Crowds flocked to Space View Park

Hundreds gathered before sunrise Thursday at Space View Park in Titusville, Florida, for the scheduled launch of Orion from Kennedy Space Center.

However, high winds and a valve problem forced delays and then a scrub, with the next possible attempt to launch on Friday.

People from Australia, England, Canada and throughout the United States shared stories and made new friends as they waited through several delays.

Some used the time explore Space View Park, which is home to huge monuments to the Gemini, Mercury, Apollo and Shuttle space programs and the people who helped build the U.S. space program.

The park was developed through a partnership between the city and U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation.

The next launch attempt is tentatively set to liftoff at 7:05 a.m. Friday, when a 2-hour, 39-minute launch window opens.

After the launch, make plans to tour the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum at 308 Pine St. on U.S. 1, which is only a few blocks from Space View Park in Downtown Titusville.

In the museum, you can see launch consoles and gear from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle programs as well as other spaceflight memorabilia. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.