Kennedy Space Center will open its doors to the local community, offering a special close-up view of KSC’s unique role in the space program, during the first KSC Community Appreciation Day on Saturday, Oct. 19.
"This is our way to thank the local community for all the support they have provided to KSC over the years," said Center Director Jay F. Honeycutt. "This behind-the-scenes view of KSC employees and the wide range of work they perform for the nation’s space program should provide a memorable experience for people of all ages."
Admission is free to the event, which begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.
Community Appreciation Day attendees can do an approximately 30-mile drive-through tour of the NASA space center, or make several stops to visit facilities and see exhibits.
Among the scheduled tour highlights:
A drive-by tour of the Space Shuttle Columbia poised for liftoff at Launch Pad 39B.
A look inside the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, one of the largest buildings by volume in the world.
A drive along the Shuttle landing runway, one of the world’s longest concrete paved runways, and a display of special aircraft used to support the space program.
Visits to two facilities in which payloads (Shuttle experiments and space station flight hardware) are prepared for flight.
A tour of the Launch Control Center where a network of computers and consoles control assembly, checkout and launch of the Space Shuttle.
A visit to a manufacturing facility for tiles and other protective materials that shield the Shuttle orbiters from extreme heat and cold.
A display of firefighting and rescue equipment used to meet the unique requirements of KSC.
An opportunity to photograph Shuttle transport equipment such as the 3,000-ton Crawler Transporter which carries a Space Shuttle to the launch pad.
A wide range of exhibits on such topics as astronaut space suits and food, robotics, ground-based communications with spacecraft, and transfer of NASA-developed space-related technology to benefit private industry and other users.
Demonstrations and hands-on discovery flights of radio-controlled model aircraft.
Community Appreciation Day attendees will need a special vehicle placard to enter one of the three KSC controlled-access gates. A placard should be placed inside each vehicle windshield. The three gates can be accessed from State Road 3 in Merritt Island, State Road 405 from U.S. 1, or State Road 402 in Titusville.
The placard is included in a Community Appreciation Day booklet which also provides an overview of the space center, details of the tour highlights and maps showing the tour route. The limited number of placards/booklets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The placards/booklets can be obtained only through the Brevard County public libraries; they will not be available by calling or writing to the space center. The booklets should be available on library counters beginning the first week in October. Anyone picking up a placard/booklet will be asked to sign for it.
The maximum vehicle size allowed is a 15-passenger van.