Florida Folks

[jackiemac]

For those of you who will be in Florida on May 27th, here is info from NASA about a launch...

On May 27, we will launch our first flight with astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil in nearly 10 years. This mission is the first launch of American astronauts aboard an American rocket and spacecraft as part of our Commercial Crew Program.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will fly on SpaceX?s Crew Dragon spacecraft, lifting off on a Falcon 9 rocket from our Kennedy Space Center in Florida, for an extended stay at the space station for the Demo-2 mission.

 

[SeilerBird]

What ever you do do not bet money on an actual launch on that day. I follow the launches and watch every one I can from my front yard. They will not launch about 50% of the time due to bad weather or some idiot boater ignoring the rules. Usually they are rescheduled for the same time 24 hours later. Here is the page I check every morning:

https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar?pageindex=1&categories=Rocket%20Launches

 

[jackiemac]

Great link, thanks Tom. I'd love to see one. You're lucky being so close.

 

[SeilerBird]

Great link, thanks Tom. I'd love to see one. You're lucky being so close.

You don't have to be close. I understand you can see the launches all  over Florida.

 

[camperAL]

Hi Jackie and SeilerBird,

I agree with SeilerBird. I was down to a number of launches in the past (one Apollo and five shuttle) as credentialed media. A few times, had to head back home and wait a week or so, before going back to watch and report. The Hubble Space Telescope was one such launch which had a problem and took time to fix before launching a little over a week later. I use to write science articles for some midwest newspapers. I've met a few astronauts.

Shuttles were so loud that when the sound finally reached you from 3.5 miles away, you couldn't have a normal conversation with the person next to you. You could feel the shock waves on your face causing your eyes to blink. Amazing to see and hear something like this.

 

[docj]

You don't have to be close. I understand you can see the launches all  over Florida.

I was in Orlando once when the space shuttle was launched.  It was amazing how bright and loud it was at that distance.

 

[LarsMac]

You don't have to be close. I understand you can see the launches all  over Florida.

That is true. when Shephard launched, the school let all the classes out and we gathered on the football field to watch. We were about 100 miles south Canaveral.

My uncle worked at the Cape, and for several launches, we tripped up to Melbourne and watched them from his back yard, almost due west of the Cape.
That was pretty amazing.

The closer you are, the more absolutely fascinating the lauch can be. We once gathered by the South Gate to watch one of the Shuttle launches. When it fired, the whole Earth shook, along with the air, the water, our heads, hearts; The entire universe, it seemed.

Get as close as you are able. You will not be disappointed.

personal note: Unfortunately for us, if travel is permitted then, we will likely be in Maine, if not, we'll be here in Colorado. So probably a bit too far away.

Enjoy watching history being made. 

 

[jackiemac]

You don't have to be close. I understand you can see the launches all  over Florida.

Unfortunately not from Scotland ?

 

[J32952]

I still stop what I?m doing to watch a launch..my kids & grandkids, well ?it?s just another rocket?  a few stand out for me.  (Was not here for Apollo). The first scheduled Shuttle. Drove from Orlando,  Slept (a bit) in the back of a pickup with friends, parked with hundreds of others..only to have it delayed.  John Glenn?s return to space. In the boat on the Banana River. From east to west boats filled the river, rafted up, radios on listening to the Count Down.  One early morning, the sun just starting to break thru and the Shuttle lite up the sky brighter and the water in the canal rippled with the sound waves.  Flying home (into Orlando) my seat mate, a young man traveling to Orlando to see a real launch, flight late..he was going to miss it, so I took him to the bar at hotel in airport (late night) and we watched from there.  And finally the night time shots where it?s like someone flipped a switch on as the night turns to day for just a minute.  Maybe even cooler than the launch, now watching the SpaceX as the boosters come back to earth, they fall then fire and appear to stop just before land, then land (and the booms! as they return).
  Unfortunately, like many of us, I know exactly where I was watching that cold winter morning the Challanger blew up.