This is just a quick update given there’s gonna be two big ticket launches in short order, now that the Visitors’ Center has posted tickets for sale for the first one.
USSF-52
as of writing, the Falcon Heavy carrying the X-37 spaceplane on its 7th flight is set to fly on Sunday, December 10th, at an unknown time. UPDATE 7/Dec – Currently scheduled for 8:14 PM on Sunday, with a 10 minute launch window. UPDATE 12/Dec – Pushed to the 13th at 8:13 PM after an aborted attempt on the 11th, with a low probability of good weather for that date. UPDATE 27/Dec — 8:07 PM on the 28th.
KSC Viewing
KSC is now offering paid viewing at the Saturn V center for the USSF-52 Falcon Heavy launch. If you’re interested, their page on it is available here. It’s $70 in addition to admission rather than a full “Feel the Heat” package, which is a nice break from how things have been since the very first Falcon Heavy.
This $70 addon to view from the Saturn V Center/Banana River stands is the only on-premises viewing option being offered by the Visitors Complex, and it’s among the best spots to watch the launch itself. for the landings, you lose the boosters at the last second behind the VAB, but that’s whatever you make of it.
UPDATE 12/Dec – The Visitors’ Complex has elected not to offer viewing for subsequent attempts, it would appear. This is itself surprising, what with it being a Falcon Heavy, but perhaps it conflicts with Holidays in Space or other events they have going on. 27/Dec – Paid viewing from the visitors center is now back on the table.
Other Paid Options
- Jetty Park ($15/Car) may or may not be open, but as a campground there is always the option of camping there for the launch if you so choose, and it falls outside their public access hours. it’s among the best viewing sites for the booster landings, though launch itself is obstructed by the port and the berm across the channel.
- Playalinda Beach ($20/Car) is only open 6am to 6pm, and has the single best view of launch you can get. it’s subject to potential closures by the range, though, and given a launch time of 8pm, will not remain open.
- Star*Fleet Tours has begun soliciting interest and reservations for a launch viewing cruise to see both launch and landing from the ocean. I did this for a previous Falcon Heavy and I can attest to what a good time it is.
UPDATE 12/Dec – after rough seas washed out a cruise for the first attempt and the boat they chartered developed engine trouble, charters for future attempts are uncertain.27/Dec – They have filled one boat already for the 28th, and are working on securing a second. Message them if you’re interested in being on said second boat.
Free Options
for the best all-around view, any public park along US 1 between Cocoa and Titusville will treat you well, though the sweet spot is definitely further north towards Titusville. Most of these parks are open dawn to dusk, but will provisionally remain open overnight for night launches. See the Brevard County Parks and Recreation website to determine if a given park does so. (going to an individual park page and viewing the North Brevard list is a good way to narrow it down.) Space View in downtown Titusville is among the most popular but by no means the only park you can choose from.
if you want a better view of the landings and don’t mind missing the initial few moments of liftoff, pick any public beach access in Cocoa Beach or the City of Cape Canaveral, though these are only open dawn to dusk.
Vulcan Flight 1 (Peregrine Lunar Lander)
This one’s a toughie. it’s currently scheduled for something like 1am on Christmas Eve, so in addition to the traditional trials of night launch viewing, we may have holiday closures to contend with. 27/Dec – It’s been pushed to january 8th at 2:14 AM after delays with the wet dress rehearsal.
paid options
- it’s unknown as of yet whether KSC will offer a viewing package for this, given it’s well outside of operating hours. I’d expect a Feel the Heat style package if they do, as their only offered option, given it’s a NASA mission AND the Vulcan’s debut.
- Playalinda will be closed because it’s late in the night. it is otherwise the dream view for a launch from 41.
- Jetty Park may offer itself up for viewing, but as of writing we have yet to see.
- Star*Fleet hasn’t announced any plans at this time, though more on that later.
Free Options
as before, any public waterfront park in or near Titusville that the Brevard County Parks department says will remain open for night launches is a reasonable bet, though the holiday may throw a wrench in that.
Starlinks/Etc
if they’re during KSC operating hours and you’re already planning to attend, the Saturn V center is nice, but that’s unlikely. At this point, starlink missions run near exclusively at night. for these, the same “along the river in Titusville” options are your best bet.
there is one commercial falcon 9 launch on the docket, Ovzon-3, and it’s even another booster landing! for the time being this mission is scheduled for ~4pm on December 14th january 3rd. Jetty Park would be ideal for this if you want to see this landing, otherwise the same advice from USSF-52 applies. Cape Canaveral beaches for landing, Titusville waterfront for an all around view.
In Memoriam
many of you probably know that the site’s founder, WaywardPlane, passed away two years ago, and this place is one of many things I’ve inherited from them. For these past two years, a USPS cardboard box with a bright orange label has sat on a shelf on the living room, waiting for its time to come.
Wayward’s ashes are to be scattered at sea just off the coast of LC-41, with the Vulcan rocket standing on it ahead of launch. Frankly, I don’t have the money to do this, I’m hoping to split the cost with some photographer friends who’d be chartering Star*Fleet for a prelaunch photo cruise, and would otherwise want to attend such a service. I’ll make it work regardless, I just wanted to make any regular readers aware of this plan.
safe travels and happy launching, <br> Lupi.