good vantage point Orlando

[purescottish]

We sail on Freedom 12th July, but we are going to be in Orlando the week before.. my question is.......... if there is a launch at the space centre, where would be the best place in Orlando to see it ? or will we see anything at all ? we are staying in the Kissimmee area

 

we don't want to drive down on the saturday as we will be driving down to port the next morning

[uksimonusa]

You'll see it from anywhere in Orlando, just look east at launch time

[Gon2hwe]

Unless it's cloudy or stormy you will see it. Basically you'll see a vapor trail going straight up but you won't hear anything.

[JanineM]

If you can manage it, drive out to the coast. We don't know how many more launches there will be, and it is really a fantastic site.

 

From Kissimmee it is only about a 1 hour drive to the coast. Just go to any of the beaches and look north northeast. But if you decide to stay in Orlando, check the local radio and tv stations to keep updated on possible delays and scrubs.

 

We watched a Delta rocket go up tonight!

[auntrenae]

Hi,

I live in Orlando, and you can see the launch once the shuttle is high enough in the air. Of course, you're about an hour from the KSC, so you can't see anything on the ground, but even during the day, you can see the contrails and if it's clear, the shuttle light if you look to the east at the right time. I usually have the TV on to make sure it's going to actually launch, because there are so many delays with shuttle launches, but within about a minute after it takes off, you can go outside and see the contrails, then follow them to their top and see the little red glow of the engines. We usually can't hear anything this far away, except when it's coming in to land, and then you can hear the sonic boom about 5 minutes before it lands. Hope this helps!

auntrenae

[Cathomas]

You can see it from most anywhere in the area. I used to go outside right after the launch and you could see most of it when I lived with my parents in Kissimmee. However I now I live in St. Cloud and just saw one from our lakefront here and it was a new experience for me. I could see it a lot earlier then before. St. Cloud is a few miles from downtown Kissimmee. Depending on where you are staying in Kissimmee it might be worth it.

If it is a night launch I would go to the coast or Titusville to watch it. Be prepared for traffic, but it is worth it.

[uksimonusa]

You can see it from most anywhere in the area. I used to go outside right after the launch and you could see most of it when I lived with my parents in Kissimmee. However I now I live in St. Cloud and just saw one from our lakefront here and it was a new experience for me. I could see it a lot earlier then before. St. Cloud is a few miles from downtown Kissimmee. Depending on where you are staying in Kissimmee it might be worth it.

 

If it is a night launch I would go to the coast or Titusville to watch it. Be prepared for traffic, but it is worth it.

 

There are no more shceduled night launches of the shuttle, the last one was in May:(

[Cathomas]

There are no more shceduled night launches of the shuttle, the last one was in May:(

 

 

Yeah I know that, but I can still hope. I am holding out hope that a launch is scrubbed and is rescheduled for night.

[PeteMan]

The NASA site suggest that there are future launches...

 

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

 

Pete

[purescottish]

Thank you everyone...... I knew I would get an answer here.

 

we did consider driving down the coast a little, but not being to sure of the roads and traffic, we thought we would stay put... as we will be driving down to the port in the morning,

 

thank you again

 

wendy

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[fridaythe13th]

We sail on Freedom 12th July, but we are going to be in Orlando the week before.. my question is.......... if there is a launch at the space centre, where would be the best place in Orlando to see it ? or will we see anything at all ? we are staying in the Kissimmee area

 

we don't want to drive down on the saturday as we will be driving down to port the next morning

 

What about leaving Orlando Saturday and staying in the Cocoa Beach area Saturday night? You will be that much closer to the ship on boarding day!

[purescottish]

Fridaythe13th... we had thought of that, but we're booked into the comfort suites till sunday anyway, I was just thinking of a way to see it without forking out more money....

 

thanks for all the replies though

 

wendy

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