Today we soared into Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for a day filled with out of this world adventure...right here on the Florida Space Coast! We started with the bus tour of KSC, which we highly recommend. The bus drivers served as tour guides, along with appropriate videos detailing America's Space Program. We were first taken to the L-39 Observation Gantry. This gave us a chance to get a birds eye view of the two Shuttle launch sites. Next, we were treated to a tour and presentations at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Here we had a great orientation film about the Apollo program, along with the immense, restored Saturn V rocket. We also had an entertaining, interactive program reenacting the launch of the first manned lunar landing mission launch, Apollo 11. Getting to see historic equipment, astronaut space suits, a lunar module, and moon rover was well worth the price of admission.

The bus returned us to the main area of KSC where we became part of a Shuttle crew in the Shuttle Launch Simulator. This turned out to be a real thrill ride! We next went to the IMAX Theater I to witness "Space Station 3D" which really provided a "glimpse" into the future of our space program...internationally. Then we walked through a garden leading to a very moving "Astronaut Memorial Mirror." I know tears filled many eyes as we remembered those who gave their lives to further the cause of space travel.

Our final destination today took us through the Rocket Garden and into the Early Exploration exhibit hall. Here we witnessed the beginnings of flight, with the Wright Brothers, through rocket experimentation, and finally the successful Apollo program. It's difficult to believe that it was 50 years ago when the dreams of a nation were launched whose spirit of discovery continues to be the driving force for NASA's mission.

 

 

In JFK's famous 1961, he declared that this nation should commit
itself to achieve the goal of landing a man on the moon & returning
him safely to Earth before the end of this decade!



Vehicle Assembly Building & Launch Control

It takes 45 minutes to open these doors to
allow the rockets to be moved out to the launch pad

Gravel road that is the path of the giant crawler-transportor
slowly moves rockets to the launch pad

 

 

Neil Armstrong's Apollo space suit that he
wore when walking on the moon in July 1969

 

Lunar Module simulation of landing on the moon

Launch pad 39 which was used for space shuttle launches



Rocket garden with the Gemini capsule and other rockets to view