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United States Astronaut Hall of Fame Review

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United States Astronaut Hall of Fame

Fodor's Review:

The original Mercury 7team and the later Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and shuttle astronauts contributed to make the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame the world's premium archive of astronauts' personal stories. Authentic memorabilia and equipment from their collections tell the story of human space exploration. You'll watch videotapes of historic moments in the space program and see one-of-a-kind items like Wally Schirra's relatively archaic Sigma 7Mercury space capsule, Gus Grissom's spacesuit (colored silver only because NASA thought silver looked more "spacey"), and a flag that made it to the moon. The exhibit First on the Moon focuses on crew selection for Apollo 11and the Soviet Union's role in the space race. Definitely don't miss the Astronaut Adventure, a hands-on discovery center with interactive exhibits that help you learn about space travel. One of the more challenging activities is a space-shuttle simulator that lets you try your hand at landing the craft—and afterward replays a side view of your rolling and pitching descent. If that gets your motor going, consider enrolling in ATX (Astronaut Training Experience). Held at the Hall of Fame, this is an intense full-day experience where you can dangle from a springy harness for a simulated moonwalk, spin in ways you never thought possible in a multi-axis trainer, and either work Mission Control or helm a space shuttle (in a full-scale mock-up) during a simulated landing. Veteran astronauts helped design the program, and you'll hear first-hand from them as you progress through your training. Space is limited (no pun intended), so call well in advance. Included in the $250 program is your astronaut gear, lunch, and a VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center.

  • Cost: $17
  • Open: Hall of Fame opens daily at 9, closing times vary according to season (call for details)
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