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Kennedy Space Center
With the excitement of the shuttle missions, there has never been a better time to visit the Kennedy Space Center. This is a thrilling location for the whole family and one to remember forever and so we feel that your vacation is not complete without a trip to Kennedy Space Center.
NASA's is the shuttles launch headquarters - the only place on Earth where you can tour launch areas, meet an Astronaut, see giant rockets, and even train like an astronaut in spaceflight simulator.
Kennedy Space center is a full days experience like no other. During your visit you could meet with one of NASA's heroes at the Astronaut Encounter (this pass includes Astronaut Hall of Fame which opens at 9:00am). Tour the grounds and look at numerous rockets both old and new. Or join the slightly askew crew for a mad mission to mars or perhaps walk among the towering rockets in the Rocket Garden.
You can climb aboard a life size mock-up of the Space Shuttle and really get a feel for what it must be like in the real thing. Then take a bus tour of the giant launch pads and then return to the IMAX theatre for a space film that is so real it's almost like being there.
The journey begins as you enter the Shuttle Launch Simulation Facility. It's interesting to note that this area is architecturally consistent with Space Shuttle facilities at Kennedy Space Center. Visitors wlk along the gantry viewing astronaut testimonials. Entering the heart of Space Shuttle operations for the prelaunch briefing, crew members are guided by veteran Space Shuttle Commander Charlie Bolden as he takes them step-by-step through the launch sequence. They then enter the crew cabin in the Space Shuttle's payload bay and strap in for launch. For the next five minutes, the cabin's 44 passengers see, feel and live the powerful journey to 17,500 mph. Achieving orbit, the payload bay doors open to reveal a breathtaking view of Earth seldom seen in the first person.
Shuttle Launch Experience combines the detailed accounts of astronaut experiences with the expertise of design engineers to produce an experience unique to attractions around the world. The technical highlights include an all-to-real simulation of the space shuttle's eight and a half minute ascent into orbit, custom-designed crew cabins with unprecedented vertical range, high-definition audiovisual effects, and advanced seating effects to maximize the reality of the experience.
Along with the NASA and DNC Parks & Resorts team, operators of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the attraction experts have designed and engineered Shuttle Launch Experience into one of the most realistic launch simulation ever created. Shuttle Launch Experience is designed by BRC Imagination Arts, who also designed the Apollo/Saturn V Center which opened in 1997 at the Visitor Complex. BRPH Companies Inc. serves as the architect and construction manager. The crew cabin simulator fabrication is by Oceaneering and the crew cabin concept designer and engineer is The Wheel Thing, Inc. Technomedia Solutions is providing audio, visual and show control. HW Davis Construction is the general contractor of the facility.
KENNEDY IMAX® - In two giant IMAX® theaters, the dream of spaceflight comes alive with a wall of sound, five-story screen and realistic 3D special effects. Dramatic footage shot by NASA astronauts during actual missions will make you feel like you're floating right alongside them.
Magnificent Desolation - Walking on the Moon 3D is presented and narrated by Tom Hanks, Magnificent Desolation features rarely seen NASA footage with live-action renditions of the lunar landscape to propel audiences nearly a quarter-million miles above the Earth's surface.
Space Station 3D - Blast-off into space with the astronauts and cosmonauts from Florida's Kennedy Space Center and Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome to rendezvous with their new home in orbit 220 miles above Earth. Narrated by Tom Cruise "SPACE STATION 3D" is a story of challenges, setbacks and triumphs and ultimately, the shared international victory of men and women whose dreams exceed the limits of life on this Earth.
ASTRUNAUT MEMORIAL - The Space Mirror Memorial, designated as a national memorial by Congress and President George Bush, was dedicated in 1991. The Astronaut Memorial honors the 24 U.S. astronauts who gave their lives for space exploration. The names of the fallen astronauts from Columbia STS-107, Challenger STS-51L, and Apollo 1, as well as the astronauts from training and commercial airplane accidents are emblazoned on the monument's is just over 42 foot high by 50-foot wide black granite surface as if to be projected into the heavens. The Space Mirror Memorial is a project of The Astronauts Memorial Foundation and was paid for by Florida residents who purchased special Challenger mission automobile license plates. Using the comedic antics of Professor Pruvitt, and his wacky colleagues, Kelvin and WD-4D, "Mad Mission to Mars 2025" transforms the audience into "astronaut trainees."
