Instead of a big party for my husband's 60th birthday, I want to treat him with a trip to Florida to seeing a shuttle launch. My husband loves technology and he has always wanted to see a launch (particularly a shuttle launch). We have tried a number of times at Vandenburg but failed due to delays. I used to work in the aerospace industry and supported GPS launches for years. I know about the delays, the short launch windows, and the afternoon thunderstorms that are so prevalent this time of year.

That being said, we are now retired and can spend extra days if necessary should delays occur. I have not booked the flight in case there is another delay. However, are shuttle launches so crowded that rooms are booked long in advance? If we want to extend our stay because of weather delays, would there be a problem? Having not been to a launch in Florida at 5pm, I don't know what to expect as to cloud cover. I know they won't launch with thick clouds. But at that time of year should we expected limited visibility because of numerous clouds?

Realistically, what can we expect? With kids out of school, is this a stupid choice of launch?