Conference koolit::disney

    According to an earlier reply somewhere ?? the launch was viewed from
    outside the Grand Floridian.  In which case it should be seeable from
    anywhere that has a fairly flat horizon.  The proper facing balconies
    of the Contemporary Hotel should be a good vantage point.

    We were lucky enough to be there when Atlantis when on it's first
    secret mission.  We drove to the Cape and watched from the river.  It
    was well worth the trip!  We figured we were about 5 miles from the 
    takeoff site, but we could still feel the ground vibrate.  Very
    impressive!  
    
    Diane

    We saw a satellite launch from the MK, mostly a smoke line.  Even given
    that the shuttle is 4X bigger, I doubt you could see much. If you are
    interested take Diane's advice and go to the Cape. The usenet news shuttle
    group has a discussion on the best place to see a launch as long as the
    notes here on the best place to see to a parade.

    
    we got up for a 2am launch once.   We did not see nor hear anything.
    we were at Fort Wiolderness beach with about 15 other people.
    very disappointed.
    ed
    

    Even if there is no launch while you are there, the trip over to 
    Kennedy Space Center is well worth it. We saw this last shuttle sitting
    on the pad at Christmas time -- we were much more interested in the 
    flight as a result. 
    
    Linda

         I hear there will be a launch while I'n in WDW but I'm not sure
    of the time.  So if I couldn't actually get there I was hoping at least
    I could see something from WDW.  We have relatives who live in Coco
    Beach and I believe they live about 3 miles from the main entrance so
    I'm sure if we go to visit we'll see and hear and feel the launch.  I
    think seeing a shuttle launch could beat anything they have at WDW.
    IMHO...  Hope it doesn't get postponed.  I don't think I could run back
    and forth between WDW and the Cape everyday.
    
    Steve  

    I was at WDW for the latest launch (at the end of January).  We just
    drove over to as close as we could get and stopped on the side of the
    road (with a few hundred other people).  It was pretty impressive -
    I had never seen a shuttle launch before.
    
    The point of this reply is that it was pretty simple and painless to
    drive over.  I believe that it took about an hour each way.  We were
    lucky that there were no significant delays in the launch.  The
    algorithm we used was pretty simple: "drive east on 528(?) until you
    see a lot of people on the side of the road.  If you feel lucky, keep
    driving.  If not, stay put."  I'm certain that you can do much better
    than this, but it worked just fine for us.
    
    If I had to do it over, I'd probably leave a bit earlier than we did
    rather than rely so much on luck.  If you have the chance to go, I
    certainly suggest that you do so.
     

    The Last time I went to WDW there was a launch. What we did was call
    our local US Senator and got a NASA pass.  This got us onto the Cape
    into the offical viewing area. We were 5 miles away with only water
    between us and the Shuttle. I got some wonderfull pictures and the
    sound waves ratteled our teeth. Be sure to take your telephoto lens or
    Video recorder and binoculers(sp).
    
    		sheldon

I tried to see an Atlas launch last week, but it was delayed and I missed
it when it did go up.

There is a great viewing location in Port Canaveral, just north of
Cocoa Beach.  It's called Jetty Park, and you can stand on the beach,
on the jetty, or on the roof of the snack bar (they built a stair and
railing for all the lauch viewers.)  It's also a campground and it's
$1.00 to get in to visit.  Snacks and hot drinks available for cool
evenings.  It probably gets jammed for shuttle launches, but in that event,
go south a little onto the beach.

Bring a radio; local stations broadcast lauch and countdown info.

To get there, take the Bee Line east and stay on it into Port Canaveral.
Turn left at the sign for Jetty Park, then an immediate right. Continue
about a mile to the light, turn left, go past the cruise ship docks, 
and you're in.

Bill

    We'll be in and around WDW from the 16th May till 9th June.
    
    Can anyone tell me if there is a shuttle launch scheduled for this
    period?
    
    How can I find out?
    
    Anyone know any friendly senators?
    
    Cheers
    Dave

For up-to-the-last-time-they-updated-it info on shuttle launches,

call

1-900-321-LIFT   (75 cents per minute, takes 2 minutes max)

or (407) 452-2121
or check the directory for Orladno, there might have been an 800 number.

When you get to Florida, check inside the front page of the 
Orlando Sentinel, there's a launch schedule for shuttles and
also for USAF launches.

Bill

         The next Shuttle launch is scheduled for Monday, March 23rd at
    o8:01 am.  I will be there with the Video Camera in hand.  Hopefully
    no glitches or postponements will occur.  
    
    Steve

For Space Shuttle Fans, here is a pointer to the note in VIKA::SPACE (Hit
KP7 to add to your notebook) that gives the latest Space Shuttle launch
schedule.  Check it often; the schedule changes.

Conference VIKA::SPACE   note 6.last

Here's the latest schedule as of 5/29/92:

                 <<< VIKA::DJA3:[NOTES$LIBRARY]SPACE.NOTE;1 >>>
                             -< Space Exploration >-
================================================================================
Note 6.9                  Shuttle Watching at Canaveral                   9 of 9
TROOA::SKLEIN "Nulli Secundus"                       19 lines  16-MAY-1992 22:10
                       -< Current Launch Schedule 1992 >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated dates for STS 50 and STS 47. I expect revised dates for the remainder.


Mission		Launch Date	Orbiter		Payload			Note:
=======		===========	=======		=======			=====

STS 50		21 Jun 1992 	Columbia	USML-1 			768.*

STS 46		11 Jul 1992	Atlantis 	EURECA-1L, TSS-01 	695.*

STS 47		1 Sep 1992 	Endeavour 	SPACELAB J (Japan)	769.*

STS 52		24 Sep 1992 	Columbia 	LAGEOS, USMP-1 		npy

STS 53		24 Oct 1992 	Discovery 	DOD			784.*

STS 54		3 Dec 1992 	Endeavour 	TDRS-F			npy

npy == not posted yet

    For anyone making travel plans, the schedule dates for the next few
    space shuttle launches are listed below.
    
    May 16, 1996, at 6:32 AM
    June 27, 1996, at 10:49 AM
    August 1, 1996, at 2:10 AM
    November 7, 1996, no time specified
    December 5, 1996, no time specified
    February 13, 1997, no time specified
    
    For additional info, check out http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/ and follow
    the "Shuttle Mission Information" link, among others there.
    
    Chris