Kennedy Space Center

Sand, surf, and sky at Merritt Island, Florida

December 22, 2023 By Emma Quedzuweit

For pilots, standing next to the space shuttle Atlantis and watching the footage of its reentry and landing leaves a big impression.

The size of the space shuttle Atlantis, Lunar Module 9, and the Saturn V rocket (pictured here) must be seen up close to be appreciated. Photography courtesy of Kennedy Space Center.

Deadstick landing something of that size and miserable glide ratio from space to a relatively tiny spot on Earth’s surface is beyond impressive—the video clearly shows the pilots greasing it—and inspires us to improve our own skills. Did you know the shuttle’s tires have very little tread in order to reduce weight? There’s an actual, used set for you to touch at the Atlantis exhibit in the Kennedy Space Center, along with a mind-boggling number of artifacts and exhibits to keep any aviation or space geek engrossed for hours.

The center invokes the vibrancy and wonder of a theme park with the substance of the most technical and thorough museum. Both fun and educational for the whole family, the interactive, large-scale exhibits cover all crewed space programs from Mercury down through the shuttle and space station eras, and into the future.

Wander through the outdoor “rocket garden” with rockets from different eras and hop on the bus tour to glimpse the huge vehicle assembly building and crawlers that transfer the rockets to the launch pads. The Apollo/Saturn V facility holds the 363-foot-tall Saturn V rocket, one of only three remaining. Not to be missed is reliving the countdown and blast-off of Apollo 8 in the Firing Center with the original control consoles used in the launches.

Explore a spaceport mockup and try your skills on the journey to Mars, get vigorously shaken in the shuttle launch simulation ride, and explore artifacts from throughout the history of the American space program (you can actually see the moon dust on Alan Shepard’s spacesuit). Additional treats are the IMAX theater, meeting real veteran astronauts, the Astronaut Training Experience program for the ultimate hands-on engagement, and, of course, space-themed food, ice cream, and gift shops to any kid or kid-at-heart’s content.

Most visitors will need a full day or even two to see everything at the center, and staying in the nearby towns increases your chances of catching the peak Space Coast experience—watching a rocket launch from a beach, park, or roadside. If you have some extra time, the Warbird Air Museum in Titusville and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum are also worth a visit.

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