CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- It'snot a ticket to ride the space shuttle, but it will get you close enoughto vibrate your clothes when the rocketlifts off.

For the first time ever,the KennedySpace Center Visitor Complex is selling "Launch Transportation Tickets"online,and weeks in advance, for three space shuttle missions targeted to flyfrom Florida this fall on September 8, October 5 and November 30.

TicketPrices

Package1 $34.50 for adults $25.50 for children (3-11)plus tax, shipping and handling. Includes bus transportation to the viewingsite, and a Maximum Access Badge to the Visitor Complex. Package 2 $15 per person plus tax,shipping and handling. Includes bus transportation to the same viewingsite, and limited admission to specific exhibits at the Visitor Complex. To order Visitthe website or call (321) 449-4444

With the ticket you'll beable to board a busthat will take you to a viewing site about 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) awayfrom the twin shuttle launchpads and hopefully see a liftoff.

"Never before has the opportunityto view a space-shuttlelaunch been so readily available to the public. We expect visitorsfrom all over the world to take advantage of this new, exciting opportunity,"said Rick Abramson, president of Delaware North Parks Services of Spaceport,Inc., the NASA contractor that operates the visitor area.

The viewing area is alongNASA Causeway, part of the same strip of land where the general publicis allowed to park their cars to watch the launch if they have a car passfrom NASA. The passes are free by mail but are very limited because ofsafety reasons, said KSC spokeswoman Lisa Malone.

"We're very happy about thisbecause these tickets will allow hundreds of more people closer accessto a launch so they can see a shuttle up close and actually feel it whenit lifts off," Malone said.

Unfortunately, all of thefree NASA car passes for missionsremaining this year have been spoken for.

As a result, the Launch TransportationTickets from the visitor complex will be the only way to get as close unlessyou are invited by one of the astronauts, said Dan LeBlanc, a DelawareNorth spokesman.

The fine print

Until now these tickets wereavailable beginning five days before a launch and only if purchased inperson at the Visitor Complex, but demand for tickets in advance helpedprompt the decision to offer them long before the targeted launch date.

With that offer comes somerisk, however.

If the launch date changesbefore you board the bus you can still use the ticket for the new date.But if the shuttle launch date changes and your travel plans cannot, thereis no refund.

In fact, the ticket isn'ta guarantee you'll see a launch from the viewing site. It's really justtransportation to the site for the chance to see a launch. That means thatif you buy a ticket, board the bus, travel to the viewing site and thenthe launch scrubs at the last minute you'll have to buy another ticketfor the second trip.

Officials say that's becausethe ticket is essentially paying for the bus ride itself.

No matter what happens withthe launch, depending on which ticket you buy you'll also be able to enjoymany or all of the other exhibits and attractionsavailable at the complex after the launch.