Aussie Wendy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2008
Part 2 Into space
Now it was time to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit. You walk under the Solid Rocket Booster and External Fuel Tank Stack
On the way I met an astronaut
Your visit commences with a film about the space shuttle and concludes with the curtain rising to reveal the actual space shuttle pretty cool effect. Its displayed with its payload doors open and its robotic arm (called a Canadarm) extended, apparently as if it has just undocked from the International Space Station.
It completed 33 missions with the last July 2011, including deploying the planetary probes Magellan to Venus in May 1989 (the first shuttle to launch an interplanetary probe) and Galileo to Jupiter in October 1989, as well as the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory in 1991, components for the ISS and teams servicing the Hubble Telescope.
A better view of the Canadarm
Other side
Lots of interesting interactive displays here as well including a ride in the simulator which was too realistic for me, I didnt like it!
Proof we went into space
There is a crawl-through space station (mostly for kids; if I was a bit more supple I would have had a go!)
There are also steep re-entry slides; you can sit in a replica space shuttle cockpit; plus lots of interactive technology and wii style displays like you see in science museums where for example, you can experience the sensation of working weightless and having to manipulate tools using gloved hands (very hard) or land a space shuttle (even harder). With interested kids you could spend hours in here. This link actually has the best explanation of what there is to do here if you want to read up beforehand. http://media.kennedyspacecenter.com/kennedy/atlantis+astronauts+guests.htm
Sample loo
And instructions on how to use it
Sleeping
In the shop Barbie astronauts
A mural of the ISS
By now time was racing away. I hadnt planned to do the Angry Birds Space Encounter or the Robot Scouts so we had time for a stroll around the Rocket Garden representing the different periods of space exploration. Somehow in the visit here today we managed to miss the huge Space Mirror Memorial though.
Saturn 1B, the first launch rocket designed for the space program used to launch the unmanned Apollo 5, 3-man Apollo 7, all 3 Skylab crews, and the Apollo/Soyez Test Project. The plaque said it is the last surviving flight-ready vehicle of its kind.
The Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile designed to deliver nuclear weapons across oceans. The last Titan was decommissioned in 1987.Due to its reliability it was also used as a launch vehicle for the Gemini missions in 1965 and 1966.
Before leaving we just had time to check out the Early Space Exploration Gallery focusing on the early Mercury and Gemini space programs. This is a pic of the recreated Mercury Control Centre (using furniture and consoles relocated from its original location at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station).
The rockets just kept getting bigger and bigger
Robot B9, from Lost in Space.
It was nearly 5pm which was when the Centre closed so it was time to leave. There is certainly a lot to see and do here. The drive back was uneventful and we found our hotel for the night, the Comfort Suites at the airport, easily and a petrol station just around the corner.
We got changed and did some googling to see if we could find somewhere to eat in walking distance. The Waffle House was just down the street. This was set up like a 50s diner and had a hilarious older women in charge. Only three of them working: her, a younger girl and the young male cook. It was basic comfort food with a dominating theme of waffles but lots of other choice as well. I had a simple toasted bacon and cheese sandwich that came with salad and cant remember what DH had but I do remember it hit the spot and the mugs of coffee were actually good. It was just us and another woman, a regular it seemed, eating there and we had a riotous evening. Our server was straight out of the south, highly opinionated, colourful language, we were all swept up in discussions about Ebola, politics, climate change, presidents, conspiracy theories, living in Florida and life in Aus versus the US. She lived out of town on acreage with a stream with a resident alligator in the back yard. I ventured that must be dangerous for her dog (who had featured in various stories) but she said it was well fed by plenty of fish and stupid ducks on the riverbank so didnt bother her none. It was a meal with a show thrown in for free.
By the time we finally made it back to the hotel it was time for bed with a 3.30 am wake up call for an early flight.
Now it was time to see the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit. You walk under the Solid Rocket Booster and External Fuel Tank Stack
On the way I met an astronaut
Your visit commences with a film about the space shuttle and concludes with the curtain rising to reveal the actual space shuttle pretty cool effect. Its displayed with its payload doors open and its robotic arm (called a Canadarm) extended, apparently as if it has just undocked from the International Space Station.
It completed 33 missions with the last July 2011, including deploying the planetary probes Magellan to Venus in May 1989 (the first shuttle to launch an interplanetary probe) and Galileo to Jupiter in October 1989, as well as the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory in 1991, components for the ISS and teams servicing the Hubble Telescope.
A better view of the Canadarm
Other side
Lots of interesting interactive displays here as well including a ride in the simulator which was too realistic for me, I didnt like it!
Proof we went into space
There is a crawl-through space station (mostly for kids; if I was a bit more supple I would have had a go!)
There are also steep re-entry slides; you can sit in a replica space shuttle cockpit; plus lots of interactive technology and wii style displays like you see in science museums where for example, you can experience the sensation of working weightless and having to manipulate tools using gloved hands (very hard) or land a space shuttle (even harder). With interested kids you could spend hours in here. This link actually has the best explanation of what there is to do here if you want to read up beforehand. http://media.kennedyspacecenter.com/kennedy/atlantis+astronauts+guests.htm
Sample loo
And instructions on how to use it
Sleeping
In the shop Barbie astronauts
A mural of the ISS
By now time was racing away. I hadnt planned to do the Angry Birds Space Encounter or the Robot Scouts so we had time for a stroll around the Rocket Garden representing the different periods of space exploration. Somehow in the visit here today we managed to miss the huge Space Mirror Memorial though.
Saturn 1B, the first launch rocket designed for the space program used to launch the unmanned Apollo 5, 3-man Apollo 7, all 3 Skylab crews, and the Apollo/Soyez Test Project. The plaque said it is the last surviving flight-ready vehicle of its kind.
The Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile designed to deliver nuclear weapons across oceans. The last Titan was decommissioned in 1987.Due to its reliability it was also used as a launch vehicle for the Gemini missions in 1965 and 1966.
Before leaving we just had time to check out the Early Space Exploration Gallery focusing on the early Mercury and Gemini space programs. This is a pic of the recreated Mercury Control Centre (using furniture and consoles relocated from its original location at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station).
The rockets just kept getting bigger and bigger
Robot B9, from Lost in Space.
It was nearly 5pm which was when the Centre closed so it was time to leave. There is certainly a lot to see and do here. The drive back was uneventful and we found our hotel for the night, the Comfort Suites at the airport, easily and a petrol station just around the corner.
We got changed and did some googling to see if we could find somewhere to eat in walking distance. The Waffle House was just down the street. This was set up like a 50s diner and had a hilarious older women in charge. Only three of them working: her, a younger girl and the young male cook. It was basic comfort food with a dominating theme of waffles but lots of other choice as well. I had a simple toasted bacon and cheese sandwich that came with salad and cant remember what DH had but I do remember it hit the spot and the mugs of coffee were actually good. It was just us and another woman, a regular it seemed, eating there and we had a riotous evening. Our server was straight out of the south, highly opinionated, colourful language, we were all swept up in discussions about Ebola, politics, climate change, presidents, conspiracy theories, living in Florida and life in Aus versus the US. She lived out of town on acreage with a stream with a resident alligator in the back yard. I ventured that must be dangerous for her dog (who had featured in various stories) but she said it was well fed by plenty of fish and stupid ducks on the riverbank so didnt bother her none. It was a meal with a show thrown in for free.
By the time we finally made it back to the hotel it was time for bed with a 3.30 am wake up call for an early flight.