Space Shuttle to fly over Disneyland

[Baba]

Trying to bypass the debate....

I rather see it going into LAX because even if it is at 1500 feet over DL, thats still a good amount up in the air. I would like to see it as it goes into LAX, the only issuse with that is there is 2 runways they really use for landing. If they use the one by the In-N-Out you will be abot 50 feet from the shuttle as it comes in... 50 feet vs 1500 at the best is quite a bit of difference even if the 1500 feet is above DL. But if it goes to a different runway at LAX then whoops!

[Disneytwins]

Technically LAX has four runways (24R, 6L, 25L, 7R) because planes can come in from either direction of the runways. You can determine which ones that they use by wind direction. They always take off and land into the wind.

You might want to check out sites like FlightAware and look at current runways in use as well as the airport diagrams.

[flynnibus]

Trying to bypass the debate....

I rather see it going into LAX because even if it is at 1500 feet over DL, thats still a good amount up in the air. I would like to see it as it goes into LAX, the only issuse with that is there is 2 runways they really use for landing. If they use the one by the In-N-Out you will be abot 50 feet from the shuttle as it comes in... 50 feet vs 1500 at the best is quite a bit of difference even if the 1500 feet is above DL. But if it goes to a different runway at LAX then whoops!

Here's an example (with some ground perspective) of what some of the low passes can look like.



In some areas it flew like this (mainly around Dulles Airport) yet in other areas (like most of DC) it flew much higher.

But some people had views like this..


Or once in a lifetime views like this..


Closer to the airport..


And here's a good video from the airport area (smithsonian site)

That one really gives the scale of it..

[KellyMcG86]

Trying to bypass the debate....

I rather see it going into LAX because even if it is at 1500 feet over DL, thats still a good amount up in the air. I would like to see it as it goes into LAX, the only issuse with that is there is 2 runways they really use for landing. If they use the one by the In-N-Out you will be abot 50 feet from the shuttle as it comes in... 50 feet vs 1500 at the best is quite a bit of difference even if the 1500 feet is above DL. But if it goes to a different runway at LAX then whoops!

Completely agree that this would give you a better view of the shuttle, but for me, being in Disneyland WHILE seeing the shuttle just makes it that much better.

[Juni]

Completely agree that this would give you a better view of the shuttle, but for me, being in Disneyland WHILE seeing the shuttle just makes it that much better.

Totally agree. For just being close to it, I'll see it drive a few feet past my face when it does the drive to the science center next month. The chance to see it fly over disney is priceless.

[badger hollow]

It isn't always about dollars and cents and some things can't be measured in hard value. Somethings are more ephemeral than that.
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson's remarks at Senate Commerce hearing on the future of our space program - YouTube

I am not against the US space program or the manned space program -- quite the contrary, I am very supportive of both, and have actually called my two senators and expressed my support for our space program and displeasure with the proposed cuts in the budget for NASA.

But the space shuttle program was a disaster for our space program, which is why I do not miss it.

The price per kg into space, even using NASA's fudged numbers (unlike for all other launch vehicles NASA refused to include the R&D and construction costs of the shuttle into this figure), makes the shuttle the most expensive of any launch vehicle ever built, and it was one of the least safe and least reliable launch vehicles, and its delivery capacity was incredibly small for such an expensive craft.

The money squandered on the shuttle doomed our space program to near orbit manned missions for the past 30+ years -- and did so with the most abysmal launch frequency and failure rate in history.

I weep when I think of what could have been accomplished with our space program had the budget been used on something other than a boondoggle.

[CAspace]

I am not against the US space program or the manned space program -- quite the contrary, I am very supportive of both, and have actually called my two senators and expressed my support for our space program and displeasure with the proposed cuts in the budget for NASA.

But the space shuttle program was a disaster for our space program, which is why I do not miss it.

The price per kg into space, even using NASA's fudged numbers (unlike for all other launch vehicles NASA refused to include the R&D and construction costs of the shuttle into this figure), makes the shuttle the most expensive of any launch vehicle ever built, and it was one of the least safe and least reliable launch vehicles, and its delivery capacity was incredibly small for such an expensive craft.

The money squandered on the shuttle doomed our space program to near orbit manned missions for the past 30+ years -- and did so with the most abysmal launch frequency and failure rate in history.

