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

• #900 by Oystein on 26 Jun, 2011 15:49
• Quote from: Journeyman on 26 Jun, 2011 03:18

  I have bought Causeway tickets from FDT and the pickup point is the Festival Bay Mall.
  
  I'm looking for a nice and not to expensive Hotel / Motel that is close to this location. Would be fun to meet up with other NSF members that will go to this pickup place. Even better if we stayed at the same hotel
  
  So what hotel do you guys recommend?
  

  
  Comfort Inn Universal Studios Area
  6101 Salt Lake Rd
  
  Got a room for 55 dollars / night.
  
  --
  Oystein
• #901 by dingodad on 26 Jun, 2011 17:36
• Greetings NSF members.
  Been lurking on here for some time now. The information posted here in the forums has been great, Thanks to all.
  I got VC viewing tickets in the June 15 lottery. I thought I was supposed to get an email with a tracking number when KSC sent the tickets by FedEx supposedly by June 24.
  I have no email and have no tickets so far.
  I sure hope they arrive Monday as I have sold the tickets and have purchased causeway tickets on FDT.
  As soon as I get the tix, I have to FedEx them to person who bought them from me.
  I guess its a little too early to be worried about when they will arrive?
  Are there still lots of people out there waiting for KSC tickets to arrive?
  Getting a little worried I wont be able to get them to the second purchaser in time. 
  
• #902 by danduc on 26 Jun, 2011 19:04
• Hi all
  
  If the date of 8 July is good after the June 28 meeting, will the Cape Canaveral Seashore Park will be open on July 7th, especially Playa Linda Beach?
  
  Thanks
  
  Danduc
• #903 by Journeyman on 26 Jun, 2011 19:07
• Quote from: cygnusx112 on 26 Jun, 2011 11:13

  Quote from: Journeyman on 26 Jun, 2011 03:18

  I have bought Causeway tickets from FDT and the pickup point is the Festival Bay Mall.
  
  I'm looking for a nice and not to expensive Hotel / Motel that is close to this location. Would be fun to meet up with other NSF members that will go to this pickup place. Even better if we stayed at the same hotel
  
  So what hotel do you guys recommend?
  

  I have stayed a the Quality Inn International and the Holiday Inn Express at 7276  International Drive. The Holiday Inn isn’t much more expensive and is way nicer and you also get a free breakfast. I’m paying 80 something a night this time.
  
  

  
  Thanks cygnusx112 and everybody else for their suggestions
  
  I'm leaning towards the Holiday Inn Express. I was considering the Best Western International Drive. But the reviews dont seem to be as good as for the Holiday Inn Express or Quality Inn International.
  
  The Holiday Inn Express have free high speed Internet and from the Quality Inn homepage, there's a fee for Internet access at the rooms.
  
  So if nothing else speaks in favor for another hotel i think i'm going with Holiday Inn Express
  
  
• #904 by yorky10 on 26 Jun, 2011 19:14
• It's free in the lobby at Quality Inn and in rooms close to the lobby that you can pick the WiFi. If Holiday Inn is free in the room that's obviously preferable but I have gone for QI to keep costs down....
  
  

  Quote from: Journeyman on 26 Jun, 2011 19:07

  Quote from: cygnusx112 on 26 Jun, 2011 11:13

  Quote from: Journeyman on 26 Jun, 2011 03:18

  I have bought Causeway tickets from FDT and the pickup point is the Festival Bay Mall.
  
  I'm looking for a nice and not to expensive Hotel / Motel that is close to this location. Would be fun to meet up with other NSF members that will go to this pickup place. Even better if we stayed at the same hotel
  
  So what hotel do you guys recommend?
  

  I have stayed a the Quality Inn International and the Holiday Inn Express at 7276  International Drive. The Holiday Inn isn’t much more expensive and is way nicer and you also get a free breakfast. I’m paying 80 something a night this time.
  
  

  
  Thanks cygnusx112 and everybody else for their suggestions
  
  I'm leaning towards the Holiday Inn Express. I was considering the Best Western International Drive. But the reviews dont seem to be as good as for the Holiday Inn Express or Quality Inn International.
  
  The Holiday Inn Express have free high speed Internet and from the Quality Inn homepage, there's a fee for Internet access at the rooms.
  
