Michael
Returning as an Astronaut

We went to the Kennedy Space Center. When we first got there we went to the education center where a speaker showed us all kinds of cool stuff about space. He showed us how liquid nitrogen can shrink a balloon filled with air down to nothing and then when it came into the regular air it got normal size again.

He then showed us how the tiles that go on the outside of the shuttle can take all kinds of heat.

We got to go around this big room and try out all kinds of space displays. After that we went on a tour bus and our first stop was the observation gantry. It is a huge metal frame you can go on top of and see the entire Kennedy Space Center. You could see both shuttle launch pads 39A and 39B. You could see the VAB or the Vehicle Assembly Building. This building is the second largest building in the world by volume. Just behind the VAB is the launch control center. This is the building where they control the launch of all shuttles going into space.

After 2 minutes the control of the each mission is transferred from the Kennedy Space Center to Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. We were lucky enough to see both of the shuttle crawlers and a solid rocket booster being transported by barge on the intercoastal waterway. That is a waterway that connects the Indian River with the Atlantic Ocean.

We next visited the Saturn V building. In this complex we learned about the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs.

They even had a full sized recreation of the last three and a half minutes of the launch of Apollo 8. Then we saw an actual Saturn V rocket. This is the largest most powerful machine ever built. It was totally sweet. It was much larger than I could have ever imagined. My teacher Mr. Weiner had us do a scavenger hunt in this complex to discover facts about space that were all over. Our group finished the scavenger hunt first. It was fun.

Next we were of to the International Space Station Processing Facility. How awesome is that to go see the actual parts going into space to complete more of the ISS. As if this was not enough, we then went to listen to Astronaut Rick Searfoss speak. After his talk we go to ask him lots of questions and then we got to take pictures with him. This was very cool. We found out that he lived in our town and graduated form the Air Force Academy also in our town. We ended our day with the viewing of the IMAX movie "The Dream IS Alive" This film was recorded by astronaut aboard the shuttle. It was about working and living in space. But you will have to see it to understand how great it is. My experiences at the Kennedy Space Center were, well, unforgettable and a total blast. I feel very fortunate to have had this experience. I hope that the next time I go there that I will be working as an astronaut.