Space Shuttle Atlantis Photo Tour

[cchard]

Welcome to Kennedy Space Center. What's that over there?

Life size replica of the SRB/Fuel Tank assembly over the entrance.

Nice. Right outside the entrance.

The waiting area is filled with pictures and quotes from NASA engineers and astronauts. Inside the first theater the walls are covered in concept art.

The first film uses actors to tell us the story from the start of shuttle development in the late sixties up to the first flight of Columbia. Then the doors open and you enter a second theater. This theater is pretty cool in that the screens sort of wrap all around the audience. We get to see a shuttle launch and then a bunch of different shuttle missions then it shows the final landing of Atlantis. Then the finale is this:

I was talking with the employees and they all said that people were raving about the film and the shuttle reveal. I agree. It is a really cool effect to see in person.

The star field effect is amazing.

It's hard to tell from my pictures but it is possible to see the flight deck equipment is still in there.

There is also a full sized Hubble.

A separate SSME display.

The exhibit also featured the ISS. Here is a miniature space station that is a crawl-through for kids to play in.

A full size station for adults.

...wait. Is that...?

Yes. Stephen Colbert has his own display at Kennedy Space Center.

From the ground level you can see below the shuttle.

The beanie cap.

Space toilet simulator. They actually have a camera set up so you can practice your aim.

Space bed. Looked pretty comfy, actually.

Astro van.

The first space shuttle model. This model was used in the pre-show too.

The fleet.

Like I posted earlier, the other thing going on this weekend was the visit of pretty much every space contractor to talk with the guests and hand out swag. I've now got a bunch of posters, stickers, temp tattoos, and informational handouts about everything from Orion and SLS to SPACEX and Sierra Nevada.

Engineering test unit of Orion. Fresh back from an abort systems test.

SpaceX. We talked about the Grasshopper's latest test (820 feet!) and I found out they are planning to launch astronauts to the ISS just a year from now.

Boeing's new capsule on an Atlas V.

Orion abort system.

More Orion. They just moved this from the VAB to the visitor center.

Sweet model of the ISS.

You can see even more photos from today here: http://imgur.com/a/Q41I0

They really did a nice job with Atlantis. A couple parts are so close that if no one was looking I probably could have reached out an touched it. There were 3 levels. The first where you come in has the main view of Atlantis and Hubble plus lots of displays about working in space (including a full sized flight deck mockup, Canada Arm, and MMU). The second level had some displays on reentry plus this really cool slide for kids. It was advertised as being the same angle as the shuttle's landing glide-slope. Unfortunately it was closed as apparently a manager had tested it out and gotten injured. Finally the ground floor had all the station displays (including a cameo by Commander Hadfield), some simulators, plus the entrance to the shuttle launch experience ride.

Another interesting thing was that the Space Center tours have a whole new focus. Our tour bus driver told us they just got new scripts on Friday that focus on the future of KCS. It's all about ULA, SPACEX, the Commercial Crew program, and Orion/SLS now.

[deadshot462]

Nice pictures! Definitely seems like a great place to visit.

[BlazingAngel665]

I just went to CSC and saw Endeavor. It was pretty amazing. Along the way stopped by JPL and Met Clara Ma (named Curiosity) and Bobak Fedowski (sp?) better know as Mohawk Guy.

eventually they hope to put Endeavor on a stack as if ready to launch, but they still need money for that. Currently it is just sitting on the floor enjoying a long deserved and hard earned rest.

This is the spacecraft assembly facility (SAF) at JPL if anyone is interested.

This is the famous "Mars Yard" where they test rovers.

And of course the sign above the front door (well right inside it actually)

[Brotoro]

Nice pictures, guys. Thanks!

[cchard]

Thanks guys. I forgot to include this one, the Falcon 9 Merlin engine:

Pretty small compared to the SSME or F-1.