Kennedy Space Center
I was sitting in the Starbucks in Titusville, FL waiting for the Kennedy Space Center to open. A guy, Burke, walked over to me and said, “Were you photographing the driftwood on Jekyll Island a few days ago? It turns out that we were at the same Mexican restaurant a few days before. He was sitting at the other end of the bar. I ordered the same meal and he ordered salsa after I did. I think we had ordered the same beer. The waitress ask if we were twins. It turns out that Burke is also an avid photographer. And yes, he was also on his way to visit the Kennedy Space Center. We sat and chatted about photography until it was time to go to the Space Center. We agreed to keep in touch.
There are many canals and waterways on the way into the Kennedy Space Center and I had a chance to see my first alligators in the wild.
Kennedy Space Center
As a kid, I, like so many other kids of the 60s were captivated by the space program. I wrote to NASA for information on the Mercury program. I made a space ship out of a cardboard box. I watched as John Glenn rocketed into space. I tried to watch ever launch with Walter Cronkite. I thought that by the turn of the century, we would have colonies on the Moon and Mars. In short, I dreamed that one day I’d be able to go into space.
The Kennedy Space Center (KSC), located on the Eastern coast of Florida, is a must-see destination for space enthusiasts and anyone interested in the history of space exploration. It’s the starting point for many of the United States' most iconic space missions, including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the Moon. KSC has something for everyone. My favorites were the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit, Saturn 5 Rocket, Artimis and the IMax shows.
One of the highlights of a visit to the Kennedy Space Center is the opportunity to see a real-life rocket launch. The Kennedy Space Center is home to several launch pads, including Launch Complex 39A, which was used for the Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle missions. I wasn’t lucky to catch a launch during my visit.
Rocket Garden
From a distance the Rocket Garden is visible, which showcases a variety of historic rockets. It is located beside the Astronaut Hall of Fame, which honors the men and women who have contributed to space exploration. In the hall, there are several interactive exhibits and simulators that allow visitors to experience what it's like to be an astronaut.
Space Shuttle Atlantis
One of my favorite exhibits was the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit. Atlantis was one of the space shuttles used by NASA during the Space Shuttle program, which ran from 1981 to 2011. Enter the exhibit, guests are brought into a large three dimensional video room and gives a sense of being in space with the shuttle. At the end of the video, the wall opens and massive Space Shuttle Atlantis structure greets you. It is jaw-dropping to stand in front of this colossal space ship.
One of the key areas of the Atlantis exhibit is the payload bay, which is where the shuttle carried its cargo to and from space. Visitors can see the payload bay up close and learn about the different payloads that the Atlantis carried on its missions, including satellites, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the International Space Station.
Another area of the Atlantis exhibit is the cockpit, where visitors can see the controls and instruments that the astronauts used to fly the spacecraft. There are also interactive displays that allow visitors to learn about the different systems and components of the Atlantis, such as its engines and thermal protection system. Visitors can learn about the development of the Space Shuttle and the role that the Kennedy Space Center played in its operations.
Saturn 5 Rocket
A shuttle bus ride takes guests from the main exhibits to the Saturn 5 Center. This is about a 20 minute ride on comfortable busses with running videos describing the tour. The bus meanders around launch pad
The bus ride to the Saturn 5 exhibit begins at the visitor complex and takes visitors on a narrated tour of the Kennedy Space Center. The ride takes about 20 minutes. Along the way, visitors have the opportunity to see a variety of historic sites and landmarks, including Launch Complex 39A, which was used for the Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle missions. In addition, the rocket assembly building can be seen with the massive rocket transport platforms.
The Saturn 5 exhibit showcases the gigantic rocket used by NASA during the Apollo program to launch astronauts to the Moon. At the time, it was the most powerful rocket ever built and was a symbol of the United States' success in the space race. The exhibit provides visitors with an up-close look at this iconic rocket. Visitors can see the various stages of the rocket and learn about the different systems and components that made it possible to send astronauts to the Moon. In addition, visitors can also learn about the history of the Apollo program and the challenges that the astronauts faced during their lunar missions.
IMAX Theater
The Kennedy Space Center is home to many IMAX shows that provide visitors with an immersive look at the world of space exploration. These shows are shown on a giant screen that measures six stories tall and offers crystal clear images and sound.
For me, my favorite show was "Journey to Space," which explores the future of space exploration and the role that NASA is playing in the development of new technologies. The show highlights the Artemis program and the plans to land humans on the Moon by 2024.
As I understand, “Space Station” is one of the most popular IMAX shows at the Kennedy Space Center, which takes visitors on a virtual tour of the International Space Station (ISS). The show offers a unique perspective on life aboard the ISS and allows visitors to experience what it's like to live and work in space.
There are also several other IMAX shows that explore different aspects of space exploration, including "Hubble," which takes visitors on a virtual journey through the universe using imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope, and "A Beautiful Planet," which shows the beauty of our planet as seen from space.
Leaving
As I was leaving, I tried to take some photos of the entrance. A guy came over to me and ask if I was with some NASA enthusiast group that posts online. He didn’t seem too disappointed when I told him I wasn’t.
I wasn’t the last to leave KSC, but there weren’t too many cars left in the parking lot. There are multiple day passes, but I was able to see everything in one day. The are many special exhibits and things for kids to do. I didn’t participate in any of these, but I could see they were popular with kids.
