Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: NASA tours?
Message-ID: <1990Jul28.161133.2129@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 28 Jul 90 16:11:33 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Moscom Corp., E. Rochester, NY
Lines: 49
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: cs.rochester.edu!moscom!jaw (Jim Watson)
In article <1990Jul25.004521.6466@cbnews.att.com> you write:
>
>
>From: jpulliam@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacqueline Pulliam)
>
>Does anyone know if NASA offers tours of Cape Canaveral, and if so
>what the times/durations/etc. are?  I'll be in the area the 17th of

   We went to Cocoa Bech for our honeymoon in May and took the official
NASA tour offered by some private company (can't think of the name
off hand).  It was interesting.  Good points and bad points (as I think
of them) to follow:

   Go in the morning, before 10:00.  It gets crowded fast.  We arrived soon
      after it opened (9:00?), waited only 15 min or so in the ticket
      line and walked right on to the bus.  I don't remember the price,
      so I guess it wasn't too outrageous.

   You will see some very good exhibits.  They have a complete lunar lander
      that was used for training, numerous rockets, a research plane of
      some sort, a Saturn V (this thing is ENORMOUS !!!), etc.

   Mission status permitting they will take you to an observation area
      to look at the shuttle . . . from 3 MILES away.  Bring the telephoto
      lens ! :-}  Even from there with a cheap 35 mm a managed a picture
      that actually looks like the tank and boosters.  We were 'behind'
      the thing and the shuttle itself was in some sort of protective shelter
      anyways :-{

   Our driver enjoyed giving us interesting trivia before the taped
      narrative could, which was both amusing and annoying.  In all fairness
      though, he added a little like the Vehicle assembly buiding is the
      second largest enclosed structure in the world (it IS huge).

   Bring lots of film and, if you want souvenirs, lots of money.

   I enjoyed it and my wife, who has a mild interest in space exploration,
also had a good time.  Have fun.  If you need more info when you get there,
just ask anyone - I'm serious - EVERYBODY knew something about it.

   This is from memory, so forgive me if I failed to mention something.
Remember that NASA is a big name in Florida and this tour isn't the only
space related activity.  If you are staying in a hotel, they will have
an unlimited supply of pamphlets for you browsing pleasure.  Have a good time.

Jim Watson