On Sunday we drove over to Kennedy Space Center. The last time we toured Kennedy Space Center was in 1976. Lots of changes since then. We boarded a bus for a tour of the Kennedy Space Center getting off the bus at the Launch Complex 39 Observation Gantry and the Apollo/Saturn V Center. From the Observation Gantry you get a view of the Launch Pads, Assembly Building, Launch Control Center and Cape Canaveral AFB. We then went to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. The tour begins in the Firing Room Theater. The theater is an authentic representation of the original 1960s, containing the actual consoles NASA used during Apollo. They took us through a re-creation of the first manned lunar landing mission, Apollo 11. The centerpiece of the Center is a fully restored Saturn V rocket. The Apollo center has many interesting displays including samples of moon rock, space suits and Apollo 14 Command module. Riding the bus back to the visitors center we saw lots of birds, turtle, small alligator and some wild pigs. At the visitors center we went to the IMAX theatre for a 3-D film on the International Space Station. Then we walked around the Rocket Garden and the Astronauts Memorial. Lots to do and see. A full day of fun.
Vehicle Assembly Building
Just a couple of the many wild pigs that live in the area
Complex 39 Observation Gantry - 60 feet tall.
View of Launch pad originally constructed for Apollo
Program Saturn V rockets. They were modified for
Space Shuttle launches
Space Shuttle Explorer, a full scale replica, waiting to be
put on a barge and taken to Houston, Texas
Inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center
Apollo 14 Command Module
Rocket Garden
T-38 was used for astronaut training
Rocket Garden all lit up
All the Christmas lights were turned on as we were leaving
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