  So if nothing else speaks in favor for another hotel i think i'm going with Holiday Inn Express
  
  
  
• #905 by marieline06 on 26 Jun, 2011 19:43
• Hi everyone. Im new on this forum. I'm from Montreal Canada. Im looking for someone to share with me a hotel. I didnt book it yet. Im about to do it soon, Monday or tuesday at the latest. Im planning to book the days inn satellite beach because my pick up location is the merritt island area, Victoria square. If anyone is interested to share the hotel with me, please let me know.
• #906 by yorky10 on 26 Jun, 2011 21:40
• Quote from: danduc on 26 Jun, 2011 19:04

  Hi all
  
  If the date of 8 July is good after the June 28 meeting, will the Cape Canaveral Seashore Park will be open on July 7th, especially Playa Linda Beach?
  
  Thanks
  
  Danduc
  

  You can check the website. I'm not sure of the address but someone on here probably will know it. However from memory Im pretty sure you can't get on playalinda beyond 3 days before launch.
• #907 by larrys on 27 Jun, 2011 00:57
• Hi!  With all of the confusion at Gray Line, I have 2 extra KSC tickets for the launch.  WILL SELL AT BELOW COST!!!!!  MAKE ME AN OFFER. 
  
  Meeting point in Orlando at Quality Inn on International Dr., close to many reasonably priced hotels and restaurants.  Message me.  [email protected]
• #908 by Kaz on 27 Jun, 2011 10:18
• Hi, I'm hoping that some of you helpful people may be able to help me plan somewhere to stay and get rid of an extra KSC VC ticket. 
  
  My pickup point is the Publix on Vineland road.  I'll more than likely be on foot (no car rental).  Can anyone suggest somewhere within walking distance of the pickup point that is clean, cheap and preferable with WiFi (for keeping track of any last minute changes, scrubs, etc)?
  
  Also, I want to list my ticket on Craigslist but it defaults back to my own national version.  Can someone please post the URL to the site that would be used by people in the US to look for / sell on tickets?
  
  And, if anyone here would like to buy the ticket at face value (plus booking fee) please let me know.  I can arrange to meet you in Kissimmee the evening before, or at the pick up point the morning of the launch.
• #909 by K8B on 27 Jun, 2011 15:29
• Has anyone received any tickets yet from Gator/Grayline? The Gator/Grayline were sent USPS 1-3day (so only tracking from when it left and then when receiver signs ).
  
  I'm trying to figure out what day we have to leave our gate open so the mail lady willdeliver to our house, otherwise she doesn't even come up our driveway & I have to drive 50 mins to pick up at the post office .
• #910 by cycleroadie on 27 Jun, 2011 15:36
• Quote from: Kaz on 27 Jun, 2011 10:18

  Hi, I'm hoping that some of you helpful people may be able to help me plan somewhere to stay and get rid of an extra KSC VC ticket. 
  
  My pickup point is the Publix on Vineland road.  I'll more than likely be on foot (no car rental).  Can anyone suggest somewhere within walking distance of the pickup point that is clean, cheap and preferable with WiFi (for keeping track of any last minute changes, scrubs, etc)?
  
  Also, I want to list my ticket on Craigslist but it defaults back to my own national version.  Can someone please post the URL to the site that would be used by people in the US to look for / sell on tickets?
  
  And, if anyone here would like to buy the ticket at face value (plus booking fee) please let me know.  I can arrange to meet you in Kissimmee the evening before, or at the pick up point the morning of the launch.
  

  
  I'll tell you where NOT to go, the KINGS INN almost directly across the street. made that mistake last November for sts-133, in February stayed up on I-Drive, much better hotels.
• #911 by Kaz on 27 Jun, 2011 15:41
• Thanks for the heads-up.  I'll scratch that one off the list.
• #912 by mirak on 27 Jun, 2011 15:58
• Can anyone give me advice on launchday traffic to KSC?  My family and I are catching a ride onto the Causeway with a NASA contractor who has a launch pass for his vehicle.  We don't get to go to the VC, but we can drive onto the Causeway earlier than than all the KSC and tour busses, so we should be able to stake out a spot on the west end nearer the pad!
  
  My ride wants to meet up around 6 a.m. at the Wal-Mart near I-95 and 405 in Titusville.  Is this a good time and place to meet?
  
  
  
  
• #913 by OneFish on 27 Jun, 2011 17:48
• Quote from: K8B on 27 Jun, 2011 15:29

  Has anyone received any tickets yet from Gator/Grayline? The Gator/Grayline were sent USPS 1-3day (so only tracking from when it left and then when receiver signs ).
  
  I'm trying to figure out what day we have to leave our gate open so the mail lady willdeliver to our house, otherwise she doesn't even come up our driveway & I have to drive 50 mins to pick up at the post office .
  

  
  I was wondering the same thing, especially for international/Canadian orders.
  
