Viewing the Shuttle Launch

• Viewing the Shuttle Launch by jschaef5 on 23 May, 2006 20:22
• I'm going to be headed down to florida for discovery's launch in a month or so and I was wondering where I should go to get the best view. I've heard of a couple spots but am unsure. I figured this would be the best place to go to get some input
  
  Also on a side note, what else is there to do in the area. I heard that the musuem nearby is closing... I was planning on maybe taking a tour of KSC or something, but is there anything else to do down there except the Orlando stuff which I plan to stay away from.
  
• #1 by Rocket Guy on 24 May, 2006 02:12
• You should have gotten the causeway tickets which sold out Monday :-) at www.kennedyspacecenter.com
  
  Try ebay or asking around. Just make sure you get the ones that include 'launch transportation.'
  
  If you can't get those, the next closest public viewing is from the river shore in Titusville, and it's a great good view as long as it isn't hazy. Anywhere there from about SR50 north to the refuge bridge is perfect viewing.
• #2 by SpaceCat on 24 May, 2006 03:07
• What Ben said..... and if you're not able to get a ticket, one good viewing spot is Kennedy Point Park on US 1 south of Titusville, just south of the intersection with SR (State Road) 50.   .....bound to be crowded on launch day- get on location early.  Some web-snooping or a local visitor's map will give you the location of this and other places to visit:
  Depending on how extensive a tour you take, you can spend  from a full day, to a day and a half at the KSC Visitor's Center.  There are exhibits there, and I-MAX movies- one bus tour focuses on Shuttle & ISS; another takes in historical sites on the Air Force side of the Cape.  Check websites for ticket prices- be prepared for 'sticker-shock.'
  
  For a look at space history that is a little less touristy and a bit more serious and inspiring- you can spend at least half a day at the Astronaut Hall of Fame located on the mainland at the beginning of the SR405 (NASA Causeway).  If you like historic military aircraft, look into the Warbirds Museum in Titusville.
  Cocoa Beach is a typical crowded beach town these days, but can be fun to roam if you're not used to that sort of thing.  Ron-Jon's Surf Shop is a tourist trap unto itself, and there's a few good seafood restaurants in Port Canaveral.
  Enjoy!
• #3 by Jim on 24 May, 2006 11:06
• There is also SR-528 to the south.
• #4 by Davyboy on 24 May, 2006 13:20
• I watched the last Shuttle launch from the Rt 406 causeway (see attached map). You can usually park at the Marina Park if you go about 3-4 hours early. From the causeway you are approximately 7 miles as the crow flies from the pad. What is really cool is the fact that you can SEE the sound waves from the Shuttle rippling the water across the lagoon before you actually hear anything. It takes almost 30 seconds for the sound to reach you at this spot, at which point I would guess the Shuttle is clearing 20,000 feet or more.
  
  This place provides a good angle because as the Shuttle is arcing off to ENE you are watchin it more from the side than from behind.
  
  Dave

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• #5 by Rocket Guy on 24 May, 2006 13:43
• It's about 11 miles from there, but still a great view.
• #6 by Davyboy on 24 May, 2006 13:59
• Hey, Ben...
  
  Your site is great. Tremendous pictures. You've obviously been practicing.
  
  Dave
• #7 by jschaef5 on 24 May, 2006 19:39
• Thanks for the info all. Is along the river there like a beach that we could sit at to watch it?
• #8 by Jim on 24 May, 2006 19:47
• Quote

  jschaef5 - 24/5/2006  3:26 PM
  
  Thanks for the info all. Is along the river there like a beach that we could sit at to watch it?

  
  Only in  specific places like Kennedy Point Park , most of it is private property
• #9 by Marcus on 25 May, 2006 22:37
• The best place to view a launch is from the stairs on the side of the LCC, but if you don't happen to work there...
  
  ...you can get a pretty good view from Playlinda beach to the north of KSC since--as another poster mentioned--the trajectory takes it ENE. I remember surfing there within easy view of complexes A&B and the shuttle on the pad. Go check it out if you get there a few days early, but be aware you may get turned around at a security checkpoint or have to pay a couple of bucks for the park, I haven't been there in years.
  
