"The sky calls to us." ~ Carl Sagan

And now, Part II of the Kennedy Space Center and Rocket Launch!

After viewing the rocket launch, we shuttled back to the main area, where we found a number of exhibits to explore. In  hindsight, since we were spending the night near the Space Center, we realized that we probably should have done the tour the first day, spent the night and then done the launch the next day. It would have required purchasing a multi-day pass for a bit more, but most people did what we did - everything on the same day as the launch. The result was that everything was very, very crowded. It was ok, but my guess is that the previous day we would have found it easier to get around! The other thing that we could have done is brought some of our own food and beverage to help off-set the cost of purchasing things to eat there. Oh well - those are just some thoughts if anyone plans to go in the future.

The entrance at 5:00 in the morning.

Our view of the launch site from across a lake.

Inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center next to the viewing area.

A lot of our time was spent in the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit.

"Your journey begins in the Atlantis theater where we bring to life the story of the people who dared to do the impossible. Gaze in wonder at a close-up view of Space Shuttle Atlantis, displayed in mid-flight glory. With more than 60 interactive exhibits, it's a moving celebration of humankind’s greatest achievements." 

There are many, many interactive activities, and some very child-friendly ones as well.

Notice the pink sweatshirt!

Sadly, George Clooney was not inside....

The memorial hall to those astronauts aboard the Challenger and the Columbia.

A panel recovered from the Challenger.

A window panel from the Columbia.

The Rocket Garden

"At NASA, it is often said that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the Rocket Garden. Behind every rocket you see are great men and women engineers and astronauts, designers and thinkers who turned dreams into history. It is here you find the first rocket to break free from gravity."

The end of the day.