posted 06-21-2001 02:36 PM               

Any of you managed to get over to New York at any time? I went to the states for the 1st time in Feb and went to the Intrepid Air & Space museum.

Its a real Aircraft carrier that is perm. moored on the hudson now. It was one of the recovery vessels on Gemini.

To cut a long story short, it was ace and I recommend it. There are moonsuits, helmets (excellent!) and replica capsules.

If you ever get over there, check it out.

posted 06-21-2001 04:09 PM               

I went once, years ago...it was nothing much, and I dont even remember the word 'space' fitting into the title. But I hear that it has been renovated, so Ill have to check it out. It seems as though I once heard one of the capsule was there..but apparently not; maybe it was a temp. exhibit.

Thanks for mentioning it...whereever one lives, they themselves never visit their own tourist attractions!

------------------
______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
-Ben

http://www.geocities.com/ovcolumbia/totaleclipse.html

posted 06-21-2001 05:27 PM               

I was never much of a fan of aviation, but I remember the Intrepid had an SR-71 blackbird and for a short time, an X-15 (at least I remember seeing it on one trip and not being able to find it on the next). I also remember a Gemini capsule and a lunar module mock-up.

posted 06-22-2001 12:13 AM               

Actually, theres the science museum in London which I have been to a few times, they have a mock up of a lem and the CM from Apollo 10 i think.

Jodrell Bank is pretty nice too but in comparison to say....the KSC I guess it's pretty weak.

Wish I lived in the states sometimes.

Heh heh

Thanks for the replies guys.

Steve

posted 06-22-2001 02:31 AM               

I was on a rail-holiday in the United States and rolled into Washington, saw the Smithsonian in my guidebook and headed over with very little idea of what to expect.

Wow! Wow, wow and triple wow! You walk through the front door and bam! the Apollo 11 command module. And what's that hanging above it? Oh, it's the Wright brothers' plane. To your left (as I remember) Alan Shepard's Mercury capsule, and to your right Ed White's Gemini spacewalk capsule. And that's just the front porch.

I was truly stunned. I mean really. It took me about five whole minutes to stop just helplessly staring at the Columbia. I was totally unprepared to find myself standing right next to this spaceship that I'd heard about all my life, a semi-mythical relic of the most incredible event in human history. The reality of the event (the moonlandings) gripped me as it had never before. Men flew THIS ship to the moon, descended to the surface and then walked upon it.

I've sat here for five minutes since the last line trying to think of how to express the experience and I really find that words fail me. One of my happiest memories, and one that reminded me how incredible this world and life really are.

posted 06-22-2001 05:02 AM               

Thats sounds like just my idea of fun. Is washington an expensive place to visit?

I guess I'd probably go for a long weekend or something next year.

The chance to see Columbia is just too tempting to pass up. Did they have moonsuits too?

The ships are great but its the helmets and suits that do it for me. Wonder if you can rent them out?

Though...where you'd go in it is another question?!

Think it's watching too much Star Wars as a child and wishing I was a Stormtrooper.

Ha ha

See you

Steve

posted 06-22-2001 06:09 AM               

A few quick corrections/additions:

• the Mercury capsule sitting near Columbia is Glenn's Friendship 7 (though to be fair, Shepard's capsule was also present for a short time in the weeks following his passing)
  
• the Apollo and Soyuz inside the "Space Race" hall are not the original vehicles which flew, but scale models. Interestingly, the Soyuz model belongs to Energia (the company which built the original Soyuz flown on ASTP).
  
• both Armstrong's and Aldrin's moonsuits are on display inside the "Apollo To the Moon" hall on the second floor
  
• most importantly: the museum is currently under renovation and as such, Columbia, and the spacecraft surrounding it are currently off limits. I do not know the schedule for the construction, but I would hope the temporary walls would come down by July 1, the 25th annivesary of the museum.
  

posted 06-22-2001 06:09 AM               

Robert, I must immediately disagree -- New Jersey has a wonderful series of space connections. As the home state for Wally Schirra and Buzz Aldrin, along with a number of other early astronauts, we got our fair share of celebrations in the '60s.

The Air and Space Museum remains the undisputed king of museums on the planet -- surpassing all others in visitors. I probably went inside once every month during the two years I worked in D.C. after college. I can get lost in there for days and now work on dragging my young ones in whenever we pass Washington. FYI -- it is Glenn's Friendship 7, along with Gemini 4, down in the Milestones of Flight area. My own dumbest mistake was that for a number of years the museum was selling the Calle prints autographed by Armstrong and Aldrin for about $150 each and I did not buy them (but boy did I look at them everytime I visited, just a little beyond my salary at the time).

Despite the absence of space related items, the Science Museum in London, which Steve mentioned, was always a great visit as a kid. Since Steve also has the advantage of the Imperial War Museum, the British Museum, the National Gallery and a wonderful spinoff from the Imperial War Museum to the north and east (beyond Cambridge)(sorry the name of the airfield is escaping me at the moment), the opportunities for an interesting day abound in the UK.

I visited the USS Hornet about 18 months ago and found her a little depressing. The ship is need of some significant financial support to pull it anywhere close to the Intrepid. Given her connection with Apollo XI and XII, the ship's role was undersupported. The veterans onboard, however, were outstanding and very helpful in their discussion of carrier operations.

posted 06-22-2001 06:56 AM               

In addition, they have a large display of WW1-present tanks and artillery.
www.iwm.org.uk/duxford/index.htm

Mentioning New Jersey - you can also visit the spot where the Hindenburg exploded, near Lakehurst.

[This message has been edited by NC Apollo Fan (edited June 22, 2001).]

posted 06-22-2001 07:58 AM               

For those passing through Chicago, I'd suggest the Museum of Science and Industry. They have the Apollo 8 Command Module, a Lunar Module trainer, Scott Carpenter's Mercury capsule and various other pieces of equipment (including space suits). When you consider that the Command Module remains in orbit around the moon during a mission, I think the Apollo 8 capsule is even cooler than the Apollo 11 CM since it was the first to do just that. But perhaps that's a debate for another post.

There's a new exhibit on the International Space Station, although I haven't had a chance to see it. The rest of the museum is mighty cool as well (an actual German U-boat you can go into, human body slices, a working coal mine, etc.). Absent a collection like the Smithsonian's, it'll do.

As for Lovell's restaurant, I haven't had the pleasure yet, but I understand it's actually his son's restaurant.

This concludes my free ad for the Chicago tourism office.

posted 06-22-2001 08:38 AM               

For those in the UK...when I was there, I visited the Imperial museum; it was nice, but the second one I visited was a WOW! museum...have any of you been to the Royal Air Force Museum? It was a long subway ride into the deep suburbs...but well worth it! Two giant hangers housed tons of planes on display!

As for NASM...I need not speak of the WOW! it gives you. As for the renovation...NASM Magazine says the roof was leaking from rain, and will be closed until the years end.

------------------
______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
-Ben

http://www.geocities.com/ovcolumbia/totaleclipse.html

posted 06-22-2001 09:07 AM               

I do live close to a great museum here in Seattle - Museum of Flight. Great place for autograph collectors since they very often have astronauts and pilots visiting for book signings. The pilot of the Memphis Bell is going to be there on the 5th of July, I plan on being there with my book!

posted 06-22-2001 01:28 PM               

I was there in 1991, already a space geek then. Later that holiday we've been to Florida but unfortunately not been possible to view a launch there. Hope I'll get to see one in the future.

Best wishes, Kirsten