Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
Perhaps one of the greatest technologic advancements in humankind, space exploration is an endeavor that only until relatively recently was just a dream. Now, humans have a space station orbiting around Earth, unmanned telescopes shooting into other galaxies, and machines roving the surface of other planets. All of these leaps in progress began at Kennedy Space Center.
Kennedy Space Center is located on Cape Canaveral, just 45 minutes east of Orlando. One of Florida’s finest attractions, the Kennedy Space Center is as entertaining as it is educational. Allow one full day to explore this attraction. The Kennedy Space Center Complex, which includes IMAX Theaters, has an outdoor gallery of rockets, a duplicate space shuttle orbiter, restaurants, meet and greets with real astronauts, souvenir stores, and robots that act as janitors. There are bus tours that leave from this complex, which we highly recommended. These bus tours take about two hours, and will drive you past the launch pads, the Shuttle Landing runway, the V.A.B (Vehicle Assembly Building - one of the largest buildings in the world – it was designed to accommodate four Saturn V Rockets. The doors are so massive, it takes 45 minutes to open them), and the Shuttle Landing Facility. Since all of the aforementioned areas are still in use, they are closed to the public; but the bus tour does a really good job bringing you close to these forbidden areas and explaining their purposes. The buses do escort you to areas where you can explore though – the Apollo/Saturn V Center, the Launch Complex Observation Gantry, and the International Space Center.
The L.C Observation Gantry allow up close and personal looks into the monolithic structures that comprise a space shuttle. When you look at the engine, bear in mind that these powerful engines are able to propel the shuttle into Space – in 8.5 minutes.
The Apollo/Saturn V Center brings to life the epic tale of successfully putting astronauts on the moon. Without giving too much away, there is a riveting movie that will stir everyone in the audience to apprehension…and then relief. This is definitely the most impressive part of the tour. After the movie, go into the hangar and fall in awe of one of the Saturn V rockets on display. The sheer size of this behemoth is hard to comprehend. Until you’ve been this close to a shuttle, it is hard to grasp how large and complicated these machines really are.
The International Space Center allows you to spy on scientists who are testing the components of the next launch. From a different area of the Space Center, you can have the best view of a shuttle thrusting into space on a launching day. The exhibits are great, but if you are lucky enough to be here on a launch day, you will witness the best exhibit of manned space flights of all.
At Kennedy Space Center, your journey into humankind’s greatest dream becomes a reality. If you are a die-hard Space buff, or a staunch opponent of space exploration, this place deserves a day’s visit to really appreciate the achievements of humankind.
Florida Tourists Guide
