Kennedy Space Center

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik into space in 1957. I was four years old and not too concerned about the political or military implications. The American space journey became a part of the background of my childhood. I have vague memories of John Glenn doing something in space. I remember the news of the tragic fire that killed the three astronauts of Apollo 1 in 1967. All that happened before I entered high school.

I remember watching television and seeing the landing of a man on the moon in 1969 when I was 15. I remember listening to Walter Cronkite reporting it. My childhood was never without a space program and the American desire to be first to the moon. The moon landing was a logical, inevitable next step in my teen understanding. Despite my naivete about what this accomplishment required, I had some limited notion that it was more than that for Walter Cronkite and my parents and others of that age. Now I understand that they were more focused on the second part of Armstrong’s quote, while I was most excited about the first part. You remember the statement, but here it is anyway, “That’s one small step for [a] man and one giant leap for mankind.”

Fast forward 53 years after the moon landing. I went with my family to visit the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Complex of NASA’s Cape Canaveral. Those first missions were launched at Cape Canaveral, and much of the space program returned after an interlude based in Houston. The visit rekindled my childhood memories and expanded my knowledge of space travel developments after man set foot on the moon. Of course, we didn’t see it all, but these are two of my favorite experiences.

APOLLO/SATURN V Center

This Center had an extraordinary collection of space program equipment that had been used in the program or built for the program and then not used. For example, the Saturn V Rocket is a 363-foot-long moon rocket hanging from the ceiling. It’s longer than a football field. Every human who went to the moon rode at the top of one of these rockets. Thirteen of these rockets were launched. This is one of three remaining in the United States.

The actual consoles used during the Apollo 8 launch to the moon are still in the location

where they were used at that time. The scene was complete with ashtrays. There is seating at the back of the room where you listen to a replay of a recording of the countdown from two minutes out, with all the system checks voiced audibly.

Finally, there was Lunar Module 9 built for Apollo 15. This module was readied for use but ultimately replaced with a larger one before the mission. Lunar Module 9 is surrounded by a replication of the scene when Aldrin and Armstrong planted the American flag on the lunar surface. The lunar module vehicle landed humans on the moon and lifted them off again. Nearby, in an interpretive area with serious security cameras everywhere, there were moon rocks on display and one tiny sliver you could touch. This area also displayed ten or more spacesuits showing their evolution over time.

SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

The space shuttle on display in this center is one of three in the U.S. flown in space. When I first saw it, I was surprised by the size and odd way it was displayed almost on its side and with a good bit of one side off. This is how astronauts saw the shuttle in space. It’s rotated 43.21 degrees with payload doors open, and Canadarm extended.

This is how it looked, as it was undocked from the International Space Station. (Source: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/). A short video explained how NASA went from one-time use spaceships to the shuttle, which landed like a glider and could be reused many times. There were many challenges with re-entry, including reducing the speed and managing the heat on the surface of the orbiter.

The KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX

The KSC had limited government funding until 1995. That investment was, for the most part, a contribution of NASA hardware no longer in use. After that, the complex was improved and expanded with private investment and visitor-generated funds. Today the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is operated for NASA by a private contractor and is entirely visitor-funded.

In addition to the centers described previously, there is an IMAX theatre with daily screenings of a rotation of movies. There were many interpretive displays and five-minute videos. There were a few acknowledgments of the space program’s human losses in the Visitor Complex. Still, a separate organization, The Astronauts Memorial Foundation, maintains a memorial for fallen astronauts nearby. There were many kid activities, restaurants, and gift shops. There are add-ons available to the primary activities covered in the ticket price, which is 75 dollars for adults. Those additional activities would require more than a one-day visit.

KSC required much standing and walking. We went on a weekday in February. The visitor load was comfortable. I can’t imagine what it might be like in the summer when kids are out of school and families are taking vacations in Florida. The distance between Cape Canaveral and the Orlando theme parks is only about 60 miles. There are also miles of beaches on either side of the KSC Visitor Complex.

The center has tickets for viewing stands of the frequent rocket launches of Space X for moving satellites into space. Space X also transports astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Unfortunately, scheduled launches are frequently scrubbed due to weather and last-minute adjustments. Threats of hurricanes in 2022 forced several delays. So, there is never a certainty that you will get to see it after you have traveled there. The rockets can be seen streaking through the sky from Jacksonville, Florida, and other parts of the state, but not the rocket’s firing for lift-off. Click here for a link to the local news in Jacksonville reporting on a launch in May 2022.

Closing Thoughts

The learning opportunities were high quality and accessible for all levels of prior knowledge. The interpretive displays and videos were a balanced blend for the history buff and the technology geek. We had a few of each in our group. I was surprised by both what I remembered and what I had forgotten. My biggest takeaway was the reminder of how much was unknown and how much courage it took to be the first at each new space travel and exploration stage. It is easy to forget as space travel has become almost routine with repeated journeys to the International Space Station.

On November 16, 2022, Artemis I launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex. Artemis I is the first step in a program to resume human exploration of the Moon and expand it, eventually, to Mars. This was fifty years after President John Kennedy pledged, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." I am glad to see these efforts back because there is more to learn.