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Aerial of Kennedy Space Center

The VAB Building can be seen in the distance along with the launch complex. The shuttle landing facility is parallel to the coastal area between the two launch complexes and is located behind the VAB Building.

Discovery atop Boeing 747

The space shuttle Discovery rides atop a Boeing 747 en route to Kennedy Space Center prior to its first launch. Discovery was named after two ships; Henry Hudson's who discovered Hudson Bay and Captain Cook's who discovered the Hawaiian Islands.

Endeavour Landing

The space shuttle Endeavour was equipped with a parachute braking system. The drag chute was used during test flights to reduce landing roll-outs. This system was deleted as the construction of the first Orbiter continued. It was later retrofitted to the remaining Orbiters.

Rocket Garden

There are many rockets built for manned and unmanned spaceflight. The rocket garden can be visited at the Kennnedy Space Center.

Discovery Launch

Discovery was named after two ships; Henry Hudson's who discovered Hudson Bay and Captain Cook's who discovered the Hawaiian Islands. This orbiter was the third to be constructed and tested. It was delivered to Kennedy Space Center on November 9, 1983.

Atlantis Launch

The space shuttle Atlantis was named after a two-masted ketch operated for the Woods Hole Oceangraphic Institute. On its firat voyage, it recorded one of the quickest turn-arouns of the program. It returned in almost perfect shape and was prepared for a second mission two months later.

Night Launch

The Challenger mission, STS-8, was the first night launch of the sopace shuttle. The nose of the shuttle was positioned away from the sun in order to test the flight deck's perfomance in extreme cold temperature.

Columbia on Launch Pad

The launch pad is constructed on 52,000 cubic meters of reinforced concrete. There are six steel pedastels that support the launch platform and shuttle package. Thee two service towers provide access to the rocket for astronaut boarding, fueling, payload installation, and final checkout.

Saturn V Exhibit

This exhibit, at Kennedy Space Center, houses a 100,000 square foot attraction. The Saturn V rocket is one of only three moon rockets in existence.

VAB Building & Launch

The tallest part of the Vehicle Assembly Building has four bays in which different elements of the Space Shuttle are assembled and readied for flight. Various sections of the solid rocket boosters are checked and refurbished are done in the shorter portion of the building. A shuttle launch is seen in the background.

Astronaut in Space

The Manneed Maneuvering Unit (MMU) was introduced on Challenger mission STS-11. It is an untethered backpack propulsion unit. The MMU allows astronauts to maneuver in space independent of the Orbiter.

Earth (North America) from Space

Earth is the third planet from the sun and its rotation period around the sun is 365 earth days. It is the only planet known to sustain life. The continents make up less than one third of the Earth's total surface and approximately 70% of the crust is covered by water.