our visit to the Kennedy Space Center

As we continue our leisurely drive around the Sunshine State, one particular attraction we planned to see has long been in my husband's wish list. With his keen interest in anything space-related, this was a must-see for us. A highly-recommended tourist attraction on this part of the state, the educational exhibits and well-organized tour around the Kennedy Space Center  were outstanding, but for us, the most impressive was the space shuttle Atlantis presentation and exhibit. It started with a short movie detailing the challenges in designing the space shuttle then ending with a dramatic unveiling of Atlantis. I have to say that it was an out of this world experience seeing it for the first time up close. Another unforgettable interactive experience that shouldn't be missed was the space shuttle flight simulation. Although I was a bit apprehensive to try it at first, it turned out to be quite enjoyable :-) I have more appreciation for space travel and exploration history after our visit. The many achievements of the US in this field is phenomenal and something Americans should be proud of.

As shown in the photo collage above (1) the main entrance with the rocket garden (2) a full scale replica of the powerful booster rockets and fuel tank greets the visitor by the entrance (3) in its brand new building, the exhibit opened only last year, the dramatic display of Atlantis (4) the massive VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) as seen from the KSC bus tour (5) one of the many informative indoor exhibits, this one tackles what and how astronauts eat in space (6) a family is seen dwarfed by the Atlantis booster rockets (7) the launch pad as seen from our tour bus (8) lunar module hanging by the Saturn V display (9) replica of the mission control room.

The Apollo 11 exhibit took me back many years when, like the rest of the world, my family and I were glued to our small black and white tv in Manila as we watched Neil Armstrong's first step on the surface of the moon.

impressive Saturn V display

main entrance