Rocket launch Sunday March 30th

[DrD]

If you are cruising from Port Canaveral on March 30th you may like to know:

 

Hi Every one,

 

I am not on this cruise but I do live on the Space Coast of Fl. Just thought you might like to know that there is a rocket launch on the day you leave. But the time is not listed yet.

 

Here is the info:

Date: March 30

Mission: SpaceX-3 Commercial Resupply Services flight

Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9

Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 40

Description: SpaceX-3 will be the third commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX).

 

NASA web site.

 

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/schedule/index.html

 

Happy sailing and I hope thta you get to see it go off.

 

PS I was on FOS 1/26/14. Great ship.

 

 

 

Thank Geocruiser for posting this.

[UCF_Knight]

The launch is currently scheduled for 10:51 PM on Sunday, March 30.

 

Although this particular launch has already been pushed back about 10 times so far over the past 11 months (5 times this year alone).

Edited March 17, 2014 by UCF_Knight

[pepsicruiser]

I was lucky enough to witness a space shuttle take off from Cape Canaveral about 5 or so years ago. It was fabulous. Nothing can compare to being there and feeling the ground rumble and the stillness of all the observers. I'd recommend it to anyone. Years before that I was in Disney when one took off and we did see the arc in the sky before it disappeared and thought wow that was great but after being there to witness the full effect ... well it was amazing.

[Clarea]

I was lucky enough to witness a space shuttle take off from Cape Canaveral about 5 or so years ago. It was fabulous. Nothing can compare to being there and feeling the ground rumble and the stillness of all the observers. I'd recommend it to anyone. Years before that I was in Disney when one took off and we did see the arc in the sky before it disappeared and thought wow that was great but after being there to witness the full effect ... well it was amazing.

We saw a shuttle launch from the deck of Monarch 4 years ago and it was spectacular.

[DrD]

The launch is currently scheduled for 10:51 PM on Sunday, March 30.

 

Although this particular launch has already been pushed back about 10 times so far over the past 11 months (5 times this year alone).

 

Nooooooo!

 

I guess we're not going to see it, I doubt they ever move them earlier.

[UCF_Knight]

Nooooooo!

 

I guess we're not going to see it, I doubt they ever move them earlier.

 

In a word: No.

 

This is a resupply mission for the International Space Station. They need to launch at a certain time (actually a small time window) in order to make the rendezvous with the ISS.

 

If this launches on time, you'll probably be about 100-120 miles south of Port Canaveral by the time it goes up. If it is a clear night, you will be able to see it. It just won't be very impressive. More like a distant bright light moving through the sky.

Edited March 17, 2014 by UCF_Knight

[gaylemh]

I'll miss it by about 12 hours. The Explorer docks around noon on the 31st. Too Bad, I would have loved to see it.

[ryano]

We saw a shuttle launch from the deck of Monarch 4 years ago and it was spectacular.

 

May 14 2010 Atlantis launch. I was on that cruise too :)

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2014 by ryano

[geocruiser]

The launch is currently scheduled for 10:51 PM on Sunday, March 30.

 

Although this particular launch has already been pushed back about 10 times so far over the past 11 months (5 times this year alone).

 

I could not find the time of launch. Where did you find out the time?

Edited March 17, 2014 by geocruiser

[Clarea]

May 14 2010 Atlantis launch. I was on that cruise too :)

Sorry I missed you. There were about a dozen of us who were consecutive cruisers and we had a really nice viewing area staked out on deck 12.

[UNV-IT!!!]

There is nothing like watching a shuttle launch live. My father worked for NASA for all of the shuttle program. I was fortunate enough to see many launches live. And closer then the average person could get.

[bigmac21]

We saw a night launch of a shuttle 12/9/2006 while on the Disney Magic. We were surprised to be so close to the launch, thought the ship was already heading south but they stuck around for the launch.

[Virtopia]

My Explorer roll call was hoping to catch it when we were in port, but I guess it's a no go :( Those pictures are amazing.

[absolutonrox]

I'll be on Granduer in Port Canaveral that day. I think we're scheduled to leave around 930. Hopefully we won't be too far away to see it if it actually launches at the time OP said!

[edjny]

I could not find the time of launch. Where did you find out the time?

 

Here is a good site to find the scheduled rocket launches. As you can see, there is an Atlas 5 launch scheduled for March 25th. The window for the launch is 2:05PM to 3:35PM. So, if you come on down a few days early to enjoy the beautiful beaches, you will have a great view of it from the beach.

