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On Orbit => Real NASA Space Shuttle Missions => Topic started by: uri_ba on July 26, 2009, 05:30:04 PM
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either way, I need to get to KSC and one of shuttles lifts-off - before it's too late..
connections at NASA anyone? :)
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either way, I need to get to KSC and one of shuttles lifts-off - before it's too late..
connections at NASA anyone? :)
Well, ANYBODY can do that:
1. Fly to Orlando.
2. Check a "Shuttle Launch" brochure at any hotel.
3. Buy a Launch View ticket for @US$100 (non-refundable).
4. Pray that's not gonna be a scrub - otherwise you've just wasted US$100. The ticket is also good if the launch is "go" within 24 hrs of a scrub, so it basically can cover two attempts.
Those US$100 include a full day at the KSC Visitors Center and transportation to a better view of the launch inside the KSC compound.
Check the KSC Visitors Center website for more info.
Oh, and you can take your kids and yourself to the Disney World too.
Enjoy,
/Admin
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I highly recommend it if you can Uri. I used to have a connection. My Uncle worked for Boeing in the early shuttle days. He was a satellite Propulsion engineer. Back in 83 he got me and my brother on base to Patrick where we had a wonderful view of STS-7 going up. I'll never forget it.
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I expect that the few launches that are left - especially the LAST one, will be overbooked so you better plan ahead :)
/Admin
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Hmm not sure what you mean Admin.
You can buy the tickets online for like $50 to veiw from the causeway. That includes the KSC admission on launch day and a second day with in a week of the launch.
The tickets are good for all launch attempt. The one thing is that they are not good for another launch attempt if they scrub after you have gotten on the bus. So usually they will get you through any launch except a late weather delay. But after the weather delay the sell replacement tickets for people who already have tickets for like $30.
These tickets are sold on the KSC website. There is one major problem with these. You have to know exactly when they go on sale. Usually 9am EST on a Wednesday a few weeks before the launch. I will let you know if I find out they are going on sale. But that is not the problem. You HAVE to fill out all the info FAST! The tickets for the causeway sell out within like 10 min. The Launch with astronaut and causeway are sold within about 5 min!!
There are other options but they are more expensive.
Let me know if you have anymore questions.
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They have a limited # of places so the earlier you buy the tickets, the better chance to make it, especially for those last launches.
The $50 does NOT include transportation from Orlando <g>
/Admin
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Sorry I did not think about someone in a hotel. I just did not know of one that is owned by KSC?
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Sorry I did not think about someone in a hotel. I just did not know of one that is owned by KSC?
Well, that's what I suggested to Uri - Orlando, hotel, KSC, launch <g>.
KSC used to have one but not anymore. This will change however. I'm not sure whether it will be open to public. IMO it will rather be reserved to KSC invited guests.
/Admin
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Yes sorry Admin. I am used to living across the state. So it is drive over launch day and comeback. Still haven't seen a launch from the causeway, only Titusville. But I will.
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big question is if the tickets can be bought online.
and if the launch is pushed back before the launchday - will the tickets hold.
Like say the STS-125 was pushed back from November to May..
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Well I am not sure which tickets you are planning on buying but the KSC ones can be bought online. They are good for all launch attempts I believe. Like I said as long as you don't get on the bus. But Admin would have to tell you about the other.
The KSC one has a document with all these answers once they announce the date the tickets go on sale. You could checkout the one for STS-128 when they get ready to release tickets even if you aren't going to watch that one because they are all the same.
I suggest a winter or fall one. Far less likely to get scrubbed for weather. You would just have to play the hardware luck. My suggestion would be STS-129 11-12-09, STS-130 2-4-10, STS-131 3-18-10.
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oohh, March sounds excellent.. it's close to my B-day :P
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That is good. It would be OV-103 (Discovery) carrying an MPLM. If you do the STS-130 in February it would be OV-105 (Endeavour carrying the Last Node. Node 3 Tranquility. STS-129 is OV-104 (Atlantis) carrying the ELC-1 and ELC-2 in November. ;D I am hoping to get to watch STS-130 from over there.
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Uri,
I would suggest taking a week here in Orlando (Central FL) and go see a launch. And, if they scrub, you'll have time to eventually see it during that timeframe.
And then in your spare time, I recommend going to Sea World or Universal they are much more fun than Disney World...IMO. Sea World has good rides, shows, etc and the lines are fairly short.. My .02 cents...
Overall, I'm just spoiled as I seen lots of launches (plus most of the rockets) since 1984 when I was stationed at Patrick AFB (when in the USAF) and worked KSC for 4 years ('93 - '97)... Needless to say, I haven't missed a launch in years...
Keep us informed...!
ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
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Trying to stay on topic but I agree with bradleyjs. Also Islands of adventure (Part of Universal) is way better than Disney and far less expensive. Disney tends to be more fo the tiny kids. Now I do warn you that when you go to Orlando be careful. Anything near Disney or owned by Disney is going to be SUPER expensive. I played hockey at the wide world of sports at disney and a soda was like $5! So just take that stuff into consideration when planning your trip. :)
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Trying to stay on topic but I agree with bradleyjs. Also Islands of adventure (Part of Universal) is way better than Disney and far less expensive. Disney tends to be more fo the tiny kids. Now I do warn you that when you go to Orlando be careful. Anything near Disney or owned by Disney is going to be SUPER expensive. I played hockey at the wide world of sports at disney and a soda was like $5! So just take that stuff into consideration when planning your trip. :)
Very true, indeed. I just got home yesterday from a week's stay at a resort hotel near Sea World (didn't go - just hung out at the pool) and the price of food, etc is much higher because of the locale [tourism]. Spent more that I'd really planned... but don't really do it that often.. However, I did take the wife/kids for a helicopter ride that was awesome (I went twice, in fact, for 30 mins each -- blew quite a few bucks on that as well... but WTH it was fun ...)
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ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
Don't know about you, But I'll be clicking away with my camera :)
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ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
Don't know about you, But I'll be clicking away with my camera :)
Yep, I fully understand, Copy That.
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ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
Don't know about you, But I'll be clicking away with my camera :)
Ya lol I live only an hour and a half from KSC and when I went last year after finally realizing what it all meant and playing this sim and using NSF I took over 400 pics! And I had already been there a few years before! So I am going again early next month before school starts back up middle of august. Will take a lot of pics again. ;) Plus I am going for the first time while a shuttle is actually on the pad. Sadly the RSS will be rotated onto the Shuttle unless I get over there next Monday. ;D
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ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
Don't know about you, But I'll be clicking away with my camera :)
Plenty of time for that after T-8:30 ;D
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ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
I would do all that I could to attend an event like this.
My family lives in Palatka so I'd have enough reason to visit central Florida as it was, plus have the added advantage of not needing a hotel ! ;)
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ps. You know what would be cool, is for a bunch of us "fans" to gather at KSC for a launch and all watch it together and perhaps sync it while watching "live"... Realistically, it'll probably never happen, but it'd be cool IMO.
I would do all that I could to attend an event like this.
My family lives in Palatka so I'd have enough reason to visit central Florida as it was, plus have the added advantage of not needing a hotel ! ;)
Ok, so should we try to attempt some sort of gathering?
/Admin,
maybe a Poll of some sorts? Just suggesting an idea.
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Err, I got a better idea...
Rent a plane (Beechcraft, Cessna, Piper) and fly a VFR flight that will pass by the pads to the west right at launch time. Best view PERIOD!
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Err, I got a better idea...
Rent a plane (Beechcraft, Cessna, Piper) and fly a VFR flight that will pass by the pads to the west right at launch time. Best view PERIOD!
Not sure how close you can actually get as they close the airspace down to all traffic for many miles around the area.
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V3 never gets closed. Shuttle launches east, and V3 is to the west right over KTIX
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Roger that -- good ole V3 -- haven't flown that in some time.... Used to do lots of T-n-G's at TIX -- way back..
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Does anybody remember back in the early-mid 80's when the used to fly 2 AC-130 Gunships that would circle the pads to protect the shuttle launches??
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Does anybody remember back in the early-mid 80's when the used to fly 2 AC-130 Gunships that would circle the pads to protect the shuttle launches??
Are you saying that two Spectres were securing the perimeter?
/Admin
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Absolutely!!! The would deploy from Patrick AFB, FL and orbit the pad one to the North and the other to the South... I can remember at least a dozen launches that they would be on-station.
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OMG - those "flying butchers" give me the creeps! Just think about that awe-inspiring firepower. I think the security guys over-reacted. Helos are more suitable for the job and safer too...
Anwyay, interesting piece of history.
/Admin
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I believe that they were doing it to protect secret military payloads.. Keep in mind that this was during the Cold War between USA and Russia...
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I believe that they were doing it to protect secret military payloads.. Keep in mind that this was during the Cold War between USA and Russia...
Also, if not mistaken, they were also patrolling the Atlantic for Russian Trawlers that might have had some weaponry that could have affected the launch.. ie. Lasers and such. At least that's was the scuttlebutt that I'd heard when I was stationed at PAFB for almost 10 years.. And the AC-130's and crew (also, if not mistaken, they were from Hurlburt Fld, FL) were quite nice to talk to as they shared our ramp with the other aircraft that we had at the time (O-2A, OV-10A, OT-37B)...
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Yes, the Russian Trawlers... I almost miss them :)
/Admin
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Absolutely!!! The would deploy from Patrick AFB, FL and orbit the pad one to the North and the other to the South... I can remember at least a dozen launches that they would be on-station.
I think you mean Hurlburt Field at Eglin AFB. That is the only place the AC-130's have ever been based at.