Rocket Launch?

[4123]

Has anyone on this forum ever gone to Vandenburg AF Base in Southern California to watch a rocket launch? Olga and I are planning to go on December 7th to watch them launch a Delta II Rocket. Its said to be quite spectacular and extremely noisy to the point of being frightening. I'm hoping to talk to someone who's already done this. I would like to know where a good place to park with a good view is.
By the way, here is their launch schedule in case anyone is interested:
http://www.spacearchive.info/vafbsked.htm

[mikeschn]

Looks like fun!!!



Mike...

[Cutterpup]

Don't forget the marshmallows !



And a very long stick!

Dan

[asianflava]

I've been to many launches, but they were on the other coast.

[boomboomtulum]

I have been there but as a 14-15 year old. I have pics. somewhere. My father was in the military stationed at Vandenberg in 73 -74. The view from Lompoc a few miles away is awesome, but what we did was get on the base cannot remember what gate but would go down the coast to the beach a small spot we would ab. dive at, and wait for the launch. You cannot get to close they have the launch zone of course blocked but it was within a 1/2 I would estimate. But it was an awesome view. Now as far as off base hope some others will chime in.
Dave

[DrCrash]

I grew up there also.. The beach your talking about is " Surf Park" . If they have that one closed then " Honda Point"..

We used to go to the mountain overlook but they have since closed it off to car traffic, you could walk up it but man that is a climb. It is off of " H" street.

BTW Lompoc is known as the flower capitol of the world..Pretty valley.

[caseydog]

I never intentionally went to watch one, but driving from LA to Monterey one time, we were cruising down the highway, and straight in front of us, we saw a rocket launch. It was pretty cool -- and a bit surreal.

CD

[eamarquardt]

I live in Simi Valley (a fair distance from VAFB) and you can see the con trails from the launches from here and they are quite pretty at times. In additon, Rocketdyne is in the San Fernando Valley (the next valley over) and they used to test the rocket engines up in the hills between the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley. As a kid growing up in the SFV we could hear the tests. As an adult living in Simi Valley (couldn't bear to go back to the SFV after I got out of the service, too many "rats in the cage" for me) I could hear the sounds of the engines being tested even better. Even from 7 or 8 miles away the sound is IMPRESSSIVE!!!!!!! So, I think seeing and HEARING a launch would be an experience. Maybe I'll drive up for the day!!!!! Easy date to remember, December 7th.

There you have it, again, the "world according to Gus".

Cheers, 73, K,

Gus (AB6KS)