With weekend, Artemis I launch could bump Space Coast crowds to 400k, officials say
NASA’s second attempt at a historical moon launch could draw a crowd that more than doubles the size of the first turnout, according to authorities.
On Saturday, NASA aims to launch the Artemis I mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-B to herald the first of a series of flights that look to return humans to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. Although uncrewed, Artemis I with its 8.8 million pounds of thrust will make it the most powerful rocket to ever launch into space. The two-hour launch window opens at 2:17 p.m.
An attempt to get the rocket off the ground on Monday left thousands disappointed at popular watch sites surrounding KSC after an engine issue forced NASA officials to scrub the launch.
Prior to the cancellation, the event attracted an estimated crowd of between 100,000 and 200,000 people, according to Don Walker, an emergency manager of Brevard County.
Artemis I sits at Launch Pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at sunrise, Wednesday, August 31, 2022, as seen from nearby Canaveral National Seashore, after Monday’s scrubbed launch. NASA will make another attempt to launch the moon-orbit mission on Saturday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Official numbers are still being calculated through cellphone tracking, but Brevard County’s Emergency Operations Center has already come up with a crowd forecast for Saturday’s attempt predicting a spectator turnout between 200,000 and 400,000 people, Walker said.
“Hotels are already full for that weekend. There’s no school, and fewer people are going to work. It’s possible we will see double what we might have anticipated for the first launch,” Walker said.
The Courtyard by Marriot Titusville, the closest hotel to Kennedy Space Center, which has 152 rooms, is completely booked — mostly by one party, said Wayne Soard, the general manager. The hotel’s Space Bar is being rented out by the party for its view of Launch Pad 39-B.
“If you want a private viewing of a launch from the Space Bar, you have to book out the entire hotel,” Soard said. Hotel staff struggled to get to work on time Monday because of the intense traffic flow, Soard added. But the staff learned from the previous launch they’ll have to leave their homes extra early to make their shifts.
The Florida Highway Patrol and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office will be out coordinating with Brevard’s EOC trying to keep traffic flowing as well as possible, but congestion will happen, Walker said.
“Brevard is 72 miles long and 20 miles wide, there are only a few ways to travel out,” he said. “We understand it’s a historic moment. We’re lucky we can have this happen here for everyone to witness. If you’re living here, we suggest watching from your driveway, but if you’re heading out, anticipate long delays.”
The cities of Titusville, Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral as well as the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization are expected to by Friday to post updates to planned traffic patterns for launch to their social media accounts.
On top of large crowds, above-average temperatures are expected, according to the National Weather Service. The average high for August is 91 degrees, but the NWS is predicting Saturday to experience a peak of 92.
“It’s going to be hot. Bring water. Bring snacks. You’ll need them,” Walker said.
The Space Launch Delta 45 weather squadron on Thursday updated its forecast to predict a better chance for good weather, now a 60% chance for good conditions, up from the initial 40% prediction Tuesday. The backup window on Monday evening has odds of good weather increasing to 70%.
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Source: With weekend, Artemis I launch could bump Space Coast crowds to 400k, officials say
With weekend, Artemis I launch could bump Space Coast crowds to 400k, officials say
