Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral Info & Attractions
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex provides an exhilarating and educational experience of the Space Program. Whether touring the Rocket Garden or boarding a full-scale replica of the Space Shuttle Explorer, visitors are guaranteed to gain a new perspective on the incredible feats accomplished by the Space Program.
The Shuttle Launch Experience is now open at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Until now, only astronauts could experience the sensations of a shuttle launch. Now you can feel the heart-pounding excitement on this authentic simulation designed by NASA and a team of astronauts. This immersive experience takes you through the launch sequence, the rattle and roll of lift-off as well as a breathtaking view of the Earth as seen only by a few hundred astronauts.
At Kennedy Space Center, guests can see real components of the International Space Station, relive man's moon landing at the Apollo/Saturn V Center and see space shuttle launch pads. Plus, meet a space hero at Astronaut Encounter, embark on a "Mad Mission to Mars", and see IMAX space-related films.
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is America's premier gateway to the universe. As the world's only launch site for the space shuttle, Kennedy prepares vehicles for each mission, operates each countdown, and manages end-of-mission landing recovery activities. The Center also coordinates all expendable vehicle launches carrying a NASA payload, whether the launches take place at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, or elsewhere. Finally, as the last Earthly stop for International Space Station hardware, Kennedy prepares these elements for their missions in space.
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Shuttle Launch Experience It’s 3... 2... 1... launch as guests take their own exciting journey of the Space Shuttle’s rush to Earth’s orbit. On Shuttle Launch Experience, visitors strap in to the sights, sounds and sensations of a real Space Shuttle launch. The journey begins as passengers enter the Shuttle Launch Simulation Facility, a looming six-story structure that looks like the actual Space Shuttle facilities at Kennedy Space Center. As crew members ascend along the gantry, veteran shuttle astronauts share testimonials, setting the stage for the experience to come. |
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Apollo / Saturn V Center Millions of people held their breath while a single man stepped onto the moon’s surface – a journey that began just a short distance from where the Apollo/Saturn V Center stands today. For those who remember, the event remains in their minds just as those footprints remain in the lunar soil. Here, in a spacious facility featuring a real Saturn V rocket, the Apollo program returns spectacularly to life. The Apollo/Saturn V Center is a tribute to the Apollo astronauts and the machines that got them there – and brought them home safely. |
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Astronaut Encounter: More than 500 men and women – of the Earth’s six billion people – have ever flown in space. But each day at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, guests get the rare opportunity to meet veteran astronauts from NASA’s Astronaut Corps. The daily Astronaut Encounter briefings allow plenty of time for discussion, so bring your questions – and your camera. |
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Astronaut Hall of Fame Come live the human side of space at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, complete with the sights, sounds and experiences of the famous astronauts who first ventured into the frontiers of space. Experience exhibits dedicated to our nation´s astronauts, including the world´s largest collection of personal memorabilia and realistic astronaut training simulators. Explore a rare collection of astronaut artifacts and see remarkable displays, exhibits and tributes dedicated to the heroes. From Wally Schirra´s Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft to stunning glass etchings that line the Hall of Heroes, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame celebrates the accomplishments of astronauts everywhere. |
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Children's Play Dome Adventures await “junior astronauts” at the newly redeveloped Children’s Play Dome. As children play among the next generation of spacecraft and rockets to travel to the moon and beyond, their imaginations will soar. They can lift-off in spacecraft, climb a moon rock wall, crawl through rocket tunnels and slide to the surface of the moon. |
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Eye on the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope From the far reaches of space come the most vibrant images known to man. Experience the powerful and stunning imagery of the Hubble Space Telescope at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during the Eye on the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope exhibition. Step into the universe and walk the pathway to ancient stars, nebulas and galaxies. Orbiting earth 350 miles above, the most powerful telescope in history gazes into the depths of the universe, capturing images from the past never seen before. Set in an ultra-dark environment, beautiful images showcase deep space, unlocking the mysteries of our universe. |
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IMAX Space Films In two giant IMAX theaters, the dream of spaceflight comes alive with a wall of sound, a five-story screen and realistic 3-D special effects. Dramatic footage shot by NASA astronauts during actual missions will make you feel like you’re floating alongside them. |
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International Space Station Center Now it´s your turn to climb aboard the International Space Station. The International Space Station is "the dream that seemed impossible" – the most ambitious space program since the Apollo moon landings. This fascinating attraction gives you an up-close glimpse inside the actual facility where NASA prepares the real components of the International Space Station – the largest, most complex structure ever to be placed into orbit. In an elevated observation room, you’ll see the actual processing bay where each Space Station component is checked out, processed and readied for its trip into orbit. |
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Kennedy Space Center Tour Included with admission, this unique tour takes you to the International Space Station Center, LC 39 Observation Gantry, and the Apollo/Saturn V Center. The tour bus departs every 15 minutes from the Visitor Complex. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral are working space launch facilities. Tours may be altered or closed due to operational requirements. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Prices subject to change and do not include tax. |
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Space Shuttle Plaza In the Space Shuttle Plaza, guests are met with, full-sized NASA Space Shuttle replica – Explorer. Here you can experience how astronauts live and work aboard real Space Shuttles. Sharing the plaza with Explorer are the other components needed to launch NASA Space Shuttles: A huge external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters. Next to the Space Shuttle Explorer is the Launch Status Center, where visitors receive live briefings on NASA launch and space flight activity. |
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Rocket Garden: NASA Rockets Dramatic lighting brings historic NASA Rockets back to life with an adventurous and patriotic scheme, highlighting each fuselage with brilliant white uplight, bathing the site with techno-blue accents and heating the engines with flickering red-orange light. Here you can experience the very same Redstone, Atlas and Titan Rockets that first put NASA astronauts in space, or climb aboard Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules – and get an idea of the cramped quarters America´s astronaut pioneers endured. |
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LC 39 Observation Gantry The 60-foot-tall Launch Complex (LC) 39 Observation Gantry provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of the two giant Shuttle Launch Pads, 39A and 39B. In addition to the bird’s-eye view of our launch pad structures, the panorama also includes the Launch Control Center, the well-traveled crawlerway and the massive Vehicle Assembly Building. KSC tours of the LC 39 Observation Gantry also include behind-the-scenes briefings on what it takes to launch and land every NASA Space Shuttle. |
