Kennedy Space Center

Two weeks ago I decided to play tourist in my own backyard! I had not visited the Kennedy Space Center in quite a few years, so thought a day out on the coast would be fun! Since my last visit they have added the Atlantis exhibit and what a treat that was! I had visited Space Shuttle Endeavor in Los Angeles so this was the second orbiter I had the pleasure of seeing.

I decided to make my way right to the bus tour as most of the employees were directing guests to the exhibits and movies in the visitor center areas. The bus tour was great and we were able to get very close to the Crawler, Vehicle Assembly Building, and Launch Pad 39A! Launch Pad 39A is was used during the Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs. It is now being leased by SpaceX for launch of their rockets!

Half way through the bus tour you visit the Saturn V Center. Every time I have seen the Saturn V rocket in person it completely amazes me! The shear size of this machine is overwhelming. You are first presented with a short show on the history of the Apollo Missions and then sent into the launch control room with the actual equipment used during the Apollo Program for a show! In the main hall there are lots of small exhibits so make sure to take your time, this is not a place to rush through!

Personally the visit to the Atlantis Exhibit was the star moment of my day. The Space Shuttle was the NASA of my youth. I sadly remember the day of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster vividly. I was sitting in my living room in Orlando, with my father, TV on, waiting for Space Space Shuttle Colombia to land before going out to lunch. I remember commenting to him that it was taking an unusually long time for the shuttle to make contact. It was not long after that we realized another group of brave astronaunts had been lost. These tragic moments aside the Shuttle Program to me represented the very best of what America is capable of accomplishing! Although space flight was becoming “routine” I was always fascinated by each and every launch and landing. I will never forget the day in 1998 that I stood outside in Orlando watching Space Shuttle Discovery take John Glenn back into space. I remember thinking that my parents watched him go to space in 1962 and here I stood witnessing him make history once again as the oldest man to fly into space. Outside of the actual orbiter there is a replica of the Hubble Space Telescope, a shuttle launch simulator “ride” – fear not anyone can enjoy this experience, the actual Air Stream Van that we all saw the astronauts take a ride in for every launch, and tons of other exhibits. Once again take your time and explore there are gems all over this building to see!