Would you like to walk in the footsteps of the astronauts during your trip in the state of Florida and experience the place where the mission to the moon began? Then the NASA visitor center is the perfect place for it. We have put together the sights for you here that you should definitely not miss on a day trip to the spaceport. For example, the area can be perfectly integrated into a round trip if you are already in the corner and visiting the city of Orlando, for example.
Heroes & Legends
The countdown to the launch of the first rockets inspired a nation to reach for the stars. Discover what it means to be a hero in the Heroes & Legends room. The US Astronaut Hall of Fame® presented by Boeing® tells the stories of NASA’s space pioneers. You can stroll through the Rocket Garden here and appreciate the technology that ultimately brought the astronauts to the moon. In the Rocket Garden there is an open-air exhibition with discarded space rockets. These are historical rockets from different generations that allow an excellent introduction to the history of space travel here in the open air.
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Apollo / Saturn V Center: Race To The Moon
There are moments in American history that will remain unforgettable. One of them is the Apollo moon mission, which moves into the center of the action in this section. The Apollo / Saturn V Center pays homage to the people and machines who made the incredible possible and achieved something with the moon missions that mankind never dared to dream of. Here you can visit the gigantic Saturn V moon rocket, among other things. It’s the biggest rocket that ever flew. In addition, there are interactive and appealing exhibits from the Apollo era and a simulated control center allows you to experience what mankind felt when astronauts in their space suits landed on the moon for the first time during a moon mission with the moon rocket.
The Saturn V rocket is the type of rocket that once took people into space. You can walk under the giant Saturn V launcher here on the Florida site and experience how big this colossus really is and empathize with how much power it takes to bring spaceships and more into space. Because the rocket is 18 meters high and 111 meters long, higher than the Statue of Liberty. The rocket in the exhibition on the Florida site is not a replica, but one of the three remaining Saturn V rockets in the USA. The guided tour of the rocket is only available during the Kennedy Space Center bus tour.
And if you want, you can even touch real moon rocks behind a glass pane in the building. This is only a comparatively small piece of moon rock, but nonetheless it is a great opportunity to touch the moon once in a lifetime thanks to the original moon rock. The Apollo 11 landing capsule is also on display here.
Relive the moon landing in the Lunar Theater
Millions of people held their breath when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped on the moon for the first time in human history in the late 1960s. In the Lunar Theater you can see on the screen and feel how people fared when the following words were spoken from the surface of the moon when the moon landed: “Houston, Tranquility Base her… the Eagle is landed”.
With the help of 3D cinema elements, original NASA footage and other recordings, you can use the Lunar theater empathize with the events of that historic day in July 1969. This moon landing day was also the day on which Neil Armstrong said the legendary words: ” That’s one small step for a man… one… giant leap for mankind ” (This is a small step for man… a… giant leap for mankind) spoke. The performance lasts ten minutes.
NASA’S SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM
The space shuttle is a spaceship like no other and is one of the great achievements in space travel. It is a space shuttle that took off like a rocket into the sky and landed like a glider and transported astronauts into space and back again for thirty years. One of the best known is probably the Discovery. In this area, this American icon takes center stage. You can tour the Space Shuttle Atlantis®, learn more about the shuttle missions that secured the future of the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. It’s an interactive area where you can learn how to dock and land the shuttle with the help of simulators. An absolute highlight is that Shuttle Launch Experience®, where you can feel in detail what forces act on the body when a space shuttle starts. A real experience!
The entrance to the home of the space shuttle Atlantis can hardly be missed and the space shuttle itself offers an unforgettable experience. Because the interesting exhibition of the space shuttle is designed in such a way that Atlantis is shown in a form as it was seen by the astronauts while flying in space. It is one of three space shuttles on display in the United States.
NASA Now + Next
The Apollo mission is long history and the moon is no longer unknown after several moon landings. But everything that is outside of our earth is far from being explored. In the NASA Now + Next area, the current and future missions of NASA are in the foreground and you can get an insight into the science of the current missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and the upcoming missions for exploring space.
Space films give unforgettable insights
Do you love IMAX cinemas? Then you will certainly get your money’s worth in the Kennedy Space Center. Because here are the only adjacent IMAX cinemas in the world. The screens are five stories high and a visit to the space films is already included in the entrance fee.
One of these space films is “Journey to Space 3D”, which shows NASA’s plans for the future and also takes a look back. Other space films are “A Beautiful Planet 3D”, in which you can see the earth from the perspective of an astronaut in the IMAX cinema. Or you can do at ” Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted “A trip to Mars.
In the Mission Zone Nasa Now + Next you will also have the opportunity to see the spacecraft with which the astronauts are setting off into space.
Attention : The IMAX cinema is currently being renovated. “Journey to Mars” is therefore currently not shown in the IMAX cinema, but on the area behind the Space Shuttle Atlantis®. The film lasts about an hour. It is best to see the program when you arrive for the exact times.
Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour
In the Mission Zone Behind the Gates, visitors can enter the areas of the Kennedy Space Center that are closed to visitors in an air-conditioned coach. This is where space travel is located, the place where America took off to the moon, and the place where NASA plans to send astronauts into space. During the guided bus tour you can view exclusive areas such as the 39B launch complex, the control center, one or the other launch pad for space flights or the vehicle assembly building from close up and you will learn more about NASA and space exploration from experts during the bus tour.
Among other things, you can see the memorial for the crew of Apollo 1, which once burned in its capsule on the launch pad. The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) is absolutely impressive. With a height of 160 meters, the Vehicle Assembly Building is one of the largest halls in the world and the place where the Saturn V moon rocket was assembled. Unfortunately, you cannot take a look inside the building in which the Saturn rockets for the space missions were assembled vertically. The Shuttle Landing Facility, which serves as the runway for the US space shuttle, is located approximately 3.2 kilometers northwest of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
Fly with an astronaut
With ” Fly with an astronaut ”You can tour NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with an experienced astronaut as a guide. On this activity, you are part of a small group and with an experienced space explorer at your side, you can tour the birthplace of the American space program, the Space Shuttle Atlantis® and many other achievements. The Shuttle Launch Experience® offers an interactive flight experience. The program also includes the bus tour and a private lunch with the astronaut and their small group. A great autographed photo from your astronaut guide included.
Tip: It is best to plan your day trip to the Kennedy Space Center with the Kennedy Space Center Official Guide App so as not to miss any exciting attractions.
