Houston We Have A Problem ………….

I’ve brought you all the cars from Houston, now I’m gonna bring you another reason to get over to Houston.

Well that’s if your obsessed with the space race?

The Johnson Space Centre is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration‘s center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control.Its been involved in every piece of space flight from the early Gemini Project right through to the Shuttle programme and the International Space Station.

As with most thing’s interesting there is a facility tour and museum to space flight, So I headed south through downtown Houston and on to the Bay area of Houston.

Stood on 1630 acres the facility is large to say the least. First up was the tram tour which takes you around the center.

First stop on the tour was Chris Craft Mission Control, named after the flight controller of the original Gemini missions. This is where all the Gemini missions were controlled from aswell as all the Apollo missions.

The seat on the right was the very seat Gene Kranz controlled all the Apollo flights including the fateful 13.

The viewing gallery I took this picture from has been sat in by members of the flight crew’s family, presidents and the Queen, pretty cool …….

Various pictures line the stairs on the climb/descent to and from Mission Control.

The day man landed on the moon

And the men who did it.

Below historic mission control is the current mission control where the previous space shuttle flights and now the International Space Station.

Mission Control is a historical landmark … that’s pretty significant

Next stop on the tour is Building 9, this is where NASA staff train for up and coming missions

Mock up’s of the ISS are put to the test to let the astronauts get familiarised with their new home for 3 months at a time.

A full size shuttle was also in this huge building

It’s currently being dismantled and shipped to the museum of flight in New York

They also develop new technology in building 9

The Mars rover, which is being tested to the maximum just now

It has full 360 degree wheel rotation,can raise and lower centre of gravity aswell as lots of things NASA probably don’t want us to know.

While on the tour you pass ALOT of buildings, but all of them have the same exterior look

Once you have visited the two main buildings on the tour you return to the museum via the Rocket Park

A couple of the early rockets used for testing ideas for the Apollo missions are positioned outside

They look quite big ……..

Until ……….

You step inside the main Saturn building

WOW is what actually came out of my mouth, I couldn’t belive how truly monstrous the Saturn V rocket was!

Hopefully you can appreciate it from the pictures, you just have to look at the people walking near by

It’s amazing to think all this technology and money to send 3 people to the moon in what is essentially a small city car.

The wall inside the building was adorned with facts and pictures from every Apollo mission

Of course Apollo 11 was up there

Back to the museum

First stop was the mocked up space shuttle. The inside was a 100% accurate recreation of the flight deck of the space shuttle

Various dioramas line the museum with full size “astronauts”

Original Gemini capsule hung from the roof showing the first Space walk performed by Ed White in 1965

Model detailing the fully built space shuttle was cool!

You could also touch real moon rock

Nice details on a bench built especially for the space center

The mural above the tram tour entrance was really cool

That’s it from the centre, it’s a definite must for any space fans who happen to be in Houston

Thacko

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