Yes Virginia, they are still launching from the Cape

[rtphokie]

okay, so it's not strictly Disney related but it is central Florida related. With the retirement of the shuttle fleet, many think that there are tumbleweeds rolling down the streets of the Kennedy Space Center. Not true. A very active launch schedule is underway with several planetary missions launching this fall. I had the privilege of watching the launch of Juno, a mission to study Jupiter last week from the press site. Some photos:

My car parked near the VAB. I was first to arrive and last to leave. You can also see the mobile launch tower next to the VAB that was used for the Aries 1-X test flight. The yellow trailer to the right was used to move external fuel tanks for the shuttle program.

Sunrise over the countdown clock

If you've ever taken the bus tour, they've probably pointed out this giant eagle's nest between the visitor's complex and the VAB. It's been there for years and is the size of the small car.

In the Atlas V Spaceflight Operations Center. This is the rocket which will carry the next Mars rover when it launches in November

Juno on the pad. We were within about 250 yards of the pad.

LC17B, this Delta IV rocket will carry GRAIL, a pair of probes which will study the interior of the moon. Launching in September.

Also got the rare opportunity to go inside the VAB. Discovery was in there as well, awaiting further preparations to go to the Smithsonian

Looking straight up in the VAB

Looking towards the doors facing the press site.

This board inside the VAB is empty, for now.

Weren't able to get out of the bus but did get a good look at the remaining pad at LC39. This is being mothballed for the time being.

Also got to meet one of the people that helped inspire my interest in science and math. Bill Nye.

Finally, what we came for, the launch of Juno aboard an Atlas V with 5 solid rocket motors. Not quite as loud as a shuttle launch but amazingly fast.

The plume left behind an interesting shadow

Ice crystals forming a ring from the exhaust post launch.

More photos: http://rtphokie.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Juno-Launch

My blog on the experience including a launch video: http://utprosim.com

 

[loveysbydesign]

Thanks for sharing! Where can we find the schedule for launches??

 

[rtphokie]

GRAIL is scheduled for September, MSL for November.

Thanks for sharing! Where can we find the schedule for launches??

NASA's launch schedule is here

The Visitor Complex there has a launch schedule along the left on it's pages.

For anyone thinking of visiting during a launch, the crowds are not nearly as much for unmanned launches such as these. For Juno, the Visitor's Complex allowed the first 2000 people who came that day to view the launch from the VIP area at the Saturn V center. This is where senators, celebrities and NASA special invitees have viewed shuttle and Apollo launches from. I hope they do it again for future unmanned launches.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Thanks for the links! we will be there on oct. but I will bookmark this for fuutre trips

 

[Marlton Mom]

Totally totally cool. Ever since I was 6 years old I wanted to be an astronaut.... Still do!

Wow!! What awesome shots and what an awesome day! Thanks for posting.

~Joanie

 

[photo_chick]

Sweet! I took the guided tour the Saturday before Atlantis went up and they talked a lot about what's coming up, both for Kennedy Space Center and over at Cape Canaveral. I thought all of the private companies that are coming in was very interesting, as well as what's upcoming from NASA.

Even if they're not launching the visitors complex and the tour are really cool if you're interested at all in those things. Well worth the trip over there, IMO. And they're supposed to have the new addition with Atlantis open in 2013.

 

[rtphokie]

I should have mentioned, this wasn't the regular public tour. Going inside the VAB, for example, is pretty rare.

someone mentioned commercial spaceflight. As many of you already know, that's well underway with SpaceX in particular launching test flights from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Their launch control center is a few yards from the entrance to CCAFS in Port Canaveral. You can probably see this unassuming building from any cruise ship coming or going from port. Here's snapshot of that building along with the mascot of the local library where I do some science talks:

more of Snoopy's adventures around KSC here.

 

[Experiment_626]

Not sure whether it was intentional or not, but I saw this as a really nice forced-perspective shot. At first glance, I saw a giant Snoopy, taller than the doors, sitting right in front of the building. Only when I looked at it for a few moments did I determine otherwise.

Scott

 

[DisneyChristmas]

Got to visit the VAB as part of a special tour in January 1971. Apollo 14 was on the launch pad, so the VAB was empty. (No photos allowed inside). We also were allowed to walk right to the track over which the Saturn V /Apollo vehicles were moved to the launch pad.

Thanks for the pics!