COCOA, FL - KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AND COCOA BEACH PIER

Friday, March 20th, 2015

Day 228
Miles Traveled: 0
Total Miles Traveled: 2870


  Today, via our rental car from Enterprise, we went to the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island.  This NASA facility supports Launch Complex 39.  It was used initially by Saturn V and later by the Space Shuttle program.  We were able to see some of the grounds during a bus tour.

Vehicle Assembly Building - where they put the rocket and spaceship together

Launch Pad 39B - one of two at this facility

  After the rocket and space ship have been assembled they are ready for launch.  Next the assembled space vehicle has to moved to the launching pad.  The launch pad is 3-4 miles away from the Vehicle Assembly Building.  This is done by placing it on a mobile launching platform, which is then placed on a crawler-transporter.  The crawler-transporter is a tracked vehicle with two tracks on each corner (eight in total).  Each track has 57 shoes and each shoe weighs 900 pounds.  Do the math - it weighs ALOT!  It travels along the crawlerway at 1 mph and burns about 125 gallons of diesel fuel per hour.  The crawlerway is a 130 foot wide double path.  Each path is 40 feet wide and 7 feet deep.  It is covered with Tennessee and Alabama River rocks due to their low friction properties to reduce the possibilities of sparks.

crawler-transporter with mobile launcher platform

crawlerway

  
  There were several rocket launchers on display making up the Rocket Garden.  This is like no garden we had ever seen.

Rocket Garden

  
  Two exhibits were of particular interest.  One was the exhibit for Saturn V/Apollo, and, the other was for the Space Shuttle Atlantis.  Both had lots of information about these vessels, as well as the actual rocket and spaceship/shuttle on display.  Before entry to each exhibit, there were very informative short movies. 

Saturn V/Apollo

Space Shuttle Atlantis

  For those Ohio followers, the current Astrovan, which takes the astronauts to the launch pad, is a modified 1983 Airstream Excella motorhome.  This vehicle was made in Jackson Center, OH. 

Astrovan made by Airstream

  Looking into the future, the next space destination for man to walk on may be Mars.  Two Mars Exploration Rovers are currently gathering and sending new information back to Earth.  This is a full scale LEGO model of one of these rovers.  It is made of 90,000 pieces, took 650 man hours to construct, and weighs 290 pounds.  Looks like a great Christmas gift for a young aspiring astronaut.

LEGO model Mars Exploration Rover

  To see more about the Kennedy Space Center go to: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/


  After leaving the Space Center, we drove to Cocoa Beach Pier to get a bite to eat.  Cocoa Beach Pier was originally built in 1962 by a business man and entrepreneur, Rick Stottler.  It stretches 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean.  Over the years, it has changed many times.  Currently it is home to several shops and restaurants.

Cocoa Beach Pier

  We ate at Keith's Oyster Bar which is named after the famous lobster diver, Keith Siegel.  Unlike most lobster fisherman, he got his catch by diving for them and catching them by hand.  Like the astronauts, we ended our day with some beautiful scenery.

enjoying the ocean view at Keith's Oyster Bar on Cocoa Beach Pier