  I'm sure that the park is closed just prior to the launch but you could sit on the beach at New Smyrna and watch it take off, though you're pretty far away. Like everyone is saying; along the river is as close as you're gonna get if distance matters to you.
  
  Jetty park at the northeasternmost point of Port Canaveral (the town) is a nice place to sit and watch ELV's (or cruise ships), but those pads are south of the shuttle pads.
  
  Plan on weather delays. Florida summer afternoons tend to be, how you say, "thundery?"
  
  Other stuff to do:
  Surf in Cocoa Beach. Of course, it's summer so it will be flat. Go for a swim. Don't pay to park at the CCB pier or anywhere else, there's plenty of free parking everywhere if you just hunt for it a little. If you're in Satellite Beach (to the south) be sure to eat at Dakine Diegos after a day at the beach (little burrito shack on the West side of A1A.)
  There's lots of clubs, waterparks, and stuff in Orlando only 45 minutes away. Best time is after dark when the families have gone home/hotel.
• #10 by Rocket Guy on 26 May, 2006 03:34
• No, Titusville is not a beach. Only along the ocean is there a beach. Kennedy Point Park is off limits unless you work there, but even so it is not a good place for shuttle launches. The river edge to view from is in Titusville, not on Merrit Island.
  
  Second, you cannot access playalinda beach during shuttle operations at all. The bridge leading to the refuge from Titusville closes three days before launch and may also be closed at times if there is a Shuttle on pad B from rollout through launch.
  
  The beach north of KSC you can access is Apollo beach, but to get there you first have to go to New Symrna, itself about 30 miles north of pad B at the closest, and then bike or hike down as there are no roads and no cars allowed south of there.
  
  Why be 30 miles away in New Smyrna when you could watch from the best place, which is Titusville hands down (aside from the causeway).
  
  Another option if you chose is to go to the visitors center, where you can be about 8 miles away but not see the shuttle on the pad. Once it clears the treeline you're ok. But you need to purchase tickets for that in advanace too. www.kennedyspacecenter.com
  
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  Jetty Park is best only for Delta 2 launches, and is the closest spot to them. It is, in my opinion, the most scenic viewing spot for any of them. I love watching Delta 2s from there; I would even chose that three mile distance over the one mile press site.
  
  For Delta 4 and Atlas 5 the closest and best (for seeing the pads, unlike Jetty Park) place is the road along Port Canaveral that leads into the CCAFS main gate. Anyone who ever needs directions to any of these places, feel free to email be. I have Word sheets detailing it all :-)
  
  Thanks for the comments Dave. I have on my site photos from just about all of these sites. And if I don't I have a favorites section and can pull up a view of a launch from any of these places.
• #11 by jschaef5 on 26 May, 2006 07:01
• It sounds like Titusville is the best place to view it from outside KSC so I think I will have to find somewhere around there.
  
  I was also wondering if I'd be able to go on a tour of KSC, as a little kid i remember seeing the saturn 5 on display there and being in awe by its size. I heard that they cleaned it up and its now inside a hanger, definitly need to see it again. I won't be getting down to florida til friday afternoon and I think i read that they don't give tours on launch days and if it gets postponed due to weather I won't be able to stick around too many days after. Probably head home after july 4th if its still delayed, just got to pray for the best and hope it doesn't storm atleast one of those afternoons. It kind of sucks because I won't get another chance to see a shuttle launch. For the next 4 years I will either be at school or down at edwards, maybe I'll get to see a couple landings though and watch it take off on a 747
  
  Does anyone know what they do for the tours on days that it gets delayed on or anything?
  
