Florida Visiting

Florida Vacations, Travel & Tourism

Kennedy Space Center

You are here: Home / Places / Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a fascinating and interactive experience that takes visitors on an unforgettable journey through the history and future of space exploration. File photo: Nadezda Murmakova, ShutterStock.com, licensed.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, located on Merritt Island, Florida, near Cape Canaveral, is the gateway to NASA’s iconic spaceport. It offers an immersive experience into the history, present, and future of space exploration. Since its opening in 1967, the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Complex has been a popular destination for space enthusiasts, families, and tourists from around the world. Visitors can explore exhibits that celebrate NASA’s achievements, witness real spacecraft, and even meet astronauts, all while gaining insight into the incredible accomplishments of the U.S. space program.

As the primary launch site for NASA’s manned space missions since the 1960s, Kennedy Space Center is a working spaceport. The visitor complex combines education and entertainment, providing a behind-the-scenes look at human spaceflight, from the early days of the Mercury program to modern-day efforts like the Artemis missions and SpaceX launches.

Main Attractions and Exhibits

1. Heroes & Legends Featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame: This exhibit celebrates the pioneers of space exploration, including early NASA astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. The Heroes & Legends exhibit is a tribute to the bravery, perseverance, and achievements of the men and women who have flown into space.

  • Astronaut Hall of Fame: This area honors U.S. astronauts and their contributions to space exploration. Interactive displays and personal artifacts highlight the careers of astronauts like John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, and Sally Ride.
  • 3D Theater: The exhibit features a 3D theater experience where visitors can relive iconic moments in space history, including the first American spacewalk and the Apollo moon landing.

2. Space Shuttle Atlantis One of the most exciting and emotional exhibits at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit. This iconic orbiter flew 33 missions into space, including the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011. Atlantis is displayed in an awe-inspiring, suspended configuration as if in flight, giving visitors a true sense of the shuttle’s size and power.

  • Shuttle Launch Experience: Visitors can board this shuttle simulator and experience what it’s like to launch into space. The immersive ride replicates the sights, sounds, and sensations of a real space shuttle launch, making it one of the highlights of the visitor complex.
  • Hubble Space Telescope Exhibit: This exhibit explores the incredible achievements of the Hubble Space Telescope, which was deployed during Atlantis’ STS-31 mission in 1990. Visitors can learn about the telescope’s groundbreaking discoveries and see stunning images of distant galaxies and nebulae.

3. NASA’s Artemis Program and Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex: The Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex® is an interactive exhibit dedicated to the future of space exploration. Focusing on NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and eventually Mars, this exhibit offers a glimpse into humanity’s next great journey into space.

  • Spaceport KSC: A unique space travel simulation, Spaceport KSC allows visitors to experience various future space missions in a state-of-the-art, multi-sensory theater.
  • Future Spacecraft: The exhibit showcases full-scale models of the next generation of spacecraft, including NASA’s Orion, SpaceX’s Dragon, and Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. These vehicles are part of the new era of space travel, with missions planned to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

4. Apollo/Saturn V Center: The Apollo/Saturn V Center offers visitors a chance to experience the monumental achievements of the Apollo program, which sent humans to the Moon for the first time. This exhibit features a fully restored Saturn V rocket, the largest rocket ever built, which was used to launch the Apollo missions.

  • Moon Landing Theater: Visitors can relive the historic moment of July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. The theater presentation uses actual footage and audio from the Apollo 11 mission to recreate this pivotal moment in history.
  • Apollo 14 Command Module: Visitors can view the actual command module that brought the Apollo 14 astronauts safely back to Earth after their mission to the Moon.
  • Lunar Rover: The exhibit also includes a replica of the lunar rover, the vehicle that astronauts used to explore the Moon’s surface.

5. Rocket Garden: The Rocket Garden is an outdoor exhibit that displays some of NASA’s most iconic rockets, representing different stages of space exploration. The towering rockets are a testament to the ingenuity and engineering marvels that powered missions from the early Mercury and Gemini programs to the mighty Saturn V used in the Apollo missions.

