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Astronaut
Encounter
Guests to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will now have
the opportunity to come face-to-face with a real astronaut
every day of the year. This innovative program consists of
question and answer sessions, mission briefings, video footage,
space artifacts and personal stories of space travel as told
by those who have lived it. Various astronauts from throughout
space history are scheduled to appear including Mercury, Gemini,
Apollo and Shuttle astronauts.
Simulated Shuttle launch
The floor rumbles and roars as the space shuttle gets to blastoff speed.
Minutes later, the vehicle pitches forward suddenly at engine cutoff, showing
a serene view of Earth. Kennedy Space Center's shuttle launch simulator is as
close to outer space as most people will ever get.
Early Space Exploration
Located in an adjoining wing to the Dr. Kurt H. Debus Conference
Facility is Early Space Exploration. This walk-through exhibit
provides visitors with a comprehensive history of key missions
that provided the foundation for our current space program.
Highlights include Mercury Mission Control Room-- containing
the actual Mercury Mission Control consoles and components
from which all of America's first eight manned missions were
monitored and authentic Mercury and Gemini capsules.
Exploration in the the Millennium
Visitors are taken on a journey from the Vikings' discoveries
of Greenland and Iceland to Mars Viking Lander, the first
U.S. probe to land on another planet in 1976. Visitors have
the opportunity to see and actually touch a piece of Mars,
which fell to the Earth as a meteorite. Guests may also submit
their names to fly in space on a future mission!
International Space Station Center
(This facility is currently closed)
The future is happening now at the Kennedy Space Center! Walk
through full-scale mock-ups of space station modules and visit
the viewing gallery, where you can see actual space station
components being readied for flight.
IMAX 3D Theater
Two different larger-than-life films take you on an awe-inspiring
journey into space on screens over five stories tall! Dramatic
footage, photographed in space by the astronauts, give each
of the IMAX® films an exciting "you are there" feeling.
Apollo / Saturn 5 Center
Featuring an actual 363-foot, 6.2 million pound Saturn V moon
rocket, with a dramatic recreation of the first manned Apollo
launch, and hands-on exhibits, the Apollo/Saturn V Center
brings to life the U.S. space program's missions to the moon.
LC 39 Observation Gantry
Get a bird's-eye view of today's space adventures from this
60-foot observation tower, where you'll have an unobstructed
view of the space shuttle launch pads. On the ground, film
presentations and exhibits tell the amazing story of shuttle
processing, from landing to launch.
Kennedy Space Center Tour
Board an air-conditioned bus and observe first-hand the Apollo/Saturn
V Center, the LC 39 Observation Gantry and the International
Space Station Center. Guided bus tours depart each day (except
Christmas Day and certain launch days) beginning at 9:30 a.m.,
and leave continuously throughout the day, with the last bus
leaving approximately four hours before closing.
Gift Shop
The Space Shop is the world's largest store devoted entirely
to space memorabilia, gifts and collectibles. There are over
8,000 space-related items that will entice space enthusiasts
of all ages - from the first-time visitor to the serious collector.
Don't forget to take a peek inside The Space Shop ~ our On-Line
Gift Shop.
Launch Status Center
Catch up-to-the-minute live mission briefings presented every
hour while surrounded by spectacular Shuttle models and educational
displays. This is a great way to get a live, behind-the-scenes
peek into what is happening on the ground at Kennedy Space
Center as well as in outer space!
Rocket Garden
(Under Construction)
See the rockets that launched astronauts and machines into
space including a Mercury Redstone, similar to the one that
carried Alan Shepard into space. Another special vehicle in
the collection is an awe-inspiring Mercury Atlas identical
to the rocket that carried John Glenn into space for America's
first orbit.
Space Shuttle Plaza
Imagine working aboard a real space shuttle and floating in
space as you enter inside the space shuttle Explorer - a full-sized
replica of a NASA shuttle orbiter. You'll see the Flight Deck,
where astronauts fly the orbiter during actual launch and
landings, and the Mid-deck, where shuttle crews work on experiments,
sleep and eat.
Astronaut Memorial
The names of the seventeen U.S. astronauts who gave their
lives for space exploration are carved into the face of this
polished black granite monument. The beautiful 60 ton structure
tracks the movement of the sun through the sky, resulting
in an effect that suspends the astronauts' names in the brilliantly
reflected sky.
Robot Scouts
"Starquester 2000," a whimsical, quick-witted cousin
of the Mars Pathfinder, guides visitors through this walkthrough
exhibit of NASA's past, present and future robotic space explorers.
"Starquester 2000" lightheartedly interacts with
other space probes like Viking Mars Lander and Hubble Telescope,
to explain how robotic space
exploration is paving the way for humans to follow.
Universe Theatre / Quest for Life
Does life exist on other planets? Quest for Life, a new 15-minute
film, examines this possibility, blending the recent findings
of the possible discovery of early life on Mars with theories
from leading scientists. Quest for Life examines how the Earth
embarked on its quest for life, resulting in our planet as
we know it. The film also addresses the likelihood of other
planets following their own quest, and NASA's plans to determine
if life truly does exist in other parts of the universe.
Restaurants
Enjoy meals at the Lunch Pad and Orbit Restaurant. Or join
us at Mila's Roadhouse for a table service restaurant reminiscent
of those frequented by the early astronauts. Tour destination
eateries provide lighter fare and numerous specialty concession
stands. Carts are available for refreshments and are conveniently
located around the
facility.
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