Chincoteague officials plan for 'influx of visitors' in coming high-profile NASA

[Unorthodox]

CHINCOTEAGUE — A mission to the moon being launched from Wallops Island in September is driving officials to discuss how to accommodate the thousands of people expected to come to the region to view the launch.

“We’re going to have an influx of visitors,” NASA Wallops Flight Facility spokesman Jeremy Eggers predicted.
Eggers updated the Chincoteague Town Council on plans for the launch.


The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, or LADEE, is set to launch aboard a Minotaur V rocket on Sept. 6. The launch, scheduled for 11:27 p.m., likely will bring lots of visitors to northern Accomack County. The launch window extends through Sept. 10.


It is a mission of many firsts — the first deep space mission to be launched from Wallops, the first to use Orbital Science’s Minotaur V rocket, and the first laser communications demonstration, Eggers said.


Because of the hazard area associated with the launch, the southern part of Assateague Beach from the access road south will be closed. The area traditionally is open for rocket launch viewers, but the moon mission’s trajectory means the off-limits debris field encompasses the beach.


That leaves officials scrambling to designate alternate viewing sites.


The NASA Visitor’s Center on Route 175 “was very quickly overwhelmed” during the Antares test flight in April, Eggers said. It can accommodate around 1,200 viewers.


In addition, there were problems with people parking along Route 175 in an attempt to view the rocket liftoff.


NASA and local officials met Aug. 1 to discuss alternate viewing locations for the LADEE launch. A list is being compiled and will be released in mid-August. The sites will be widely publicized before launch day, Eggers said.


In addition, NASA will provide volunteer docents and a “mobile countdown net speaker system” at chosen viewing sites. Eight of the systems will be sent out.


Possible viewing sites include Beach Road. The plan is to close the road from the Museum of Chincoteague east onto the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and have buses take visitors to the entry point. Mariner’s Point at the southern end of Chincoteague also is a potential site, although lack of lighting there is a concern, officials said.


Additionally, Robert Reed Park in downtown Chincoteague could be a public viewing location, as could the spur at Marsh Island off the Chincoteague Causeway, although the latter would require state highway department approval.


Councilman John Jester noted the need to notify area charter boat captains of the launch hazard zone.


“It looks like the bar is in the debris field,” he said of a popular boating destination.


Chincoteague Mayor Jack Tarr said to Eggers, “These programs are very important to the community and we are here to help you any way we can.”

[Unorthodox]

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/734208main_Minotaur_V_fact.pdf

The first three stages of the Minotaur V are former Peacekeeper solid rocket motors with over 50 flights of each stage.

 

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