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The bright yellow school bus screeched to a halt. We arrived at the Kennedy Space Center. The Space Center is nestled inside a vast animal refuge. Up to fifteen endangered animal species live near Kennedy Space Center. Two totally different worlds, from the most primitive, to the most high-tech, yet the two are able to live as "neighbors", side by side in harmony. The Kennedy Space Center actually helps protect these endangered animals because the area is a secured area.
The tour bus came to a halt before us to pick up the next tour group... our class! Then, after traveling for a brief time, we spotted a gigantic building of amazing stature. This building is so enormous, it can hold up to three and a half Empire State Buildings (a famous structure in New York City) in volume and can easily fit the Statue Of Liberty (also in New York City) through its doors. This building is known as the V.A.B., which is an acronym for Vehicle Assembly Building. As you stare in awe at the colossal structure, you see a flag painted on it's expansive side. A bus could drive on the stripes of the flag, because the flag as wide as the lane of a road. It took 500 gallons of paint to paint this gargantuan flag! The V.A.B. is 160 meters tall, 216 meters wide, and 148 meters long. Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, the workers assemble the Space Shuttle when they receive all of the parts from the contractors all across America.
Next stop on our tour of the Space Center was the Saturn V Launch Control Center. As we all squeezed into the mock-up mission control center, the doors hissed behind us, sealed, and "click", we were there. Jim Lovell's (a former astronaut) voice boomed in the loudspeaker and on the monitor above us, giving us facts and details about what was to happen next. Then in a monotone voice, the last preparations were heard:
Vrroom, Vrroom, the shuttle moves atop the world's largest vehicle, the Crawler! It takes the Crawler about five hours to carry the Shuttle from the V.A.B. to the launch pad. Almost there...At last, we've made it! Weeks may pass between arrival of the shuttle at the launch pad and liftoff of the shuttle, but tests have to be run. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... BLAST OFF!" There goes the Shuttle, lifting off its launch pad! Now all that remains is the forlorn looking launch pad, sitting all alone on the cape. The launch pad is still burning hot
from the fire of the boosters but the water tanks on either side quickly extinguished the flames. The launch pad appeared very imposing with the shuttle on it, but without it, it only looks like a cluster of strange pipes, intertwining together like a spider's web........ We could almost picture these events as we drove past the baseball-diamond sized Crawler.
"Communications Go, No-Go."
"Go," uttered Communications. "Begin the countdown on my mark...”
“ Mark.”
“T-minus 10, 9.." boomed the Public Affairs officer's voice on the intercom.
"8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Lift-off of the Apollo mission to the moon."
Our tour of the Space Center came to a close as we visited one of the biggest international projects of all times... the International Space Station Center. In the Center we viewed a walk-through model of the International Space Station with parts from many countries around the world. We entered the building and watched a brief introductory movie that explained all about the enormous station that will float effortlessly in space. After the presentation was over we entered a large two-story room that contained a replica of the International Space Station. We ventured through and saw the living space. There was a bag to bathe in, cabinets to store supplies, little tables to sit at and tiny pull-out bags which were for sleeping in. There was also a whole section with machinery and buttons. As we went into the Space Station, some students felt it was gloomy and lonely because it seemed so empty, while others felt excited because they had the chance to see what the International Space
The consoles lit up like night lights. The windows shook wildly and violently like toys in the hands of a toddler. The rumble of the rocket engine was deafening, like a firecracker going off in your ear. You could "see" the giant rocket lifting off behind you, a fireball speeding toward the heavens, the far side of the moon being the astronauts’ destination, but after the rocket's final murmurs fade into the distance, another sound takes its place: a cheering launch control crew, full of good spirits. Wow, what an amazing (simulated) launch!
Station will be like. Afterwards, passing through the Space Station we marched upstairs to an empty room with a miniature model of the International Space Station fully built. Also, in a glass case next to the wall there was a model of an astronaut showing all of the layers of clothing that the astronauts will wear under their space suits. From that room you could see below, the actual processing facility where components of the space station are received, taken out of their containers, and inspected. On November 20, 1998, Russia sent up the first node of the International Space Station. The United States will send up the second piece of the Space Station on December 3, 1998. It will take 45 Shuttle and rocket missions combined, along with hard work by the astronauts, to complete the International Space Station in space.The Rocket Garden has earned its name because it is a garden of many unique rockets. Just as a garden starts out as many seeds, and then after a long wait, sprouts, the rocket garden started out as a few hopes and dreams to meet their challenges to make it to the moon and back, then grew into a "garden" of many different rockets and realities.
WOW!!! The Space Center is an amazing place of rockets and the historical people that made space history. Now, as the yellow school bus starts its diesel engine, we wave our last good-bye to the magnificent Kennedy Space Center.
Mrs. Berry's Fifth Grade: Nicole A., Richard A., Jennifer B, Michael B., Sonja C. Josh D., Lindsay F., Derrick G., Bryan H., Shawn K., Trevar L., Megan L., Carla L., Daniel M., Tony N., Gerry N., Kevin O., Aimee O., Eric P., Alexia R., Krissy T., Janet T., Houston T., and Chelsea v.d.B.Main photographer: Chelsea v.d.B.
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