USA Trip (Inclusive of NASA-KSC-Shuttle)

[astro744]

Originally Posted by Spanrz

We haven't booked a motel yet, but it might look like the Super8 might get it, as we would get a discount too.

Try the Disney all Star resorts at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/hot...tValueng:value

We stayed in Sports in '95 and it was great and very reasonably priced. Even now I noticed a rate of US$82 and up mentioned.

You get free busses to all the resorts and pool cafeteria laundry areas and sports play areas.

Then just hire a car to KSC when needed and see if you can drop off at airport if that suits.

I've seen two shuttles on the pads at the same time but never a launch. Hope you get to see (& hear it).

Have fun!

[badchap]

re; accommodation; If I may suggest to keep in mind;
Consider how you are to get causeway tickets/visitors centre tickets (if that's what you end up going for)
- if you do succeed in getting them direct from NASA (remembering that they do sell out within approximately 2 minutes of going on sale).
We did not have our tickets direct from NASA so I did not have to worry about how available rental cars are around a launch time.

If you miss out on tickets direct from NASA, you still have those two other options for causeway tickets that I think I mentioned earlier - through just 2 bus companies; Central Florida/Dolphin Tours and Gator Tours.. These bus companies should have a list of their pickup points on their sites - but be aware that their pickup locations can vary from one shuttle launch to another, so if you buy tickets through them, you should ring them direct asap to confirm and also to make sure they email you info about pick up points.. they'll have hotels on their lists from all around the Disney resorts, as well as Orlando and other areas around that vicinity.
Tickets are more expensive through the bus companies, but you save on car hire.

[badchap]

As far as getting to KSC on the day, yes, you do have to be there some hours before the targetted launch time.. we went through the security checks to go into the Kennedy space centre itself, but once inside, then there is another queue to go into the bus terminal, to get onto the buses that drive out to the causeway.. From memory, I think the causeway buses were leaving from around ?? 10.30 am for the 2 pm launch. (it's only a few minutes drive around to the causeway - just out the gate and onto the causeway road) .

There are a few thousand people that will be turning up on the day to nasa.. if getting tickets direct from nasa, they will include a time frame for you to arrive at the KSC carpark.. so they stagger the arrival times of all the visitors.
The main thing to remember is that the travel time from wherever you're coming from will be doubled or possibly even tripled or more !.. lots of traffic traffic traffic - and there is some road or gates near the KSC that gets closed an hour or so before launchtime.
From what I have heard and read from other lauch viewers, even the public parks and other viewing locations around Titusville and the like, are very busy and fill up hours before launchtime.
Whichever way you're going - be Early ..give yourself plenty of time and take some snacks with you..and perhaps a little cheap blanket or rug for sitting on.

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Ok, as an update, we have now booked the hotel with Super8 in Titusville. Feb 2nd to Feb 8th.
As we booked early we got a good price. Something like $640AUD for 6 nights.
Even though we sorta didn't get good reviews of Titusville hotels, we took a punt on this one, as it was the better reviewed one.
And it was recently built (last few years)
See how it goes.

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Ahhh ok. I just had an OMG moment.

I did a dry run on the NASA site at 12:00 midnight (9am eastern), as the launch tickets went on sale. That is, the causeway viewing (closest view) to see STS-129 launch.

Well I hit the website, with all 5 windows open (all possible avenues). Refreshed each page seconds before the 9am deadline and up come the "BUY" icon, so went in and try to buy and I just went OMFG.

All tickets were sold out in under 5 seconds. Thats right, 5 seconds. That is just the causeway viewing.
The tickets for the wine and dine with an astronaut at 9am, were sold out in under 5-10 seconds.
The only thing left was to wine and dine with an astronaut at 6:45am. I got the chance to buy the tickets, but it was a case of just see what I could do.
That only lasted an extra 30 seconds until "all sold out" was displayed.

So, hanging by a thread for a few hours (on anticipation of how this ticket sale worked), has now left me with a factor.
No tickets are left for any of the viewings (from NASA) in under 2 minutes.
That is, all the 5 viewing packages.

So word of warning any people want to view the last of the shuttle launches, if you want tickets, don't get your hopes up too quick, as it's just a pure luck that you get one.

I just can't believe it. Sold out in under 5 seconds. OMG!

