Nearby, there is a full-size, walk-through model of the shuttle and back-to-back IMAX screens, alternating visually captivating films. Most of these were shot in space by astronauts, but through Sept. 7, one of the theaters is showing the latest Star Trek theatrical film.

These theaters and the walk-through shuttle are among attractions at the main section of the Visitors Complex. Most of them -- such as intriguing images of the universe captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, the up-to-the-minute briefings at the Launch Status Center, and the display of artifacts from early Mercury and Gemini programs -- are indoors, sparing visitors from the sun, heat and rain.

Not so the Rocket Garden, which holds seven early launch vehicles, plus mock-ups of the capsules they carried aloft; you can clamber into the capsules to appreciate the snug quarters.

Six miles down the road, at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, you can peer into capsules that have actually been into space as part of the fun. Entrance to the Hall is included in the Visitors Complex ticket, and at the Hall, you can try on space suits, feel the equivalent of four times the force of gravity, and pretend to drive a Mars rover

Each Visitors Center admission ticket includes a narrated bus ride with stops at a launch pad viewing tower and for a photo-op outside the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building -- provided no launch is scheduled.

Passengers also get out at the International Space Station Center where, from a catwalk, they watch technicians preparing components to be delivered to the Station via the Shuttle.

An extra-cost bus tour, NASA Up-Close, includes these stops but also brings visitors within a few city blocks of one of the two pads from which all Apollo and Shuttle missions have launched. This pad is being rebuilt to handle the much-larger rockets intended to return astronauts to the moon -- and beyond.

MEET A 'NAUT

The one constant at the Cape is the effort to keep us reaching beyond our grasp. And nothing tops the chance to meet a real space traveler, at the Astronaut Encounter. (Lunch with an astronaut is also offered most days for an extra fee.)

Twice, on most days, a former astronaut steps on to a stage, relates his or her experiences and narrates slides and film, takes questions and poses for pictures.

I was lucky enough to sit in on the 35-minute presentation by Jon McBride, former Navy combat pilot who was among the first 35 people selected to be Shuttle crew members. McBride piloted one mission, in orbit for more than 8 days, then did NASA desk duty before retiring. He told his audience that without gravity compressing the vertebrae, an astronaut ''grows'' 1 ½ unches while in space.

``The first 24 hours back on Earth, you feel terrible, your head is spinning and you have to remember to walk and to hold on to things so you don't fall.''

When I asked him what was going through his mind while sitting atop that rocket before lift-off, he said, ``You don't have time to be scared -- you're only thinking of the job you have to do.''

Robert N. Jenkins is former Travel editor of the St. Petersburg Times.

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@