Can I see next Thursday's Space X launch from The Villages?

[ryoungs]

I have been told it is possible to watch a Cape Canaveral rocket launch from here in The Villages. Is the launch site too far away from The Villages to watch the rocket going up? If not, can one of you suggest a good place to park my butt and watch that rocket?

[Mlr4343]

We watch them out our front window from Marsh Bend, if they launch towards the north. Just look East, hard to miss sight and sound on a quiet night

[villagetinker]

I have seen several launches from the area of Pinellas, I put on WESH 2 for a real time view of the launch and about 10 to 15 seconds after the actual launch you can see the contrail of the rocket (assuming no clouds). There are also websites for watching launches.

[JohnN]

I have seen several launches from the area of Pinellas, I put on WESH 2 for a real time view of the launch and about 10 to 15 seconds after the actual launch you can see the contrail of the rocket (assuming no clouds). There are also websites for watching launches.

We do the same thing, just look east. Night time is great because you can see the intense rocket flame, daytimes are a bit more muted but you can see the trail. Like Tinker says, if it's cloudy, you won't see much.

[Tmarkwald]

It's scheduled for 6:11 AM

[ureout]

back when they used to launch the shuttle... now that was a sight.. what a difference in brightness compared to rocket launches... make sure to hope for a cloudless evening also and be ready for at least 2 or 3 aborts...lol

[Topspinmo]

Try to find high spot with good view of east southeast sky. Up north (away UP north) good viewing site are the Chatham tennis courts That’s up on knob with no obstruction. From parking lot looking at courts on the right side it can be seen coming up and moving to left.

Couple of live launch sites

Watch live @ 1 pm ET: SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts arrive at NASA Kennedy | Space (https://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html)

See a Rocket Launch at Kennedy Space Center (https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/launches-and-events/events-calendar/see-a-rocket-launch)

[SIRE1]

Yes you can see the launches from The Villages, but all you will see is the contrail in the sky for a daylight launch or a red light for a night launch. And that is if the sky is quite clear. Look to the east and you should see it. But if you want to see more than just a thin smoke trail in the sky, you will need to get closer to the cape. We've found 2 great viewing spots that are easy to get to.

One is the rest area on I-95 (of all places). It is on the southbound side, south of exit 231(Scottsmoor - Brevard CR 5A). There is plenty of parking and best of all, restroom facilities while you wait for the launch. We've watched a shuttle launch from there and it was spectacular. You can take 44 east to get onto southbound I-95.

Another site, is in New Smyrna Beach. You can take 44 east all the way to where it turns south along the coast (S. Atlantic Ave.) There are many little streets that go to the beach, where you can view the launch quite close up. We usually park at the Ocean Village strip mall and walk across S Atlantic Ave to Matthews Ave. beach access. We watched the SpaceX launch with the Tesla from there and could even spot the boosters coming back down to land at the cape.

The only problem with any launch is you never know if/when it will go up. So having access to a TV station or a SpaceX web page is recommended.

[mlmarr1]

Look east if sky is clear..night launches are the best.. orange Blossom highest location..

[ehonour]

I have been told it is possible to watch a Cape Canaveral rocket launch from here in The Villages. Is the launch site too far away from The Villages to watch the rocket going up? If not, can one of you suggest a good place to park my butt and watch that rocket?

Yes, you can see the launches from The Villages, if the sky is clear. However, your view will be basically a small dot rising and then falling in the sky.

We used to live in Melbourne, and the best place we ever found for watching the launches was the FL-528 causeway between Merritt Island and the Canaveral Port. You're only about 7 miles from the launch sites, about as close as you can get, and you can see them basically from the ground up.

Of course, as someone else pointed out, any launch is uncertain. You could easily drive that 1.5 hours to get there, and then have the launch called off. But it is worth it to see it that close up at least once.

[RoadToad]

Wife and I worked on the Cape in 1995 and 96.
During the Gemini mission manned flights.
She worked for Chrysler Corp, who did the fuelings.
I worked for Burroughs Corp, who provided Guidance and tracking systems.
We witnessed the Atlas II-B evolution from the nearby Pads.
When they launched, it felt like an earthquake.
The whole Cape shook from the blast force of the engines.
Awesome..

[RouseysMom]

Really good iOS app called Next Spaceflight. Free. Gives updates of worldwide launches, all updates, delays, etc.Next Thursday’s spaceX is listed at 2:15am.

[dougawhite]

Really good iOS app called Next Spaceflight. Free. Gives updates of worldwide launches, all updates, delays, etc.Next Thursday’s spaceX is listed at 2:15am.

The launch is scheduled for 6:11am, NOT 2:15!

[Bilyclub]

Really good iOS app called Next Spaceflight. Free. Gives updates of worldwide launches, all updates, delays, etc.Next Thursday’s spaceX is listed at 2:15am.

