Our day was spent at the Kennedy Space Centre. For anyone with an interest in space exploration, it's an absolute must!
The Centre was only about fifteen minutes drive from the hotel. We had made reservations on-line for a guided tour, rather than just taking one of the shuttle buses that go around the Centre.
We parked the cars and went into the Visitor Complex. Bob and Thelma had their photos taken alongside an 'astronaut'. That's Bob on the right, not in the centre!
Once through the main entrance, Bob and Thelma took one of the shuttle buses and we went into the Rocket Garden. What an amazing collection of rockets! They have every type of rocket that has been used for launching satellites and humans since the Space Age began in the early 1960s.
Below is the Saturn 1 rocket. This was the first purpose-built rocket for manned space flight, as opposed to using rockets that were developed for military use. I thought this was huge but, when later in the day we saw the Saturn V, I couldn't believe how small it was in comparison!
The actual gantry used by Neil Armstrong when he boarded Apollo 11. We both walked along it and then looked into the mock-up of the tiny capsule the three astronauts used to fly to the moon.
Here I am walking in Armstrong's footsteps, but not all the way to the Moon!
We then boarded our 12 noon tour bus which took us around the huge site, visiting many of the places that have become famous for the part they played in space history.
Here, in the distance, is a rocket being prepared for one of the privately operated supply flights to the Space Station. Under President Obama's review of NASA missions, it has been decided that NASA will concentrate on unmanned and deep space manned missions, leaving the low-orbit manned missions to the private sector.
The gigantic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) used for the Apollo Saturn V rockets and the Shuttle missions.
The photo below was taken inside the building, looking up over 500 feet to the roof! The doors are nearly 500 feet tall! Everything about the building is on a gigantic scale and the only way I can describe my feeling at the time was one of awe.
The yellow structures are two cranes. The lower one is capable of lifting 175 tons and the higher crane can lift 350 tons.
The Airstream caravan used to transport the Apollo astronauts from their preparation building to the Saturn rocket.
Another view of the VAB.
To the left of the VAB is the Launch Control building, the closest anyone is allowed to be at the time of a launch - over three miles away!
A final look at this amazing building.
Launch pad 39A, famous for Apollo and Shuttle launches.
The structure on the right-hand side of the launch tower is a hinged support gantry that was swung to the side when the Shuttle was launched.
Me, talking with our very knowledgeable tour guide, who was a lecturer at the education centre.
Looking towards Launch Pad 39A.
Launch Pad 39B, which was used only once for an Apollo launch. It is now being converted to accommodate the new rocket launch system that NASA is developing as the successor to the Space Shuttle.
The gravel roadway used by the enormous transporter to move the Saturn V rockets and the Space Shuttle from the VAB to the launch pads. It is wider than an eight-lane highway!
A long-range photo of the transporter. Each segment of its tracks weighs over a ton! To get a better picture, just click on the photo to enlarge it.
We then stopped at the Apollo/Saturn V Centre. To stand under the largest rocket ever made was awesome! It is difficult to believe that this huge vehicle could get off the ground, let alone reach the moon.
The five Saturn rocket engines that developed a total of 7.5 million pounds of thrust.
The Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) similar to those used in the moon landings.
Apollo 14's capsule that returned from the moon bearing the scars of the re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.
Finally, we looked at the memorial to the astronauts who have died during America's years of space exploration.
What a great day it has been and one that I will remember for a long time. From now on, each time there is a rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Centre, I will feel a part of this extraordinary place.
In the evening, we drove into Titusville to a Cuban/Mexican restaurant called El Leoncito. The restaurant overlooked the Indian River and, in the distance, we could see the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Centre. We were served by a lovely Albanian waitress, who told us how she and her family had escaped from Albania and settled in the US.
There is now only one day of driving left before we reach Savannah and the end of our wonderful journey across the States.
I have always wanted to go there! It's on my list of must dos in life.
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