I weep when I think of what could have been accomplished with our space program had the budget been used on something other than a boondoggle.

If the NASA budget was not so small relative to the overall national budget, then perhaps the shuttle would not have "Squandered" all the money as you suggest.

The Shuttle was the only vehicle in the world which was able to ferry and build the Space Station. To repair and upgrade the Hubble program. To provide a platform for so many years to conduct science in space.

While I was surely disappointed at the loss of the Apollo program and of the Moon landing programs, the NASA budget was just not large enough to support both Apollo and Shuttle. Sure we can debate if it had been the best decision to cancel Apollo and move to Shuttle, frankly I would have liked to see both of them have continued. But to lose Shuttle now and have no replacement in the wings, except for the surely to be canceled SLS, I think we are on a National Suicide mission of our Space Program and it is horrible. Not to mention the hundreds and thousands of Jobs that have been lost due to the cancelation of the Shuttle. One bank Bailout was more costly then the entire budget for NASA for over 50 years!

Have you watched Dr. Tysons youtube video yet? What did you think?
Neil deGrasse Tyson - We Stopped Dreaming (Episode 1) - YouTube
We Stopped Dreaming (Episode 2) - A New Perspective - YouTube

[fifthrider]

Um...you really think the money disappeared? Just where do you think the money goes?

I think you missed the part where I said: "The satellite technology and other advancements that came from NASA and DARPA have been pretty beneficial but I just don't need moonrocks as much as other higher priorities in our current economy."

I stated that specifically in case someone misunderstood the scope of my statement and gave a response like yours, which you did anyways. Yes, there was a residual advantage that came from this. For that matter DARPA funded a lot of science and development that had nothing to do with space and yet benefitted us all by being the basis of technology our society is based on. What advantages do we create by continuing the shuttle program? Could it be that it was all canceled for rather viable reasons? I guess I'm just tired of hearing everyone's knee-jerk reaction to this topic as "what a shame" or "this is wrong!' when in fact it's been reviewed and canceled for good cause.

[Steve DeGaetano]

You also said,

Maybe we should focus on solving our problems here before we get the bravado to think we should colonize somewhere else.

This is the same knee-jerk reaction we've been hearing since the 1960s. With attitudes like this, we wouldn't have a space program at all, because it's completely unrealistic to think we'd ever "solve our problems here," no matter how much money you threw at them.

[Wrldtrvlr]

Good location for a flyover pic? I have seen some great photos taken from the Fun Wheel with the Castle and Matterhorn and local mountains in the background. Train Station? Monorail platform? Innoventions second floor balcony? To bad we cant get on the roof of Main Street.

[sediment]

Technically LAX has four runways (24R, 6L, 25L, 7R) because planes can come in from either direction of the runways. You can determine which ones that they use by wind direction. They always take off and land into the wind.

You might want to check out sites like FlightAware and look at current runways in use as well as the airport diagrams.

Since they are all parallel to each other, planes take off and land heading west about 95% of the time.

At night, apparently there are more landings from the east, for noise abatement.

[mycroft16]

Live video right now of Shuttle arriving at Edwards AFB.
NASA - NASA TV

[Giant Panda]

Good location for a flyover pic? I have seen some great photos taken from the Fun Wheel with the Castle and Matterhorn and local mountains in the background. Train Station? Monorail platform? Innoventions second floor balcony? To bad we cant get on the roof of Main Street.

The problem with the funwheel is timing. I was thinking Innoventions balcony, or Monorail station, or MS train station, with the tomorrowland locations making framing with Space Mountain or Matterhorn more possible. I wish they could open up the PM/RR track to pedestrians ......

The M&F parking structure is another possibility, or maybe the area in front of Small World .....

[lou_mom]

We saw it today in Tucson, AZ. Gabby Gifford's Husband, the astronaut, Mark Kelly contacted NASA and got them to do a low level fly over the University of Arizona. My 12 yr old's school is right near there and they let all the kids go outside to watch it. She got a great video of it. My baby grandson and I stood outside our apartment and watched it. It was cool. I'd love to be at Disneyland and watch it. I admit it I'd love to be at Disneyland anyways. Shuttle or no Shuttle.

[The First Star]

I, too, am considering LAX.