SHUTTLE LAUNCH

nasa site saying discovery launches july 1st

3-49pm EDT :)

The time slot is bewtween 1-9th July so it could take off any time betwen those dates, but the weather will probably delay it a bit.

It is well worth going to watch whenever it takes off. It is a fantastic sight.

We're hoping to catch the next one if it goes as planned at present between 26th Aug and 9th Sept.

We watched a launch about 14 years ago in Florida. Sat on Cocoa beach with many others in a party atmosphere to watch. Great day!
J

Does anyone know of anywhere where you can actually see it on the launchpad before take off? We've been to a night launch (well 4am) at Jetty Park and you could only see it after it had taken off and gone above the brow of the hill.

The Shuttle launch we saw was days prior to 9/11 and we had passes for Cape Canaveral airforce base so sat across the river and saw it for several hours before take off so it was much more interesting to watch. I have seen a rocket launch when we were visiting Kennedy one day but againg it was in the sky and wasn't sure if their tours took you to a place where you could watch the launch from the pad.

It's just so much more spectacular as it's just how you always see it on the tv with the billowiing clouds of smoke etc.

As I understand it the closest you can get is on the road leading up to the space centre - you can't get within 5 miles of the launch pad.
We were told, on the tour that we did, that this is because anyone closer than that would suffer serious health problems due to the shock waves generated on take-off.
I am saying this from memory and if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will be able to correct me.
This link will take you to the KSC site, where you can reserve a ticket to view the take-off from the closest possible location within the space centre complex.

[website link edited]

Pegasus

When we saw it from Cape Canaveral we were just across the river from the launch pad (I think it's part of Merritt wildlife preserve but you reached it through the air force base.)

We like the look of the boats that will take you to view the launches as well but are reluctant to pay for tickets in advance as so often the launches slip and we may not be able to see it (the passes we had before were free so it wouldn't have mattered if we couldnt get there so much).

We have never seen a Shuttle Launch, only on TV, would love to see one.

Its a fantastic experience one I will never forget,if you get the chance to go to a shutte launch then you must go. [msnsmile2]