PatanRich's Excellent Adventure: Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center (https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/) - a place I have wanted to visit since I was a wee lad, obsessed with space and space exploration, has finally happened! I consider visiting Kennedy Space Center one of the best experiences of my life- I absolutely loved every moment of the two days we were here! When visiting, two days are needed because there is so much to see, and so many tours to take. We took two tours- the launch sites and mission control. Both were fantastic! With the Launch sites, you are taken on a bus tour of the different launch pads available to NASA, and now Space-X and Boeing, and a drive by the large Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)- the flag on this building is 22 stories high, that is how HUGE this building is!. There is one viewing area of launch pad 39 that you get off the bus and can see, in the distance, the launch pad. The mission control tour took us to one of the mission control rooms, and was narrated by an actual engineer who was in charge of payload.

The number of launches planned is growing every year- there is a renewed focus on our space program, and the entry of private space programs are just adding to the launches and growth in technology. Starting next year (2018), practice launches and experimentation for a manned landing on Mars in 2030 start. The optimism expressed from this tour is a very welcomed distraction from the current news.

Several buildings in the Space Center must be visited: 1- the Saturn V building has suspended from the ceiling an actual Saturn V rocket. There is a film on the Mars missions, a lunar rover, space suites, a moon rock you can touch!, fun things for kids, and lots of souveniers. 2- The Atlantis shuttle building has the shuttle on display! The shuttles are much larger than I expected. This building has everything shuttle-oriented. Also present is a memorial to both the Challenger and Columbia. 3- Heroes and Legends building has information and a film on the development of the space program, space suits, personal information of the astronauts. 4- IMAX films on the Journey into Space- a history!. Also A Beautiful Planet- film from the ISS (International Space Station) of views of the Earth (we didn't see it). There is a well done and solemn memorial to those who have died in the journey to explore space, a "rocket garden" of several capsules and rockets, wandering space suits, informational structures, and way more!

Your welcome to the Space Center:

a garden of rockets!

This museum has a film on the space program and information on each of the astronauts

a roaming astronaut is always ready for a photo opportunity!

The new Orion craft which will take us to Mars

Many opportunities to participate:-)

Memorial to the astronauts we have lost. A very moving memorial

The VAB- this building is gigantic! The flag is 22 stories high!

Control center:

The crawler- this device moves at the high speed of 1 mile per hour. It moves the rockets from the VAB
to the launch pads. There is a special road built that is 133 feet wide and composed of a special rock
the crawlers treads will not pick up and ruin the treads

Launch pads