Officials expect up to 250,000 day-trippers for Saturday’s SpaceX launch in Florida
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Emergency officials expect up to 250,000 out-of-county day-trippers to converge on viewing spots surrounding the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County, Florida, for the nighttime SpaceX crewed launch to the International Space Station scheduled for Saturday.
On top of that, Brevard County Communications Director Don Walker predicts perhaps 250,000 people already within the county – residents, hotel and vacation rental guests, beach-goers – will head outside to watch Saturday’s historic launch.
NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi are scheduled for liftoff at 7:49 p.m. EST Saturday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
During the last week of May, huge crowds flocked to the Space Coast twice – for a May 27 scrub and the May 30 launch – of SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2, the first human spaceflight launch from the U.S. since 2011. Saturday’s launch will be the second crewed mission.
However, NASA officials ask spectators to socially distance and remain vigilant amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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And lingering showers from erratic Tropical Storm Eta – which is forecast to zoom far offshore by Saturday – may pose problems. The launch window is instantaneous.
Thursday morning, the 45th Space Wing upgraded the forecast to 70% “go” for liftoff on Saturday. Atlantic Ocean conditions could still be a factor. Why? The Crew Dragon capsule could abort the mission along its northeastern trajectory during an emergency, forcing an astronaut rescue at sea.
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Tourism director predicts full hotels
According to mobile-device tracking data compiled by AirSage, about 220,000 devices from outside Brevard County were detected in the county on May 30, Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Peter Cranis said. That sum included about 70,000 out-of-state mobile devices.
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COVID-19 social distancing
Launch crowds will spark coronavirus concerns about lack of social distancing at sites such as the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville – where throngs of people jammed together in May, triggering a social-media uproar.
“I think we’re expecting a large turnout,” Kathy Lueders, NASA’s chief of human spaceflight, said during a Tuesday flight readiness briefing.
Lueders said she wants NASA fans to celebrate and enjoy “what I’m sure is going to be a spectacular launch.” But she stressed the need for social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We do want people to be careful when they’re out there. I know from a NASA and SpaceX perspective – and I’m sure a (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) perspective – we’d be really sad if this was a superspreader event. You know, this would not be good for us,” Lueders said.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will open additional outdoor viewing areas, including sections of parking lots, to enable social distancing for launch viewers, spokesperson Rebecca Burgman said.
The visitor complex is also requiring masks and conducting daily temperature checks for visitors and employees.
“Just like we’re taking care of our crew members, we want you to take care of yourself and wear your masks and, you know, figure out how to get your 6 feet on the beach,” Lueders said.
Follow reporter Rick Neale on Twitter: @RickNeale1
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