Date: June 23, 2011

Title: How to See a Space Shuttle Launch

Podcaster: Daniel Herron

Organization: Atlanta Astronomy Club

Link: http://www.atlantaastronomy.org

Description: Saying hello and then farewell to the space shuttles.

Daniel provides tips — from experience — of how to see the final space shuttle launch, currently scheduled for July 8, 2011.

Bio: Daniel Herron is an amateur astronomer and member of the Atlanta Astronomy Club. Visit the club’s website at www.atlantaastronomy.org.

Sponsor: This episode of “365 Days of Astronomy” is sponsored by David Rossetter on behalf of the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association specializing in observing and sharing the skies of the Mid-Hudson Region of New York State in the US.

Transcript:

How to See a Space Shuttle Launch

Saying hello and then farewell to the space shuttles.

We first tried to see a Shuttle Launch in 2005. It was the return to flight launch of Discovery STS-114 but it was delayed and we missed it. Then in 2006 we tried to see Atlantis STS-115 but that was scrubbed due to tropical storm Ernesto so no luck there!

We gave it a rest for a couple of years and on May 21, 2008, my wife and I drove down to see our first shuttle launch from Titusville’s Space View Park. It was STS-124 and it was the Shuttle Discovery. I wrote an entry about it on my website and ended that entry with:

“What an exciting event. The drive, the heat, the sunburns, and the wait it was all worth it. I would do it all again in an instant.”

And we have, 6 instants to be precise. It started innocently (if not crazily) enough. I got the idea in my head to try to see each of the remaining shuttles launch. I had just seen Discovery go up, so all that was left was to see Atlantis and Endeavour launch. Endeavour STS-126 launched that November and it was a night launch so that was a bonus, then Atlantis STS-125 launched the following May. Not too bad, one year, goal complete!

Then we got the Shuttle retirement plans and I got a crazy Idea to try to see each shuttle’s final launch, and I somehow convinced Misty to agree to it! After a failed attempt to see Discovery STS-119 go up, it got scrubbed 30mins after we arrived in Florida and would not launch for a few days, we decided to not try again until the last launches.

Fast forward to May 2010 and we went down to see Atlantis STS-132 launch. This was supposed to be Atlantis’ last launch so we checked it off the list and said “two more to go”. It was a nail biter too as there was a ball bearing found on the pad and it almost scrubbed the launch. But it went up and was a beautiful launch. A few weeks later NASA announced plans to Fly Atlantis again as the last Shuttle Launch.

Then we drove down to see Discovery’s last launch in February of 2011. I had spent a week in September down in Florida for the rollout of Discovery to the pad on 9/20/2011, and Nasa Family day the following weekend. I was bummed because I had to travel for work and would miss the planned launch on November 1st. However, due to issue with the external tank it was continuously scrubbed and eventually moved to Feb 2011. We were able to drive down again and this time we were in front of the VAB to see it launch after almost being scrubbed by a computer error in range control (two more seconds and it would not have gone up!). WHEW!

Discovery behind us we once again had two more to see. Endeavour was planned to launch on April 29th 2011, and after I drove down (arriving at 4am the morning before the 5pm launch) we got what sleep we could, woke and got to the busses and half way to the launch viewing area it was scrubbed due to problems with heaters for the auxiliary power units. We headed home after we found out it would be a few days and after a week or so the launch was moved to May 16. We headed down once again to see Endeavour’s final launch from the Saturn V VIP viewing area and she launched on time on May 16. It was cloudy and she disappeared into the cloud deck 30 seconds after launch, but it was still a sight to see!

That leaves only one more. Atlantis STS-135 is currently scheduled for Launch on July 8+. We do plan to go see her go up and wish her crew GODSPEED.

So what tips do I have for anyone heading down for the final shuttle launch?

Plan ahead and know where you will be viewing it from. If you are not able to get on site at Kennedy Space center then Titusville’s Space View Park is the best offsite viewing area and there is no charge to go or park. Regardless of where you are viewing from get there as early as possible, people campout at the offsite areas and the parks fill up early. Also be prepared to deal with heavy traffic after the launch. Decide to either be stuck in traffic for hours (YES HOURS) or stay put and chill until the traffic dies down. For Discovery’s STS-133 Launch we heard it took 6 hours to get from Titusville to Orlando after the launch. For Atlantis’ STS-132 Launch it took us 3 Hours to get back to where we caught the bus (a 30 min drive) and 2 hours to get to where we were staying from there (a 15 min drive).

Get a hotel early and maybe look in Jacksonville or Daytona for rooms. Be prepared to be there a few days past the launch in case it gets scrubbed. Have a backup plan (beach, Disney parks, etc; to alleviate the frustration in case of a scrub). The first launch we went to we stayed in Jacksonville. You will pay a premium to stay in Titusville and the surrounding areas and they have weird cancellation policies (which you might have to do). We left the launch viewing area in Titusville and headed north on US-1 (everyone else was heading west to I95) for a few miles and then turned west to I95. We had little or no traffic getting to dinner in Daytona before heading to our room in Jacksonville. Avoid staying in Orlando if you can, there are only two good roads (528 and 50) that lead to Orlando and one is a toll road (528).

Take plenty of food, drinks, sunscreen, chairs, umbrellas, etc; with you. You may be sitting a long time and you may not have shade nearby, it could rain, etc. Also nearby businesses may run out of provisions or raise prices. Stay hydrated and take it easy. Also games or other forms of entertainment are nice to pass the time (movies on IPAD!).

Even though I will not follow my own advice here I suggest you just watch the launch. Most of the launches I have seen through my cameras lens and each time I wished that I had just watched the launch and enjoyed it. The next Launch I may set my remote up to just snap shots of Atlantis leaving the pad so I can just watch the last one go up. We will see.

It will all be over in two and a half minutes after ignition so get ready beforehand. Two minutes before launch have your camera on and all set to take the shots you want. Take a few test shots and see how they turn out, and leave it on and set. That last minute goes by fast and it is not the time to be messing with stuff. Also manually focus your camera if you can, nothing would be worse than auto focus deciding to focus on a bird in the foreground instead of the shuttle and if you are rapid firing the camera it will take shots faster. Also do not use any filters (UV or Polarizing, etc) that extra layer of flat glass can reflect stuff into your pictures (two shuttle plumes for instance).

Stay up to date of Launch news at SpaceFlightnow.com, use twitter and Facebook to follow NASA tweets (@NASA #NASATweetup #STS135, etc) and feeds to keep up with launch changes. Setup Google alerts to catch interesting articles on the launches, NASA, Shuttles.

Trying to view a launch can be one of the most tiresome, frustrating, heart stopping, exciting and amazing things you can do and seeing the last one will just add to that. What a bittersweet moment it will be. Hope to see you down there!

End of podcast:

365 Days of Astronomy
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