Kennedy Space Center | Visiting Florida's

Shuttle Launch

Doorway to the Universe

Kennedy Space Center is the gateway to space exploration. Based on a rich heritage of overcoming challenges and succeeding, the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is an ideal spot to see and even experience some of those challenges first hand.

Located on Florida's east coast, and less than an hour's drive from Orlando, the center makes for an ideal day trip to get away from the theme parks and still have a great time for both those old enough to remember the early days, and those just now forming an impression of America's changing space mission.

Although the shuttle program has ended, visitors to the Kennedy Space Center can still experience what previous astronauts experienced during a shuttle liftoff. Feel the bone-jarring thrust of the shuttle's main engines, the incredible G-force your body feels as your simulator gathers speed to escape Earth's gravitational force. All of this and more at the "Shuttle Launch Experience" a new feature of the Kennedy Space Center.

The future will still involve the Kennedy Space Center. In 2011, it was announced that NASA plans to continue investing in human space exploration and that the Kennedy Space Center will become the newest 21st Century Space Port. The next decade will be a time of redevelopment and renewal, similar to what happened here after the end of the Apollo missions and the beginning of the Shuttle missions.

Seeing first hand

There are several ways to experience the Kennedy Space Center. The massive complex has been scaled into 3 basic visiting options for the millions of tourists that arrive and the space port each year.

General Admission does more than just get you in the front door. With the lowest priced ticket, you get to experience at no additional charge, the Shuttle Launch Experience, all of the IMAX theatre presentations, the Astronauts Memorial, see the famous Launch Complex 39A, experience reliving the Saturn V launch sequence that first sent men to land on the moon and visit the Astronauts Hall of Fame across the Indian River from the Visitor Complex.

The self-paced shuttle bus tours allow visitors to spend as much time as they like at the Launch Complex 39 Observation Gantry and the Apollo/Saturn V Center. The first bus departs at 10 a.m., with continuous departures until 2:15 p.m.

Besides the General Admission Ticket, you can upgrade that experience by including two special Guided Tours that are narrated by a space program expert who gives the tour facts, in-depth information about locations visited by your tour bus.

Kennedy Space Center:
Today and Tomorrow

The 90-minute Then and Now tour takes visitors past the Space Shuttle Launch Pads A and B, The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), Shuttle Landing Facility, Crawler Transporter and the famous gravel Crawlerway. The 2.5 hour will take you through several restricted areas.

Cape Canaveral:
Then and Now

The "Cape Canaveral: Then and Now" tour takes visitors back to what is left of the original Cape Canaveral launch sites, best known for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. You'll also visit the Air Force Space and Missile Museum

Visitors with Pets

Free kennel service is provided for pet owners. The newly renovated kennels include air conditioning. Kennels are locked and must be opened by a Visitor Complex crew member.

Service animals are permitted throughout all exhibits, presentations and bus tours.

ATLANTIS RETURNING

It was announced in April 2011, that the orbiter Atlantis would be a part of a new shuttle complex at the Kennedy Space Center set to open in 2013.

Sending Man to the Moon

When you think of the great achievements mankind has made, one of the greatest was sending man to the moon. The heart of that effort was located along Florida's east coast where we had been testing rocket flight for over a decade.

June 11, 1957: The first launching attempt of an Atlas missile from Cape Canaveral was made, but it exploded shortly after takeoff, at about 10,000 feet. A few months later a Thor missile was launched from Cape Canaveral, but exploded 96 seconds later. On October 4 of that year, the Soviet Union successfully launched the first, Earth satellite, Sputnik I. The race was on to conquer space travel and be the first to successfully land men on the moon.

The following year National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created by congress for the peaceful exploration of outer space. During that year missile launches were almost a weekly occurrence at Cape Canaveral. Later that year, NASA announced the formation of the Project Mercury program that would be America's first attempt to put a man in space.

From those early days of space exploration, America had many successes and several disasters. Visitors to the Kennedy Space Center can see many of those rockets used during the early days when they walk through the Rocket Garden where a number of important rockets are located, including the Atlas missile used in Project Mercury that first put an American into space.

