Author Topic: Falcon Heavy - NASASpaceflight member meetup (Read 73666 times)

cscott · « **Reply #60 on:** 01/16/2018 02:01 pm »

I suspect the photographer was pretty far up and back on the beach as well, to put enough distance between himself and the beachgoers that he could get them both in the same perspective-compressed shot. A great shot by a news-agency photographer looking to put a human-interest shot on the front page. The amateur photographers and non-camera-wielding viewers appear to be crammed up on the shoreline, where they might get slightly more pixels on their sesnors/retinas but no context to their shots.

I'm thinking that the difference in the tree line, making the landing site less obstructed, is actually due to the photographer being back and up (a dune?) on the beach. If you're right at the water's edge, your altitude would be in fact a few feet *less* than on the jetty further north, and so the treeline would probably appear similar.

There's a rooftop viewing location at jetty park; it might be worth watching from there rather than trying to cram onto the pier to be a few hundred feet closer.

Comga · « **Reply #61 on:** 01/16/2018 05:05 pm »

Quote from: Lars-J on 01/13/2018 08:16 pm

Quote from: TripD on 01/13/2018 05:21 pm
That 2nd pic seems amazingly close!

It wouldn’t look anywhere close like that in real life. It must have been taken with a pretty strong telephoto lens - probably ~300mm+, which makes things look a lot closer than in real life.

From a link on the Reddit page, it's just down the beach from the pier at Jetty Park.

Lars-J · « **Reply #62 on:** 01/16/2018 05:58 pm »

Quote from: Comga on 01/16/2018 05:05 pm

Quote from: Lars-J on 01/13/2018 08:16 pm
Quote from: TripD on 01/13/2018 05:21 pm
That 2nd pic seems amazingly close!

It wouldn’t look anywhere close like that in real life. It must have been taken with a pretty strong telephoto lens - probably ~300mm+, which makes things look a lot closer than in real life.

From a link on the Reddit page, it's just down the beach from the pier at Jetty Park.

Keep reading the reddit thread, a bit down the photographer corrects him that he was further south, below Cherie Down Park.

mike robel · « **Reply #63 on:** 01/17/2018 01:01 am »

I will probably watch the launch/landing from along the SR 528 Causeway on Merritt Island at the North Banana River Exit. (first picture) The Causeway is circled in yellow (you can get off the road at several places by just driving off onto the shoulder. You will see cars parked all along the way. Its best to not stop on the road, but it happens a lot. There are some places by the bridge abutments you can park. Its about 20 km to the pad.

An excellent alternative spot is on Cape Canaveral from the beach in the vicinity of Cherry Down Park (second picture - circled in black). Be careful where you park, the Canaveral Police are sometimes pretty aggressive. Since school is in session, best not to park in the school. It is not so good for the lift off from 39B (but it did offer excellent views of Delta II Launches) and it has a nice view of the whole cape for the landing. (Third Picture.) It is further away of course than Jetty Park, but you do get a nice view.

FluffyFreak · « **Reply #64 on:** 01/25/2018 02:23 pm »

A friend and I are hoping to get to the launch, and hopefully see it from KSC.

However we're from the UK and you require a domestic US address to book tickets online, still hope that we'll get through in the end.

It'd be nice to meetup with people whilst we're over.

Andy

billh · « **Reply #65 on:** 01/25/2018 02:25 pm »

Bought my tickets this morning for the Apollo/Saturn V Center viewing area through the KSC Visitor Center (3.9 miles from the pad). Expensive, but I figure we'll be flying in from across the country so "in for a penny, in for a pound". I wasn't sure whether I wanted to be closer to the launch or the landing until I heard the rumble from the static fire yesterday. That sealed the deal!

Orbiter · « **Reply #66 on:** 01/25/2018 02:35 pm »

I didn't see a viewing thread, Playalinda Beach appears to have been open for the STF yesterday... open for the launch, too?

CeeJayDugan · « **Reply #67 on:** 01/25/2018 02:51 pm »

I just bought tickets for the Saturn V viewing. I echo earlier sentiments that if i'm going to fly half way across the country I might as well (hopefully) get a good look at liftoff! And I have never been to KSC so the admission ticket is something i would have bought anyway. This is starting to feel very real! Looking forward to meeting other NSF members!

sghill · « **Reply #68 on:** 01/25/2018 03:27 pm »

Quote from: Ike17055 on 01/11/2018 04:31 am

Is it safe to assume Exploration Tower is not an option?

Exploration Tower is not selling launch viewing tickets ($15 per person) yet for the FH launch. They are still selling tickets for the F9 launch on the 30th. Watch their site for FH tickets to go on sale: http://explorationtower.reserveorlando.com/da/vip-launch-viewing-exploration-tower-port-canaveral#!#return

I've been on the balcony at the tower. Not only is it a good launch viewing spot (despite the distance), it's probably the best spot for watching a landing you can get without being in a helicopter. Plus they have great bathrooms, you can get indoors if the weather turns yucky or cold, they have a nice little space museum, and you can walk across the street to get food if there are delays.

See you guys on the rooftop at Fishlips for drinks during those inevitable delays.

For the record, I do not like watching launches from the beach or the jetty. The view stinks. Here's a photo of the Orion test launch (and my daughters) from the beach with 2X zoom- and that launch was muuuuuuuch closer than Pad 39. The landings will be pretty close for beach viewers, but the tower will have a superb view of landings all the way to the pad- as does Rt. 401.

