Orlando for history geeks

The best part was Charles, who completely blew our minds with the science of space! He was tucked just outside the gift store and had us captivated for 10 mins with some brilliant experiments. That and the dad joke sheet made my day. We loved learning about the other amazing feats of the space race and the brilliant minds behind the STS programme. Thank you team at KEC. We'll be back!

Our visit to the Kennedy Space Center was nothing short of extraordinary, and the Explorer Tour truly made it an unforgettable journey. From start to finish, our excellent tour guide brought every location to life with insightful stories, deep knowledge, and contagious enthusiasm for space exploration. One of the biggest highlights was seeing the iconic Launch Complexes 39A and 39B up close. Standing just a few hundred meters from LC-39A, where SpaceX regularly launches Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions, was incredibly exciting. Even more impressive was witnessing the ongoing construction of the Starship launch tower at Pad 39A — a massive steel structure that will soon support the next generation of deep space missions. Just a stone’s throw away, LC-39B is now fully prepared for NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. We also marveled at the sheer size and significance of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and got a close look at the iconic Crawler Transporter, the massive machine that has moved rockets to the pads since the Apollo era. These engineering marvels really put into perspective the scale and ambition of space travel. The experience didn’t stop there. The Saturn V Center was breathtaking — the massive Saturn V rocket suspended above us, powerful audiovisual presentations, and authentic Apollo-era artifacts made it feel like we had stepped back in time. The Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit was just as impressive, featuring the real orbiter on display in dramatic fashion, and the Shuttle Launch Experience gave us a thrilling taste of liftoff. We were deeply moved by the Heroes and Legends Hall, which pays tribute to the pioneers of NASA’s human spaceflight program, and amazed by the Gateway: Deep Space Launch Complex, showcasing future-focused technologies and actual spacecraft, including SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner capsules.

Very informative, engaging, and put the disaster into a human perspective today. Most just see it as a historical event. The exhibit brings it into the modern age. Loved all the authentic items, too. The axrual piece of ice was a nice touch as well.