Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Day 27: Orlando - Kennedy Space Centre
June 22: My day today was spent at the John F Kennedy Space Centre (caught a bus from Orlando). Did an additional tour where I got to see the International Space Station exhibit and get closer to the launch pads at Cape Canaveral (which actually had a fuel container and one launch engine attached as a Delta satellite mission was meant to be leaving this Friday but now got postponed to July some time), as well as the Vehicle Assembly Building, but we weren't allowed inside it. In one building however, we did see the vehicles that are loaded up and sent to space (through a viewing platform) - that was really interesting, as one is meant top be leaving in August sometime to go up to the International Space Station (ISS). Lots of replicas around the place too of rockets previously used and what the ISS currently looks like.
As part of the general admission you got to see a simulation of a shuttle launch, the 1969 moon landing and the Saturn V rocket used in many Apollo space missions, as well as Imax movies about space - I saw the 3D astronaut experience one.
I also touched a piece of 'moon rock', Mars, saw the Astronaut Memorial (including one for those who died in the 2002 Colombia accident where the shuttle disintegrated upon its return to Earth)... and I met a real-life astronaut (David Baha) too. That Q&A session was very interesting... he has done 7 missions into space.
On the drive home, saw some interesting birds and eagles, alligators in the Banana River and dolphins swimming passed too.
Had a great day.
Tonight, I also headed to Downtown Disney to have dinner and check out the shops at the Marketplace... as well as dance the night away at Pleasure Island. Lots of fun, enjoyed a comedy show at the Adventure Club too, and surprisingly met some Aussies in town for a conference.
As part of the general admission you got to see a simulation of a shuttle launch, the 1969 moon landing and the Saturn V rocket used in many Apollo space missions, as well as Imax movies about space - I saw the 3D astronaut experience one.
I also touched a piece of 'moon rock', Mars, saw the Astronaut Memorial (including one for those who died in the 2002 Colombia accident where the shuttle disintegrated upon its return to Earth)... and I met a real-life astronaut (David Baha) too. That Q&A session was very interesting... he has done 7 missions into space.
On the drive home, saw some interesting birds and eagles, alligators in the Banana River and dolphins swimming passed too.
Had a great day.
Tonight, I also headed to Downtown Disney to have dinner and check out the shops at the Marketplace... as well as dance the night away at Pleasure Island. Lots of fun, enjoyed a comedy show at the Adventure Club too, and surprisingly met some Aussies in town for a conference.
# posted by mishij @ 3:11 PM 
