Shuttle launch

metalspinner · January 26, 2009, 01:37:04 PM

I'm heading down to The Kennedy Space Center for the Space Shuttle Discovery launch on February 12th! 8)

I've been wanting to see this since I was a kid.

A couple of friends and me will take a quick and cheap "Disney" Flight into Orlando. Then we'll hop onto a tour bus to take us to the launch sight for the 7AM liftoff. 8) 8)

This trip will be very fast - less then 24 hours. Because of the early morning launch, the tour bus makes its rounds for pickup around midnight on Wednesday. After the launch we'll bop around the Space Center for a while, then hop back on the bus for the airport and get back to Tennessee for dinner.

This touring company will bring us to the "Causeway Viewing Area" for the launch. That is six miles from the launch pad. At this distance, do you think I can roast some marshmallows in the rocket blast? :D 8)

Who's in!?!

Jeff · January 26, 2009, 03:52:22 PM

Something I'd love to do someday. Problem is that its pretty hard to schedule from this far away. Seems like almost every flight gets some sort of delay. Hope yours gos off with out a hitch.

Mooseherder · January 26, 2009, 07:46:17 PM

Quote from: Jeff on January 26, 2009, 03:52:22 PM
Something I'd love to do someday. Problem is that its pretty hard to schedule from this far away. Seems like almost every flight gets some sort of delay. Hope yours gos off with out a hitch.

The only time we went up there specifically for the launch our daughters and a friend of theirs were in the "Are we There yet" phase. :D It was gonna be a quick up and back ride. We could see the launch pad from our vantage. I think the launch was scrubbed at T minus 10 seconds. :( Man that was a long ride home. :D

One time we were driving back from Maine almost home and totally unaware there was a launch scheduled. People were pulled off the road on the side of I 95, out of their cars and looking east waiting to see the spectacle. I pulled over at an opening and watched it go from there. It was probably 15 miles away and you could see it good. During night launches we can see the Red Orange fire ball on the northern horizon in a pretty big way and trace the flame for a while. We are about 175 miles away.

metalspinner · January 26, 2009, 08:32:57 PM

Oh, Man. You guys are gonna jinx it. :D

Keep thinking, "Go for launch, Go for launch."

This trip is so inexpensive that I'm willing to gamble a scrubbed launch.

I wonder what percentage of shuttle launches are significantly delayed? :P

metalspinner · January 26, 2009, 08:38:14 PM

What would Vegas say about these odds? :

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/5033023.html

Corley5 · January 27, 2009, 10:49:23 AM

I saw an an early morning launch about this time in '94. We watched it from a marina five or six miles away. It was really 8) 8) with the sun just just coming up. The bass from the blast was incredible even at that distance

metalspinner · February 04, 2009, 10:11:16 AM

"Houston, we have a problem."

Bump No 1. :(

The launch has been bumped a week forward. :-\ It's one of those things, I guess. Now it is set to go at 4:40AM on the 19th. Which makes it better, IMHO. A night time launch should be more spectacular. 8) 8)

Luckily, I opted for the "convenience fee" with the airline to move the flight at no cost. The touring company also has a floating schedule for these contingencies. And, most importantly, Wifey, doesn't seem to mind.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/valve+tests+delay+discovery+launch/2921902

beenthere · February 04, 2009, 10:49:11 AM

Quote"quick and cheap "Disney" Flight into Orlando"

Quote from: metalspinner on February 04, 2009, 10:11:16 AM
.............
Luckily, I opted for the "convenience fee" with the airline to move the flight at no cost. The touring company also has a floating schedule for these contingencies. ................

What do the tickets cost then, if you get both "quick and cheap.." and add a "convenience fee" onto that? I'd like to learn that procedure... ;D

Glad to hear you will get to see it. Hope we get some pics.
Will want to watch it on the satelite NASA channel, for sure.

metalspinner · February 04, 2009, 10:59:02 AM

$150 round trip on Alliegient Air. That includes the $30 fee. Their advertising is a bit deceitful. A one way to Orlando is advertised as $29, but after all the fees, it ends up more than twice that. It's still cheap - less than half of other airlines - but being upfront with it wouldn't pith me off at checkout time. :

Raider Bill · February 04, 2009, 01:17:53 PM

On a clear day/night we can see the launches from across the state! I've been to both day and night launches Night time ones are the best although day time isn't bad. Much noise even from miles away..

I fly Alliegent to knoxville when I can. it's a 12 hour drive but only 1 hour 15 minutes non stop.

