CAPE CANAVERAL, FL -- Local officials in Brevard County are ready to deal with an influx of visitors and potential traffic delays as the first launch window for the Artemis II lunar orbit mission opens at 6:24 p.m. Wednesday (EDT).

Brevard emergency management is telling residents and visitors to expect traffic delays and congestion before and after the launch. U-turns are prohibited after launch on State Road 528 or George King Boulevard.

Day passes for parking at Port Canaveral's Jetty Park are sold out. The Space Coast tourism agency says that many viewing locations are expected to fill up early while others will be unavailable. Visitors should double-check before arriving. Parking on roadsides and causeways is strictly prohibited.

Here are some other closures for launch day, according to Visit Space Coast:

Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville: Immediately following liftoff, all lanes of the A. Max Brewer Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic for approximately one hour to allow pedestrians to cross safely. Depending on conditions, the bridge may also close to motor vehicle traffic before launch, and residents and visitors are encouraged to monitor real-time updates on the City’s and Titusville Police Department’s social media channels for the latest information.

Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore: Canaveral National Seashore will issue temporary closures at Playalinda Beach at the request of NASA Launch Security. On March 20, operating hours for Playalinda Beach will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Playalinda District will follow this schedule until the successful launch of Artemis II. Parking areas 1, 2 and 3 will be closed to the public. The beach south of parking area 4 will be off limits to foot traffic. All beach road vistas will be closed while Artemis II is on the launch pad. There may be other temporary closures up to and including on launch day as Canaveral National Seashore supports NASA with their security measures. Normal operations will resume at the time of a successful launch.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: To support NASA’s Artemis II mission, we’re making a few temporary adjustments. Normal operations will resume after the Artemis II launch. Mar 20- Until Launch: The south gate of BioLab Road will remain closed. Vehicular traffic will be restricted at the intersection of BioLab Road and Max Hoeck Road/Trail. Regular hours will resume once Canaveral National Seashore reopens after the Artemis II launch. Why the changes? These steps help keep everyone safe and protect resources during launch preparations, as requested by Kennedy Space Center.

Haulover Canal: The Haulover Canal bridge will also be raised, preventing access south of the canal. Those who enter by boat through the Haulover Canal will find the Mosquito Lagoon closed south of the canal. Conservation officers will be on the water enforcing this closure. These closures are for safety reasons.

Sands Space Museum Parking lot: Launch viewing is always prohibited due to military regulations.

For boaters, Freddie Patrick Boat Ramps and Rodney S. Ketcham Park Boat Ramps vehicle and trailer parking will be open and available to boaters on a first-come, first-serve basis until capacity is reached. Boat Ramps parking lots are exclusively for boater vehicles and trailers using boat ramps

One more thing to keep in mind if you're close to the Cape: the SLS rocket will be LOUD as it reaches supersonic speeds just a minute after liftoff.

As for hotel rooms, most rooms are sold out within 10-15 miles of the launch site.

Even if you're not on the beach or the Intracoastal, the Artemis launch should be visible soon after liftoff. NASA has produced a map (below) that shows how soon after the launch you should be able to see it. Artemis should become visible in Orlando about 15 seconds after liftoff, Lakeland 30 seconds, Tampa Bay, West Palm Beach and Jacksonville 35-40 seconds, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale 50-60 seconds.

Photo: Getty Images

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