 

We will be on the Freedom leaving on March 30th. I will be looking for the launch at 10:51PM, but I suspect we will be a bit too far to the south for a good view. We live in Melbourne, FL during the Winter season though, so we see lots of rockets go up. A night launch is very impressive and can be seen from very long distance, so we will likely see it as long as it is not cloudy.

 

Update... I wanted to add that the SpaceX launch on March 30th is a resupply mission to the ISS. So the launch window will be very short (about 5 minutes). About 10:45PM, look for the Space Station to fly over you. Or in the case of those of us on the Freedom, it will be to the north. If you have never seen it, it is relatively easy to spot. It will be a bright light moving quickly across the sky.

Edited March 18, 2014 by edjny

[geocruiser]

Here is a good site to find the scheduled rocket launches. As you can see, there is an Atlas 5 launch scheduled for March 25th. The window for the launch is 2:05PM to 3:35PM. So, if you come on down a few days early to enjoy the beautiful beaches, you will have a great view of it from the beach.

 

We will be on the Freedom leaving on March 30th. I will be looking for the launch at 10:51PM, but I suspect we will be a bit too far to the south for a good view. We live in Melbourne, FL during the Winter season though, so we see lots of rockets go up. A night launch is very impressive and can be seen from very long distance, so we will likely see it as long as it is not cloudy.

 

Thanks for the web site. I also love watchng the rockets go off. I have been luck to see many of them go up live beach side during the winter.

[edjny]

I'll miss it by about 12 hours. The Explorer docks around noon on the 31st. Too Bad, I would have loved to see it.

 

Don't give up on spotting the launch. Since it is a night launch, you have a good chance if seeing it assuming it is not too cloudy. Get out there on deck to watch for it. Ideally, you want to be in a darker area on the end of the ship facing the Space Center. If you don't see it by 11:00PM, it either got canceled or it was too cloudy.

Edited March 18, 2014 by edjny

[edjny]

Anyone on a ship who will be within about 500-600 miles of Port Canaveral on March 30th should check with their Cruise Director to see if he can get the Bridge crew to pipe the Space Center launch countdown to the above deck loudspeaker system. If the Cruise Director does not know about the launch, he may be happy to have a rocket launch viewing to add to his activity list for that night.

[geocruiser]

From all the launchs tht I have seen, I enjoy the night times ones more. The rocket looks very bright aganist the night sky (with no clouds).

[kmigrrrl]

Anyone on a ship who will be within about 500-600 miles of Port Canaveral on March 30th should check with their Cruise Director to see if he can get the Bridge crew to pipe the Space Center launch countdown to the above deck loudspeaker system. If the Cruise Director does not know about the launch, he may be happy to have a rocket launch viewing to add to his activity list for that night.

 

I will be on The Explorer that is expected to dock in Port Canaveral on the 31st at 1:00PM. Not sure how many miles we'll be away at that point??? It would be awesome if we were able to view the launch!

[gaylemh]

I will be on The Explorer that is expected to dock in Port Canaveral on the 31st at 1:00PM. Not sure how many miles we'll be away at that point??? It would be awesome if we were able to view the launch!

 

Hi Kimmy, I would think we would be about 200-300 miles from Cape Canaveral when it launches. We'll have to bring it up at the M & M with the CD.

[Aquahound]

Hi Kimmy, I would think we would be about 200-300 miles from Cape Canaveral when it launches. We'll have to bring it up at the M & M with the CD.

 

As long as it isn't too cloudy, we can see night launches all the way down here in Key West. Chances are, you'll still be able to see it.

[kmigrrrl]

Hi Kimmy, I would think we would be about 200-300 miles from Cape Canaveral when it launches. We'll have to bring it up at the M & M with the CD.

 

ABSOLUTELY, it is definitely worth mentioning it to him!!!

[emmy]

As long as it isn't too cloudy, we can see night launches all the way down here in Key West. Chances are, you'll still be able to see it.

 

 

Paul ~ hi hope all is well. Sorry for the off topic but I have a question or two about Key West and hoped you could help me. Can you message me thanks a bunch :)

[LS6Caddy]

I was fortunate enough to be standing with my feet in the ocean a few miles down the coast when the rocket carrying the MARS ROVER launched....it was A.....MAZING