• #12 by Marcus on 26 May, 2006 16:26
• Thanks, Ben. I didn't view many launches off-center (Except for those eye-rubbing 4AM Deltas from the beach between Cherie Downs and Jetty Park) so I happily defer to your knowledge.
  
  jschaef5: You can tour KSC, don't know about the timing. My advice is all about 3 years out-of-date, so somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but:
  
  -I think the Saturn V is at the space museum off-center just before the causeway to the West gate (near Titusville). It is indoors hanging from the ceiling in it's separate stages. I also think theres a rocket garden there.
  -A tour of KSC will get you an overview of some clean rooms jam-packed with ISS components waiting for flight. The bus ride (extra $$$?) will roll you around the center showing you a lot of buildings, hangars, and launch gantrys, some of which may contain real rockets. You might even get to wander around the little CCAFS rocket garden, but I'm not sure about that.
  
  In 2003 I was a little shocked at the tour prices. If you're on a budget and need to choose between the two, I'd go to the museum and skip the tour. Unless you (and your family/companions) are real gear-heads there's not too much flash gordon stuff on the bus ride. However, if this is your only trip to KSC for a while, start skipping lunches now and save your pennies. Might as well see everything while you're there. It's all really cool when you think about it a little. Have fun! I'll be watching on TV, so I'm jealous.
• #13 by Jim on 26 May, 2006 16:56
• The SSPF (space station processing facility) is off the tour.
  The visitor center is on site, but on the unsecure part.  The Saturn V is not in the visitor but in its own facility near complex 39.
• #14 by mkirk on 26 May, 2006 18:30
• Quote

  Jim - 26/5/2006  11:43 AM
  
  The SSPF (space station processing facility) is off the tour.
  The visitor center is on site, but on the unsecure part.  The Saturn V is not in the visitor but in its own facility near complex 39.

  
  Last I knew the SSPF was on the tour if you paid for the appropriate tour pass (i.e. more money).  I guess that helps limit the number of people going through there.
  
  Mark Kirkman
• #15 by zappafrank on 27 May, 2006 05:40
• I'm up for it if I can make it.  I can fly down there free if there is a seat on the plane.
• #16 by Jim on 27 May, 2006 12:41
• Quote

  mkirk - 26/5/2006  2:17 PM
  
  

  Quote

  Jim - 26/5/2006  11:43 AM
  
  The SSPF (space station processing facility) is off the tour.
  The visitor center is on site, but on the unsecure part.  The Saturn V is not in the visitor but in its own facility near complex 39.

  
  Last I knew the SSPF was on the tour if you paid for the appropriate tour pass (i.e. more money).  I guess that helps limit the number of people going through there.
  
  Mark Kirkman

  
  Was that before 9/11?    I took a friend on the bus tour last summer and no SSPF
• #17 by psloss on 27 May, 2006 14:12
• I'm going to try to get down there for a weekend trip in a couple of weeks...assuming I can secure a loan to pay for the tour, I'll report back.  
  
  Philip Sloss
  
• #18 by Rocket Guy on 27 May, 2006 16:30
• The 'Up Close Tour' goes to the SSPF viewing area.
  
  I recommend the Then & Now Tour and perhaps that one, over the regular tour. They both include the regular tour plus everything else, and the Cape Tour shows you everything at the Cape you can see except the SSPF (which is where the Up Close comes in).
• #19 by mkirk on 27 May, 2006 17:11
• Quote

  Jim - 27/5/2006  7:28 AM
  
  

  Quote

  mkirk - 26/5/2006  2:17 PM
  
  

  Quote

  Jim - 26/5/2006  11:43 AM
  
  The SSPF (space station processing facility) is off the tour.
  The visitor center is on site, but on the unsecure part.  The Saturn V is not in the visitor but in its own facility near complex 39.

  
  Last I knew the SSPF was on the tour if you paid for the appropriate tour pass (i.e. more money).  I guess that helps limit the number of people going through there.
  
  Mark Kirkman

  
  Was that before 9/11?    I took a friend on the bus tour last summer and no SSPF

  
  I took some friends on the tour (including SSPF) around early November.  I have a Pass but they had to pay extra.  SSPF was closed post 911 but I think they came to a compromise by allowing fewer people in there via the special up close tour...more money.
  
  Mark Kirkman