A TSA Experiment

Next week I’m going to try an experiment with the TSA at the Indianapolis International Airport. I travel frequently and as you know from reading this blog, I’ve had many unique experiences with the TSA.

I’m traveling to Washington, D.C. for 3 events. First, I’m attending a Tweetup at the White House for the arrival ceremony for the President of South Korea. South Korea is the most wired and connected country in the world. I’m looking forward to learning about how other cultures connect via Social Media. Attending the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn will also be cool.

Second, and my dad will be joining me at this part of the day, we are meeting with Senator Coat’s office from Indiana for a tour of the Capitol and gallery access to watch both the House and the Senate in action.

Finally, our day ends with a NASA Tweetup event at NASA Headquarters with the crew of STS-135, the final shuttle mission. I saw STS-135 launch and am looking forward to meeting the crew.

One of the biggest hassles with traveling is taking my pocketknife with me, especially as I rarely check a bag. I feel lost without my Leatherman Micra. I’ve even had to mail it to myself a few times but for the last 15 years I’ve been able to hold on to the same one. The Micra can’t travel on planes because it has a small knife blade.


Leatherman Style PS

The good folks at Leatherman make a TSA approved device, the Style PS. My dad, who you can follow on Twitter @4faraday found this and suggested I get one since I fly frequently. 

When we found out we were going to DC together he suggested I buy one. If I can get it through the TSA then he will buy one. If it is confiscated then he will buy me another one. Deal and game on.

So, next week I will be taking this device through the TSA checkpoints at IND and then again at DCA on the way home. According to the online reviews, folks are able to get this device through as it is fully compliant with TSA requirements – to see how my luck works out be sure to subscribe to this blog.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to just put it in my bag and see if it is flagged and examined or if I’m going to put it in a bin on its own to see if the TSA is familiar with it. As a backup, I do plan to have the website printed out to show them should any issues arise. Part of me hopes I don’t have to use the print out, part of me does. Stay tuned.

Why Men Should Not Carry Change Purses

Last week I attended the final launch of the Space Shuttle program, the launch of Atlantis on STS-135.  While packing for the trip I grabbed a change purse full of nickels and dimes to burn up on the numerous tolls around Orlando.  I had no idea how problematic this change purse was going to be.

My “change purse” was actually a leather bag with a zippered top intended to keep the change organized.  I really didn’t think much about throwing it in my TSA approved backpack.  I have my routine down for going through security at the airport.  I place my watch, wallet, and cell phone in my backpack.  Then my liquids and shoes go in one of the bins.  Since my bag is TSA approved, I don’t have to take my laptop out.  I also keep my chargers, USB cables, and other wires in an old mic bag so they are all together.  Cables strewn out inside a bag will almost always get your bag rummaged through.

This system has kept me from being searched for over 2 years, no checks, searches, explosive swabs, nothing.  That is until last week.  My backpack came through the x-ray and the lady told me there was a change purse in there and the x-ray couldn’t see what was behind it.  I told her right where the change purse was but she couldn’t find it and in the process unpacked the entire bag. 

I don’t envy the TSA folks their jobs but I told her specifically where it was as that is all they needed to x-ray but she never found it.  After unpacking most of the bag, she sent everything through again and then said it was ok.  She handed me my bag and I put my hand in and pulled out the change purse.

She said it would be best to put the change purse in the bin with my shoes and liquids as the x-ray can’t see through all the change.  I travel frequently and this was the first time I had heard that.  I asked her why it wasn’t posted anywhere and she didn’t have an answer.

I got to relive this story each time I pulled change out and paid for various tolls around Orlando but I learned something new – if you have a mess of change pull it out and send it through with your shoes.  This is one of those unspoken rules you will only learn through personal experience or learning from the experience of others.

Here’s to the next 2 years and hopefully no more bag searches.

The Final Shuttle Launch STS-135

The final details have come together for our STS-135 launch trip.  All the spots are filled at the private location where I will be viewing the launch from.  I am interested in Causeway tickets but am not willing to pay the greedy prices currently being listed on eBay.  This will be a fun trip as I connect with friends from the launches of STS-132, 133 and 134.  I'm also looking forward to a tour of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - a place I have been once....secretly.

This launch is history in the making as our great nation, which just celebrated its 235^th birthday, gives up the ability to fly humans into space and instead chooses to rely on our former Space Race competitors in order to reach low earth orbit. 

