An open door to NASA

Before continuing our holiday my family and I had one last Royal Caribbean Excursion. We had picked a guided tour of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, situated on Merritt Island Florida, to complete our journey.

Our guide picked my group up from the ship, and by bus and we headed through the streets of Orlando and towards NASA. As we drove, the guide gave us a very boring unenthusiastic running commentary of each bird she saw and some of the buildings we passed so when the bus stopped in NASA's car park I could have ran off. The group walked through the rocket garden to get to our first location which was the visitor's complex. This is grouped into Mission Zones from the beginning of space exploration to present missions; here we decided to visit the Heroes and Legends zone first. When we walked in we experienced the launch of the space age with astronaut pioneers in a blend of 4D multi-sensory theatre and real artefacts. These included a Redstone rocket hanging from the ceiling above along with a Sigma 7 capsule and a close look at Gemini's green capsule suspended above us all.

Neil Armstrong's space suit

When the group left the Heroes and Legends zone we headed back through the rocket garden to get to Space Shuttle Atlantis. We all entered the zone through double sliding doors which was dark inside with only spotlights. Immediately we had to walk up a long spiral walkway that led us to the top of a Shuttle Launch Experience. Once we reached the top the group all picked a seat in the shuttle and we were given a prelaunch rundown by veteran space shuttle commander Charles Bolden. Then everyone was told to strap their selves in as the doors shut and everyone's seats started to move up and down. The coolest thing was we all felt like there was zero gravity.

Once the Shuttle Launch Experience was over we exited from the opposite side. This took us into the entrance complex for Space Shuttle Atlantis, a full-scale space shuttle built upon two rocket boosters and orange exterior tank which was one of three space-flown shuttles displayed in America. Space Shuttle Atlantis had its payload doors open, was rotated 43.21 degrees and Canadarm extended so that it looked as if it had just separated from the International Space Station.

Space Shuttle Atlantis

After our group had saw Space Shuttle Atlantis and finished taking pictures it was time to head back to the bus where we would be meeting a space guide (Emily Calandrelli) who would be taking everyone to see the launch pads, I was so excited. First the bus went passed the NASA astronaut training facility. Here all astronauts are trained for going into space, such as taught how to sleep standing up, train for microgravity, learn the basics of a Space Shuttle and International Space Station, flying the NASA T-38 training jets and lots more. This training takes up to two years and they also have regular health checks before and after missions.

The bus then headed out towards launch compound 39B and the Vehicle Assembly Building. Launch pad 39B is one of three launch pads at Merritt Island with 39A and 39C becoming inactive after the space shuttle period. After a short drive the bus stopped beside the Vehicle Assembly Building and even though it was massive I was stunned at how a rocket could be built inside. Later on the bus also stopped and we got to see a platform that the rockets are transported in to the launch pads and I was amazed at how they would be able to handle such weight. Then the bus carried on and the excitement grew as we got closer to 39B and we could see it wasn't far away.

Once we reached the launch pad Emily said we could go and take pictures outside. The moment felt surreal as I couldn't believe I would get to say in my lifetime I have saw a launch pad at NASA and was beside it, this definitely was my favourite part of visiting NASA.

Launch Pad 39B

Rocket Transportation Platform

When my group had finished viewing and taking pictures of Launch Pad 39B we made it back onto the bus to head to our final destination in NASA which was the Apollo/Saturn V Centre. Once we arrived we walked into what looked like a gigantic aircraft hanger to find a massive Saturn V moon rocket hanging from the ceiling that we were able to walk under. Saturn V is 111 meters long and 18 meters tall making it the largest rocket ever to be flown through space. It is also made up of 3 parts, all of which are able to be seen in unbelievable detail. Even though NASA did send 13 Saturn V rockets into space between 1967 and 1972, Merritt Island's is one of three to still remain in America.

After my family and I had finished walking around Saturn V we went to get some lunch just like the rest of the group as there was a limited time left at NASA due to everyone catching flights. The guide gave us the option of eating on benches outside or we could sit under Saturn V. My dad and I decided to go outside and as soon as we stepped out we where faced by an alligator from the river running beside the hanger so immediate ran back inside. Once we had finished we had only a few minutes to look around so my brother and I went to look at some lunar samples.

It was soon time for the group to collect all our belongings and head back to the bus so everyone could go to the airport however, my family and I weren't going back to the UK just yet instead we would be travelling to somewhere else in America.

Part 2 of 3