, they've all changed.

It probably hasn't been changed because Chris is very busy managing the whole site, not just the forums.

LoveMrEd · « **Reply #22 on:** 03/28/2011 02:07 pm »

Just an FYI--there's a B&B in Titusville that supposedly has a deck that they watch launches from called Casa Coquina. Doesn't work out for me as they don't allow kids to stay during shuttle launch---

LoveMrEd · « **Reply #23 on:** 03/28/2011 02:11 pm »

A low-stress option near Jetty Park is the Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort.

From our room on the north side of the fourth floor of the main building, we could see that launch pad with binoculars.

Some of their rooms are time shares, so if they are booked up, another option may be to watch to see if anyone has a timeshare week available-

Kassonian · « **Reply #24 on:** 03/29/2011 12:30 am »

Quote from: LoveMrEd on 03/28/2011 02:07 pm

Just an FYI--there's a B&B in Titusville that supposedly has a deck that they watch launches from called Casa Coquina. Doesn't work out for me as they don't allow kids to stay during shuttle launch---

Just curious - anyone have an inkling of what they charge during a launch? Their website quotes rates but they carry an "except during a shuttle launch" disclaimer.

yacht-t · « **Reply #25 on:** 03/29/2011 08:47 pm »

Hi all. Just registered and a novice to shuttle launch viewing!

Well I have booked flights and a hotel in Tittusville for the launch to tick off another dream on my bucket list. Turning 50 in August and remember well the missions of the late 60s. Always wanted to see the KSC and 135 will be the icing on the cake if it works out.

Launch Basic 101 to you experts but can you help with a few questions if possible? We are hoping to see the KSC on June 27th, the day before the launch. No tickets on the KSC site for that date yet there are the day before launch 134. Will this change?

Also planning on going to Cape Canaveral. Full day or half day and any problem going the day after a launch?

Put my name down for the updates. A long shot getting access on the day of the launch I know but when will I get some infomation?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mark Max Q · « **Reply #26 on:** 03/29/2011 09:05 pm »

Welcome to the site's forum. All launch dates are preliminary and a lot will depend on STS-134, so no tickets will be on sale until afterwards.

And you don't put your name down for updates, you keep following the news site here

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/sts-135/

And the threads in Atlantis' section

Aobrien · « **Reply #27 on:** 03/29/2011 09:17 pm »

Good luck with tickets. I already requested my congressional tickets right after STS-133 launch and got an email the other day that it was full and that I was put onto an already very long wait list. Very disappointing

yacht-t · « **Reply #28 on:** 03/29/2011 09:22 pm »

By updates I mean the KSC Launch email sign-up.

Sorry the Congressional tickets are gone Aobrien. I'm from NZ so that was never going to be an option anyway. Will just be a buzz to be in any location for me.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #29 on:** 03/29/2011 09:34 pm »

Welcome Yacht. We've got a good number of Kiwis on here.

yacht-t · « **Reply #30 on:** 03/30/2011 08:14 am »

Thanks! Been plowing through some of the 133 and 134 info today. Very useful and thanks to those posters.
Anyone care to suggest a itinerary for 3 days with the launch in the middle? (all going well!)
First time to Florida, KSC and the Cape. We also have 2 days (30 June and July 1) to play with if needed. Getting a car from Orlando for the duration so looking at ideas that involve some wildlife but not theme parks or cities. Flying out to NY morning of the 2nd.

Any locals with some tips?

LoveMrEd · « **Reply #31 on:** 03/30/2011 02:22 pm »

Quote from: yacht-t on 03/30/2011 08:14 am

Thanks! Been plowing through some of the 133 and 134 info today. Very useful and thanks to those posters.
Anyone care to suggest a itinerary for 3 days with the launch in the middle? (all going well!)
First time to Florida, KSC and the Cape. We also have 2 days (30 June and July 1) to play with if needed. Getting a car from Orlando for the duration so looking at ideas that involve some wildlife but not theme parks or cities. Flying out to NY morning of the 2nd.

Any locals with some tips?

Not local, but here are some avenues to explore--kayak trip, Everglades visit, sea turtles, etc.

tiggergirl921 · « **Reply #32 on:** 03/30/2011 04:23 pm »

Quote from: yacht-t on 03/29/2011 09:22 pm

Sorry the Congressional tickets are gone Aobrien. I'm from NZ so that was never going to be an option anyway. Will just be a buzz to be in any location for me.