As we watch the last space shuttle escape Earth’s gravity I wonder how history is going to repeat itself.  The last manned flight from the Apollo missions was in 1975 and the first space shuttle mission didn’t take place until 1981.  Will our gap only be 6 years or will political and economic factors make the gap longer?  What role will the private sector play?  Will NASA be relegated to a government regulations industry overseeing private space flight or will NASA again lead the world in launching humans into space?  What role does national pride play in modern space exploration?  And what about the Chinese, could that be the next great Space Race?

Only time will tell but as I watch the final space shuttle mission these and other thoughts will be going through my mind.

STS-135 Ticket Lotteries

As we get closer to the ticket lotteries for STS-135 please take note of the following:

If you are selected for NASA Causeway tickets please buy the maximum number you can purchase. Rest assured you won’t be stuck with any extras but if we band together we have a better chance of seeing the launch from the Causeway with the orange tickets from KSCVC. Even if more than one of our little group gets those tickets I assure you we will be able to sell off the extras.

Remember though, we do have a safety net. If no one gets Causeway tickets we still have the private viewing location in Titusville to watch the launch from. This is a better location than the Astronaut Hall of Fame and the KSCVC itself so if you are selected for those tickets in the lottery I suggest you pass.

Another option once the lotteries are closed is to purchase Causeway tickets from a tour bus company. You will pay more for the ticket itself but you at least get on the Causeway. I only suggest buying those tickets if your pickup and drop off point is in Port Canaveral. Otherwise you spend 5-9 hours on a bus fighting the traffic back to Orlando. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on tour bus company tickets to the Causeway that’s fine, we still have our safety net in Titusville.

Register for Tickets Now

Registration is now open for STS-135 launch viewing tickets through KSC.  If you would like to join our merry group please click the link below to register for tickets.  If you are selected for the lottery please let me know and we can coordinate the ticket purchase.

Remember there are 3 types of tickets you can get from the lottery:

1. Causeway Tickets - these are the best tickets.
2. Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center Tickets - these are the next best as you are 7 miles away but won't see the launch until the shuttle clears the tree line.
3. Astronaut Hall of Fame - these are the worst as you are 12 miles away and won't see the launch until the shuttle clears the tree line.

If you are selected for Causeway tickets then please purchase the maximum number allowed.  Those who then can't view the launch from the Causeway can use my private spot in Titusville which is better then numbers 2 and 3 above.

Click this link to register.  You only have until June 5.  http://bit.ly/hvAARm

Good luck everyone in the lottery!

How to See the Last Shuttle Launch STS-135

So you want to see a shuttle launch? Oh, wait. You want to see the last shuttle launch ever!? You must be crazy. Fortunately, I was blessed with a healthy dose of crazy and have attended the last 3 shuttle launches, STS 132, 133, and 134 so I might be able to provide some wisdom.

NASA is expecting a record crowd for the final launch. Upwards of 1 million people could cram the Space Coast and break the record set when Apollo 11 launched for the moon.

First, how much money you got? Launch viewing trips aren't cheap. Attending in groups can save money but you still have expenses like travel (flights, rental cars, gas), ground (hotel, food), and any costs associated with where you view the launch from.

Second, how flexible are you? NASA is very upfront that launching humans into space is risky business and there are many things that can go wrong. Only 1 of the last 3 launches has launched on schedule. Your flexibility also affects your cost. How long can you hang around for delays? I've always taken the approach that if I'm going to start something I'm going to finish it. I'm also fortunate to have a job I can do from anywhere I can get online. So I'm good with bouncing between hotels, McDonald's and Starbucks getting work done. For STS-133, I bounced around for a week in November before the launch was finally scrubbed until late February.

Third, where do you want to the launch from? There are many options:

