Rocket launch Sunday March 30th

[Aquahound]

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 :)

 

Hi Emmy. Email me at my user name at aol. I no longer have FB, so can't message anymore.

[edjny]

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!

 

There would be only two reasons you could not see the launch. The first would be that it was canceled or the sky is overcast.

There is a paper here in Melbourne runs a live blog for all the rocket launches. Just about anyone can jump in with questions and usually do. I have seen posts from people as far north as the Carolinas reporting seeing a night launch.

 

Here is a NASA web site that will tell you when the ISS is visible and the direction it will be going. This link is set up for a Cape Canaveral location. At this time, the predictions do not go far enough out for March 30th. I would imagine that in a few days, this will be updated. The ISS will go over the Cape about 5 minutes before the launch. The direction the ISS is going is the direction that the rocket will be going as it flies up to catch the ISS.

[DrD]

Thanks.

 

Interestingly rockets almost always are launched to the east. That's so the velocity of the earth's rotation is added to the rocket's velocity. In other words, orbits are determined only by the rocket's speed through space, not in relation to the ground. The earth rotates to the east at 1000 miles per hour (!!!) so when you launch a rocket to the east it starts with this speed so it doesn't have to speed up quite so much.

[ronandannette]

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).

 

Yep, that's how it goes. Years ago we booked a sailing on the Mariner with the hopes of seeing the Shuttle launch...disappointing but only for a minute! We had a great cruise anyway.

[gaylemh]

There would be only two reasons you could not see the launch. The first would be that it was canceled or the sky is overcast.

There is a paper here in Melbourne runs a live blog for all the rocket launches. Just about anyone can jump in with questions and usually do. I have seen posts from people as far north as the Carolinas reporting seeing a night launch.

 

Here is a NASA web site that will tell you when the ISS is visible and the direction it will be going. This link is set up for a Cape Canaveral location. At this time, the predictions do not go far enough out for March 30th. I would imagine that in a few days, this will be updated. The ISS will go over the Cape about 5 minutes before the launch. The direction the ISS is going is the direction that the rocket will be going as it flies up to catch the ISS.

 

Might be a dumb question, but would you be able to see the launch meeting the ISS?

[edjny]

Might be a dumb question, but would you be able to see the launch meeting the ISS?

 

No question is dumb.... The answer is NO (usually). The rocket is long distance behind the ISS by the time it gets into orbit. It takes quite a while for it to catch up and dock. As I recall, the shuttle/rockets usually dock about a day after launch. I suppose though that if you were looking at the ISS when the rocket were getting close, you would see two bright spots closing in on each other. With a pair of binoculars or telescope, you would be able to see it in more detail.

[4biegelboys]

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.

 

We will be on that cruise too! My boys would find this really cool. Can you see the launch pad anywhere? Maybe so we can take a drive by it before boarding.

[edjny]

We will be on that cruise too! My boys would find this really cool. Can you see the launch pad anywhere? Maybe so we can take a drive by it before boarding.

 

You can see the launch pads from the top decks of the ship. Bring binoculars to see the pads even better. There are several pads that are used to launch the rockets just north of the port channel. Not sure if the one being used for the March 30th launch will be one of the ones that you can see. The rockets have shelters around them earlier in the 'prep' time, but I would think they would be removed by late afternoon. As the Freedom sails out of the port, there is even a better view of the rocket pads as we get past the channel. Pretty good odds of seeing the rocket somewhere along there.

 

This satellite map view will show the AF station where they launch the rockets just north of the Port Canaveral channel. You can then zoom in to see more detail of the launch pads that run up the coast just behind the beach.

[edjny]

I just found out that the ISS will not be visible as it flies over just prior to the rocket launch. This web site has all the ISS passes as viewed from Titusville, FL. When you bring the link up, click "All" on 'Passes to include'. The pass for nighttime on March 30th is listed as 'Night (Unlit)'. It is too late for the sun to light up the ISS.

[UNV-IT!!!]

I just found out that the ISS will not be visible as it flies over just prior to the rocket launch. This web site has all the ISS passes as viewed from Titusville, FL. When you bring the link up, click "All" on 'Passes to include'. The pass for nighttime on March 30th is listed as 'Night (Unlit)'. It is too late for the sun to light up the ISS.

 

I've been following the Iss sightings for years. At night when an Iss spotting is in your area you can easily see the Iss with the naked eye as it zooms past the night sky.

[edjny]

I've been following the Iss sightings for years. At night when an Iss spotting is in your area you can easily see the Iss with the naked eye as it zooms past the night sky.

 

It is easy to see the ISS IF the ISS is not out of the sun yet. But, when the ISS gets into the shadow of the earth, there is no sunlight to light it up. For the pass under discussion when the resupply rocket is being launched, it is some 3-4 hours after sunset. All the references I have seen say the ISS is in the dark then and not visible.

