“Get a man on the moon, and bring him back alive”

With this quote John F. Kennedy gave NASA the mission to perform better in outher space than the Russians. Because of it’s succes (after a while and after several failures and sacrificed lifes) the NASA created the Kennedy Space Center. This is where i have been today. Alone, because Eelco is unfortunatly feeling a bit ill.

And i have to say, i loved it. As a child i always have been interested in Spaceshuttles and planets. With my friend Guido we’ve learn all kinds of nice details about planets and the milkyway. Now, visiting the Kennedy Space Center, that all comes up again.

After an hour drive from Orlando, i ended up ar Kennedy Space Center. Did you know that Cape Canaveral is somewhere else? Cape Canaveral was already full, so when President Kennedy ordered ’succes’ there was no space there to expand. That’s why they turned to the island ‘Merritt’. I was lucky because i got the last ticket of the ‘Inside NASA’-tour. I really was because the two people before me wanted it, but where told that it was sold out.. Apperantly she only had one last ticket, just for me…

After i finally had my (first expensive American) breakfast (some fruit and a ham&cheese sandwich for $ 26,–) i went for the parc itself. I saw  how big a real Space shuttle is and especially how big the rockets and fueltanks beneath the spaceshuttles are!

After i enjoyed some hours walking over Kennedy Space Center, my tour was about to begin. I’ve paid $ 62 instead of the normal ticket of $ 34,–, so i was expecting something special. Well, it was! I was mostly a bustour, but not just a bustour. I went to places you will only be, if you work for NASA or when you take this trip. I have seen a lot of very cool stuff. For example, we went to a couple of launchstrips, came very close to the launchplace where the Endeavour left, last week! And I saw the ‘crawler’ which brings the complete Spaceshuttle and lift-of-rockets to the launchplatform. That is huuuuge! It has a speed of 1,5 miles in an hour and uses 60 gallons of fuel in one mile. This thing does not often has to come outside, so have seen this thing is pretty cool.

The trip ended after 3 hours at the amazing Apollo V Center. This is the real former command center for most of the Apollo lift off’s. I experienced how a real lift off of a space shuttle happends and feels.

Enjoy the pictures and when you’re in Florida, visit the Kennedy Space Center. It’s great!