1. The Press Site for Launch Complex 39 is the best spot but getting there requires press credentials or access via a NASA Tweetup event.  I was fortunate to be select to the NASA Tweetup for STS-132, which at the time was the final launch of Atlantis and this is by far the best place at 3 miles away.
2. Almost equal to the press site is the Apollo / Saturn V Center.  It is also 3 miles away facing a different side of the pad but the viewing there would be spectacular.  I have not seen a launch from this site as it is reserved for specific NASA VIP's and astronaut family members.
3. The best public viewing location is the NASA East Causeway.  Here you are 6 miles from the pad and have a mostly clear view over the water of the Banana River.  Some of the trees on the islands in the river may block a bit of your view of the pad but the shuttle isn't on the pad for long.  To get access here you have to be enter a ticket lottery with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Center and then if selected spend $76 per ticket.  Another way to get to the Causeway is to purchase tickets through Gray Line Tours or Florida Dolphin Tours.  They take you to the same place but cost a lot more.  My suggestion if you use a tour company is to select a pickup point in Melbourne, FL.  Otherwise, you will spend 5-9 hours on the bus after the launch in traffic going back to your drop off point in Orlando.  Here is another post I wrote how to get Causeway tickets and the differences between Green, Orange, and Purple.
4. You can also view a launch from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex itself.  You can't see the shuttle on the pad but you do see it a few seconds after liftoff.  They have big screen TV's around so you can see main engine start but you can't see anything until it clears the trees.  To get these tickets you also have to enter a lottery and they cost about $50 each.  You are 7 miles away at this location.
5. The Astronaut Hall of Fame provides another viewing option however, you are 12 miles away, and you still can't see the launch until it clears the tree line.  Tickets for this location are also only available through the ticket lottery and cost around $50 each.
6. Sometimes you can find private homes, condos or other property along the Indian River in Titusville that you can watch from.  These locations are between 12 and 14 miles away but many times you can see the shuttle stack sitting on the pad.  Don't trespass though if you don't have permissions from the property owners.  There are costs associated with these locations depending on condo rates and/or fees charged by the property owners.
7. There are many public viewing sites along the Indian River like Space View Park and Rotary Park.  There are also some bridges in Titusville that would make for great viewing locations but are very crowded.  If you are going to a public location to save money, make sure you get there early.  Otherwise, parking could be a big problem.  Everyone gets a good view once the shuttle gets off the ground, but if you want great pics then the earlier you get to your viewing location the better chance you will have better shots.

Of course, before you can see a launch you have to get to the launch site.  I have never viewed driving as an option as it would take 20 hours or so each way.  I value my time more than that so I have always flown.  Here are a few tips for dealing with the airlines and shuttle launches:

1. Determine your flexibility first.  If you have to come home on a certain day regardless of whether the launch happens or not then go ahead and purchase a round trip ticket so you can lock in the lowest possible fare.  If you do change your mind after purchasing your ticket, remember that all airlines except Southwest charge a change fee plus any difference in fare.  Southwest only charges you the difference in fare.
3. If you don't have miles but you have some flexibility then consider booking one-way tickets.  Then once you are ready to leave after the launch or after it has been rescheduled, find the cheapest flight from Orlando and book it.  You sometimes pay a bit more here but if it isn't more than the change fee plus any fare differences then you have come out ahead.  This has never happened to me but I would hate to be there for the launch only to have it rescheduled for the day I had to fly home. So close and yet so far.

For rental cars and hotels, I use Hotwire and Priceline.  If I'm traveling by myself, I get the cheapest car I can find.  If I'm with a group I get a car large enough for our needs but understanding we are splitting the costs. 

I also am not picky on hotels.  I don't book more than one night at a time and I use Hotwire and Priceline to find the best deals.  Since I don't care whether I'm in a Motel 6 or a Marriott I pretty much take whatever comes up.  This does mean you are in a different hotel every night but it also means you save a lot of money.  Titusville, FL has very few hotel rooms so getting a cheap one is difficult around the launch date but if the date changes you can often find great last minute deals much closer to KSC.

Despite the best planning, there are no guarantees.  The key thing is how committed are you?  How many days are you willing to invest and how much money are you willing to spend.  Be sure to figure that out first.  Even with the best planning things change and you may not see anything.

I am working on plans to take a group to a private viewing location in Titusville.  This spot really works out well and provides a great view.  The only downside is the sound is not nearly as impressive since you are 12 miles away but it is the best place after the press site and Causeway locations.  If you are serious about attending a launch and are willing to invest some money, feel free to contact me.

You might also want to go ahead and enter the ticket lotteries with KSCVC.  If you are committed to going then it doesn't matter if you go to a private viewing site or you get Causeway tickets.  The number of tickets each person is limited to is 6.  If multiple people can get 6 Causeway tickets in the lottery then there is a better chance more folks going can see the launch closer.  The only downside is you would need to front the initial ticket purchase as you only have so many hours after being selected for tickets to make a purchase before your buying opportunity expires.  If you get stuck with too many tickets there is always eBay.

These trips unravel quickly if many people express interest only to back out after being pressed to commit both time and money.  Make those commitments now to make every one's planning a bit easier.

Here's to a successful final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS 135!  Wait, I've heard that before at STS 132.