Cape Canaveral Weather Forecast, FL

ABOVE: APOLLO 14 CAPSULE

Visit the exciting Kennedy Space Center and learn everything about our travels in space. Tour Kennedy Space Center, see IMAX space movies, and view all of the exhibits and shows KSC has to offer. This tour also includes the Astronaut Hall of Fame and interactive space-flight simulators.

Family Visits

Touring the Space Center
with Your Family

If you're doing the Orlando theme park vacation plan, you might want to take a day off and see something else besides oversized cartoon characters. The answer is just 1 hour away at the Kennedy Space Center which totally family friendly.

It is very difficult to not take a full day to visit the facility. So much is covered, even in the basic gate admission. Speaking of which, there are Adult Admissions and Child Admissions for kids 3 - 11. There are also discounts for Active Duty U.S. Military, Seniors 55 and older, and residents of Brevard County with up to 6 guests (requires valid ID)

Your Basic Admission gives you access to the shuttle bus system that takes you from the NASA Visitor Center to the LC-39 Observation Gantry, to the Apollo / Saturn V Center and back to the NASA Visitor Center. Your ticket also gets you into all shows, exhibits and IMAX movies, plus entry into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (which is located on the road into the NASA Visitor Center.

The basic admission may be used for a second day if used within seven days of original purchase. ID is required.

To this ticket you can also add the "Lunch with an Astronaut" option. For families with larger kids, this might be a good deal. For small kids, not so much. The daily luncheon is a great way for your kids to experience a positive encounter with an accomplished adult that helps drive home hard work, dedication and a good education are key elements to success.

The luncheon program has a question and answer session, mission briefing plus personal stories of space travel told by one of the 300 or so people who have actually experienced space flight. Lunch With an Astronaut" is offered daily at 12:30 p.m. (seating is at 12:15) and tickets must be purchased before hand. Seating is limited and unless purchased in advance of your visit, they may sell out.

Cafe

Other meal options

There are several cafeteria style food options at both the Saturn V Complex and the NASA Visitor Center. Meals are a little more in cost than a typical fast food restaurant.

Curiosity Explorer

Another Martian UFO Detected

In August 2012, Earth time, alert Martians may have witnessed another unidentified flying object (UFO) moving across the Martian sky. For the Martians the saucer shaped disc seemed to defy gravity as it descended to the surface. This would be just another report of the some 47 sighting dating back over 50 years.

Almost immediately after touch down the apparently unmanned craft began unfolding its robotic arms and within a few days began what appeared to be under control of some higher intelligence. Time will tell if this machine has either good or bad intentions.

Photo by: JohnTraveler.com

Apollo / Saturn 5 Center

Apollo / Saturn V Center Millions of people held their breath while a single man stepped onto the moon's surface – a journey that began just a short distance from where the Apollo/Saturn V Center stands today.

See the largest rocket ever made

For those who remember, the event remains in their minds just as those footprints remain in the lunar soil. Here, in a spacious facility featuring a real Saturn V rocket, the Apollo program returns spectacularly to life. The Apollo/Saturn V Center is a tribute to the Apollo astronauts and the machines that got them there – and brought them home safely.

Young Astronauts

Rover The main show, Explorers Wanted, runs twice an hour, transforming the exhibit into a live theater environment. New destinations for space travel are introduced as space pioneers of tomorrow are invited to embark on new missions and embrace the challenges of future space exploration.

Rocket Garden

The Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center allows visitors to casually stroll through the tall giants that were once the star attractions on launch day. See the vehicles that first took American's into space. Sit inside the tiny Mercury capsule and imagine being blasted off atop one of the massive Atlas rockets that historically were more likely to explode on take-off than to deliver its payload into orbit.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open at 9:00 a.m. daily, except December 25 and certain launch days and closing time varies with the seasons. For more information call 321-449-4444 or TTY: 321-454-4198 or visit:

KennedySpaceCenter.com

End of an era

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