Best place to view a shuttle launch?

[DaveL]

Space View park at Titusville is just over half the distance to the pad as compared to Jetty Park. They also have places nearby where you can buy things. The only thing to be careful of is how many will stay open until 1:30am. Make sure you are stocked up with everything you need.

I have just talked to my current guest who has tickets for the viewing area. He went to a launch last year and said that it took him 4 hour 20 mins to get back to his villa. So please plan ahead with this in mind.

Dave

[murraycrewe]

Ah rite ye thanks Dave, i've just spotted it on the map that you posted earlier. I think i'll go there to watch the launch. The closer the better! Although as you said, it will be busy on the roads on the way to and out of Titusville. But I suppose I will settle for that as I will have the chance to see one of the last shuttle launches, well if it isn't delayed too much!

[murraycrewe]

I have another question to ask, Dave. Does this space shuttle viewing park in Titusville get so crowded on launch days that you have to be there a few hours before to actually make sure you get in? Or are there plenty of parking spaces there?

Thanks

[DaveL]

Most of the parks do get busy but a lot depends on the day of the week and time of the launch.

That being said they are getting more crowded because as you say there will not be many more. Also they try not to plan a launch at night if possible. Most of the time it only happens when there has been a delay and they want to get it away as fast as possible.

I am guessing that with a launch at this early time in the morning there may be a few less people around.

I would think that your best course of action would be to arrive in the Titusville area around 7:00pm and find somewhere to have a slow meal before heading back to the park. You may want to plan on spending the day in the Cocoa Beach area before you head up to the park.

Good Luck and lets hope it goes on time.

Dave

[BarryR]

Hi, pm sent with ling to the coach company we brought our viewing tickets from.

[murraycrewe]

Ok, thanks a lot Dave.

[BarryR]

Dave.

The launch date has changed moved forward 24 hours - it is now Sunday night (well Monday morning technically) that is the night we fly in. I'm calling the coach company this afternoon to see what we can do. as i doubt we will be able to meet the coach pickup times.

[murraycrewe]

Interesting that they've moved it forward by 24 hours. Do you know why they have done this? Maybe it has something to do with hurricane Bill? But I thought it was forecast to miss Florida altogether?

BTW Barry, who are you flying with on the 23rd and at what time, because you never know we may be on the same plane.[beer]

[BarryR]

Dooh - it's been moved back to original time on Tuesday morning ... great should ba able to catch it again, best I phone to coach company to rearrange pick up point again .... hope NASA fix the date now !!!!

We are flying out from Gatwick on Virgin on Sunday 23rd, the first flight out VS027 !

[murraycrewe]

Ah right cool well we're flying from Manchester so obv not the same flight!