[badchap]

Don't forget your alternatives to secure causeway tickets, (or visitors centre tickets) - those two bus companies that have been mentioned earlier in the thread.

[badchap]

oh yes -if trying direct from nasa site - just go straight for the dine with astronauts & causeway tickets. (ie., don't bother trying for the slightly cheaper causeway only tickets)

[jliew22 (Jo)]

Hi all..
This is my 1st time on this forum.. we just bought tickets through Gator tours for the 16th Nov launch.. what's the likelihood of the launch being scrubbed? Anyone going for the launch?

[Spanrz (Brett)]

OK, NASA tickets for the causeway viewing go on sale at 1AM tonight/tomorow morn.
Think I'm going to have a sleep (er...nana nap) and get up just before they go on sale.

The process from now on, has changed dramtically to get these tickets.
It's called - you enter a web room sit there for half an hour, then you get chosen on a random basis to purchase tickets. So the tickets will be sold on a radom basis.

I think because they got sold out in under 2-3 seconds last mission, they must of thought people were using techniques (server bots I think), to guarantee a ticket.
Because they are using the "captcha" word phrase logging system, they hopefully might stop the flood, so that everyone gets a chance.

The tickets are now "causeway only" or "Nasa Visitor Center only", but they can have the option to have "dinner/breakfast with an Astronaut", it's not an automatic thing anymore. You have to add it on.

Also, the tickets will "only" be sent to the billing address on the Credit Card. It says it will cost $35 for O/S mailing.

If I fail in the tickets, I'll try the "Gator Tours" prospect.
Failing that, worst case, I'll be watching it from about 22k's away (hotel), that is last resort, but I think a beach posy will do just fine (Somewhere)

2 weeks out - got the clothes - got the digital camera - got a new HD (1080i) camcorder. Unsure how it will go in the night, but with those bright lights it should be fine.
Just got to get set for the "- C " minus temp's.
Flordia is seeing very cold weather at the moment.

This whole trip, I think I'll be looking the the "Michelan Man".
One memorable trip coming up.

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Dreams have come true.
We got tickets to the causeway viewing. Soldout in under 10 minutes.

Very random and it's a lottery big time. You can still get in to buy tickets, but it's still won't let you buy them till the tickets free up.

It's like gaining access to the main gate of a theme park, you've got in, but you still have to gain access to the ticket box for the ride.
That ticket box is swamped and there's 50 ppl ahead of you.

So stoked.

Tickets cost $60 USD and the shipping cost is $35 USD for international addresses, however they get released on Jan 15th, we leave for the States on the 21st.
Just hope it's like 3-4 days not 2 weeks. Otherwise, a family member will have to send them back to the US via another courier, sheesh!

[Octane (Humayun)]

Brett,

I am so envious. I can only imagine what it'd be like to see the most awesome show on Earth.

Best of luck.

H

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by Spanrz

Dreams have come true.
We got tickets to the causeway viewing. Soldout in under 10 minutes.

Very random and it's a lottery big time. You can still get in to buy tickets, but it's still won't let you buy them till the tickets free up.

It's like gaining access to the main gate of a theme park, you've got in, but you still have to gain access to the ticket box for the ride.
That ticket box is swamped and there's 50 ppl ahead of you.

So stoked.

Tickets cost $60 USD and the shipping cost is $35 USD for international addresses, however they get released on Jan 15th, we leave for the States on the 21st.
Just hope it's like 3-4 days not 2 weeks. Otherwise, a family member will have to send them back to the US via another courier, sheesh!

Congrats on getting the tickets!

I'm sure it will be a "blast"!

We are undergoing a bit of a cold spell at the moment even in Florida temps are hovering at freezing (0 celsius)...don't forget to bring your "long underwear"...

[Spanrz (Brett)]

OMG....."the package" came in the nick of time. It left Jan 15th.
Tomorrow we leave...We would have missed it tomorrow.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/...72525b36_b.jpg

[Octane (Humayun)]

Brett,

All the best. So, so, envious.

H

[Spanrz (Brett)]

A few days to go, till we venture down south.
I have learnt so much about the cold here..... hahahaha...
Don't leave water bottles or any food in the car, lol.........

Some pics that have worked out, so many more, just too hard to post.
I am going to try some HDR shots, since I've learnt a lot from you guys.
Already taken some shots for HDR, but I will process them when I get back home (2 weeks or so).

