Kennedy Space Center

Following a short drive out to the coast, we arrived at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. Since the last launch of the Space Shuttle, the center has become more of a museum than a working launch facility. The shuttles are currently being decommissioned, and will then be transported to various locations for permanent display.

This is the construction building, large enough to hold 4 Saturn rockets simultaneously. FYI, the Saturn rockets are taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Another view of the same building, showing the huge doors that allow the rockets to be transported in a vertical position to the launch sites.

One of the launch sites and tower.


This is the actual control room that was used during shuttle flights.

The business end of a Saturn Rocket.

This is an actual Saturn rocket with the various stages separated to show how the rocket works. The bottom stages are nothing but large fuel canisters and the rocket motor to propel the last stage and astronauts into space.

At the very tip of the rocket is where the astronauts ride. The cut-away section you see here contains the lunar lander, the vehicle that will allow them to blast off the moon and re-connect with the mother ship and the re-entry capsule for the return to earth. The pointy thing at the very top with the red base is a small rocket that can be used to allow the astronauts to eject from the main rocket if a problem should occur during initial liftoff. It is jettisoned once liftoff is complete and it is no longer useful.

This is the rocket that powers the third stage of the Saturn Rocket

A view inside the area where the astronauts live during their ride to the moon.

The is the other side of the module seen above.

One of the actual re-entry vehicles that astronauts rode back to earth.

One of the space suits that was worn on the moon.

A control module on one of the lunar vehicles.

Home, sweet home, for the journey.

Betty sat inside on the of cockpits on one of the smaller rockets -- you would actually sit with your back on the floor, facing up.An early soviet orbiter.

This is the actual control room that was used for the first U.S. manned space flight. It is pretty primitive by today's standards.

A look inside the cockpit of the space shuttle.

This display puts the size of these rockets in perspective.

A prototype of the Mars rover.

Another specialty device used to go out from the rover, gather samples and perform various tests.

There are a couple very good movies about the space program and astronaut training.