Edited March 23, 2014 by edjny

[nolesrule]

The rocket launch has been postponed due to an Air Force radar malfunction that cannot be repaired in time.

 

You can use the heavens-above.com website to predict ISS visible sighting locations up to 10 days out... but being on a cruise ship you need to have a fairly good idea of your locations to be able to get accurate results.

[gaylemh]

I thought I saw somewhere, that if it was postponed it was going to be rescheduled for Wednesday. Does anyone know?

[nolesrule]

I thought I saw somewhere, that if it was postponed it was going to be rescheduled for Wednesday. Does anyone know?

 

No new date has been set yet.

[geocruiser]

I thought I saw somewhere, that if it was postponed it was going to be rescheduled for Wednesday. Does anyone know?

 

No date is posted.

 

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

[edjny]

I saw that the SpaceX rocket launch is now scheduled for April 14th at 4:58PM. Assuming it goes on schedule, the people on Enchantment leaving Port Canaveral on April 14th are going to get a GREAT VIEW of the launch. Most likely the sail-away will be delayed till after the launch. The view of the launch from the top decks of the ship will be fantastic. :cool:

 

Years back we were on the casino gambling ship that sails out of Port Canaveral. Just before we left port, NASA launched the rocket that contained one of the Mars Rovers. It was a great experience being that close.

Edited April 7, 2014 by edjny

[UCF_Knight]

That will be awesome for those on Enchantment IF the launch goes as currently scheduled. Given this particular rocket's history, though, I certainly wouldn't count on it.

[edjny]

Well, NASA did it again.... They scrubbed the SpaceX launch scheduled for 4:58pm today about a half hour ago. The next possible launch will be Friday (maybe).... That is a real shame because there were 3 ships in port who would have had a close up view. The Enchantment and Grandeur as well as the Disney Magic now have a lot of disappointed people on board.

Edited April 14, 2014 by edjny

[Clarea]

Well, NASA did it again.... They scrubbed the SpaceX launch scheduled for 4:58pm today about a half hour ago. The next possible launch will be Friday (maybe).... That is a real shame because there were 3 ships in port who would have had a close up view. The Enchantment and Grandeur as well as the Disney Magic now have a lot of disappointed people on board.

Sorry to hear that. I believe there is some cargo on that rocket that they are anxious to get on the ISS.

[tahqa]

Well, NASA did it again.... They scrubbed the SpaceX launch scheduled for 4:58pm today about a half hour ago. The next possible launch will be Friday (maybe).... That is a real shame because there were 3 ships in port who would have had a close up view. The Enchantment and Grandeur as well as the Disney Magic now have a lot of disappointed people on board.

 

NASA didn't scrub the launch, the SpaceX company itself did because of a helium leak.

 

Engineers preparing the rocket for liftoff discovered ran into what NASA described as a helium leak in the plumbing of the rocket's first stage, an issue that could not be resolved in time for launch. SpaceX launch director Ricky Lim ordered a scrub at 3:39 p.m.

[Aquahound]

NASA didn't scrub the launch, the SpaceX company itself did because of a helium leak.

 

Oh come on! Helium leak, smelium leak. Don't they know there were 3 ships in port with a lot of disappointed people?! ;)

[DrD]

Who knew they used helium to get up there? I thought they used rocket engines ;)

[ryano]

Oh come on! Helium leak, smelium leak. Don't they know there were 3 ships in port with a lot of disappointed people?! ;)

 

I cant even imagine being on a cruise ship waiting to set sail and being disappointed because I didnt get to see a rocket launch.

 

I guess its just no big deal to me anymore because I lived in Central FL and had family over on the coast in Volusia county and seen MANY shuttle launches and rockets go up.

 

I got lucky on Monarch in 2010. I fully expected that launch to be scrubbed because I had seen it happen so many times. I do admit it was very neat because I had never been THAT close to 39A but I would not have been disappointed had I missed it.

Edited April 15, 2014 by ryano

[edjny]

I cant even imagine being on a cruise ship waiting to set sail and being disappointed because I didnt get to see a rocket launch.

 

I guess its just no big deal to me anymore because I lived in Central FL and had family over on the coast in Volusia county and seen MANY shuttle launches and rockets go up.

 

I got lucky on Monarch in 2010. I fully expected that launch to be scrubbed because I had seen it happen so many times. I do admit it was very neat because I had never been THAT close to 39A but I would not have been disappointed had I missed it.

 

We have see MANY rocket/Shuttle launches also, but from the ship you are so close.... Also many of the people cruising have never seen a launch before and it makes the cruise even better.

[nolesrule]

The SpaceX launches are nowhere near as impressive as a shuttle launch was. I've seen them from as close as the causeway near the bridge on A1A/528 by Port Canaveral, but most from my driveway here in Clearwater.