BootsnAll Travel Community

A friend and I were tossing around the idea of catching a space shuttle launch. Anyone here been to one? Night time versus day time launch? There are some good general guides out there on the web, but I'd like to see if anyone here has ideas/tips. Perhaps a secret vantage point not crowded by the masses?

It's been a while, and I've only been to one, so my information may be out of date. You do want to do some pre-planning, since it's not always easy to get a pass to see a launch from within the Space Center grounds. No matter what, you can't get any closer than a bit over 3 miles away from the launch - any closer and it's dangerous for you. I went to a day launch, but the night launches are supposed to be gorgeous. (You don't see a whole lot of detail of the shuttle during the day, so either way, you're mostly following the blaze of the engines.) You don't have to watch the launch from KSC, but if you do see it there, they have speakers set up so you can get some commentary on what's going on.

You can't just park yourself anywhere to watch the launch on the grounds of KSC - they have designated viewing areas for you to park. I'd imagine security is even tighter now than when I went back in 1997, so I'm guessing you won't be able to (legally) find a secluded spot to watch the launch on your own.

You usually have to know someone who works at KSC to get a pass for the better vantage points, but there may be some other way to get one that I don't know about. It's absolutely worth doing, no matter what.

Hi

This is a bit of a late reply, but just come accross your post!

I was at the last shuttle launch STS-124. Absolutely amazing sight, would thoroughly recommend it.

As TripDiva says, the closest you can get is about 3.5 miles, but you'll need to get a VIP ticket for that...good luck! The next best option is to get a ticket for the NASA causeway (6.5 miles), but you'll have to be quick. These tickets sell out in 2-3 minutes flat. So find out when they go on sale and have your browser open at the right page and your credit card ready. The view from the causeway is un-interrupted, so you'll see the initial launch from the pad. If you view from the space centre itself, the initial launch is hidden by a row of trees. If you choose to view outside of the space centre, I believe Titusville is the next best option.

Make your travel arrangements flexible, as launches are prone to delays...

You may find the following site useful: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/