An impressive site seen below. The space shuttle.
We hopped aboard our first of two trams and went straight to the hanger for the ISS, International Space Station, components, modules and test/training. Below is a model of the ISS.
The ISS orbits the earth at a height of 254 miles and a speed of 4.76/miles per second.
"The ISS is made up of 16 pressurized modules: five Russian modules (Zarya, Pirs, Zvezda, Poisk and Rassvet), eight US modules (BEAM, Leonardo, Harmony, Quest, Tranquility, Unity, Cupola, and Destiny), two Japanese modules (the JEM-ELM-PS and JEM-PM) and one European module (Columbus)."
Our next tram stop was at the Rocket facility.
Below on right is the Saturn I rocket, the precursor to the Saturn V that took man to the moon. The Mercury Redstone, on the left, was the one to carry the first man into space, Alan Shepard, May 61'.
Liftoff of Apollo 11 in 69' on a Saturn V.
Saturn V, one of only 3 in the world.
5 liftoff engines.
Second stage rocket.
Used to launch and return astronauts to the moon and back. The ocean bottom is littered with these separated liftoff modeles.
Landing and re-entry capsule modeled.
Our second tram took us to the original Mission Control. To imagine how a man was put on the moon in 1965 with the technology of a dial up phone.
The viewing area is original to 1965. Dignitaries from every country have sat in these same seats viewing how various missions and catastrophic events have unfolded.
Houston, we have a problem.
Space walking.
Inside the ISS. Sleeping pod. No gravity, your bed hangs on a wall.
Weightlessness routines.
Can't even imagine doing this.
A magical, impressive 5 hours. A must see.
Come visit again all y'all.
Susan
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