There were giants in those days

The UCNC conference series is one I try to attend most years, but I don't always make it.  I made it this year for three reasons: my team got four papers accepted, I was running the TEMC workshop at the conference, aaaaand the conference venue is a 2 hour drive from the Kennedy Space Centre.

I found some other delegates at the conference who wanted to visit (including someone who had a hire car!), so this morning four of us piled into the car, and drove down the coast.

It started with a small forest of rockets near the entrance:

I had been raving about seeing a Saturn V.  One of the group saw the rocket on its side, and asked if that was it.  No, I said, much too small! 

Gemini twins: the early capsules were so small, they needed tiny astronauts...

We had a quick look at a few exterior exhibits, but I made a beeline to the bus line for the Apollo/Saturn V centre.  We were led through some exhibits:

the Apollo landing control room

And then, finally, the reason for being here.

the Saturn V first stage rocket nozzles, each over 12ft (3.7m) in diameter

It's indoors, so it's hard to get a feel for the sheer size of this thing, 363ft (111m) long/tall.

view from the bottom

View from the top.  The very top component is the launch escape system.  The conical part at the bottom of this covers the command module, the only part of this behemoth that returns to Earth.  The command module is about the same size as one of the first stage rocket nozzles..

Apollo 14 command module

After marvelling at this monster (and probably annoying my travelling companions with my gushing about remembering the moon landing, and what at least I think are interesting facts about the rockets), and then having a not-that-inspiring lunch in the cafeteria, we returned to the rest of the exhibition near the entrance.

The other main exhibit is the Atlantis shuttle.  The entrance has the main fuel tank and SRBs on display: they look quite small after the Saturn V.

Shuttle launch tanks.

We could then get up close with Atlantis; again, it feels small.  It is good to know that we can go into space in something less huge than a Saturn V.

The closest I'll get to being a shuttle pilot.

We then had a "shuttle launch experience", cleverly done to shake us about with the illusion of increased g forces on launch.  Astronauts say this is the most realistic launch simulation they have experienced: note the use of "simulation", though.

There were many other fun exhibits and activities, plus several merchandising outlets.  I bought a plushy Apollo command module and a NASA mug.

On the way back, we completed our USA experience by stopping for dinner in a diner.

What a day!  Flying home tomorrow.