Wednesday, August 5

Field Trip to Kennedy Space Center

It's been about six years since we last visited Kennedy Space Center, and our little airplane / astronaut boy said that it was far past time!  So on a bright (warm!) day, we headed to Cocoa Beach....
We got to see the Space-X holdings.  We also got to get up at one in the morning and watch a Space-X Delta Light launch......which was really REALLY bright for that time of the night!
On the tour, we get to walk through a shuttle / rocket launch and sit where the administrators sat...  It's pretty neat to witness it in real time.  At the end of the tour is a Saturn V rocket....which is a lot larger than you'd think!
Our son had no idea what was coming when they opened the large double doors in front of the space shuttle Atlantis.....if I could bottle up one moment in time, it would be this moment.  His face, and his absolute joy, were priceless!

We explored all around the space shuttle and then went to play on the big slide and play area....which is fun even for adults!!!
One area we toured this time that we had skipped in the past was the section on fallen heroes.  The boys are old enough now to have a real discussion about the past problems that space flights have encountered, and it was interesting to see them process that.
Above are actual pieces from the Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003).
Heading back toward the parking lot, we passed back through Rocket Park.  This is always a long walk, as we weave in and out of the various rockets, learning about their histories.
We headed to the car still muddling over JFK's words and how they related to both our visit and our current climate.


Crazy for astronomy?!  Check out Everyday Astronomy, one of the 400+ courses offered with a SchoolhouseTeachers membership.  The lessons are presented to provide a basic understanding of the solar system, along with some fun activities, including recipes for families to enjoy and virtual “field trips” that introduce the history of some discoveries and accomplishments mankind has made in relation to space.   

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