Must-see top 10 attractions at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – KENNEDY SPACE CENTER – No trip to Florida is complete without visiting Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Guests can relive the epic story of the U.S. space program and spend a full day or more experiencing fun and educational activities.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s top 10 must-see attractions for the summer are:

Space Shuttle AtlantisSM – Visitors come nose to nose with a real spaceflown orbiter. Space Shuttle Atlantis is displayed as if floating in space – the only space shuttle orbiter in the world exhibited this way. Guests can train on various realistic simulators: take a virtual spacewalk, land the space shuttle on the shuttle landing facility, operate the robotic Canadarm or dock with the International Space Station.

Shuttle Launch Experience® – Embark on a journey of vertically launching into space aboard the space shuttle. Be immersed in the sights, sounds and sensations of a launch. Called by veteran astronauts the world’s most realistic simulation of a space shuttle launch, Shuttle Launch Experience is now a part of Space Shuttle Atlantis.

KSC Bus Tours – Tour Kennedy Space Center, where America’s human space flight program began more than 50 years ago. See the vast Vehicle Assembly Building where NASA’s space shuttle was stacked for launch, along with the iconic launch pads, now being prepared for future space missions. The final destination of the tour is the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

Rocket Launches – Experience the powerful vibrations, the noise and the breathtaking view. From countdown to lift-off, there’s nothing like a live rocket launch. An ongoing schedule of space launches keeps eyes glued to the skies above Kennedy Space Center throughout the year.

Apollo/Saturn V Center – Relive the historic launch of Apollo 8 in the Firing Room Theater, then marvel at a monstrous 363-foot-long Saturn V moon rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built and one of only three Saturn V rockets in existence. The Apollo Treasures Gallery showcases treasures from the Apollo moon missions, including Apollo 14 Commander Alan Shepard’s spacesuit and Command Module, Kitty Hawk.

Meet an astronaut! – Come face-to-face with a real astronaut 365 days of the year with two opportunities available. Astronaut Encounter, a half-hour, interactive question-and-answer session, aims at inspiring children and adults alike to strive for excellence, and is included with general admission. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, enjoy a delicious meal during Lunch With An Astronaut, and hear about inspiring space missions.

Exploration Space®: Explorers Wanted – Discover what’s next for NASA by stepping into the center of space travel and becoming part of the future of exciting possibilities. Live theater,interactive experiences and large scale multimedia presentations display what the future of space travel may look like, emphasizing that space exploration is not just about the hardware, but about the people behind the technology that make it all possible.

Rocket Garden – Tour the Rocket Garden and get up close to eight authentic rockets from the past. It includes a Mercury-Atlas rocket similar to the one used to launch John Glenn into space in 1962. Elements consist of dramatic lighting, water features, “climb-in” Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsule replicas, seating and informative graphic elements.

U.S. ASTRONAUT HALL OF FAME® – Walk through the world’s largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia, see a historic spacecraft, and “be the astronaut” with hands on activities and astronaut training simulators. Located six miles west of the main Visitor Complex, the Astronaut Hall of Fame opens daily at 12 p.m. and closing times vary by season.

Great Balls of Fire- Learn about the origins of our solar system in the newest exhibit at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Located in the IMAX building, Great Balls of Fire provides interactive instruction on asteroids, meteors and comets. Guests can blast off in spaceship to the asteroid belt by Jupiter, examine a model of an asteroid and build their own solar system.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun and educational activities, including the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, the new Angry Birds™ Space Encounter, Shuttle Launch Experience, 3D IMAX® space films, Astronaut Encounter, Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted and many other interactive exhibits. The new $100 million home for Space Shuttle AtlantisSM opened June 29, 2013. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft and the world’s largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia, which opens daily at noon and closing times vary by season. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season.