posted 04-17-2019 04:09 PM               

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

The countdown is on! This July will mark 50 years since the historic Apollo 11 mission launched for its journey to the Moon from LC-39 at Kennedy Space Center. Visitors from around the globe will be able to relive the experience and more at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, through a series of events and celebrations designed to commemorate the anniversaries of the launch, journey and landing.

The Apollo/Saturn V Center, offering an exploration of the Apollo Program from the days leading up to the first launch to the Moon landings that followed, will unveil new upgrades, exhibits and experiences on July 15. Guests will immerse themselves in the stories and history that describe the moments that changed the future of space exploration forever, all surrounding an actual Saturn V rocket. Enhancements include a closer look at Lunar Module 9, projection mapping on the side of the Saturn V rocket, a 1969 period living room and bar scene that recreate what it was like to watch the Moon landing, a Moon Tree Garden made up of trees grown from seeds that orbited the Moon, a Fisher Space Pen legacy display, a closer look at the Command and Service Module 119, and more. The Apollo/Saturn V Center remains open during these updates, but guests may be subject to Moon dust during the process.

On July 16 at exactly 9:32 a.m., guests will be able to relive the excitement of watching Apollo 11 lift off. A "flashback" event will take visitors through the launch sequence in real time by showcasing original footage at the Banana Creek viewing area, which offers an amazing view of the launch pad that Apollo 11 lifted off from 50 years ago. Before and after, guests will enjoy breakfast and other refreshments, have the chance to experience the Apollo/Saturn V Center, and be enlightened by expert commentary, astronaut interviews and more.

During a special "Moon Landing" event on July 20, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will honor the Moon landing and the moment that Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the Moon 50 years ago.

After completing the monumental Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins safely splashed back into the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. As the final anniversary event in the timeline of the mission, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will host "Splashdown" in the Rocket Garden on July 24.

To stay up to date on Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's plans to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, visit this website.

At a glance:

• July 15: Apollo/Saturn V Center Transformation Celebration

• July 16: Relive the excitement of watching Apollo 11 lift off through the launch sequence replayed in real time.

• July 20: Moon Landing - Join Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in honoring the unprecedented moment not only experienced by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but the entire world.

• July 24: A welcome home celebration exactly 50 years later to the date that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins safely splashed back into the Pacific Ocean.

posted 06-28-2019 02:33 PM               

Duran Duran to Rock the Rocket Garden at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex with Concert and Choreographed Drone Light Show

Spectacular Late-Night Show Highlights Apollo 50th Celebrations on the Space Coast

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Aldrin Family Foundation today announced that the iconic British band Duran Duran will play a unique show amidst the spectacular Rocket Garden with an out-of-this-world drone performance by Studio Drift. Tickets are now on sale for the show which will immediately follow the sold-out Apollo 50th Gala on July 16, 2019.

Speaking from Europe, where the band is currently on tour, keyboardist and Duran Duran co-founder Nick Rhodes said, "In July 1969 an entire generation, around the world, was 'Moonstruck'. I was one of those kids watching in complete amazement on TV as the Lunar Module touched down, and Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the Moon. I remember rushing outside immediately after the broadcast to just stare up into the night sky. It was surreal and awe inspiring - science fiction unfolding before us. I tried to picture what it must be like for the astronauts who were up there – but it was all so utterly unimaginable. We'd simply never witnessed anything like it before. It felt like a new beginning. Everything was encapsulated in that one moment, nothing was ever going to be the same again. It represented hope, belief and opportunity - opening our minds to what mankind was capable of achieving."

Rhodes continued, "Around a decade later, we formed the band and released our first single Planet Earth. The indelible impact of the Moon landing was still one of our main sources of inspiration. In the last half-century there have been very few events that have captured the world's attention and united everyone in such a positive way. We are truly thrilled and honored to be a part of the 50-year celebration of the Apollo 11 mission, and to be performing at the Kennedy Space Center where the launch took place and the dream became a reality."

For this special tribute performance, the band reached out to renowned artist duo Studio Drift, whose work they had admired at Art Basel in Miami just over a year ago. Their infamous art performance Franchise Freedom, consisting of hundreds of Intel Shooting Star drones, envisions how technology and nature can intertwine.

"The Apollo 11 Moon landing exemplifies what technology can do for humanity. We're ready and excited for the next 50 years," said Ralph Nauta, co-founder of Studio Drift.

This will be Duran Duran's first performance in such a unique setting with the massive Saturn 1B and other rockets and spacecraft as the backdrop. The concert and drone light show will highlight a series of events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing, a moment that was celebrated around the world.

Tickets for this unique experience are available for $300 each and can only be purchased online. Profits from the concert will support the Aldrin Family Foundation's STEAM education programs.

Entry begins at 8 p.m., and the performance will be preceded by a set from DJ Evalicious.