Chris you are right though, they say $29 but it always comes out closer to $100 but still well worth it to me not to waste a day driving then another winding down from it.

metalspinner · February 10, 2009, 09:05:57 AM

You guys ever get the strange feeling of dejavu?

"Houston, we have a problem." :D

Bump No. 2

Jeff · February 10, 2009, 02:16:31 PM

:-\ʇdɯǝʇʇɐ ƃuıʇsod xuıɾ-un ʎɯ sı sıɥʇ ˙ɹǝılɹɐǝ pǝʇsod ı ʇɐɥʍ ƃuıʇsod ʎq noʎ pǝxuıɾ ʍoɥǝɯos ǝʌɐɥ ʎɐɯ ı ʇɐɥʇ lǝǝɟ ı 'ʎɹɹos ɯ,ı

beenthere · February 10, 2009, 04:34:01 PM

Good try Jeff ;D ;D

metalspinner · February 14, 2009, 05:59:19 PM

"It's like dejavu all over again." Yogi Bera

Bump No.3
:(

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29190466/

Jeff · February 14, 2009, 06:51:48 PM

˙uoıʇɐɔɐʌ ǝlʇʇnɥs s,ɹǝuuıdslɐʇǝɯ uo ʇnd ı xuıɾ lɐuoıʇuǝʇuıun ǝɥʇ opun ǝsɐǝld
'uɹǝɔuoɔ ʎɐɯ ʇı oɥʍ oʇ

metalspinner · February 25, 2009, 10:53:48 AM

The launch has been scrubbed until further notice. It's not even mentioned on their events calander. :-\

Their testing on the valve mentioned below is incomplete or inconclusive. Better safe than sorry. I was getting kind of excited a few days ago. I can only imagine the kind of disappointment the folks at NASA have with these types of delays.

metalspinner · March 05, 2009, 10:30:02 PM

They rescheduled the Discovery launch for March 12th, but as luck would have it, I am out of town on business. :'(
If they cannot launch next week, the whole thing will be bumped to April.

The Space Center has two shuttle missions scheduled in May just three days apart. So we are going to try again then. ;)

Mooseherder · March 11, 2009, 04:19:11 PM

Shuttle launch tonight has been scrubbed because a Leak was detected.
Looks like they will try again on Thursday. I hope it is at night. :

I was looking forward to try my video Camera that seems to work in the dark with minimal light. We have a bright moon and if clear will see the orange glow on the horizon and the trail into space. I'll post it if it comes out.

metalspinner · March 11, 2009, 07:14:13 PM

I just read the article. Those guys can't catch a break with this launch. The problems which caused the delays all this past month are different than this current issue. :-\ I hope they don't lose their patience.

Mooseherder · March 12, 2009, 07:59:57 PM

We were going to go up the coast 90 miles closer to get a better look for tonights launch.
It was scrubbed again. Now on for Sunday Night. :

moonhill · March 15, 2009, 08:46:18 PM

We saw Discover in the big building the day before it was to be walked to the launch pad. Nice to see it make it with out any issues.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/scitech/space/shuttle_discovery_launch_031509

Tim

Mooseherder · March 15, 2009, 09:55:47 PM

We just got back from the Launch. Didn't make it all the way up to the Cape. Drove up to Wabasso, which is about 70 miles south of the Launch. It was exactly 200 miles round trip and worth it. I'm loading up the videos now. ;D
My wife got the whole thing with her camera, I was a little late in getting to the record button with mine. :(
First one is mine. Second is a little different from Wife's camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hAlomVNLCU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ijfX_J_exQ

Tom · March 15, 2009, 11:04:10 PM

Yeah, Wabasso, Dad's hometown. ;D

From zero to Seventeen thousand Five-hundred miles per hour and you're in Space in nine minutes. That's moving!!

It takes me twice that length of time to get to the Grocery store. :-\

Holy smoke!! What a trip that would be.

metalspinner · March 17, 2009, 08:29:54 AM

I had to watch it on the NASA Channel from Washington D.C. :( It was still awesome, though. The camera attached to the main rocket booster was the footage they they broadcast. It was neat to see the seperation from the shuttle whlie they were in space.

MH,
Could you here anything from your distance? I am amazed that the blast trail was glowing as long as it was. Could that have been sunlight reflecting?

Mooseherder · March 17, 2009, 05:11:12 PM

We couldn't hear anything from the distance. I think next time we'll go all the way up.
The sun had just set so the trail may have been picking up some of the light over the horizon.