CoyoteNumber2
Original San Diego High Power Rocketry
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dragon_rider10
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How far are you traveling for this, Coyote?
I'm sure someone here can tell you the percentage of times they launch when they say they will, but I can tell you it's not a big number. It's not a big deal for me drive 2 hours to see one and have it scrubbed, but if you're coming from anywhere distant, I'd reconsider or have some back up plans in Orlando or something similar (which I can help you with www.allseastravel.com
).
I'm sure someone here can tell you the percentage of times they launch when they say they will, but I can tell you it's not a big number. It's not a big deal for me drive 2 hours to see one and have it scrubbed, but if you're coming from anywhere distant, I'd reconsider or have some back up plans in Orlando or something similar (which I can help you with www.allseastravel.com
).
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Night launches are really cool. This may be the last one. You should go for it.
GuyNoir
Well-Known Member
I saw the STS-79 launch at 4:40 AM (short video with speeded up launch footage here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvqpG9yzxW4). It's mighty impressive, as the light output is such that you could have read a newspaper for about a minute after liftoff. And you'll be able to follow the bird until it clears the horizon. It'll be the fastest moving, brightest object in the heavens.
Having said all that, dawn launches are, IMHO, better.
SpaceAXEplorer
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Space view Memorial Park in Titusville is a good spot. It's free...but they take donations.
Here's a list of favorite viewing sites, Space View is in there:
https://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html
We're 'PLANNING' on being there for this launch. Val and I working out the details( she HATES mornings!)
AS suggested though, and from my own experience, the launch maybe would be best as 'BONUS' event if you're coming across the country. Disney World, Kennedy Space Center, museums- there's more than enough within a couple of hours or less for a week's worth of fun.
Eric
Here's a list of favorite viewing sites, Space View is in there:
https://www.launchphotography.com/Shuttle_Launch_Viewing.html
We're 'PLANNING' on being there for this launch. Val and I working out the details( she HATES mornings!)
AS suggested though, and from my own experience, the launch maybe would be best as 'BONUS' event if you're coming across the country. Disney World, Kennedy Space Center, museums- there's more than enough within a couple of hours or less for a week's worth of fun.
Eric
lilminijpc
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hopefully you won't have to deal with the cold front that went through this past week... (just got back from there.) i enjoyed visiting the site.
shame i won't get the chance to go when it launches for the last time.
hope you have fun though (take and post lots of pictures for us)!! as for the launch, i read that there might be a delay...as mentioned by the others, best to have a back up plan. (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2010/01/sts-130-may-postponed-node-3-threatens-swap/)
MaxQ
Tripoli 2747
There are a lot of great shuttle launch videos, and night launches are very nice.....these two on YouTube are (IMHO) two of the best for the night launch lighting effects and sound ...(if you have a good set of speakers with bass woofer on your PC ...enjoy these...)
Columbia Space Shuttle - MUST SEE - Last Round-trip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdjID2osZ0A
(once you get past the prelaunch festivities...at around 1:17 the brilliant illumination of the smoke column below the cloud layer and the thundering crackle of the SRBs at 1:26 are just great...
Really Loud Space Shuttle Launch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l55vjzyj0EY
Another fine night launch, and the sound of the SRBs and the car alarms going off at 0:57
Columbia Space Shuttle - MUST SEE - Last Round-trip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdjID2osZ0A
(once you get past the prelaunch festivities...at around 1:17 the brilliant illumination of the smoke column below the cloud layer and the thundering crackle of the SRBs at 1:26 are just great...
Really Loud Space Shuttle Launch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l55vjzyj0EY
Another fine night launch, and the sound of the SRBs and the car alarms going off at 0:57
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MaxQ
Tripoli 2747
...and for a daylight launch, this one is hard to beat...uplink for Isreali TV...the ill fated Columbia flight - video got some good sound...
NASA Last Shuttle Launch For Columbia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb75btnj9W8
("This video depicts a rare glimpse of an actual shuttle launch that is unedited. Turn your volume up and experience the roar of the booster rockets through your woofer speakers")
...and if you just happened to be in the right place at the right time in a commercial airliner....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv5J5cBwwFc
NASA Last Shuttle Launch For Columbia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb75btnj9W8
("This video depicts a rare glimpse of an actual shuttle launch that is unedited. Turn your volume up and experience the roar of the booster rockets through your woofer speakers")
...and if you just happened to be in the right place at the right time in a commercial airliner....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv5J5cBwwFc
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mjennings
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ouch the Ammonia lines, know first had how NASA deals with Ammonia that's very bad news. There is nothing like a night launch, Never saw one from Space View Park, Across from Miracle City Mall in Titusville right on the river is nice, also the top of the Cocoa Beach Surf Company parking Garage is pretty cool and the parking is free. People will be selling parking all along US1 and it get's pretty nuts even for the middle of the night ones.
GregGleason
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I heard about the ammonia lines a day or two ago from our grapevine. What's the deal with them and is there a likelihood that the launch date will slip?
