Does the shuttle stop off at the airport?

June 1, 2011 12:01 PM

Where do I watch the last shuttle launch from to ensure that I make it to Orlando International Airport for a 7:30pm flight?

I am going to Florida to see the last shuttle launch on July 8th! Hurray! However, I managed to forget that I had to go to a good friends' wedding in London on July 9th. If I catch a 7:30pm flight from Orlando International I can just about make it to the church on time. Given that the launch is at 11:38am is there any way I can do this? If so, where can I watch the launch from to minimise travel time to the airport?

And yes, I'm an utter idiot.

posted by jobby to Travel & Transportation (7 answers total)

You have almost 6 hours to get from Cape Canaveral to MCO? That's plenty of time.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:10 PM on June 1, 2011

One thing to know is that launches frequently get pushed back. The last one was pushed back for nearly a week... three times.

And yes, that's only 60 miles to the airport.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 12:12 PM on June 1, 2011

I think the concern might be the insane traffic jam that is going to occur in Titusville after the launch.
posted by the jam at 12:16 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

We were there for the last night launch and spent more than two hours in traffic just trying to get out of Titusville. People were stopped on the side of the road taking naps, the traffic was moving so slow. Seven hours should be enough time, but you might want to spend the first four at a diner or reading a book. Don't even bother trying to leave till Google Maps has greened-up. Titusville's going to be packed for the last launch, though, so if you're not getting there the night before you might not be able to get close to the water. That, and there's a good chance as RJ mentioned that the launch will be delayed.
posted by jeffkramer at 1:32 PM on June 1, 2011

I watched STS-132 launch last May from the NASA Causeway and it took almost 4 hours after the launch for the bus to get back to the Disney World area, the vast majority of which was sitting in traffic within a few miles from KSC. I would guess traffic will be even worse for the last launch, so it seems like you would be cutting it kind of close for an international flight that evening.
posted by m-bandy at 8:21 PM on June 1, 2011

Yeah, failed STS-134 watcher here. There is a better-than-average chance that you will not be making that flight if you go anywhere near the site (Titusville or otherwise). We were told to prepare for up to six hours of traffic delay had the flight actually gone off (not that I'm bitter or anything), getting back to a location not that far from the airport. This is the *last* shuttle launch -- everyone and their dog is going to be trying to catch it.

There are reports of being able to see it from Disney World, but you'd likely still see it and hear it from a location 15 miles away. Unfortunately, I can't offer a suggestion for a specific site.

If it were me, given the vagaries of launch times and their propensity for change, and your absolute need to be in London for the wedding, I'd try and get a London flight that departs at 11:30 in the morning, and hope that they loiter over Orlando to watch it go, to be honest -- may as well go for the gusto and see the coolest perspective for the launch.
posted by liquado at 9:25 PM on June 1, 2011

Response by poster: I managed to get very lucky here - we watched the launch from a tiny little park on the Indian River in Cocoa about two minutes from the 528. We beat the rush back quite handily and passed the airport less than sixty minutes after launch - I had enough time to go back to the hotel to watch the NASA press conference and then have a sit-down meal. It was an amazing experience and hopefully I'll get to come back for a SpaceX Dragon or Orion launch someday...
posted by jobby at 3:55 PM on July 10, 2011