Plan early to catch the last space-shuttle launches this fall
If You GoLaunch-viewing spots
The Kennedy Space Center Causeway , seven miles from the launching pad on the other side of the Banana River, is the closest public viewing area and offers an excellent, unobstructed vantage. The effect is magnified by the river's reflection of the fiery rocket boosters. Tickets sell out within minutes of going on sale.Another viewing option is from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex , about the same distance from the launching pad as the causeway. Tickets are easier to come by, but with trees and power lines partly in the way, you have to wait for the shuttle to climb some distance before getting a clear view. Still, the shock waves are just as resonant. And with the simulcast on jumbo video screens, a countdown clock and astronaut appearances, the whole thing has a campy vibe.
A similar experience can be found at the Astronaut Hall of Fame Source: Seattle Times
UberGizmo (blog)The Smithsonian has already called dibs on Discovery, but Endeavor and Atlantis are still available. A ship called "The Enterprise," which never took an Shuttle astronauts say 'Thank you' to Stennis Space CenterNASA Moves Forward Toward Feb 7 Target LaunchEndeavour Crew: Shuttle's Final Missions Are Bittersweetall 142 news articles »