Really? Is this just based upon the waitlist or did I miss something? I was told that I was on the waitlist, but that they had not been released yet, and would not be until at least mid-May.

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #33 on:** 03/30/2011 06:13 pm »

Quote from: tiggergirl921 on 03/30/2011 04:23 pm

Really? Is this just based upon the waitlist or did I miss something? I was told that I was on the waitlist, but that they had not been released yet, and would not be until at least mid-May.

Congressional tickets are typically sent out a few weeks before the scheduled launch date.

nathan.moeller · « **Reply #34 on:** 03/30/2011 06:16 pm »

Quote from: yacht-t on 03/30/2011 08:14 am

Thanks! Been plowing through some of the 133 and 134 info today. Very useful and thanks to those posters.
Anyone care to suggest a itinerary for 3 days with the launch in the middle? (all going well!)
First time to Florida, KSC and the Cape. We also have 2 days (30 June and July 1) to play with if needed. Getting a car from Orlando for the duration so looking at ideas that involve some wildlife but not theme parks or cities. Flying out to NY morning of the 2nd.

Any locals with some tips?

Okay this is more than three days but here are some options -

L-1: Visit/tour KSC and the surrounding area (go early because tours stop sometime in the afternoon on this day)
L0: Watch launch (it will consume your entire day, guaranteed)
L+1: Recover from the launch experience
L+2: Go to Jetty Park and watch the SRBs come back (plan on waiting around for a while for them to show up)
L+3: Go to the Jetty Park locks and get within 25 feet of the SRBs (be there at 6am, as they go through early)

Nick · « **Reply #35 on:** 04/04/2011 05:41 pm »

Quote from: yacht-t on 03/30/2011 08:14 am

Getting a car from Orlando for the duration so looking at ideas that involve some wildlife but not theme parks or cities. Flying out to NY morning of the 2nd.

Any locals with some tips?

I'm far from being a local, but the wildlife viewing is excellent. These are the things I'd recommend around and about Titusville/Orlando:

a) Merritt Island National Widlife Refuge. Don't miss it. Excellent birdwatching, plus manatees and dolphins visible from the Manatee Observation Deck at Haulover Canal. View of the shuttle if you're there before the launch, but if you can only go the day before, I don't think you can access Playalinda Beach.

b) An airboat ride - excellent views of alligators, birdlife, and great fun! We went with Airboat John, a small grouping of operators running small airboats, not the big touristy ones. Based on the Orlando-Titusville road if I recall correctly. Google Airboat John, it's the top search result.

c) Manatee viewing. I particularly liked Blue Spring State Park, but I was there in November, so worth giving them a call to see whether the manatees are present at the time of your visit.

Hope that helps
Nick

yacht-t · « **Reply #36 on:** 04/11/2011 01:26 pm »

Thanks for the ideas!
More 101 questions if thats ok. KSC tours now listed for 27th which is what we will more than likely do. Whats with tours also listed for the 28th if thats a launch day? Do they get cancelled?
I would also like to do the 'Canaveral Then and Now' tour on the 29th if the 28th launch goes ahead. But do one of the tours get closer to the pad as if so, I may switch the tour order?

Thanks

robertross · « **Reply #37 on:** 04/11/2011 06:46 pm »

Quote from: yacht-t on 04/11/2011 01:26 pm

Thanks for the ideas!
More 101 questions if thats ok. KSC tours now listed for 27th which is what we will more than likely do. Whats with tours also listed for the 28th if thats a launch day? Do they get cancelled?
I would also like to do the 'Canaveral Then and Now' tour on the 29th if the 28th launch goes ahead. But do one of the tours get closer to the pad as if so, I may switch the tour order?

Thanks

Tours are cancelled on launch day.

Today & Tommorow tour gets you closest, and a unique view, but the standard tour (part of your admission ticket) to the viewing gantry is still awesome.

I highly recommend the 'Then & Now' tour. Wished it was an all-day event. It stops at the Saturn V center as the final stop, so planning for the regular bus tour should be taken into consideration (not that there's anything wrong with 2 Saturn V center visits)

yacht-t · « **Reply #38 on:** 04/12/2011 09:04 pm »

Thanks for the reply. Have booked the T&T tour for the 27th.

drmduval · « **Reply #39 on:** 04/14/2011 06:00 pm »

Could anybody tell me what the launch window is? What is the date range for this launch?

Thanks!!