Question about Shuttle Launch

toolsnspools

toolsnspools

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hey all. My family and I will be at Castaway Cay on 4/19/2011. The shuttle is scheduled to launch that day, and I was wondering if there's any chance we would be able to see the launch from there. I understand that the launch schedule can be changed at any time, but since the dates currently line up, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll be able to see it.
 
D

DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
From a quick google search, the distance is 225 miles from Castaway Cay to Port Canaveral, so I guess it depends on how clear the sky is.
 
erstwo

erstwo

Well-Known Member
Wow - that's some quick detective work DisneyJoe!

If I remember correctly, the viewing 'area' for a nighttime shuttle launch is around 100 miles - give or take - at best. I think it's less than 75 miles for a daytime launch.

Maybe a Florida resident who knows exactly how many miles they are from Merrit could give you a better estimate.

I'll ask around after everyone gets home this weekend....... turns out, some of my friends ARE rocket scientists! :D
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
I know you can "see" daytime launches from the Orlando area but I don't know the distance in miles. We used to watch them when I was a kid growing up there. It looks like a smoke trail with a bright orange speck on top. Yep, watched the Challenger in person from our school yard.... :(

Is the final launch supposed to be a night launch? We used to be able to see these, too. They looked like just a glowing orange speck but the sky was sorta lighter in that general direction.
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
:lol:

I guess to a kid 55 miles might as well be 200, huh? It always felt like the cape was like a loooooong way from where we lived.

:lol:
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
The distance from the launch tower to Jacksonville is roughly 140 miles and we can see both night time and day time shuttle launches. If it is a clear day you might be able to see a shuttle launch especially if you watch from the top deck of the ship.
 
tizzo

tizzo

Member
We'll sometimes watch shuttle launches while listening to the NASA audio feed on the TV. This feed includes periodic updates of how far the shuttle is downrange minute by minute. During night launches, you can still see it when they are saying the vehicle is 600+ miles downrange - although at that point it really just looks like a star that is moving.

So my guess would be that theoretically, yes, you should be able to see something, at least if it's a night launch. Exactly what you'll be able to see, I don't really know.
 
Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
tizzo said:
We'll sometimes watch shuttle launches while listening to the NASA audio feed on the TV. This feed includes periodic updates of how far the shuttle is downrange minute by minute. During night launches, you can still see it when they are saying the vehicle is 600+ miles downrange - although at that point it really just looks like a star that is moving.So my guess would be that theoretically, yes, you should be able to see something, at least if it's a night launch. Exactly what you'll be able to see, I don't really know.
Click to expand...

We watched the shuttle and the ISS fly over our house last night. It was pretty neat to see them both in the sky at once.

OK - I'm a geek... :eek:
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Nemo14 said:
We watched the shuttle and the ISS fly over our house last night. It was pretty neat to see them both in the sky at once.

[SIZE="1"[B]]OK - I'm a geek... :eek:[/B][/SIZE][/QUOTE]Then here is some geek for you courtesy of [URL="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/"]Dr Phil Plait's blog Bad Astronomy.[/URL]

alanfriedman_sun_iss.jpg


robbullen_iss_discovery.jpg
Click to expand...
 
erstwo

erstwo

Well-Known Member
Master Yoda said:
The distance from the launch tower to Jacksonville is roughly 140 miles and we can see both night time and day time shuttle launches. If it is a clear day you might be able to see a shuttle launch especially if you watch from the top deck of the ship.
Click to expand...

Awesome! So, if Castaway Cay really IS 250 miles away - could you see it there? What's 100 miles north of you? Valdosta? Can they see it there? But maybe they launch more in the direction of Castaway than Valdosta, so it isn't a fair comparison? :shrug:

Also, our cruise sails July 1. The last scheduled shuttle launch is June 28. We've got a room at Port Canaveral for the 27th - 30th. Do you think we'll be able to see the launch? :lol:
 
WDWRLD

WDWRLD

Active Member
Hey erstwo we also will be on that July 1 Dream Cruise. I was actually hoping for a delay of just a few days so with it being a afternoon launch we could watch it from the top deck of the ship. As far as seeing it from Castaway Cay I think it more depends on the launch path. I have seen night launches from POR and day launches from Daytona speedway and the one from POR was much more visible and could be seen for much longer time.
 
erstwo

erstwo

Well-Known Member
WDWRLD said:
Hey erstwo we also will be on that July 1 Dream Cruise. I was actually hoping for a delay of just a few days so with it being a afternoon launch we could watch it from the top deck of the ship. As far as seeing it from Castaway Cay I think it more depends on the launch path. I have seen night launches from POR and day launches from Daytona speedway and the one from POR was much more visible and could be seen for much longer time.
Click to expand...

Oh, that is so exciting! You'll have to look for me! Although, you may not want to acknowledge us. We'll be the loud, crazy group of 19 being led by a small German woman in her 70's (my mother in law!) :D

If you're brave enough, I'd love to meet another WDWmagic -er though!
 
toolsnspools

toolsnspools

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks for all the great info. I now have a whole new perspective on the "Big Bang Theory". :ROFLOL: I guess there's only a slim chance that we'll be able to see it, and only if the trajectory is toward us. Maybe they'll back it up a day or two so we'll be closer to Port Canaveral.
 

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