Kennedy Space Center : VAB Tour Ends Feb 23, 2014

I know right? The Vehicle Assembly Building or VAB will close its doors to the public soon. Feb 23, 2014 is actually a date extended to give enough time for visitors to see up-close where vehicles were assembled for launch.

The Kennedy Space Center is having a “KSC Up-Close Vehicle Assembly Building Tour” and “KSC Up-Close Mega Tour” which will be offered to the public up to Feb 23. These tours are worth for the money because one will surely enjoy the behind-the-scenes and once-in-a-lifetime experience.

NASA is preparing the VAB for the new SLS launch systems for 2017. Isn’t the news awesome? That means, Titusville and all other areas in the Space Coast will be alive again. I mean, the businesses will soon back on its happy days once again. You should know that at present, there are so many establishments in Titusville went downhill in fact, many closed its doors to their clients and customers. When NASA's Space Shuttle Program ends in 2011, thousands of the employees lost their job. You know what that means right? Domino effect.

Anyway, did you know that the Vehicle Assembly Building is the largest single-story building in the world? Yep, they assemble the gigantic shuttle in this building that's why.

See the American flag on the building? That was the largest in the world when added in 1976. I took these photos when we were on tour. The driver/tour guide was explaining the length and how wide is that flag.

I have been here for so many times but, I can't find the pictures I took of the inside. It is time to take the tour once again before it ends. Oh my goodness, that will be in less than 2 weeks. I should buy my ticket this week. Pictures? I will be posting them here soon. Watch out for it. Thanks for stopping by.

NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center

If you are a frequent reader/visitor in my blogs, you probably seen the photo below for so many times. This is NASA Parkway and one of the routes that hubby and I like to take when we head home coming from Cocoa Beach. Further down the road is NASA's Kennedy Space Center and starting today, I will be posting photos around NASA's #KSC. See the white and orange thing rising in vertical position? That is the Replica Rocket Boosters, an awesome addition to the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit.

I took the photo below when we turn to Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex. The first building on the right is the $100 million home of the priceless and historic spacecraft, the Atlantis. It tells the incredible journey of NASA’s 30-year Space Shuttle Program.

We were driving towards the parking lot of Kennedy Space Center and I can't help but took few shots of the building. I have been here many times but, today is different. This is the first time that I saw the building without the tarp/covers on and work is completed. I was just excited to see the Atlantis for real.

We parked and walked to the entrance passing the Rocket Garden and IMAX theatre then, I saw this sight up close. Remember the first photo above? Inside, this is what it looks like. The massive structure is a beacon to guests. The Replica Rocket Boosters are indeed visible for miles. It would be an awesome dramatic if the shuttle orbiter mated to the stack right?  Anyway, as you can see, the gateway only features the awesome and gigantic twin white boosters and the orange external tank. The orbiter is inside.

Fast forward photos here and let's go up to the building. Check out the gigantic twin rocket boosters and the orange tank from inside the building. Pretty awesome right? Remember that these are only replica.

The rocket boosters are the gateway to the main entrance of the Atlantis building which is a dramatic and a clever idea! The guests looks so tiny.

The first awesome attraction inside the building is a film showing. It was interesting and it brings down memory lane how the Space Shuttle Program started. I suggest that you sit at the middle. If you are taking video, make sure that no one is standing in front of you.

After the film viewing, the next room is another film viewing but you will probably love it more than the first attraction. Guest will experience what's it like to see the shuttle lifts off up close. The whole room will be AWESOME! Then, you will meet the Space Shuttle Atlantis for REAL! It will be dramatic and please .... do not cry. (wink)

In this room, oh my goodness you and your children will enjoy the interactive exhibit! You will never notice the time! Relax and enjoy! Now, do not forget to take a souvenir photo on this spot. You can make it dramatic too. I have an apprentice photographer so; this is my best shot LOL.

Oh, another best shot ... LOL. My nervous photographer is not too thrilled to take my photos LOL. Good thing that I live nearby and I can come here anytime I want. I will get my iconic souvenir photo next time hahaha.

That's all for now and hope to see you again tomorrow. I got more photos of the Kennedy Space Center and more. Thanks for stopping by.

Space Shuttle Atlantis on Display at Kennedy Space Center

From the outside look on this part alone, you can tell that the latest attraction of the Kennedy Space Center is truly one of a kind. The cost of this 90,000 sq foot building is a $100 million which is now the final home of the Space Shuttle Atlantis located at the Visitor Complex of #KSC in Titusville.

Space Shuttle Atlantis is described as "one of the most complicated and sophisticated pieces of equipment ever built, the shuttle is a vehicle that launched like a rocket, flew in orbit like a spacecraft and landed on a runway like a glider." 

July 4th was my first visit inside this building. It was awe-inspiring! The attraction is truly unique with a hundred million dollar look and everything inside is perfect especially when I saw the priceless spacecraft tilted at an angle with cargo bay doors open wide. 

My most favorite part is right at the end of the film viewing and seeing the Space Shuttle Atlantis for the first time. It was an awesome experience! I truly recommend that you should visit the Kennedy Space Center soon.

NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building

I took these pictures on March 19 when hubby and I visited the Kennedy Space Center to watch the launch of Atlas V Ι SBIRS GEO 2. We were riding the Kennedy Space Center bus tour to reach the Apollo Saturn V area, the closest location in KSC to watch the launch. The bus tours usually pass by the Vehicle Assembly Building. There are select tours that guests are allowed to tour inside the VAB. As for me, haven't got the chance yet.

The Vehicle Assembly Building or VAB is important in the history of Science because this was built and used to assemble the Saturn V Rocket during the Apollo Program. This building is huge in fact; it is the largest single-story building in the world. Yep, it is only one story.

Later, I will show you how the Vehicle Assembly Building looks like from our neighborhood.  

The driver of the bus tour mentioned a lot of facts about this building including that the flag painted on the building is the largest in the world.

It is 209 feet high and 110 ft wide. Each star is 6 feet across and take note, that blue field on the flag that you see on the VAB, the size of that is like the size of a basketball court. That building is humongous.

The photo below was taken along the riverbanks of Indian River about 5 minutes from our place. I was using the zoom of my Samsung WB150F.

The last photo below is the normal caption. I was looking at the VAB which is really tiny.

That's all for now folks. If you are in Orlando, you should visit Kennedy Space Center and see the Vehicle Assembly Building yourself.