  I received notification/tracking number on Friday from FedEx (they are using FedEx for Canadian customers due to our postal strike) but the status has yet to change. 
  
  By the looks of it, the package has not been picked up or shipped out and only the info has been sent to FedEx.
  
  I will continue to wait patiently today, and if the status does not change by tomorrow afternoon, I will try to contact GL to see what is going on.  I know GL is doing their best, but I'm starting to have real concerns about the tickets not arriving before the absolute latest I could possibly leave home to start the drive.
• #914 by danduc on 27 Jun, 2011 18:01
• Got my confirmation from Gator last night. Package is scheduled for delivery on June 28. Ottawa, Canada
  
  danduc
• #915 by chrishet on 27 Jun, 2011 18:07
• Quote from: mirak on 27 Jun, 2011 15:58

  Can anyone give me advice on launchday traffic to KSC?  My family and I are catching a ride onto the Causeway with a NASA contractor who has a launch pass for his vehicle.  We don't get to go to the VC, but we can drive onto the Causeway earlier than than all the KSC and tour busses, so we should be able to stake out a spot on the west end nearer the pad!
  
  My ride wants to meet up around 6 a.m. at the Wal-Mart near I-95 and 405 in Titusville.  Is this a good time and place to meet?
  
  

  
  I've been on the Causeway with an employee car pass.  You will be on a different part of the Causeway than the buses so I wouldn't worry about them...however traffic coming in from the west is always bad so expect a several hour wait, coming and going...you will be battling 1)KSC VC guests, 2)Morons who think they can just drive out there and park, and 3)press.  All the views from this site are good, there are some obstructions but if you are early you can get a nice view of the pad.
  
  Here are some pics of the launch from the employee site
  http://hetlage.com/Gallery/Shuttle%20Images/STS-125/index.html
  
  Here is a prep video (crappy) from the site
  
  
  Launch Video (also crappy)
  
  
  -Chris
  
• #916 by mirak on 27 Jun, 2011 18:25
• Quote from: chrishet on 27 Jun, 2011 18:07

  Here are some pics of the launch from the employee site
  http://hetlage.com/Gallery/Shuttle%20Images/STS-125/index.html
  

  
  Great images.  What body and lens did you shoot those with?
  
  For the launch, I've rented a Sigma 150-500mm for my Canon 30d.  I just can't afford to rent a Canon 600mm, and I figured I'd rather have the Sigma's extra 100mm than the superior optics of the Canon 100-400.
  
  The crop on the Canon will take me to an 800mm equivalent.  I'm thinking I'll stop down to f8 or f9, and bump the ISO to get to at least 1/500 shutter.  Thoughts?
• #917 by OneFish on 27 Jun, 2011 18:30
• Quote from: danduc on 27 Jun, 2011 18:01

  Got my confirmation from Gator last night. Package is scheduled for delivery on June 28. Ottawa, Canada
  
  danduc
  

  
  When you go to the tracking page, does it say that it has been picked up or in transit, as mine is still sitting on "initiated"?
  
  Mine had previously said anticipated delivery of July 27 at 12pm, but that has now disappeared.
  
  
• #918 by cycleroadie on 27 Jun, 2011 18:33
• Quote from: mirak on 27 Jun, 2011 18:25

  Quote from: chrishet on 27 Jun, 2011 18:07

  Here are some pics of the launch from the employee site
  http://hetlage.com/Gallery/Shuttle%20Images/STS-125/index.html
  

  
  Great images.  What body and lens did you shoot those with?
  
  For the launch, I've rented a Sigma 150-500mm for my Canon 30d.  I just can't afford to rent a Canon 600mm, and I figured I'd rather have the Sigma's extra 100mm than the superior optics of the Canon 100-400.
  
  The crop on the Canon will take me to an 800mm equivalent.  I'm thinking I'll stop down to f8 or f9, and bump the ISO to get to at least 1/500 shutter.  Thoughts?
  

  
  Is this your first launch ? If so, and since it is the last shuttle launch, my advice, don't take any pics, or at MOST snap off maybe 2 for the entire launch. you can download pics from NASA 1,000 times nicer than anything you can shoot from 6+ miles away with your camera setup. Heck, I'd be recommending the same thing no matter what setup you had. Just watch it, it's your last chance. For 133, i have one of the stack emerging from the steam cloud and another when the roll program is almost complete. In between those shots and after the 2nd one, the camera was down and I watched with my eyes or binoculars. Then I took some of the smoke trail and all long after the stack was out of site.
• #919 by danduc on 27 Jun, 2011 18:35
• I'll check when I get home.
  
  danduc