Today started the long journey back to NY but before leaving Florida, I was recommended by a colleague to go see the Kennedy Space Center which was just 2 hours north of where I was staying last night, right off I-95 on the way back. I'm so glad I went because it was a truly inspirational visit.
Lupa at Kennedy Space Center - 11/12/2015
I generally get excited about "space stuff" but I came here not really sure what to expect. I thought it would just be a simple museum you could walk around but oh no, it was much more than that. I got on the tour bus that took us around the complex so we could see the vehicle assembly building, launch pads and other interesting tidbits about the space center and the tour ended at the Apollo/Saturn V (pronounced Saturn Five) center where there was an incredible show detailing the history of the Apollo program including sitting over the real equipment used in mission control during that period where they re-played audio and video of the launch of Apollo 8, the first manned mission the moon. That was a real treat and made my hair stand on end. We were then able to see an actual Saturn V rocket, the scale was just incredible and awe inspiring.
Real mission control equipment from the Apollo program Kennedy Space Center - 11/12/2015
I then rode the bus back to the main area to check out the space shuttle Atlantis. That also included a video showing the history of the shuttle program, the problems faced by the engineers and finally the successful first mission by Atlantis. Then you were treated to seeing the real space shuttle on display. You could see the discoloration caused by re-entry into the atmosphere and a really detailed look into the materials used in its creation.
Space shuttle Atlantis Kennedy Space Center - 11/12/2015
Clearly I was blown away by this and I regret that I initially only allocated 2 hours of time to see. I really needed a whole day. I ended going over that time by quite a bit because it was worth it but I have to come back again to really explore everything in full detail. This is probably the highlight of this trip so far. It put a lot of things into perspective. I don't think people truly grasp how important the space program is and those that argue it's just wasted money don't study history enough to realize that many of the amazing things we use today were born out of technologies pioneered by space program. The push for faster, lighter computers brought into being the semiconductor and later integrated chips. Advancements in material sciences of new alloys are in use in today by many industries. GPS and other satellite based systems would not be possible today without the space program. An entire generation of scientists and engineers were inspired by this. It made America great! It makes me sad that many people don't understand that we need to make this investment if we want America to continue to be a pioneer in technology going forward.
They played a snippet of President Kennedy's "we choose to go to the moon" speech (of course) but hearing those words again resonated with me today. Anything worth pursuing truly is difficult. Choosing the thing that is difficult often makes the experience more rewarding, more meaningful. If anything, you learn a lot of things about yourself when you dare to dream a little and push your boundaries. In many ways, it's a great back drop to this trip. I could've done any number of things to make this trip a lot easier but instead decided to up the difficulty a little and it's been an incredible experience so far. I've done similar things in various aspects of my life and looking back I've always been glad I chose the thing that wasn't easy, but the one that was hard.
Sometimes you just have to listen to it again! President Kennedy's - "We choose to go to the moon" speech
Unfortunately, because I spent so much time at the space center, the 7 hour drive to my next overnight stop in Charlotte, NC required me to go straight through with minimal stops (mostly just for gas). Not only was I already exhausted from baking in the hot Florida sun and walking around but the drive would take me into some night time driving through highways I'd never been on before. I don't like that for many reasons but mostly for safety especially if I'm driving through areas that I know might have wildlife like deer ready to commit suicide at any time. Thankfully I got to my destination just fine but it was interesting to feel the stark contrast in very uncomfortable 85F humid heat this morning to the low 50F temps in North Carolina. I went from running the AC at full blast to having to wear my hoodie and blast heat instead all in the same day. I blazed through Georgia and South Carolina to get here and tomorrow it's off to Virginia to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and all its twisty glory.