  • Mercury-Redstone, Atlas, and Titan Rockets: Visitors can see life-sized versions of the rockets that launched America’s first astronauts into space.
  • Guided Tours: Knowledgeable guides offer tours of the Rocket Garden, providing insight into each rocket’s role in space history and sharing stories about the astronauts and engineers who helped make space exploration possible.

6. IMAX® Theater: The IMAX® Theater at Kennedy Space Center showcases breathtaking films that bring space exploration to life. With two giant screens, visitors can watch 3D and 2D films that take them on journeys to the International Space Station, Mars, and beyond.

  • Journey to Space 3D: One of the IMAX offerings, this film explores the future of space travel, including NASA’s efforts to send astronauts to Mars.
  • A Beautiful Planet 3D: This film, narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, showcases stunning footage captured from the International Space Station, offering a new perspective on Earth and space.

7. Astronaut Encounter: At Astronaut Encounter, visitors have the unique opportunity to meet real NASA astronauts. This live presentation features a different astronaut each day, who shares stories of their experiences in space and answers questions from the audience.

  • Photo Opportunities: After the presentation, guests can take photos with the astronaut and even get their autograph.

8. Launch Viewing: Kennedy Space Center is still an active spaceport, and visitors can witness live rocket launches from the visitor complex. Watching a rocket launch is an unforgettable experience, with the rumble of the engines and the sight of a rocket lifting off into space. The visitor complex offers several designated viewing areas for launches by NASA, SpaceX, and other private space companies.

  • Launch Pad Viewing: Visitors can view launches from designated areas such as the Apollo/Saturn V Center or the Banana Creek Launch Viewing Area, which offer some of the best views of the launch pads.

Tours and Experiences

1. Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour: Included with admission, the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour takes visitors on a behind-the-scenes journey through the spaceport. The tour visits restricted areas, such as the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), one of the largest buildings in the world, where rockets are assembled before being transported to the launch pad.

  • Launch Complex 39A and 39B: Visitors will see the iconic launch pads where historic missions, including Apollo and Space Shuttle launches, took place. These launch pads are still in use today for missions to the International Space Station and upcoming Artemis Moon missions.

2. Astronaut Training Experience® (ATX): For visitors looking to take their Kennedy Space Center experience to the next level, the Astronaut Training Experience® (ATX) offers a hands-on, immersive experience that simulates astronaut training.

  • Mission Simulation: Participants take part in a simulated space mission, learning how to dock a spacecraft, conduct a spacewalk, and work as a team in a high-pressure environment.
  • Mars Base 1: This extended experience allows participants to work on Mars-related tasks, including operating rovers and solving problems that future astronauts might encounter on the Red Planet.

Vicinity of Kennedy Space Center

Dining and Shopping

1. Dining: The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a variety of dining options, from quick-service cafes to sit-down restaurants.

  • Moon Rock Café: Located near the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, this cafeteria offers a range of American favorites like burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
  • Orbit Café: Offering a selection of hot meals and snacks, Orbit Café is a great spot to grab lunch while exploring the complex.

2. Shopping: Visitors can take home a piece of space history with souvenirs from the gift shops, which offer a wide range of NASA-branded merchandise, space-related toys, books, and apparel.

  • The Space Shop: This is the world’s largest space-themed store, featuring everything from astronaut gear to model rockets and one-of-a-kind space memorabilia.

Additional Details

  • Location: The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is located at SR 405, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on Merritt Island, about an hour’s drive from Orlando.
  • Ticket Options: Visitors can purchase single-day tickets, multi-day passes, and annual passes. Special discounts are available for Florida residents, military personnel, and seniors.
  • Hours of Operation: The visitor complex is open daily, but hours may vary. It is recommended to check the official website for the latest schedule and hours of operation.
  • Accessibility: The complex is fully accessible to visitors with disabilities, offering wheelchair rentals, accessible seating, and services for hearing-impaired guests.

For more information visit: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com