rrosales@bbn.com (Regina Rosales) (04/03/90)
They moved the shuttle launch day up just to coincide with my vacation to Orlando. Unfortunately, there are no more visitor passes at Kennedy. We've been told about a beach nearby, but it seems as if everyone knows about this beach. Does anyone out there know of places to view the launching without having to deal with the traffic jams and the crowds? I would appreciate it if you could send me replies by e-mail. I don't read the newsgroup very often. If there is enough interest, I can repost all replies to the group. Thank you. Regina Rosales BBN x4652 6/563
deej@nvuxr.UUCP (David Lewis) (04/09/90)
In article <1510@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>, kavan@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Kavan U. Ratnatunga) writes: > In article <54382@bbn.COM>, rrosales@bbn.com (Regina Rosales) writes... > > > > Unfortunately, there are no more visitor passes at Kennedy. > > Does anyone out there know of places to view the launching without > > having to deal with the traffic jams and the crowds? (sorry for the extended follow-up; I missed the original article) When I was down there, I watched from a landfill just outside the gate to Cape Canaveral AFS. Can't remember the route number, but it's like one causeway south from the NASA causeway, heading towards the City of Cape Canaveral -- if you take the Bee Line east from Orlando and the southern branch, it drops you right onto it. The exit right after the easternmost causeway will take you north about half a mile and east about half a mile to the CC AFS gate; right before the gate is a landfill on your right which puts you about 25 feet above sea level and gives you a clear shot right up the river at 39A and 39B. Also, (Mark A. Haun @ Sacramento Public Access, Ca. USA) writes... >I am planning a one week trip to Florida for this coming October >and got to thinking about tours of the Kennedy Space Center. I >was wondering if there are any tours available (that may require >arrangement ahead of time, small groups only, etc.) of some of >the more restricted areas such as the Vehicle Assembly Building, >etc. It would sure be great to be able to see those areas, but is >the general public allowed to view them? Well, with enough connections you can get in *anywhere*, but the general public isn't allowed in a lot of the restricted area for a variety of reasons -- primarily liability. F'rinstance, the VAB is off limits because there are SRB segments inside, and letting the GP near solid fuel is a no-no. The bus also won't take you within three miles or so of a pad with a shuttle on it. The "normal" tour is fairly good. There are some hokey bits, like the mockup of the Apollo control room and landing site (but even that is pretty intense when they blast the low frequency noise of a Saturn V out the speakers and it shakes the whole room...), but you get a good look at the VAB, one of the pads, the crawlerway, the launch complex that rides on the VAB, and so on. -- David G Lewis ...!bellcore!nvuxr!deej (@ Bellcore Navesink Research & Engineering Center) "If this is paradise, I wish I had a lawnmower."