Shuttle launch!

[blk1964]

Ooooh, boy! Bonus day! Just saw that the morning of 2/7/10 there is a shuttle launch. On 2/6 we are staying in Cocoa beach and according to the youtube videos Ive seen its an EXCELLENT view point for the launch. Which is of course at 439AM!!! ACK. We get in around 6pm on the 6th, so hopefully I can stumble awake and see the launch. My question is, once the thing goes up, how bad is the area traffic? We have to leave the hotel, return the rental car and then head to the port. Thats like FIVE hours after the launch, do you think it will a madhouse? Has anyone ever been down that area for a launch? My kids are beyond excited, I cant believe they might get to see this. Im really glad I already have my hotel res. in CB, I got it for about 88 bucks a night with tax, but I imagine now if i were to try and book, it might be more, or I might have trouble finding something.

[DVC_Chris]

That long after a launch, you should be fine. I have gone to Coco or Titusville 4 or 5 times to see the shuttle go up, and it has been scrubbed at the last minute each time... so don't get your hopes up too much.

[truck1]

Since your in Cocoa, there shouldnt be an issue with traffic.our not going that far anyway.

To add to what DVC Chris has said, there is an issue with some cooling hoses on the piece the shuttle is upposed to deliver and NASA hasnt decided what to do yet.Also as an added monkey wrench, apparently there was an illegal drug found today in one of the shuttle hangars and they are going over everything with a fine tooth comb as well as searching and testing lots of people.

 

Ill try and keep up since I am fairly local with the issue.And I have tix to the KSC for the lauch.

[blk1964]

Thank you Truck, for that info. I guess its true, things happen, if the mission is scrubbed, oh well. I just think it would be way cool to see. Im sure seeing it from the KSC is really great!

[truck1]

Welcome. Supposedlly there is going to be a decision this coming week on what to do with the hoses.There doing testing now or have finsihed testing and are killing a forest to write a report, on what the options are.From the little Ive heard, one of the hoses failed catestrophically.The test was stopped at that point.

The 3 options are

Replace the one bad hose

Replace all of them or

Not do anything until they know why the hose failed to begin with.