3, 2, 1… LIFT OFF! Get Ready to Explore NASA

By Miriam Porter

While visiting Orlando, my son, Noah, and I take a road trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. We love all things space themed (thanks for the inspiration, Chris Hadfield!), and this is the perfect adventure to celebrate Neil Armstrong landing on the moon 50 years ago.

Plan your trip accordingly to be part of a live rocket launch viewing at the Space Center or Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Watch in amazement as the countdown to lift off starts with the rocket engine igniting to flashing fire and the world around you rumbles as it soars into space. Check the Kennedy Space Center website for upcoming launch dates.

While touring Atlantis, we meet volunteer Jean Wright. She captivates us with stories about following her dream since she was little to work for NASA. She worked as an Aerospace Tech for seven years and sewed together critical shuttle flight hardware for space missions.

We examine shuttle fabrics while listening to her stories about the human element behind the technological science of space, never giving up on your dreams, and always reaching for the stars.

We enjoy a delicious buffet lunch and listen to inspiring astronaut Fred Gregory, who logged approximately 455 hours in space over three missions and was a pilot for the Orbiter Challenger. Dine With An Astronaut is the perfect opportunity to be part of a group and listen to astronaut stories about living and working in space. Afterwards, you can ask the astronaut questions and take photos.

We were wide-eyed at the close-up view of the iconic Space Shuttle Atlantis. This space shuttle transported astronauts to space and back for 30 years and is the only space shuttle displayed in flight. There are also more than 60 interactive exhibits about the history and technology used in the Space Shuttle Program.

We love the astronaut training simulators, shuttle launch experience and Hubble Space Telescope replica. We pay our respects at the Forever Remembered Memorial honouring astronauts who lost their lives during space missions.

This behind-the-scenes bus tour lets visitors access restricted areas of the Kennedy Space Center. We drive by critical mission facilities and learn about launch sites, including Launch Complex 39B, for deep space missions to the moon and Mars.

It’s where Apollo 10 rehearsed the first moon landing in 1969. The 45-minute tour ends at the Apollo/Saturn V Center where we see the largest rocket ever flown, visit the Firing Room, and touch a moon rock estimated to be 3.7 billion years old.