Greg
Greg
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From https://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html?tag=nl.e885 comes this snippet:
But a delay is far from certain. Engineers said it may be possible to clear the lines for use as is, allowing Endeavour's crew to take off on time. If the lines can't be used, NASA could opt to launch the new module on time but delay its activation until new lines can be installed during a subsequent flight.
But a delay is far from certain. Engineers said it may be possible to clear the lines for use as is, allowing Endeavour's crew to take off on time. If the lines can't be used, NASA could opt to launch the new module on time but delay its activation until new lines can be installed during a subsequent flight.
SpaceAXEplorer
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Almost everyone I personally know, and who goes to launches regularly watches, and tweets Spaceflight Now:
https://www.spaceflightnow.com/
They often have updates about missions faster than NASA puts them out.
https://www.spaceflightnow.com/
They often have updates about missions faster than NASA puts them out.
RoyAtl
Well-Known Member
Looking directly at the flame, it *is* intense. I watched the first 20-30 seconds of STS-129 through my camera, then decided I ought to take it in directly for awhile in case I couldn't get down to one of the remaining launches. After about 10 seconds my eyes started to hurt!! So I went back to shooting pictures!
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https://latencyzero.com/lz/MissionClock.html but I haven't checked it out in realtime with a Shuttle launch yet...
mjennings
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They are being vague about the delay, recent articles are here
https://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2010/01/nasa-reviews-problem-with-tranquility.shtml
https://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100108ammonia/
They say pretty much the same stuff, but knowing how the payload to pad flow proceeds and the standard margins, dates will likely firm up by the Friday.
The guy in the photo is a friend of mine.
https://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/space/2010/01/nasa-reviews-problem-with-tranquility.shtml
https://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100108ammonia/
They say pretty much the same stuff, but knowing how the payload to pad flow proceeds and the standard margins, dates will likely firm up by the Friday.
The guy in the photo is a friend of mine.
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Cool! There's so much good stuff you'll have a great time even if the launch doesn't go. I haven't been there in ages but https://www.vacwarbirds.org/ was a lot of fun.
GregGleason
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This is what I posted on YORF regarding the STS-130 launch (I wrote down a 4-page report of the experience so I could relive it years down the road):
We saw the launch and it was very cool.
Very picturesque for Spaceport USA. Xenon lights ablaze on the pad, a line of clouds in the sky, with a blanket of stars on the other side joined with a crescent moon hanging low on the horizon. It was art right out of the "Explore Space" books when I was a kid.
It was pretty surreal, until a woman said "90 seconds". Wow, after the scrub the first night, this might actually happen.
Then about a minute and a half later, a bright light. And the sky lit up.
The flame was very intense, much more than I expected.
The sound was nice, and sounds a little different in person.
I couldn't have pulled this off without the help of my wife being able to pull together the logistics of getting us and our children to witness it.
It was sad to see all the "For Sale" signs around the Cape. A sign of the times for them as this chapter of US manned space flight comes to a close.
I wonder how old my children will be when US astronauts start going up on US flight hardware beyond 2010?
Greg
We saw the launch and it was very cool.
Very picturesque for Spaceport USA. Xenon lights ablaze on the pad, a line of clouds in the sky, with a blanket of stars on the other side joined with a crescent moon hanging low on the horizon. It was art right out of the "Explore Space" books when I was a kid.
It was pretty surreal, until a woman said "90 seconds". Wow, after the scrub the first night, this might actually happen.
Then about a minute and a half later, a bright light. And the sky lit up.
The flame was very intense, much more than I expected.
The sound was nice, and sounds a little different in person.
I couldn't have pulled this off without the help of my wife being able to pull together the logistics of getting us and our children to witness it.
It was sad to see all the "For Sale" signs around the Cape. A sign of the times for them as this chapter of US manned space flight comes to a close.
I wonder how old my children will be when US astronauts start going up on US flight hardware beyond 2010?
Greg
SpaceAXEplorer
Well-Known Member
Val and I were at Space View Park, Sunday morning for the first attempt, and I got several photos of the crowd and going on's...
With the weather an iffy chance, and her having been up all day/night for the first try, shewas exhausted and didn't want to head out for the Monday morning flight. If she don't go, I don't go, and she had my support.
So,we saw it on TV...
Which wasn't all that bad. SInce we had NASA TV on as soon as they started coverage, I got to see all the going on's that go into the launch proceedings before they fire up.
We'll be there for as many more as we can, in person.
Eric
With the weather an iffy chance, and her having been up all day/night for the first try, shewas exhausted and didn't want to head out for the Monday morning flight. If she don't go, I don't go, and she had my support.
So,we saw it on TV...
Which wasn't all that bad. SInce we had NASA TV on as soon as they started coverage, I got to see all the going on's that go into the launch proceedings before they fire up.
We'll be there for as many more as we can, in person.
Eric