Here's some shots that will stay with me for a while.
Enjoy.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679...764390c85_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545..._bda519d489.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2691...5f61f86c5_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064...b7063a5e4_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2710...bd1486da8_b.jpg

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Just arrived in Titusville about 12 hours ago. Staying at the Super 8 motel (NorthWest of the town).
It's very clean, modern and so far "no bugs". (crosses fingers).

The road from Orlando to Titusville is great, long straight roads all Highways. Took about 45 minutes from point A to point B in basically no traffic.

Breakfast shortly, then on to possibly some tours and get accustomed to this town. Have to figure out where we have to be at 10:30pm before the launch.

One word of advice, if you fly in to Atlanta airport, take the train that runs between terminals (concourses). Delta put us on C50 and had to "run" from C50 to A17. That was atleast 2k's, not kidding. Didn't realise that the train went between terminals, we thought it went into Atlanta itself.
We had 15 minutes to change planes, we missed it maybe by 30 secs, but a guy was infront of us at the gate, he needed a change of his plane and he took up that crucial few seconds, where they could have stopped the door closing...Sheesh.

So it's possibly tour the Space Center today, see how it goes.
Weather looks a bit fairish, chance of rain for the next few days, but temps around low 20's.
It can rain all it likes, but Sunday morn, is my time (pretty please mr man upstairs)......

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Update.
Visited Kennedy Space Center today. Dunno how I can better it, but with another visit tomorrow.

Did the basic tours, with a few shows and exhibits later, we did most of it in 6-7 hours. However, we did miss some stuff for tomorrow.
Admission tickets last 2 days (must use the 2 days within a 7 day period), I'd recommend that you use them for the 2 days, because you "will" need it, if you are really in to it.
Because it's winter, it's probably the best time to come here, only because you don't have to fight people for spots. Can't imagine this place in the summer, be hours trying to get a view of something.

Finished off today, with a suprise. Met Al Worden, from Apollo 15.
Had a photo signed and got a hat signed as well.
Told him, I used my scope to view the Apollo 15 landing site and made video's of it. He loved that. He picked up on my Aussie accent, asked where in Aussieland I was from. Said "Melbourne", he replied with "That's the only place that I haven't been to", told him, "well you better get down there, it's a great place". He laughed.

Going to be very hard to beat today. Happy Chappy.

I'll post some pics later (er soon).

[Spanrz (Brett)]

Things still look good for STS-130.
Weather is about 70% favourable. Big rains coming tomorrow, but should just pass by Sunday.
The key is the wind speed, that will be the only thing to bump it via mother nature, other than mechanical glitches.

Went and finished off the other stuff at Kennedy today including Hall of Fame and the "up and close" bus tour (not just the standard bus tour).
Highly recommend that you take 2 days to view everything. As we went in Winter, the lines weren't that bad, but in summer, forget it... (hours)
It will take you more than 2 days, if you are a space nutter like me.
A friend of mine was rushed through in 1 day, I don't think he seen everything and he said it was rushed.

Got really close to Pad 39B and was about 1-2k's from Pad 39A (Endeavour).
Just awesome, so chuffed.
Bought a lot of goodies, spent about $200USD and the wife spent about $200USD.

Here's some photos (small snipet)......
Very hard to get the photo's right for the exposure. The Fujifilm camera struggles to get good shots in slightly off conditions, you have to work very hard to get your result that you want.

Very glarey today, even had sun interfering in the Pad 39A (Endeavour) shots. Bit annoyed about the glare factor, but it's the best I could do with what I had. Had to squint most shots.
And a wife who didn't want to set the camera, it's all too hard. Sheesh!

But other than that, I have captured what I wanted and got what I wanted out of it.

Yesterday :
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._4592200_n.jpg

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5665538_n.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5730522_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs128...._3463611_n.jpg

Today:

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs128...._3897132_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._4300077_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs148...._8037270_n.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2121865_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs148...._4516473_n.jpg

[Octane (Humayun)]

Brett,

I am so jealous.

Also, I went over my data allowance and so my connection is throttled until the 11th. I will miss out on the live launch. Miffed.

All the best for a successful launch, and, looking forward to your review of it.

H

[iceman (Mike)]

Loving the story and pics!

Keep them coming! Good luck with the launch!