Rocket Launch viewing advice KSC

[neil1489]

Hello all looking for advice on viewing rocket launch at KSC.

We already have our tickets for Kennedy so will be going to tour the centre one day just not sure which day to visit.

There is now rocket launch planned for 1st June at 5:55pm, should we tour the centre on this day and watch the launch at the end of the day or will the rocket launch make it ridiculously busy? - would it be better just to visit the centre on another day and watch the launch on its own from outside the centre.

Advice particularly from anyone who has visited the centre on a launch day would be most appreciated

[Guest]

Apart from onsite itself the best locations:

traveltips.usatoday/viewi...hes-63315.html

Last launch we saw close up - we were onsite - was the shuttle in 1992 but coming out of Magic Kingdom last year (January) we saw SpaceX rocket going up - it exploded on landing!

[Yorkshireguy]

We went last year on a launch day. This was the 2nd attempt at launch as kept getting cancelled due to weather. We toured KSC with no issues and they said it was much quieter than the 1st launch attempt.

There were dedicated seating areas outside the Apollo Centre which is a good spot as has food & drink & toilet facilities. Be prepared though as chances of launch on the day are small as everything has to be all good to go. Any technical fault or weather issue could cause it to be cancelled as they only have a small window to launch the rocket. As soon as that window is missed they cancel.

We waited 2 hours and they then cancelled the launch as weather was a No Go. Worth checking the percentage of launch before you go weather wise if really want to see a launch.

We fly 30th May and I am hoping this June 1st is cancelled as want to go see it! ;-)

[hipthehippo]

Hi - I've noticed that they appear to have separate tickets to watch a launch - so I'm a bit confused - do you not really need them if you're at KSC on the day? Thanks

[Guest]

Originally Posted by hipthehippo

Hi - I've noticed that they appear to have separate tickets to watch a launch - so I'm a bit confused - do you not really need them if you're at KSC on the day? Thanks

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The tickets sold for launches are for a dedicated area. Serious photographers gather there. You are fed information and can listen to the live chat from the control centre.

kennedyspacecenter/e...-rocket-launch

[neil1489]

Originally Posted by hipthehippo

Hi - I've noticed that they appear to have separate tickets to watch a launch - so I'm a bit confused - do you not really need them if you're at KSC on the day? Thanks

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Hi I have just read that too - it says that in addition to the viewing ticket also need entrance tickets as well - the viewing tickets are released approximately 14 days prior to launch - this looks the best option to me but it says that the bus taking you to the viewing centre goes 3 hours prior to launch, on 1st may this will mean boarding at about 3pm - will this still give me enough time to see the centre properly ?

[Yorkshireguy]

Originally Posted by hipthehippo

Hi - I've noticed that they appear to have separate tickets to watch a launch - so I'm a bit confused - do you not really need them if you're at KSC on the day? Thanks

See more...

It depends if the dedicated launch viewing areas are in parts where the usual ticket doesn't get you. If it is from one of the old Space Shuttle Pads 39-A & 39-B then you will need a launch ticket.

You would still see the launch when it clears the buildings etc from anywhere in KSC.

If the launch is from one of the Cape Canaveral Pads outside the Apollo Centre which a general tickets allows you to visit then you can sit in the grandstands outside here for free and watch the launch.

[hipthehippo]

Originally Posted by Yorkshireguy

It depends if the dedicated launch viewing areas are in parts where the usual ticket doesn't get you. If it is from one of the old Space Shuttle Pads 39-A & 39-B then you will need a launch ticket.

You would still see the launch when it clears the buildings etc from anywhere in KSC.

If the launch is from one of the Cape Canaveral Pads outside the Apollo Centre which a general tickets allows you to visit then you can sit in the grandstands outside here for free and watch the launch.

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Ahh, that makes it all much clearer! Thank you - we're there in August and there's a scheduled launch for the 3rd and as we haven't made it to KSC yet I have no clue what I'm doing

[Yorkshireguy]

Originally Posted by hipthehippo

Ahh, that makes it all much clearer! Thank you - we're there in August and there's a scheduled launch for the 3rd and as we haven't made it to KSC yet I have no clue what I'm doing

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It's a great visit, don't waste your day waiting for a launch at a dedicated viewing spot. Go and enjoy it all and see everything. If the launch happens then a bonus!

[DFussy]

Hi Hipthehippo. We are aiming to see the one on the 3rd too. According to a website my husband found it is scheduled for 8.40 am, in case you had not found the time as I know its not on Kennedy's site - I think it is probably reliable as they had that date scheduled before Kennedy put a launch for 3rd aug up.

We have booked a night at Cocoa so we can try again next day if it gets shelved - we wanted to do a bit of beach anyway so makes sense to combine. Because of the scheduled time of launch I am not expecting Kennedy to sell special launch viewing for it. I will have a look at the usa today link in this thread, but previous threads recommended space view park titsuville, which looked like a good view.

Lets hope we are lucky with conditions on the 3rd August.