National Space Centre

[Broucek]

My wife and I will be passing this next week and wondered if we'd enjoy it as adults or is it mainly aimed at kids? My wife is quite interested in space travel without being a deep expert and we LOVED Kennedy Space Centre (I realise that Leicester won't be able to compete with that).

Many thanks!

 

[Farnborough]

It is a good visit, as an adult!

 

[Iskra]

I’ve been a couple of time as teen and an adult to a wedding there and it is an excellent experience for all ages

 

[nlogax]

It's good fun! As long as you put KSC out of your mind when you're there you'll have a ball and it helps there are a fair few exhibits that wouldn't typically grace a NASA facility.

 

[ac6000cw]

My wife and I will be passing this next week and wondered if we'd enjoy it as adults or is it mainly aimed at kids? My wife is quite interested in space travel without being a deep expert and we LOVED Kennedy Space Centre (I realise that Leicester won't be able to compete with that).

Being fair, there's not many places that could compete with visiting the space complex in Florida that launched 111m tall, nearly 3000t, Saturn V rockets to put men on the Moon (especially for those of us that sat on the edge of our seats watching it happen live on TV in July 1969), and is still an active launch site.

 

[ChrisC]

The small Industrial Museum at Abbey Pumping Station, right next to the National Space Centre, is also well worth visiting. I actually enjoyed my visit there more than I did the Space Cemtre.

 

[Ediswan]

Being fair, there's not many places that could compete with visiting the space complex in Florida that launched 111m tall, nearly 3000t, Saturn V rockets to put men on the Moon (especially for those of us that sat on the edge of our seats watching it happen live on TV in July 1969), and is still an active launch site.

I have beeen there once (early 2001 ?). I missed the main exhibits as I spotted an add-on bus tour of the launch pads (unnocupied) and the early control bunkers, complete with pull-out ashtrays. That was *very* interesting.

 

[ac6000cw]

I have beeen there once (early 2001 ?). I missed the main exhibits as I spotted an add-on bus tour of the launch pads (unnocupied) and the early control bunkers, complete with pull-out ashtrays. That was *very* interesting.

We visited Kennedy Space Centre in the mid-1990s - walking around the Saturn V in the Apollo/Saturn V Center, seeing a 'Mission Control' room, and the bus tour past the huge VAB etc. are the things I remember particularly. But even without that, it's such a historic site anyway - the 1950/60s American and Soviet space programs must have inspired an interest in science and engineering for countless children. And of course, that's one of the main reasons for the existence of the National Space Centre in Leicester.

Re. the 'pull-out ashtrays', the 2016 'Hidden Figures' film, ignoring the sexism & racism of the period that it portrays, is a very interesting behind-the-scenes look at how cutting edge science and engineering was conducted back in the 'slide rules and log tables' age (I'm old enough to have used those at school!).

 

[Bald Rick]

I have beeen there once (early 2001 ?). I missed the main exhibits as I spotted an add-on bus tour of the launch pads (unnocupied) and the early control bunkers, complete with pull-out ashtrays. That was *very* interesting.

KSC is better now. The Atlantis ‘experience‘ brought a tear to my eye, I’m not afraid to admit.

 

[Broucek]

Thanks all for the helpful replies. As it is, we won't be passing Leicester after all but will keep this in mind for the future!

Yes, KSC is just amazing. If you're in Orlando, don't hesitate. We actually drove there and back from Miami and it was worth every second!

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes, KSC is just amazing. If you're in Orlando, don't hesitate. We actually drove there and back from Miami and it was worth every second!

My one tip if driving from Orlando or Miami (or indeed anywhere in Florida on the interstates / freeways outside the cities) is to drive carefully. On our trip to/from KSC we saw three accidents actually happening. The first one ripped the side off his toyota on the central reservation, and he carried on, whilst on the phone! The locals really can’t drive properly.

 

[nlogax]

KSC is better now. The Atlantis ‘experience‘ brought a tear to my eye, I’m not afraid to admit.

Was at KSC a few weeks back and yes, the Atlantis reveal and experience was something else. Not to mention the area holding the Discovery and Columbia memorial which I found equally if not more affecting.

My KSC visit was fortunately timed to be on a Falcon 9 launch day so an easy stroll from the Apollo / Saturn V Center down to the bleachers at Banana Creek and there it was, I'd suddenly witnessed my first rocket launch. Anyone planning a KSC trip or at least spending some time in Florida should install the Space Coast Launches app to get an idea of what's going up on any given day. I was surprised by the regularity of the launch schedule.

My one tip if driving from Orlando or Miami (or indeed anywhere in Florida on the interstates / freeways outside the cities)

Seemed to be a fairly easy drive from sw of Orlando though I left early and gave myself plenty of time. The least welcome part was the toll bill afterwards.