We went from low tech to super high tech with a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. We spent 2 days at the center. Day one was wet and windy - just the way we like it ;)
 |
| Fuel Cell and Rockets for Space Shuttle and Training Jet |
 |
| Future Astronauts? |
 |
| "Is it just me or is it a little tight in here?" |
We started off day two a lot earlier and with a little more sun. We headed back to the bus to get a tour of the launch pads and the Saturn 5 program facility.
 |
| Where they put everything together! The flag 22 stories tall. |
When you watch a rocket launch there is a big plume of "smoke" out of the bottom. Did you know that it is actually water that they are using to counter act the sound from the force of the rocket? In early launches they broke windows in houses 5 miles away!
 |
| Water tower and Lightening rod - multiple ways to protect the rockets. |
We spent a long time in the Saturn 5 building. It was amazing to see the different huge stages of the rocket to finally get to the tiny command module and lunar module.
We watched a multi media presentation about landing on the moon. They also have one of the lunar landing suits with moon dust.
In the afternoon we headed back to the main campus to see Atlantis. They have a great multi-media presentation that then brings you into the bay with the actual Atlantis Space Shuttle. Watching it on TV it seems so huge, it is big but not quite as large as anticipated.
Gherkin and KimChee had a blast with the re-entry slide that shows the angles of entry that the shuttle must go through to land.
Little known fact: The Coast Guard actually has 2 astronauts. We were able to find their 4 mission patches and descriptions of what the missions were for (lots of working on the space station).
 |
| Our favorite patch! |
We tried to stay for the evening program but things were way to windy for them to do the production.
Over all a good time was had by all!
The next morning we tried to see the launch of the SpaceX rocket but 4 minutes before launch it was scrubbed due to upper level winds. We watched it the next morning on our phone at the next RV park!
 |
| The little blurb toward the right hand side on the horizon is the rocket. |
Comments