MAD MISSION TO MARS - Live action, hands-on fun, stereoscopic 3-D computer animation and spectacular theatrical effects-including artificial winds and splatter cannons-combine to take guests on a unique and educational voyage through the cosmos.
THE ROCKET GARDEN - Travel back in time and history in the Rocket Garden. Dramatic lighting brings these historic rockets back to life with an adventurous and patriotic scheme, highlighting each fuselage with brilliant white uplight, bathing the site with techno-blue accents and heating the engines with flickering red-orange light. Here visitors can experience the very same Redstone, Atlas and Titan rockets that first put NASA astronauts in space. Climb-aboard Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules give the young - and the young at heart - an idea of the cramped quarters America's astronaut pioneers endured. Free tours of the Rocket Garden are given at 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. Admission required.
SPACE SHUTTLE PLAZA - In the Space Shuttle Plaza, guests are met with a jaw-dropping, full-sized NASA Space Shuttle replica - Explorer. Here you can experience how astronauts live and work aboard real spacecraft. Sharing the plaza with Explorer are the other components needed to launch the orbiter: a huge external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters. Next to the Space Shuttle Explorer is the Launch Status Center, where visitors receive live briefings on NASA launch and space flight activity. Please see daily schudule for show times. Experience the sights, sounds and sensations of launch at the NEW Shuttle Launch Experience attraction across from the Space Shuttle Explorer.
APOLLO SATURN V CENTER - Millions of people held their breath while a single man stepped onto the moon's surface - a journey that began just a short distance from where the Apollo/Saturn V Center stands today. For those who remember, the event remains in their minds just as those footprints remain in the lunar soil. Here, in a spacious facility featuring a massive, real Saturn V rocket, the Apollo program returns spectacularly to life. The Apollo/Saturn V Center is a tribute to the Apollo astronauts and the machines that got them there - and brought them home safely.
 LC-39 OBSERVATION GANTRY - The 60-foot-tall Launch Complex 39 Observation Gantry provides a breathtaking 360-view of the two giant Shuttle Launch Pads, 39A and 39B. The panorama also encompasses the Launch Control Center, the well-traveled crawlerway and the massive Vehicle Assembly Building. A theater presentation and interactive room at the gantry's base gives you a behind-the-scenes briefing on what it takes to launch and land every NASA Space Shuttle.
Avoid the lines and get more time at the venue by ordering your Kennedy Space Center Visitor MAXIMUM Complex admission tickets in advance. They can be delivered via FedEx to your home or if you prefer we can deliver them to your hotel, Villa or condo.
SECURITY INFORMATION - At this time Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has increased security. At this time, the following items are not permitted on the Visitor areas: Any fire arms (with or without a permit) Ammunition. Mace, Pepper or any simila sprays. Knives or similar items of any size. Nail clippers with knife blades or any other sharp/pointed items, including pointed scissors or nail files.
Additionally: Coolers, luggage or other large bags are not permitted through the front gate. All bags, purses and other items will be opened and inspected at the Visitor Complex. Please note that these actions are taken as part of the increase in security and not part of a specific threat to our facilities. All electronic devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, mobile/cellular phones, video recorders, voice recorders and pagers must be in working condition before entering the complex. Devices that cannot be powered on, broken devices or devices without properly charged batteries will not be permitted through the front gate. Stand alone GPS equipment is not permitted on property.
If any of the above items are discovered, you will be asked to return them to your vehicle. If however, you choose not to return the items to your vehicle, you must surrender them to a security officer. Note : Surrendered items will not be returned to you.
Since all guests pass through the metal detectors, please reduce the number of items you normally carry to help reduce time delays. It is appreciated that Visitors could face delays entering the park as a result of the searches. So Kennedy thank you for your patience, understanding and your support of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Please Note: Access to Kennedy Space Center does have special restriction on certain launch days. As such you must note that these tickets do not include Space Shuttle launch viewing or access to the Kennedy Space Center on launch days.
Please call 321-449-4444 for hours of operation on or around launch day. However there are a number of locations from which you can view a launch althoufgh you need to get to these sites well ahead of time so ensure a good line of sight.
Kennedy Space Center is just one of a fantastic range of tickets and venues that we at Attraction Ticket Center have on offer at great discount prices, some of which we have listed belwo. So to check out all the great parks and venues just go to the blue band above4 and using the drop down boxes review and choose your tickets and be a little closer to your Florida vacation.
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