I have started listening to a few audio books when commuting and I’m currently listening to one about the Apollo 8 launch. Have any of y’all watched any of the launches down in Florida whether it was the Shuttle or another rocket? Would be awesome to witness first hand and suppose that’s a bucket list item for me.

I did when I was a kid. I just left Stennis Space Center, the NASA rocket testing facility. We tested rockets for NASA, the Air Force, SpaceX, Boeing, etc. It was pretty cool to see the rocket engines up close when they were on the stand and watch them test.

I lived in Cocoa Beach, Florida during the Apollo program. Those Saturn 5 rockets would rattle windows 20 miles away.

NASA at Redstone tested rocket engines from the early 60s thru the 70s. Our house on Georgia Mountain in Marshall County would shake and the windows would rattle.

I got to see a night shuttle launch from my hotel balcony at Indiatlantic/Melbourne FL. I'm guessing I was 50 -60 south of the cape. Dang big fireball going up in the sky, was cool.

Any insight into which of those companies/agencies had their act together the best?

Not to name drop (okay, maybe I’m name dropping) but I had lunch yesterday with Tim Pickens. He designed the engine for SpaceShipOne, first private manned ship that won the Space X Prize. Very cool to hear him recount that. He got his start with amateur rocket club and still buys some parts at Mike’s Merchandise. Very cool guy.

Lived iN Orlando until I was 11. We used to stand in our backyard and watch the Space Shuttle and various rockets launch.

My money is on SpaceX.

I watched the shuttle take off in 2002 while standing on the sail of the USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735). Probably one of the coolest experiences of my life.

You could see the Cape Canaveral lunches from my house when I was a kid. I have seen a lot, and even saw the Challenger explosion.

I work in Orlando and keep my boat in Cocoa/Merrit Island. I can see the launches from my balcony by the Orlando Airport. We go by boat fairly often as they are now launching rockets about 3-4 times per month. You have Space X, ULA and soon to be Blue Origin.Blue Origin promises to send passengers into space within 24 months. The new Heavy Lift rockets are rivaling the Saturns and Space Shuttles as far as thrust, noise etc. Now they are landing the first stage fuel rockets on barges which is pretty cool.

Only thing better would be if Hillary, Maxine, Schumer,and Obama we're strapped to the rocket.

Never seen one, but always wanted to.

I saw one from a 120 miles away a couple of years ago. It was right before dawn. Really cool how it lit up the dark sky.

My wife worked for NASA and we went to the last shuttle launch. We were able to get to the 4-mile point from the launch. It was loud as expected. What was absolutely amazing was how bright the engines were. It was the brightest light I have ever seen.

When I was 12 or 13 or so, we were vacationing in Daytona Beach and found out they were doing a shuttle launch, so we went down to Cape Canaveral and watched and it was awesome. A few years later, they were doing a nighttime launch so we just went out on the beach in front of our hotel and watched. Even from 50-60 miles away, the sound and light it put out was amazing.

Lived in Melbourne FL, watched Shuttle, night time launch was the best, Delta, Delta IV heavy, Atlas V. I now live in Huntsville, but have gone to see SpaceX launch. The Shuttle, and Delta IV heavy were some of the best to watch. If SLS ever gets to launch it will be very cool to watch. I do recommend seeing one, but check launch windows, and have consecutive days just in case.

Saw a few rockets take off when we were at the beach near Canaveral, but never close enough to see the launch pads or anything at the Cape. I always wanted to do that for a shuttle and just never made the time. Now, probably never will see one.

Two of the historica Cape launch pad towers were demolished last week via explosives:

https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/historic-cape-canaveral-launch-pad-demolished/1297932395

Seems inefficient to have two towers go in one direction and the middle go the other?