A Boyhood Dream Fulfilled: Space-Geek Tour of the USA

[Human]

Having yet another dinner at Cracker Barrell didn't even bother me. And it was very easy to resist the temptation to have dessert. After a day like today, I did not feel any need for comfort food!

 

[snabbu]

Wow @Human I like others feel your emotion, what an epic trip. It is only January and the report isn't even complete yet but I'm calling TR of the year.

 

[n7of9]

What a fantastic trip report, thank you! I've never met another person in real life who's been to KSC, which I always refer to as "BEST DAY EVER!".

My VR experience when I was there was a 'walk' on Mars. We were in a room that was calibrated to the headset so as we moved around it was like walking on Mars. Even squatting to look at a rock on the ground was recognised by the device, it was great.

Is the Atlantis Shuttle Launch Experience 'ride' no longer there, or did I miss you taking about it? It's a ride that emulates take-off to separation, it too was amazing.

As you spoke about the Atlantis talk and the wall falling away where you realise you're standing 10m away from the actual shuttle gave me goosebumps..as I said, BEST DAY EVER!

 

[VPS]

I'm not even that interested in space stuff but loving the TR and your enthusiasm

 

[Gladstone Tim]

That is just so cool, and I am so jealous. I am now going to start planning a similar trip, although I'll also have to plan which exotic location I will have to leave MrsK in while I head off on my own.

The bonus for you is, you will be able to keep telling your family and students forever, "... did I tell you about the time I was at a real rocket launch...".

I think we need an AFF trip for interested members and an alternative for the disinterested partners/spouses

 

[Human]

Is the Atlantis Shuttle Launch Experience 'ride' no longer there, or did I miss you taking about it? It's a ride that emulates take-off to separation, it too was amazing.

Oops! Yes, it's still there, I took it, and I agree that it's amazing. It fell through the cracks in my report because (a) it was closed in the morning and I came back and did it later in the day, after my bus tour, (b) you can't take photos once the ride starts, and (c) I was quite weary by the time I wrote Tuesday's posts! Sorry about that.

 

[Human]

Today is moving day. I gave myself a much-needed sleep-in and awoke just in time to grab some of the buffet breakfast before it closed. I also had a look at what will be awaiting me later today:


After breakfast I did some packing and then I attempted a walk. I say “attempted” because I was ultimately thwarted by the lack of footpaths and pedestrian crossings.




I had the option of trying to run across this freeway, but due to the fact that I possess a brain I decided against it.


I’m staying in what could be called a “budget hotel precinct”.




I also started listening to the soundtracks of a couple of Broadway shows that I might be able to catch in NYC. Protip: to get the most out of a musical, listen to its soundtrack at least three times before seeing the show.

Finally, I cancelled one of my trips home. I've had two options booked and I’ve been procrastinating over which one to take. The one I decided to cancel was Qatar Qsuites JFK-DOH-MEL. Time will tell if I made the right choice!

 

[Human]

Reflections on my time in Florida:

• I really have no superlatives to describe my time here. I’ll let my posts speak for themselves. Every time – every time – I reflect on these last two days, I tear up.
• This is the only leg of my trip which has been entirely dedicated to space-related stuff. I haven’t visited any of the surrounding area, haven’t gone to the beach, haven’t spent any time in Orlando. All I’ve done was Kennedy Space Center. Regrets? Zero!
• NASA is on a roll. The palpable excitement that I felt in Houston over the future of NASA and space travel is even more noticeable here. There’s excitement over Orion, over the Artemis programme, over the James Webb Space Telescope, over future exploration of the outer planets and Europa, over a future mission to Mars which is in the advanced stages of planning.
• The other side of that coin is the genuine relief amongst space people that NASA is getting out of the Low Earth Orbit stuff which they feel has been holding NASA back. There’s genuine excitement and relief that SpaceX has taken up the gauntlet of LEO transport to the ISS, and relief that not only SpaceX but other companies that are a little behind, such as Boeing and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, will be handling LEO matters in the future. The feeling is that NASA can now focus on what NASA does best: returning to the Moon and deep space exploration.

Apart from that, I have no words. It's time to head off to Washington, DC!