Have a Blast at Kennedy Space Center
By Jackie Kutney
If you haven’t yet been to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, definitely add it to your “to do” list the next time you’re in Central Florida. While not in the immediate vicinity of the major Orlando theme parks, it’s only about an hour drive to get there.
I just went to KSC for the first time in almost 30 years, and it was so interesting and fun! We started our visit by attending an overnight program with my kids’ Cub Scout Pack, where we got to see the exhibits without any other crowds and got to sleep underneath Space Shuttle Atlantis. It was awesome! We also got to experience the feel and sounds of a rocket launch in the early morning hours while we were there. The program also included admission to the complex for the next day and we took full advantage of the extra time.
As I previously stated, I was last at KSC when I was on a field trip in 4th grade. Needless to say, the complex has so much more to offer now and I learned so much. (I may have been even more excited than my kids.) I’ll give the rundown of the various areas to explore.
To start, the complex is not at the actual launch site. If I remember correctly, it’s about 7 miles away. However, you can take a bus tour (included with your admission) closer to the launch site to see the Saturn V rocket. On the drive over, you will pass the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). While it’s obviously huge, the bus driver gave us some facts about its size to help us realize just how big it is. The building is so large that the Roman Colosseum could fit on its roof, with room to spare for a parking lot. The American Flag painted on the building is equivalent to a 21-story building; the blue field of stars is the size of an NBA basketball court, and each stripe is wide enough for the bus we rode on to drive on it. Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you will learn about the Apollo missions and lunar exploration, which includes a video with the control center consoles to recreate the original launch. This setup isn’t a mock-up; they are the actual consoles used for the launch. While it happened well before I was born, watching that video, in that setting, made me feel as if I were living through it myself. After that video, you then get to walk under and around the Saturn V rocket. It is massive! This building has some interactive areas, a memorial section dedicated to the three astronauts who died on the Apollo 1 mission, moon rocks (including a small one you can touch) and other artifacts, as well as a café if you’re feeling hungry.
Back at the main complex, one of the first buildings you’ll see is Heroes and Legends. In here, you’ll watch two short videos about the astronauts who helped pave the way for space travel, and then get to walk through the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Next, you’ll come to the Rocket Garden. Several real rockets are standing around the area, along with a few smaller capsules that kids can sit in. Only one rocket is a model; it had to be replaced after a severe storm took down the original rocket.
The next building you’ll come to is Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex. This is a very interactive area with a few simulators. Some of the displays are actual capsules that have been to space (most noted by scorch and burn marks from reentry). My kids had a great time in here and it took a bit of convincing to get them to leave. One of the simulators is a VR experience of the Blue Origin rocket. We didn’t do this one because a reservation was needed (they were easy to make; we just didn’t have time to come back for it). There are also fourother simulators on the second floor at the KSC Spaceport. Each one offers a different experience of flying through the solar system. While they have a 44” height requirement, thesesimulators are pretty mild. I would say it’s like a smaller scale of Soarin’ at Epcot, with some of the extra effects from It’s Tough To Be A Bug from Animal Kingdom. While my kids enjoyed the simulators, we only did two of the four offered because they were ready to move on.
We watched two different movies in the IMAX theater, and my kids took some time to play in the playground area that was also in the same building. The play area has 3 levels and many options to entertain kids; but they do request that you limit your time to 30 minutes. Also, shoes are required at all times, except on the slide (they will hold their shoes to go down and put them back on as soon as they get to the bottom).
Now, I bring you back to the Atlantis building. You can’t miss the huge orange fuel tank and boosters that stands in front of the building. It is the actual size of the fuel tank used for the shuttle. Fun fact I learned: the fuel tank is always orange because painting the tank would make it too heavy to get the shuttle up to space. Upon entering, you’ll watch two short videos before getting to walk around the space shuttle. As with the rocket, the shuttle is enormous. It is also open in the middle so you can see inside the main body of the shuttle, as well as the Canada Arm – a robotic arm built by the Canadians and added to the shuttle. This building has some interactive areas, displays showing living areas for the astronauts as well as various other displays, a slide that brings you downstairs at the same angle at which the shuttle lands, and an area called Forever Remembered. This area is a memorial to the crew members of the Challenger and Columbia space shuttles. It has their pictures and some of their items that were donated, as well as pieces of both shuttles. This was a very emotional area and I had a heavy feeling while walking around there. Before entering, we talked to our kids about the importance of it and that they needed to be reverent while walking through.
Even with all the time we had at KSC Saturday night and most of the day Sunday, there are still few areas we didn’t get to explore. There are also various food options, including a Starbucks, and a large gift shop. Parking is $15 for the day.
I highly recommend checking out Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex the next time you’re in the area. You’ll learn while having fun and leave with a greater appreciation for the bravery and courage of all those astronauts who led the way for today’s space program.
Post-Quarantine Observations~ Kennedy Space Center
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