That's Greenwich Mean Time or GMT.

[Astron]

I have been told it is possible to watch a Cape Canaveral rocket launch from here in The Villages. Is the launch site too far away from The Villages to watch the rocket going up? If not, can one of you suggest a good place to park my butt and watch that rocket?
As others have said, just look a little south of east and you will see the spacecraft a few seconds after liftoff unless they are launching to the east or south. Any place with a good view east will work, although, we see them rise over our neighbor’s house. Binoculars or a telephoto lens will make it quite a sight! I prefer night launches. If you can drive to Coco beach to see and hear a launch it can be unforgettable. But, you have to be able to handle disappointed and delay as there are often ‘scrubs’ and delays. I hope to drive over for a Falcon Heavy launch later this year.

[57eliduq]

You can see the rocket launch, if you look off to the east and do not have a lot of trees in the way. Find somewhere that has a clear view to the east. We have watched from our street between houses.

[Petersweeney]

If the weather is clear it’s probably going- the best spot is coco beach - parking is easy and usually free go to the pier and have a lobsta

[Homer49]

Most major launches from the Cape are live-streamed either by NASA or SpaceX or both. We usually set up a phone or iPad showing the livestream while sitting out front waiting to see if we can spot it - keeps you up on what's going on and when to squint hard to try to find it if daytime. There are several apps that will give you advance notice of launches (one was linked in a post above) and some of those will take you directly to a livestream.

NASA - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision)

SpaceX - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/spacexchannel)

[Jerry Leinsing]

Not much detail but still exciting. Follow the smoke trail and look half way between the end and the upper left edge of the photo. Zoom in and there is the rocket.
Tried to include photo but do not see any indication it was sent...sorry.

[Bilyclub]

There was a Delta IV Heavy or Atlas V launch late last year that stayed on a NE heading with the orange glow visible for a long time.

[Homer49]

There was a Delta IV Heavy or Atlas V launch late last year that stayed on a NE heading with the orange glow visible for a long time.

Launch trajectory is key for our viewing from here. If the launch is toward the east or south we don't see much, but a night-time launch toward the northeast can be really cool.

This website will have a trajectory map available a few days before most major launches. Flight Club (https://flightclub.io) In the upper right of the home page you'll see a link >>LAUNCH DATA<<. Poke around in there and you'll find a zoomable map showing the estimated trajectory for the launch.

From that site it looks like SpaceX "Crew 2" scheduled for the 22nd at 6:11am EDT will launch toward the northeast and might make a really nice show if the weather's clear enough.

[txfan]

The NASA TV broadcast begins at 2 am Eastern for the 6:11:46 am liftoff.

When astronauts are onboard, it’s a whole different feeling. Follow along here: NASA Live | NASA (http://www.NASA.gov/live)

The launch pad sits at 28.5 degrees latitude and the launch vehicle's guidance system targets 51.6, which is the orbital inclination of the International Space Station - Crew Dragon’s home for the next six months.

The launch window is instantaneous, so no waiting around for a delay. The backup launch time/date is 5:49 am Friday, then two days off and the next attempt would be the 26th and 27th.

Predawn launches are the best for longer visibility because the sun hasn’t risen for us on the ground, but shines on the rocket and plume brightly.

I believe sunrise is at 6:54 am.

Enjoy!

[jjombrello]

Yes, we've watched many launches from our front window of our home in Palo Alto. Have seen some spectacular shots, with the launch that took John Glenn into space the most awesome. It looked as if it came out of our neighbors back yard.

[Spike380]

The neatest part of living here is you get to see all the rockets go off. A lot like to go to Sumterr Landing Park and see it over the course, but we actually go outside on our front lawn and wait for the plumage from the engine. Night are the best but you can see great even during daytime!

[flflowers]

The launch window is instantaneous, so no waiting around for a delay. The backup launch time/date is 5:49 am Friday, then two days off and the next attempt would be the 26th and 27th.

Predawn launches are the best for longer visibility because the sun hasn’t risen for us on the ground, but shines on the rocket and plume brightly.

I believe sunrise is at 6:54 am.

Enjoy![/QUOTE]

a BONUS is there are meteor showers through April 26th and best viewing time is pre-dawn!!!

[Aacosner]

Moyer recreation center is a good viewing spot because it is elevated. I've watched two night launches on clear nights, and they were very impressive. Just look a bit south of east.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

If the rocket turns to the north at night it is a spectacular site. But if it goes east it's just a small light in the sky that eventually disappears.

During the day all you see is the contrail which is not much to look at.

[kathy1516]

Oh yes. Best viewing is in your living room with the TV on! Face East and you may or may not see a dot with a white trail if it’s clear during the day or nothing at night but a slight orange flame. Been in Florida half my life and unless you live on the east coast close to the beach, don’t expect much!