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#40
by
MySDCUserID
on 05 Jun, 2007 22:13
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TNCMAXQ - 5/6/2007 3:24 PM
I will be at the causeway too. Got a "causeway VIP" pass from my senator's office. This will be a bit of a step down from the press site where I saw the last few from. 
Oh well. Not sure if there is a better view at this VIP section of the causeway but I hope there will be bleachers and some concession stands. I saw 2 launches from the causeway in the 1990s and the view was excellent.
The 45th Space Wing has two sets of bleachers marked as "VIP" on the extreme eastern end of NASA Causeway. There are concession stands and port-a-pottys on the causeway. They are still in the process of setting all of that up.
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#41
by
Avron
on 06 Jun, 2007 03:48
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Radioheaded - 5/6/2007 5:13 PM
Hopefully this will be the first of quite a few I'll view from space view park in Titusville.
Will see you at the Park...
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#42
by
Rocket Nut
on 06 Jun, 2007 15:51
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Avron - 5/6/2007 11:48 PM
Radioheaded - 5/6/2007 5:13 PM
Hopefully this will be the first of quite a few I'll view from space view park in Titusville.
Will see you at the Park...
I'll be at the park, too. I usually record the launch on NASA TV, and watch the launch from titusville. Then, when I get home, I can get all the real NASA stuff. Launches to the ISS are a lot easier than the old launches...the window is nearly immediate...no long waits for launch. Unfortunately, being a Friday night launch, there will probably be huge crowds. If it is too crowded, I'll probably go home and watch it from the yard.
If any others are there from this forum, I will be the old greybeard wearing a "hands-on Wildlife" t-shirt. Stop and say 'hi'. Hmmm...maybe I should bring a Florida Panther or a python with me...easier to pick out of a crowd that way!
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#43
by
Mark Nguyen
on 06 Jun, 2007 23:17
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I proudly watch daytime launches in my office, inviting anyone who's free to join me. With the speakers plugged in and turned up. LOUD.
Mark
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#44
by
Avron
on 07 Jun, 2007 00:02
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Larry
If things get super crazy at the Park... what would be you backup along the Water?
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#45
by
Rocket Nut
on 07 Jun, 2007 00:40
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Avron - 6/6/2007 8:02 PM
Larry
If things get super crazy at the Park... what would be you backup along the Water?
We have watched a lot of launches along route 1. or any of the causeways that remain open...
One nice place we found a few years ago was just north of route 50 on route 1. I think that is exit 215 off of I-95...drive east on route 50 then turn left on route 1. Just north of that intersection is a McDonalds on the right. We walked down the little road that goes beside the McD toward the condos on the river. There is usually someone with a scanner at the end of the road, just before the entrance gate to the condos.
There are so many places to park on route 1 where you can look across the water. The closest the public can get to the pad is about 11 miles...a little farther if you go south of the pads on the beeline/beachline. There is usually an RV parked just east of the banana river bridge on the beachline that is manned by a local HAM radio club.
There are several maps posted on this site and the KSC site that shows where you can go to watch.
There was miserable traffic during the holiday launch last year. I'm planning on getting home many hours after launch/scrub...and I live about 20 miles south.
Cheers,
Larry
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#46
by
Gene DiGennaro
on 07 Jun, 2007 13:59
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Rocket Nut - 6/6/2007 7:40 PM
There was miserable traffic during the holiday launch last year. I'm planning on getting home many hours after launch/scrub...and I live about 20 miles south.
Cheers,
Larry
Yes there was! Especially after the first scrub. We walked from Manzo Park to the mall for a few hours and had an early dinner. When we left Titusville for our motel on Cocoa Beach, we still got caught in a jam.
Gene
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#47
by
Celeritas
on 07 Jun, 2007 14:42
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From an outdoor beach bar in New Smyrna Beach, 25 miles north. Friday evening launch--it's going to be a zoo down in Titusville.
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#48
by
xlr82v2
on 07 Jun, 2007 14:54
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I'll hopefully be watching on NASA TV. Made it down to KSC for the launch of STS 114, but went home disappointed with the whole ECO Sensor anomaly...
Going to try to make it back down there for STS 118.
