Trip to Shuttle launch

[gereed75]

Earlier this month I used the good old six to complete a "bucket list" trip to see Shuttle Launch STS 132.

I launched Out of KFWQ (western PA) at about 11:00 AM on Thursday on a two leg IFR flight plan via Darlington Jetport SC to Sandford, Orlando FLA. About 5+ 20 total enroute. Even got a "RV slow to 130 knots" call from the controller at Sandford - always a hoot!!

Button up for the evening, and off to the hotel. Next morning off to Titusville via rental car to hook up with local RV-8 guy Al Voss. Al has nothing better to do except hang with me for the launch. After setting up at a prime location on the Banana River, we kill a couple of hours comparing notes about RV's, and work in the aerospace biz.

Like clockwork, STS 132 lights the candle. SPECTACULAR!!!!! This was a most gratifying bucket list item for me. I had worked on quite a few SSME (Shuttle Main Engine) components over the years and was at Rocketdyne a number of times.

Back to the airport in Titusville to partake of a few cold ones with Al and his buddies. Excellent airport time and RV comradarie with a most gracious bunch of airport rats, wives included!!

That might be enough for most adventure weekends, but I got an RV and a credit card!! Off to P-cola Saturday morning to attend the VT-6 50th year celebration. First a visit to the Naval Aviation Museum. A quick stop at the squadron patch display to find my old helo squadron patch and then over to the Cubi bar. One Cubi dog - $2.50, One cold San Magoo - $2.00, Finding name on squadron plaque under the shuffle board table - PRICELESS!!

Then out to Whiting via rental car. Things are pretty much shut down there on weekends. The T-34 is starting to get tired but the new T-6 is slowly coming online. Off to the celebration that include a few tie cuttings and the commanding officer playing some tunes with the squadron rock band. Naval Air is in good hands.

Next morning launch into a sucker hole between cells. First stop in Vadalia GA, then on to home base after dodging numerous cells with a quick divert to Stauton VA. Back in the barn at about sundown.

This was my first trip using the Anywheremap Duo. See my comments under a separate post. The Duo rocks!! These airplanes rock!! RV people rock!! (thanks Al) Keep poundin' them rivets!!

[Geico266]

Ya know, I need to do this. There is only 2-3 shuttle launches left. I worked on several components that fly in the space shuttle. Most notably are the high pressure vessels, and the speed brake actuator. It was my dream when I was in the military to work on the space shuttle, and I got that done, now I need to see a launch.

It is now number #1 in my bucket list.

Thanks for the motivation.

Maybe Paul can get me front row tickets, or even a ride? HEY PAUL!

[rv7boy]

Gary, I'm glad you got to see a Shuttle launch.

Larry, I can't promise you a ride or even promise you a good viewing spot, but I can tell you the most current schedule for the LAST TWO Shuttle launches.

STS-133 is scheduled to launch no earlier than 9/16/10.
STS-134 is scheduled to launch no earlier than 11/20/10.

Important Update: Yesterday just 30 minutes or so after I posted this I learned that both launches will probably slip significantly...which means weeks or even a few months. If you're interested stay tuned, or better yet you can Google NASA Shuttle Launch Schedule which should point you to this page . DCH

I was able to see STS-132 launch week before last. My friend, Tony Antonelli, is the pilot on this mission. As I left the KSC area, I was filled with mixed emotions - thrilled that there were so many folks there to see the shuttle launch and at the same time frustrated that so many of them were clogging the highways making it difficult to get back to Orlando!

I am to blame for not having finished my RV yet; then I wouldn't be dependent on the airlines!

To everyone, if there is any way for you to see a Shuttle launch, I encourage you to do so. There is no experience like being there and feeling the whole experience. Videos are amazing but they don't capture the physical experience. You have only two more opportunities, and then the Shuttle program will be history.

[flyvans.com]

we also got lucky and got to see and FEEL the STS-132 lift off :-)

first of all, traffic was very heavy! and of course we couldn't get any official tickets for causeway viewing.
we initially set ourselves up near spaceview park in titusville but it was way overcrowded with a very bad field of view.
fortunately we elected to move (which was risky having had the car parked and less than 2 hours to launch) but well worth it.
go to maps.google.com and search for "28.588323,-80.80174".
that's an awesome location with perfect view and almost no crowds.
listen to 1300 AM (radio station) or 146.940 (amateur rebroadcast of mission frequencies) on a scanner and you get all the info you need ;-)
got the last few good binoculars at a wal mart in orlando the night before, they were running out of camping chairs and binoculars... go figure *G*

the launch itself was much more spectacular and impressive than expected. this isn't the "boom and over" type of event... you get to see it for quite a while, the flame color is awesome bright and feeling the rumble is even better than hearing it. and the white cloud sits around for a long time, almost stationary. glad to have been able to witness it!
even my girlfriend, which is otherwise not very techy digged it big time :-)

rgds, bernie

[NYTOM]

Email your Congressman today with a request and include the full names of all the people in your party and which launch you want to see. Hopefully you'll get a official invitation from NASA. It might help to beg, cause I did.
It took a couple of months but my Congressman kept me updated and emailed me a heads up a few days before the official formal invite arrived. For STS-132 last week we were picked up at a location on Merritt Island and bussed to the Congressional VIP site on the causeway. There were videos about the shuttle and the space program on the bus and they even had an Astronaut come aboard and give a little talk and answer questions. At the site they had tents set up with seats, bleachers, souvenirs,food and port-a-johns. They even had a big countdown clock. There was speakers spaced along the site so you could hear everything that was going on. We had a clear view of Atlantis sitting on the pad. Bring binoculars and a comfortable fold up chair since it is a few miles away across the water and the wait is a few hours.
When they do light it off the goosebumps come up quick with everyone cheering and the shuttle rumbling into the sky. I drove 26 hundred miles straight down to Florida and back to New York and it was worth every mile. And Oh' yea I forgot, It was all free.