Kennedy Space Center

We visited Kennedy Space Center with some friends of Cheryl’s.

Jeff and Bennett tested out the Mercury vehicle. Jeff decided he would not make it as an astronaut because he could not fit in the capsule.

These were located in the“Rocket Garden” as you enter the grounds.

Tre, Cheryl;s friend’s friend, insisted that our first stop should be the Atlantis display.  This is where retired the shuttle is placed.  As you enter the building, you are greeted by the external fuel tank and solid fuel boosters. 

Next was a movie recalling the ten years that it took to build the shuttle then you pass through to see the shuttle itself.  It is BIG.

Displays let you fly the shuttle yourself and view other space hardware. 

 One of the most interesting was a copy of the Hubble telescope and pictures taken by the actual Hubble.

 Jeff and Bennett both had to try out the slide which was set at the glide angle of the shuttle when it came in for a landing.  About twice what a 747 lands at.

We then took the bus ride around the complex including a stop near pad 39 where they took off to the moon and the Falcon Heavy rockets that are now planned for a trip to Mars. 

The next stop was the actual Saturn V rocket.  It is also very BIG.

It is amazing that it would actually fly much less take men to the moon.  A guide in the building gave guests a behind the scenes tour of the rocket.   We also got to touch an actual moon rock.

We finished our tour with a view of the next generation of spacecraft and Bennett trying to spin a map of the world.