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#49
by
Avron
on 07 Jun, 2007 15:22
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Celeritas - 7/6/2007 10:42 AM
From an outdoor beach bar in New Smyrna Beach, 25 miles north. Friday evening launch--it's going to be a zoo down in Titusville.
So heading north vs south is a better plan after launch?
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#50
by
Celeritas
on 07 Jun, 2007 15:47
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Avron - 7/6/2007 11:22 AM
Celeritas - 7/6/2007 10:42 AM
From an outdoor beach bar in New Smyrna Beach, 25 miles north. Friday evening launch--it's going to be a zoo down in Titusville.
So heading north vs south is a better plan after launch?
I don't know of any good way to get out of the Cape area after a crowded launch viewing, except maybe by helicopter. I lived in New Smyrna Beach for a couple of years and know that by a quirk of geography, New Smyrna Beach is one of the only (if not the only) town on the east coast of Florida not bounded by any other cities on the north or south (Ponce Inlet on the north and Canaveral National Seashore on the south.) Consequently, it's nice and quiet, which is perfect for my tastes.
If proximity is what you're looking for, and I imagine it is if you're coming from far away, then N.S.B. is not the best viewing area, but I've never had to crawl all over people to get out of there either.
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#51
by
Radioheaded
on 07 Jun, 2007 16:13
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Avron - 7/6/2007 11:22 AM
Celeritas - 7/6/2007 10:42 AM
From an outdoor beach bar in New Smyrna Beach, 25 miles north. Friday evening launch--it's going to be a zoo down in Titusville.
So heading north vs south is a better plan after launch?
I'm wondering if someone can suggest a bar close to Space View park (at least reasonably so) where one might be able to enjoy a cold beverage (allowing most of the traffic to dissipate) before heading back to Orlando...
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#52
by
Jim
on 07 Jun, 2007 16:28
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Titusville has no good bars
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#53
by
Avron
on 07 Jun, 2007 16:42
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Jim - 7/6/2007 12:28 PM
Titusville has no good bars
So the Bars are better in N.S.B?
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#54
by
CommanderAce
on 07 Jun, 2007 16:49
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Nasa TV is the only option for me. However I've just got a 6" refractor, does anyone know the projected path viewable from the east of England? Weather permitting ofcourse.
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#55
by
Jim
on 07 Jun, 2007 16:50
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Avron - 7/6/2007 12:42 PM
Jim - 7/6/2007 12:28 PM
Titusville has no good bars
So the Bars are better in N.S.B?
yes!
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#56
by
tmckinley
on 07 Jun, 2007 17:20
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I'm graduating from high school starting at 7, I might just have to take a "bathroom break" in order to go watch the launch. I haven't missed a launch in a long time and i think id rather watch the launch than sit through speeches.
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#57
by
Celeritas
on 07 Jun, 2007 17:51
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Avron - 7/6/2007 12:42 PM
Jim - 7/6/2007 12:28 PM
Titusville has no good bars
So the Bars are better in N.S.B?
I don't know anything about the bars in Titusville, but "good" would be a strong word to describe N.S.B. bars. "Relaxing" would be a much better descriptive word and that's exactly what I'm looking for in a beach bar on a Friday launch night.
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#58
by
Gene DiGennaro
on 07 Jun, 2007 18:40
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There's a little pizza parlor/Italian restuarant across RT1 from Space View Park in the Searstown mall. We went there last July. Not expensive, good service and most importantly cold drinks! When we were done our meal we strolled about the mall. Not much there, the Space Walk Hall of Fame had already closed up but the gift shop was open. The gift shop was definitely worthwhile.
Hope this helps,
Gene
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#59
by
YesRushGen
on 07 Jun, 2007 18:53
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Greetings,
I voted for Online/NASA-TV, although there is a chance we will see the later part of the ascent. I live in Hampton Roads, VA on the East Coast and have seen two night launches in the eastern sky. I'm not sure if STS-117 will be visible or not though, since it will still be daylight.
I'll be enjoying the launch with my good friend Astromattical, also a mostly-lurker on NSF and his fiance, who are coming to visit!
Can't wait to see you "Astromattical!"
cheers,
Kelly
Oh well. Not sure if there is a better view at this VIP section of the causeway but I hope there will be bleachers and some concession stands. I saw 2 launches from the causeway in the 1990s and the view was excellent.