Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canaveral

What a fantastic place to visit on a rainy day here in Florida.

Our Beach and pier in front of the sites

One of the many birds that are around

Was nice to pull in here to Manatee Hammock RV Resort on Monday, set up and go to the warm clean pool. Of course we met some people from Florida here, and some from Vancouver Island. Was funny talking with people here that lived on the Island before, even if it was a long time ago. We stayed in the pool till the warden came and gave us the heave ho, said there was a lightning warning, so all out. He was kinda panicked, but we all got out slowly, and made our way to our trailers, and then the rains came. Nice this rain where you get out after, and it is all dried up in minutes. Took Bosco for a walk later, and checked out our new digs, was right on the water! Just so lucky to get a spot looking at the water again. Bosco likes to go after the geckos, and would love to chase some of these too many squirrels, but I keep him on leash, and close. Will stay here 3 nights. Tonight the Voice on TV.

On

Bosco making the long walk

Looking at our RV park from the pier

Bridge opens on the way to the Cape

Geckos everywhere here

From the RV Park you see the shuttle rockets on display at the Kennedy Space Centre

Rocket assembly building from our RV park

This one you see the full length

Our RV Park is right across the water from the base, so before we even went we could see it. We saw the huge building where the assemble the rockets, as well as a rocket that would attach to the Space Shuttle. We had some recent advice from others that had been the day before, and we knew to be there early and take the bus first, as will see so much more early. We saw the Base, and the machines as we went, but the driver was so good about stopping to look at Alligators, many birds and there names. We found out that the whole cape is a protected area, so animals that live there are not being hunted, and destroyed. We even saw one big turtle, digging his home in the sand. As we rode around on the base we saw where they assemble the rockets, and how they transport them to the launch pad where they will take off. The Crawler that they use for moving the rocket is huge, and as we went by they were moving one, without a rocket on it. The driver gave us a gallon per minute figure for one of these to move, can't remember exactly but was a huge amount of fuel to get the rocket to the launch pad.

Big Gator in the ditch at the Space Centre

Once we had driven around we stopped and got out at a building that housed the Saturn-V 363 feet tall, we walked into the building and stood to watch a presentation that brought us back to when the space program started, and how it was a race to get a man in space, and the cold war was on, so Russia wasn't sharing info with others, it was a competition, and the USA wasn't doing too good. Then before they got to even getting a rocket into space, JFK announced they would put a man on the moon in the next decade. Well that meant money was going to be put toward this, and changed how many people then went to work on making this happen. 400,000 people were working on this. Wow, can't imagine the cost, didn't hear about that. The achievements and losses were presented, and history unfolded as we learned what it took to get to the time when the Apollo program had men in space, and the first man walk on the moon.

Rockets present past space programs

Rain started as we were waiting for the bus

Where they assemble the rockets

A rocket holding platform

Rocket transporter

Tracks of a transporter

Launch Pad

Launch pad and fuel cell

Antennas around the launch pad for lightning

Assembly building

Command  centre

Next room we were led to a room with many benches that were in levels like a theatre, and down below us we saw the actual instruments that were used by launch control to make this happen. Above them were 3 screens that displayed the presentation, and told the story of the launch. As we watched the astronauts get on the ship, and the countdown start, then as it got to 2 minutes the floor shook, and our seats vibrated, and we all though we were there for a moment as the rocket blasted off closer than anybody would have been, right in-front of us. All the time the control panels lit up, and the people voices were heard making checks, and times were being counted, was exactly like what it was is what we all thought. What a great way to show us how it was then. The men are shown on the moon, and the problems they had were shown, and how difficult it was, we all had a very good idea this was a huge achievement.

As we walk into the huge room

WOW!

Size matters here!

Satellite

Like a Canadian in space
 I play my Guitar 

Touch the Moon rock

Moon rover vehicle with Metal mesh tires

Next room was amazing, as we walked through this hall, and you advanced into a huge room, there was the rocket engines of the Saturn V right in front of you. WOW! This close, with something to compare the size to we all were like Wow, I was taking pictures, and Polly was looking up, saying "Brent come over here, Look at the engines, Look at all the pipes, look at how big!" We both were blown away at just how Gigantic this machine was. When we were on the bus we were told how big it was, and how big the building was, but now we were right at it, and yep Huge.
We slowly walked around, and Polly got used to it a little faster than me, I was just amazed, and read all the placards about how it was in sections and at one point I realize that as they approached the moon, that the front had to split, and turn around and join again to get the part that would go to the moon attached, and the men that would go into it. I asked a guy that seemed to have the know how to help me with this, and did I ask the right guy, he knew it all, and explained it to me, and said "Remember in the show?" I said will have to watch the show again. Was another learning for me, and for Paulette too. I can imagine what I must have looked like as my mouth hung open, and I was so astonished at the complexity, and size of the rocket.
Then as we had been walking around the rocket, we realized that on the outside of the room was all the other stuff, like the suits they wore, and the moon rocks they collected, and the vehicles they used on the moon. What a great show of what it took to get a man on the moon, and bring him back.


Polly and I stopped and went to a restaurant and had chicken strips and chips, with a drink, and during this break we met one of the tour bus drivers, a young guy who was a self proclaimed Nerd. He told us much about the place, and other facts we could only remember so much though, was nice to talk with him, and we learned about Disney from him as he had worked there for a couple years too. We watched as people thinned out as we ate our lunch, and we then finished our look around in the space suit room, and then we made our way to the shop with all the mementos. A book was bought, and we got on the bus.
Back to the beginning place where the Atlantis Space Shuttle is and we knew we had the best show already, we did spend some time here, but was not as impressive as the last.

Space Shuttle Atlantis 

Where the payload goes

Rocket engines

Payload that would be packed by the shuttle

Fuel cell and rockets that propel the Shuttle

Flags of country's that participated in the
International Space Station

Was a nice way to end the day!

Mmmmm...

Imagine flying through space in something this small!

Next we watched one of the movies they had in 3D, was about what is next for the space program, and what they are planing to achieve in the future, this gave me the idea we have to come back again and watch a launch here. 2018 the most powerful rocket made so far will take off, would love to see that. The Nerd guy told us there are free tickets you can get to a launch, you just have to talk to the right office, and they will give them to you, now I will work on that.
Here is a link to info 2018 Rocket Launch
After the show, and before we leave, Polly and I have an ice cream and sit outside and talk about how good this was. We were ready to go even if we knew we hadn't seen all of it, we saw what we thought was the best.

Was a fun, and informative day. More questions I have. Isn't life grand!

So much to see and do,

Loving it here our last few days in Florida...