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]

Have seem a satalite launch but never a shuttle[msnsad]

We saw PLUTO of from our florida room even though it was so far away was awesome. Would love to be there in JULY to see next one .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.com

We saw a shuttle land in 2001. We managed to find a place to park at the end of the runway along with lots of other people (I don't know if you can still do this after 9/11) and the shuttle flew over our heads so low that it only just seemed to clear the trees. Absolutely fantastic!

One day we may get to see a launch. We have been to Florida so many times over the past 15 years and not once seen a launch.
Have a great time and enjoy it for all those people going to see the launch.

I remember last year when we was at the villa I caught a count-down on the tele - I looked at my husband and then ran on to the pool deck to see a rocket that had just been launched (Titan rocket) - that was an amazing sight. So I will keep check and look East again from the pool deck when we are out in August.

Wend

It is one of things we have always wanted to see but never been lucky enough to be there when one takes place.

Jill

I have just checked and its still all go for tomorrow.
Hope everybody that goes to watch the launch enjoys themsleves.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by joyce roberts
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
[/quote]

went in '89 in a coach trip organised by hotel to cocoa beach hilton partying in the grounds all day and watched night flight

next one i remember was on the carpark of shopping mall on 192, impressive with the curly white clouds of the exhaust but no photos available as locked camera in car by mistake [msnmad] :) the mall must have had a small garage attached 'cause they opened the car for me [msnsmile2]

the third one i remember was from villa nr kissimmee
same impressive cloud formation watched on the telly also :)

for some time since finding nasa site been trying to watch nasa tv but now can receive it for some reason [?]

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/st...ont/index.html

We saw a rocket that had been launched while watching the show in the evening at MGM, at first it didnt click what it was then we remembered a rocket had been launched, it was fantastic to see, we are hoping to see the shuttle launch in the summer, am just weighing up whether to risk getting launch day tickets just in case it does go up as scheduled as we are coming home on 31 August. Last summer we went up to Merritt park, that would be a fantastic viewing site but they close the park for 24 hours prior to the launch for safety reasons.

Lets hope it goes well today for them. One of the astronauts on todays flight is British and comes from Cranbrook in Kent.

DOn't forget you can watch a live stream from the nasa site. Am watching it myself now T-minus 4 hours 32 mins and counting

Crew are just driving to the launch site now.

Hi Ceri, so exactly what time does this happen our time??
Thanks

They just mentioned it lauch at 3.45pm Florida time so its 8.45pm here if I'm right

Thanks, I'll be watchin[msnsmile2] hopefully[msnscared]

I will try and put nearer the time for anybody to tune in.

I'm watching it too Ceri, along with the England v Portugal match (usual pain watching England) and Wimbledon - spoilt for choice today!

We're going to a neighbours for a BBQ this evening but I have to come back and put the guinea pigs back in their hutch and will aim for the launch time [msnwink][msnwink][msnwink]

Watching them board I can feel the anticipation... God bless them all for a safe journey.

We have just passed the 50 mins mark

Time confirmed to launch 8.49 at the moment. too much cloud cover

For those that can't get it on tv you can watch it on www.nasa.gov and click on Nasa TV. At the moment they're giving a rund down to the history of discovery and just gone back to live info.

We are at 9.00 mins and holding, and it is anticapated that they will wait until 59mins to 9.00 our time, and the launch window will have passed.

Its not going today maybe tomorrow at 3.26 est pm[msnsmile]

Today has been srubbed. wait again tomorrow

Definitely tomorrow.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Lesley S
Definitely tomorrow.

[/quote]

Depending on the weather[msnwink]

Oh I am glad I didn't miss anything, hubby and youngest son have gone to the moto gp for the weekend along with a few others, so just me and eldest here, a friend of mine phoned about 8.30 to see if I would like to go for a drink as we are on our own, I said yes and have just got back, thought I'd missed it, I have had the NASA channel on the net for most of the day, looks like a bit of the same tomorrow then, shame it didn't go as planned[msnsad] good news for me though[msnwink]

Another flight attempt will be made on Sunday at 1526 EDT (1926 GMT).

Well we were on Cocoa Beach to watch it and there were alot of very disappointed people. Just made the day after watching England lose in a British pub in the morning, having left Orlando v early to get their in time for the match.

My youngest is absolutely gutted on both fronts, and she was so looking foward to the launch, we are picking up my husband from the airport tomorrow at - yes 3.20 so cannot be in 2 places at once, although he kindly offered to wait at the airport until we got back. Drive back today took over 3 hours at a snails pace, so I don't think so.

Nasa officials say the 1526 EDT (1926 GMT) launch is likely to be halted as the thundery clouds which thwarted Saturday's bid are still a problem.

Scrubbed again for today, trying for Tues at 2.38. That will be some Fourth of July firework if it goes. At least hopefully Fiona you might all get to go and see it with Chris as well.