For any future astronauts and general astronomers that are intrigued by life beyond planet Earth, the Kennedy Space Centre is a must visit for any central Florida holiday.
Located less than an hour away from the popular Orlando area, the space centre is more than worth the journey.
Located on the east coast of Cape Canaveral, visitors can explore real retired rockets, training simulators, movies and the largest collection of NASA and space artifacts.
Walking through the main gates you’re greeted by the impressive Rocket Garden, home to nine magnificent rockets of different shapes and sizes. One of the original attractions of KSC, you can wander through the garden reading up on the space rockets and their notable missions.
One of the most famous space shuttles is Atlantis. With a whole area dedicated to Atlantis’ missions, it’s a wonderful display of cinematic storytelling from the people that created it to those that completed missions in it. The sprawling rocket, displayed at a very specific 43.21-degree angle, is pretty spectacular. Displayed specifically to allow you to see inside the shuttle, you can explore above and below it at your leisure.
Throughout this space, there are several interactive hands-on activities you can partake in to learn more about space travel, including the opportunity to experience a real life rocket simulator. The Shuttle Launch Experience is where guests can discover what it is really like in those final seconds before you leave earth and head into the atmosphere. The motion sensors, special effects and high quality visuals simulate the key moments experienced during a launch while the narrator talks you through what is happening. The quick journey from earth includes some stunning views of Earth from space.
If all the walking is tiring, hop on the bus tour that takes visitors to the NASA launch site about ten minutes away. The humorous guides keep guests entertained as they drive round several launch pads with lots of facts about activity on site; however the magic is from the exclusive access the tour provides as you take in iconic launchpad sites and the Vehicle Assembly Building at a staggering 525ft tall, a humongous structure that preps rockets ahead of launch.
The bus tour stops at the Launch Experience Expedition, a second visitor building that is home to another collection of engineering and space achievements. Reviewing the Space Race, it’s an interactive educational overview that takes you back to the achievements of the first man on the moon.
If you time your visit well, you may be in luck and witness a live rocket launch. We missed a SpaceX launch by days, so it is worth checking the website regularly for up to date information.
Where many museums often fall short, Kennedy Space Center has taken the complex notion of all things space, and turned the subject into one of the most engaging displays in the world. Capturing the minds of young and old alike, it’s definitely information overload but cleverly curated using lots of interactive experiences to leave every single visitor feeling enriched, fulfilled and thoughtful about the art of the possible.
Single-day admission is $75 per adult and $65 per child. Included with admission is the all-new Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex, Heroes & Legends, featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, space films, the Rocket Garden, Planet Play and the Apollo/Saturn V Center. For further information, visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
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