Through the Heavens. . .

Picture this: I'm a senior in high school in May, 1961.  Our entire school of about 400 girls are sitting in identical crisp blue uniforms in neat rows in our gym/auditorium, eyes fixed on a small black-and-white TV set on center stage.  We are very excited to watch the first American launched into space.  Alan Shephard orbited the earth once.  It was a historic moment I remember as though it happened today.

I watched all the astronauts launch into space, every one.  For the moon landing in 1968, I stayed up past 2 a.m. and saw every step, heard every word, "This is one small step for man, one giant step for mankind."  Today, I re-lived many of those times with tears in my eyes.  It is still a big deal to me that this happened.  Don, Kathleen, Peggy and I drove north to the Kennedy Space Center near Titusville, Florida.

 

 

From left: Jan, Kathleen & Don

Peggy

One of our first experiences there was a 3-D Imax movie telling the story of America in Space.  I felt I was floating around in the cramped space capsules!  There were many facts I never knew: all the intense preparation to ready the rockets, astronauts' space suits, the research, the ground support all over the world.

The repairing of the Hubble Telescope put into space by the Shuttle was dangerous and highly technical.  Yet, at one point, when a long handle to a door could not be released, the astronauts were told by ground command, "Just yank it off."  And they did, the repairs were completed and the telescope was in full operation.

Images from Hubble were like none I had ever seen, "billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars" is an immensity of this universe I cannot comprehend.  Particularly exhilarating were the star nests, the places where baby stars were 'born', where stars of many different ages were visible.  Since the newer stars had 'tails,' they were called 'tadpoles.'

A Tour by Bus of part of the 140,000 acres of the Center was next.  We could de-bus at various sites and catch another bus if we wanted.  We were gently reminded that there was abundant wildlife in the waterways including many ALLIGATORS.  On the way out of the grounds, we saw one!

I climbed to the top landing of a tall viewing tower.  The 360-degree view was awesome! - many assembly sites, buildings, launch towers, not to mention the ocean.

From the Viewing Tower

 

 

 

 

 

Inside a huge building was an entire rocket assembly including the astronaut capsule at the top end, suspended high above us, in stages.  Up close and personal is the only way to appreciate the incredibly large size and complexity of this vehicle.

Powerful Engines!

On display were various astronaut space suits, Moon Rocks!, the Land Rover for the Moon, and diagrams which helped our understanding of the projects. We could touch part of a Moon Rock!

Saturn V rocket: taller than 2 space shuttles or 2 Statues of Liberty!

What was most exciting of all were plans for future exploration to Mars: an international space station will be assembled and launch will take place there! 

Atlantis, the newest exhibit, opening June 29, 2013

We were left with a deep sense of hope for the future of NASA and the Space Program.  I wish every school student could roam through the Kennedy Space Center.  If YOU have children, take them here.  This is the most meaningful 'Theme Park' in this great country!  Grow some more scientists and astronauts for us!