Posts: 1075
From: Redondo Beach, Ca
Registered: Jan 2001

Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 10-10-2006 06:03 AM               

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I'd start with touring the Cape side with John Glenn and Scott Carpenter. Visiting the sites of the launch pads, old blockhouses, etc Then we'd meet up with Wally Schirra at Pad 34. (I don't know why his suggestion of adding a reference to Apollo 7 has never been accomplished.)

After that Jim Lovell would take us through the Apollo Saturn Center where lo and behold we'd run into Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan.
Having a discussion about Apollo. Alan Bean would sketch out the scene as a souvenir.

Bob Crippen would meet us there and take us to the OPF, VAB and Pad 39. Then we'd head on over to the LCC where we'd meet up with Charlie Bolden, Eileen Collins and a few other shuttle astronauts.

Last we'd head on over to the Debus Center where members of the Class of 2004 would brief us on the Constellation Program.

That's where I'd be revived with smelling salts and no one would believe me about the adventure I just had.

Posts: 618
From: BURTON ON TRENT /England
Registered: Nov 2002

posted 10-10-2006 06:13 AM               

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I've never been to the US and KSC, so any tour around KSC would be an experience for my family and myself to remember.

I'm hoping one day (funds permitting) to go to FL while my girls are still young enough to appreciate Donald, Mickey and Co, as well as KSC of course.

Posts: 900
From: Humboldt KS USA
Registered: Dec 2003

Posts: 1287
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 10-10-2006 09:40 AM               

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I think a tour should include all launch pads that manned missions have launched from:

Pad 5: Mercury Redstone
Pad 14: Mercury Atlas
Pad 19: Gemini
Pad 34: Apollo 1 and Apollo 7
Pads 39A and 39B: Apollo 8-17, Skylab, ASTP, Shuttle

One wouldn't need to see both 39A and 39B to the same level of detail, but visit one in depth and make a shorter visit to the second one.

The tour can also include the launch control center, the VAB, and the Shuttle landing facility.

Posts: 318
From: Kiel, Germany
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-10-2006 09:51 AM               

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A tour of launch pad 39A or B. I would love to walk through the flame trench. Back in 2001 I saw the launch of STS 100 as a VIP and so I was able to take the VIP Tour of KSC one day before the launch. Our bus driver took us very close to the opening of the flame trench but we were not allowed (of course) to take a walk.

I also would love to get on the roof of the VAB to take a look around KSC.

Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 10-10-2006 11:34 AM               

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I'd be happy just to see a launch! I've been there twice now, first time for STS-98, then another time I was there at about the right time to see an Atlas launch - delayed.

I think I had one of the best tours already. Ken Havekotte arranged a wonderful personal tour of the old Cape Canavaral area where the tour buses didn't go. Unfortunately, he was busy that day, but his friend Bill(?) took us around and he was like a walking encyclopedia of knowledge on the area. Thanks again Ken!

Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 10-11-2006 09:51 AM               

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Upon further review of my idea to visit all pads with manned launches, I just realized one could do the tour in chronological order moving from south to north, starting with Pad 5 for the earliest launch (Mercury Redstone), then work your way north to Pad 14 for Mercury Atlas, then Pad 19 for Gemini, then Pad 34 for Apollo 1/7, and finally Pads 39A/B for Apollo/Skylab/Shuttle. Once the pads are seen, then move west to see the launch control center and the VAB (and maybe the Shuttle landing strip). It would probably take the better part of a day to see it all, but what a great day that would be!

And of course, it would be great to have Wally Schirra tag along for the day, as he is the only one to have launched from three different pads (14, 19, and 34) at the Cape...except for Cernan and Young who have launched from 19, 39A, and 39B.