Starlink 2 (or any Launch) Roadtrip

[Gargamel]

Thinking about doing a roadtrip down to the Cape over the christmas break to see a launch.   https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ only shows the starlink 2 launch as being the only one I might be able to see.  Russia and India really aren't in the budget.   But it only says "late december" and time TBD.  Any way I can find out a more concrete launch date?

[Terwin]

Even with a specific date and hour, a launch is far from guaranteed.

I would recommend against a road-trip to see a launch unless you would be happy with spending the day touring the facilities should the launch be cancelled.

[Gargamel]

4 hours ago, Terwin said:

Even with a specific date and hour, a launch is far from guaranteed.

I would recommend against a road-trip to see a launch unless you would be happy with spending the day touring the facilities should the launch be cancelled.

Yeah, that possiblity would be fully expected.   Just being able to do a tour and such would be fun, but I'm not heading down there just for a tour.   If there's a planned launch, I'll go.   Might head down to the Keys too.

[Gargamel]

So now I'm starting to think this. 

Cleveland, Ohio NASA day 1

Wright Patterson AFB, USAF museum, Dayton Ohio, Day 2

Houston Texas, NASA, Day 4.

New Orleans, Day  5

KSC, Florida, Day 7 depending on Launch date ( If ever)

Daytona Speedway Day 8

Huntsville, AL, NASA Day 9

And then back home....

But it all depends on if they launch or not, and if I'd like to be back in the French Quarter of NOLA for New Years Eve. 

[razark]

2 hours ago, Gargamel said:

Wright Patterson AFB, USAF museum, Dayton Ohio, Day 2

Having been there a couple years ago, I'm not sure one day is enough time to take it all in.

 

3 hours ago, Gargamel said:

Houston Texas, NASA, Day 4.

As a subsimer, there's the USS Cavalla down in Galveston.  Not too far away, and how often do you get to visit a boat that sank an enemy aircraft carrier?

[mikegarrison]

28 minutes ago, razark said:

Having been there a couple years ago, I'm not sure one day is enough time to take it all in.

It is. A few hours is not enough, but most of a day is fine.

Last time I was there I did actually go on two different days (because I went once with just a couple of friends and then later a bunch of people went so I went again). I did enjoy the second day, but it didn't add a whole lot additional to the first day. (The people I was with were all fellow aviation engineers. We were in town for a meeting that was being hosted by GE.)

[Gargamel]

37 minutes ago, razark said:

Having been there a couple years ago, I'm not sure one day is enough time to take it all in.

It's "local" for me, as if a 5 hour drive is "local".   I can get through most of it in the time slot allotted, and could even hit it again on the way back.

38 minutes ago, razark said:

As a subsimer, there's the USS Cavalla down in Galveston.  Not too far away, and how often do you get to visit a boat that sank an enemy aircraft carrier?

Hmmmmmmm.....   Isn't the Texas down that way too?

 

[razark]

8 minutes ago, mikegarrison said:

It is. A few hours is not enough, but most of a day is fine.

When I went, we spent two half-days.  I feel like I rushed through some parts of it, and I could easily have spent more time there.  However, I was shepherding a pack of wild children, one of whom was somewhat bored.  (He liked the exhibits you could walk through, but just looking at planes was not his thing.)

 

1 minute ago, Gargamel said:

Isn't the Texas down that way too?

Yeah, but I'm not sure what condition she's in right now.¹  I know there was talk of hauling her off somewhere for repairs, and then finding her a new home.  Catching all three in a single day would be quite a feat, though.  Space Center Houston on one day, then the ships on a second might work.

There's also Lone Star Flight Museum near JSC.  I haven't been out there since they moved to Ellington Field, but I hear it's not a bad visit.  My father said the individual displays were better than the ones at the USAF museum, but it's nowhere near as extensive a collection.

 

¹Well, it looks like she's not taking visitors.  Really makes me wish I had been paying more attention.  It's been years since I've been out there. (That bored teenager was in a baby carrier.  You ever try to climb a warship's ladders with a car seat?)
https://communityimpact.com/houston/clear-lake-league-city-nassau-bay/parks-recreation/2019/08/08/battleship-texas-closes-to-public-aug-26/

Edited December 6, 2019 by razark

[mikegarrison]

1 hour ago, razark said:

When I went, we spent two half-days.  I feel like I rushed through some parts of it, and I could easily have spent more time there.  However, I was shepherding a pack of wild children, one of whom was somewhat bored.  (He liked the exhibits you could walk through, but just looking at planes was not his thing.)

Well if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend going with a pack of aero engineers rather than a pack of kids. (Although we probably looked like kids in a candy story to the other tourists.)

[tater]

 

[Gargamel]

Quote

Dec 20: @BoeingSpace Starliner

:S too early
 

Quote

 

December: Starlink 2

 

Dangit.... schedule a date already....

[tater]

This is not a slip of the December launch... That's maybe looking good for your road trip.

[Gargamel]

So it's planned for 2340 local time on the 30th.    Where do I find out if they plan to recover the booster on land?

[magnemoe]

10 hours ago, Gargamel said:

So it's planned for 2340 local time on the 30th.    Where do I find out if they plan to recover the booster on land?

Starlink missions are heavy so they need to land on barge. 
ISS resupply tend to land at land, last one was an exception. 

[Gargamel]

Well, with the date getting pushed back again, it's really not practical for me to do the trip and start back to work on the 6th.    Have to scrub till next year....

[tater]

 

On 12/26/2019 at 9:24 PM, Gargamel said:

Well, with the date getting pushed back again, it's really not practical for me to do the trip and start back to work on the 6th.    Have to scrub till next year....

Jan 3.

[tater]

 

[Gargamel]

Thanks for the updates, @tater, but due to both logistical and financial reasons, trip isn't going this year...