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There is a Shuttle launch Friday 7:55 PM, weather permitting.
Should be able to view from here as a streak of fire heading north east.

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Thanks Rick!

Possibly the last night launch for the shuttle fleet.

Just got back from the launch. We got there around 6 and parked right across from the Hall of Fame. What an awesome site, I will put up pics tomorrow cause 5 am work is going to be hell

I let my grandson shoot the launch last night. We were staying in New Symerna Beach, way north of the cape. When the shuttle ignited on the pad it lit up the horizon. Most of what we saw was a streak of fire, but he did manage to get just over 100 pictures.
It took several minutes for the roar to reach us. Awsome!!
here is another pic from the last Endeavor night launch. I was a little closer.
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You take the sickest shuttle pics TB! Better than NASA!

Couple of guys here at work went to see it live, they got tickets to be on the space center to watch. Had to be there by 11:00 am Friday. They said it was awsome being that close.

We went over Friday afternoon and got a great spot on the 528 between the Lagoon and the Banana River. It was the first time for me, and it was amazing. I tried to take some pics, but they didn't turn out very good. Granted, I only had a 200mm lens, but I did try to use the apeture priority setting. The camera opted to set the speed at HI, and most of the shots came out real grainy. I will post one of the better ones later.

Tree, what was the setup for your pics?

Skinnywater asked what was my setup for the pics.

I was on the causeway, on base, about 7 miles south of the pad. That was directly across water. Special pass.

I used a Canon 40D with a 100mm to 400mm zoom lens mounted on a tripod. I had taken many test exposures and have shots of Endeavor on the pad with film speed set from 800 to 1600 ISO. For the launch I set the camera to Apeture Priority at f8, ISO 100. ( For those who don't know, when the camera is set like this the shutter speed will automatically adjust according to the amount of light from the subjest.) I knew the bright light from the rocket boosters would give me pleanty of shutter speed. However, once the shuttle got off the pad the light was so intense it under exposed the shuttle itself and exposed for the fire. I probably should have manually set the exposure for the dark sky.

Unfortunately there was very low heavy cloud cover so the shuttle vanished in a matter of seconds.

I'll post some other shots which I may have posted a wile back.
For some reason I can only post one pic ???


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2 more pics

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into the clouds
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Tree,
First I must say my pictures suck compared to yours, the VAB was in directl ine of the shuttle from us so we couldnt see it until they fired it up. Aslo how might someone aquire one of those passes you mentioned? 8)

Keep in mind that these pics were taken last March, not this past Friday.

"Aslo how might someone aquire one of those passes you mentioned? "


I got lucky on the pass ! I went with a group that was set up through one of the astronauts on that flight. "Had to know somebody."

I think you can buy a pass and have a Space Center bus drive you out onto the causeway. That is where I was. As I said , I was directly south of the pad. By the time of the launch ( I think it was 1AM ) there were so many people there you could barely move.

Years ago I also photographed from the VIP/Family location which is East of the pad and you get a side view of the shuttle. That place is about 3 miles from the pad. I think it is harder to get into that location. There again I "knew somebody", and went with a group from the company that made the boosters.

I took my grandson to a day launch along the intercoastal at Titusville. Got some decent shots with a 400mm lens, but could not see the shuttle on the pad. You can FEEL the roar !