FluffyFreak · « **Reply #69 on:** 01/25/2018 03:36 pm »

Quote from: sghill on 01/25/2018 03:27 pm

Exploration Tower is not selling launch viewing tickets ($15 per person) yet for the FH launch. They are still selling tickets for the F9 launch on the 30th. Watch their site for FH tickets to go on sale: http://explorationtower.reserveorlando.com/da/vip-launch-viewing-exploration-tower-port-canaveral#!#return

I've been on the balcony at the tower. Not only is it a good launch viewing spot (despite the distance), it's probably the best spot for watching a landing you can get without being in a helicopter. Plus they have great bathrooms, you can get indoors if the weather turns yucky or cold, they have a nice little space museum, and you can walk across the street to get food if there are delays.

See you guys on the rooftop at Fishlips for drinks during those inevitable delays.

For the record, I do not like watching launches from the beach or the jetty. The view stinks. Here's a photo of the Orion test launch (and my daughters) from the beach with 2X zoom- and that launch was muuuuuuuch closer than Pad 39. The landings will be pretty close for beach viewers, but the tower will have a superb view of landings all the way to the pad- as does Rt. 401.

Thanks for the info, been phoning every 5 minutes since 2pm (now 4:35pm here) without getting through to reservations for KSC, so having backup options for seeing the launch is a good idea for us!

Swoopert · « **Reply #70 on:** 01/25/2018 04:39 pm »

Quote from: FluffyFreak on 01/25/2018 02:23 pm

A friend and I are hoping to get to the launch, and hopefully see it from KSC.

However we're from the UK and you require a domestic US address to book tickets online, still hope that we'll get through in the end.

It'd be nice to meetup with people whilst we're over.

Andy

I'm looking to make the same journey (from the UK), and came up against the same issue...let me know if you get around it!

c · « **Reply #71 on:** 01/25/2018 04:55 pm »

RE: KSC launch packages for Falcon Heavy require US street address

KSC will be shipping launch package materials via USPS (US Postal Service). Therefore a US street address is needed (no international, no po boxes, etc).

If any international NSF members need a US street address to receive their launch package, feel free to PM me and I can help you out. I am semi-local to KSC and plan to be at KSC for several days around the launch.

FluffyFreak · « **Reply #72 on:** 01/25/2018 05:21 pm »

After 43 minutes on the phone to KSC (40 on hold, 3 on call

) it seems that this is something of a problem for booking from overseas locations.

If you have a hotel booked already then they can post the packs there.
Alternatively they suggested that I might be able to phone FedEx and arrange something... though they could not elaborate what.

My suggestion at this point is that if you're not in the USA, and do not have a hotel or other accommodation booked, then you'll need a friend/volunteer to help out by holding onto tickets etc for you.

Andy

PS: My apologies, this appears to have derailed the meetup thread.
Could/Should it be moved to another thread for non-US visitors hoping to attend the inaugural flight?

starhawk92 · « **Reply #73 on:** 01/25/2018 05:33 pm »

The last time I saw a launch was a Shuttle from 39A (far too) many moons ago. We drove over from the gulf side and parked along Highway 1 across from the cape.

Can anyone compare this to the other suggested sites? I parked there because there were tons of cars already waiting hours and hours beforehand.

Can't wait for a more firm date to plan for!!

Can I request a FishLips rooftop success happy-several-hours party afterwards???

kerrycockram · « **Reply #74 on:** 01/25/2018 07:25 pm »

LaunchPhotography has pictures and video from several viewing spots.

I decided on the Sat V building site for my tripod and me

FluffyFreak · « **Reply #75 on:** 01/25/2018 07:27 pm »

Thanks to some very kind assistance (I'll let them identify themselves if they choose) we've gotten around the booking problem!

There will be at least 2 Brits in attendance for the meetup, and one is called Chris (not me) so you'll all be able to remember at least one of our names

Looking forward too it.

ChrisGebhardt · « **Reply #76 on:** 01/25/2018 07:47 pm »

Update from me, the person coordinating our meetup :

Excellent to see so much interest for this launch. In the coming days, once a launch date is public, we'll start the process of really planning this. I'll have a couple people helping me plan and organize -- as I'll be busy in the days leading up to the launch.

Keep discussing options for now, and hang tight; we'll start the actual planning for this and have details for you all soon!

- Chris G.

The_Ronin · « **Reply #77 on:** 01/25/2018 07:53 pm »

I'm coming down with my oldest kiddo. I am torn between Playalinda to see the launch or closer to Port Canaveral to see the landing. Decisions decisions...

I would love to meet and watch with other NSFers, that's for sure.

CeeJayDugan · « **Reply #78 on:** 01/25/2018 08:05 pm »

Since it seems people will be spread out at different launch locations it would be cool to maybe have an official "NSF Meetup Bar" or something that can serve as a reliable venue for NSF junkies to hang out at at the end of the day or in the event of scrubs.

ChrisGebhardt · « **Reply #79 on:** 01/25/2018 08:12 pm »

Note about Playalinda Beach for Falcon Heavy's launch:

Playalinda was telling folks yesterday that they have not been told what their plan is for this launch yet or whether for safety reasons they'll have to close for the launch.

They'll know in the next few days, they said. So definitely have a back up viewing location in mind in case they are closed.