Thursday, February 4, 2010

Space Truckin'





I made my 3rd pilgramage (Kelly's 1st, the bloggerette's 1st, obviously), to the Kennedy Space Center, where our proud nation launches her proud astronauts into orbit around this beautiful little blue orb spinning silently in the black vacuum of the universe.




The Space Shuttle is locked and loaded, with the program's second to last launch scheduled for 4:29am on Sunday.




Just one more launch after this one, and it'll be the end of this chapter in this particular volume of the book of the human race's long story of exploration. A chapter that argueably peaked with the setting of a human foot on the dusty ground of the Sea of Tranquility, on the surface of the Moon.

Almost unbelievable, still.

But after viddying a stunning IMax feature about the Apollo program and what it was like to be on those missions and walk on the moon, there are now two and a half more uber-enthusiastic moon-shot boosters for a contemplated return by 2020.




...3D will do that to you.

This particular visit was the best of my three, as we packed in as many of the features, displays and tours as time permitted, ending with a strapped-in, thunderingly realistic launch simulation contrived by real shuttle pilots, and sporting the gut shaking excitement of a theme park ride.




After that ride, you'll be more aware of where the flab in your body is, believe me.



No comments: