Tag Archives: STS-131

cRaZy times at the Kennedy Space Center Vistor’s Center

So when I went to the launch of the Space Shuttle a few weeks ago it was pretty strange. The launch was at 6:21am but my parking placard (permit) said to be there by midnight. So there was a lot of time to kill before the launch. I had causeway tickets, but the (shuttle) buses don’t even start running until 3:30 am.

The visitor’s center was crazy place. It’s just like if you went there in the daytime and everything is open: IMAX, gift shop, the “rides”, just about everything (not the bus tours around the space center). Excepts it’s dark and people are sleeping on the lawn and on benches and wherever (made me think of refugees).

Here’s the direct link and it’s also in HD.

It was just an interesting experience to be there for. I’m sure the video doesn’t share the experience properly. I didn’t get any footage of the people on the lawns, if I find some I’ll add them to the post.

Here’s a clip that I shot a minute later on the way to the car; I guess I was pretty excited when I got there, duh?!?

FYI, tickets for STS-132 go on sale in the morning at 8:45a ET on Monday, April 26, 2010. The causeway will be gone a few minutes after 9, I bet the visitor’s center will be gone by 9:30 (I think they’re about $65 and $40 each).

I’m getting pretty excited about the Shuttle launch!

So I’ve been in Florida for a few hours or so. There was an incident at the airport where they closed down baggage claim and car rentals so I had to wait a little bit to get a car (they bypassed the luggage and got that to us); I heard they were bringing in the dogs (to sniff for something?) but never saw them from where I was sitting. So I got my car, picked up a few essentials (a case of water and a 6-pack of Coca-Cola).

The weather is awesomeI’ve already had my Easter dinner so now I’m heading to check in the hotel, grab a shower, get my stuff organized and then head over to the Kennedy Space Center. I have to be there by midnight to catch the 6:21am launch of STS-131 the Space Shuttle Discovery!!! Very excited about this. I’ll have hours and hours but it’ll be dark so I’m not sure what I’ll have to post but some photos or videos might show up while I’m there goofing around…

STS-131 rolls out to launch pad 39A

This is a time lapse of the roll out from the VAB (Vertical Assembly Building) to the launch page, I’d guess it’s about an hour of moving per minute. I’ll admit it’s not the most exciting time lapse video but it’s a lot faster than the live video was last night (it was about seven hours until attached).

STS-131_patch.pngJust before midnight last night, space shuttle Discovery began its slow roll from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. Riding aboard the crawler-transporter, the shuttle completed the 3.4-mile trip and was secured to the pad by 7 a.m. EST.

— NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Here’s the direct link to the roll out video.

So I’m pretty excited about this, not the roll out itself, but once it’s been on the launch pad a few more days and the figure out if there are any issues it’ll help firm up the launch date. I figure once the GOES-P mission goes off this week that’ll help too, I don’t think there is anything else big in the meantime.