Yesterday I stumbled upon the fact that SpaceX was about to launch its newest Falcon 9 rocket so I logged on their site to watch it live. But, at the 58 second mark, the launch was scrubbed to be continued at the next available launch window...today at 4:14.
So, it gave me the opportunity to prep for it. And, lo and behold, here are some pics of my visit to Cape Canaveral. I hadn't been to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center in a decade and in that time they've added the retired Space Shuttle, Atlantis. And, as you'll see, I think they did a fantastic job exhibiting her.
The launch of the SpaceX rocket was on time and flawless. The first stage booster also made a perfect landing on the barge (named "Of course I still love you.") waiting (lovingly?) for it 350 miles out to sea.
There are a lot of pics for one post so I'll display them as I did without captions or interruptions describing them...I'll do that here:
First we have a picture of the iconic NASA logo, then we see a snippet of the rocket garden and the black granite? floating sphere. Not new but as always interesting. See my 2008 pics and vids of them here.
Entering the huge building that houses the Space Shuttle Atlantis, there are a couple of features on the orange stucco walls...the first one, by my personal hero, really tugs my heart.
Further inside the entry to the indoor exhibit there are these awesome images.
A quick shot looking out from our elevated position having climbed the entry ramp and then, after a short intro video as well as a 3-D entryway movie (these were freakin' awesome by the way) we see her. Dents, scratches, stains and burn marks are the medals of honor Atlantis displays proudly. Space Shuttles were work horses and, as these blemishes and scars show, she did her duty well. Notice the shot of her underbelly and imagine the immense temperatures those well-charred heat tiles endured upon re-entry time and time again.
The last four pics: First is the display showing a montage of images of the development and endurance of the ISS...notice the numbers...the amount of time the space station has been in operation! In the next image, a paper prototype of an early space shuttle design is shown. This connects with the intro film we saw in which the characters representing 1970s-era NASA scientists endeavor to create the shuttle...originally based on the paper model. Then we see a plaque indicating that a time capsule has been placed there and is hoped it will be opened in the year 2061! Maybe I'll come to the event. I'll be a spry 97 years old! The final image is a visual timeline of the various space shuttles through the years.
