Jetty Park at Canaveral and rocket launch questions

[hertfordnc]

We have a tent reservation at Jetty Park for next Wednesday, there is a rocket launch scheduled or 8:pm.

We will arrive earlier in the day, hang out, fish, etc and then watch the launch (if it happens) then we may or may not spend the night, we have a Condo up the road a couple hours.

I can't get a live person at the campground and I just want to make sure there is not some fatal flaw with this plan.

Do they close any roads in or out?

I know it was insaneyl crowded at the end of the shuttle program, I'm assuming it's not that bad any more.

Anything else I should know?


Thanks

Dave

[Twain]

I haven't driven to the cape since the last shuttle night launch, so I can't speak on the crowd levels. The media coverage of the unmanned launches has been dismal at best in the Tampa market. Its a shame the interest level has dropped so low so fast. With that, I'd guess the crowds are manageable.

[Mr__Camper]

Now I'm officially jealous.

[Doug33]

Mr. Camper wrote:
AS-203 was the official title. They were renamed as AS when combined with the Apollo/Saturn.I was twelve at the time of John Glen's flight. Didn't appreciate it at the time but who knew then.

When I was in high school in the late 1970s my father, who was a science teacher, was responsible for picking up the guest speaker at the airport and driving him to the annual science teacher conference. The guest speaker just happened to be one of the original 7 astronauts, Scott Carpenter. I got to go with my father to pick up Carpenter, and he came back to our house for a few hours, so we got to talk to him at length. What a great experience!

[Mr__Camper]

AS-203 was the official title. They were renamed as AS when combined with the Apollo/Saturn.I was twelve at the time of John Glen's flight. Didn't appreciate it at the time but who knew then.

[Doug33]

Mr. Camper wrote:
back even further we saw Friendship 7 and Apollo III.

That goes back a LONG time! Did you mean Apollo 11, or AS-203 that was an unmanned Saturn 1B test launch in 1966?

I always wanted to be down there for a launch. The closest I got was a family trip in 1970 when Apollo 13 was on the launch pad, but wasn't launched for another few weeks due to delays. i'm probably the one that jinxed the mission! LOL

[NoVa_RT]

There is an office, so I don't know why contacting is a problem.

My own experience was that it was difficult to get a real person to answer the phone, rather than have to leave a message, although they did call back the next day. I had a reservation inquiry, not sure how quick they are to call back on questions about the general area. When I was actually at the park, the office staff was friendly & helpful.

[1971duster340]

We drove around in the park in May. It was busy, but not overflowing. The summer/Memorial Day crowd could have been the reason. There is an office, so I don't know why contacting is a problem.
I watched my first Atlas 5 launch some weeks before from the causeway near the cruise ship road exit. It was a very informal gathering. I think clickorlando.com had live streaming.

[wingsfan20]

Sorry. Wasn't being a smart A**. Looked at nasa site and not Kennedy Center Site.
I apologize. Have watched Delta launches as well as shuttle launches,
all are impressive when you consider the force being generated. We have actually seen launches as far north as Daytona. Enjoy the stay.

[hertfordnc]

Yeah, that confused me too but the info on the launch is https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/events/2015/july/launch-delta4-satcom-wgs-7.aspxHERE

[NoVa_RT]

The Kennedy Space Center Rocket Launch Schedule:

When: July 22, 2015 at 8:07 pm
Where: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Space Launch Complex 37
Delta IV | Wideband Global SATCOM WGS-7

[wingsfan20]

You probably will not see the launch since it is being launched at Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan to the International Space Station. Not our rocket going up on July 22. nasa launch
Good luck,

Jim

[Halmfamily]

Double post

[Halmfamily]

No roads closed af all. Depending on what pad the rocket is launching from you may be able to see it with a good pair of binoculars. Watching from the beach is an awesome sight. Just look north east down the cape and weather and no technical glitches you'll have a beautiful show.

I lived in Cape Canveral for ten years in the nineties and watched a lot of launches. They never get old.

[NoVa_RT]

I was at Jetty Park in March (for Nationals Spring Training) and took in a night-time rocket launch from the beach, which you can easily walk to from the campground - just go out the gate. Wasn't very crowded, although from the beach the rocket is mostly a rising ball of flame, but you hear the roar of the engines, too. Might be more difficult to watch from the close-in viewing locations at the Space Center, but I think they charge for that space. Didn't notice any road closures or signs re-directing traffic.