KSC Shuttle Launch Experience

**dvcjane** · 03-08-2008, 04:36 PM

HAs anyone done the launch experience and can you tell me what its like? is there much embarassment if I do things wrong

**Isafari** · 03-08-2008, 05:50 PM

Are you talking about the ride Jane? It's a simulator very similar to the Star Wars at DHS....nothing to get embarrassed about.

**dvcjane** · 03-08-2008, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Isafari

Are you talking about the ride Jane? It's a simulator very similar to the Star Wars at DHS....nothing to get embarrassed about.

Hiya no I meant the special tour thing where you can pretend youre part of the shuttle crew?

**Isafari** · 03-08-2008, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by dvcjane

Hiya no I meant the special tour thing where you can pretend youre part of the shuttle crew?

Ahhhh......nope, can't help you there then

I think Slowhand may have done something along those lines....no doubt he'll be along soon :

:

**Slowhand** · 03-08-2008, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by dvcjane

Hiya no I meant the special tour thing where you can pretend youre part of the shuttle crew?

I think what you are referring to is called ATX [Astronaut Training Experience] and it`s a great day out IMHO.
You are given a bus tour of the complex where you get right up close to Launch Pad 39a [or b], much closer than when you do the conventional tour. Lunch is thrown in when you are given a talk by an ex astronaut...the one I had was Jerry Carr of Skylab-4 who at one time held the record for having spent the longest time in space, and you are shown many things which are "off limits" to the regular guests. Afterwards you all have your photo taken with the astronaut who later in the day hands out signed photos, along with a certificate of the event as a keepsake.
The tour ends with a Shuttle launch and landing simulation when you are split into two groups, one of which are aboard a mock up of the shuttle flight cabin, and the other team are in "Mission Control".
Basically you follow a script, talking to and from Mission Control to the Shuttle crew and pressing the right buttons at the right [hopefully!] time. On our "mission" there were two ladies supposedly in the cargo hold of the shuttle and we could see them via a camera link from where we were. These two hadn`t a clue as to what was going on and were just wandering around aimlessly until the penny dropped.

By this time though you have began to know most of the folks on the tour reasonably well, having spent most of the day with them which helps with any embarrassment should you do anything wrong.

If you are at all interested in the space project as a whole then this tour is highly recommended.
You have to book it well in advance though since there are only around 20 people on the tour each day.

Here is a link to the web site.