By Jay Whipple
Trend Magazine Online™
To The Moon Alice, To The Moon!
Trend Magazine Online™
To The Moon Alice, To The Moon!
Being a native of Florida I have known about this place since my childhood years growing up in Miami. I, like many others, had been privy to watch countless lift offs from this historic site since former President John F. Kennedy announced that we would land on the moon in the early 1960's. As a young adult I passed the exit sign off I-95 North that used to be labeled Cocoa Beach, as I recall, but today its labeled Titusville.
One year, about four decades ago I decided to take the exit and visit the space center but was never able to locate it as I drove around for over an hour. This was of course before the gizmo known today as GPS (Global Positioning System) was invented and today is standard equipment on most if not all mobile devices. Before that us travelers relied on something known as a map which provides graphical color-coded lines that represent roads and Interstates. I still bring my Rand McNally map on long trips just in case my GPS becomes inaccessible. 
In addition, I am retired Army and have taken several courses in land navigation. There is a still a chance however that even me can get lost or turned around so as a last resort I locate the sun or moon to gauge where I am positioned in reference to the earth's equator. Once I exited I-95 my GPS took me to a very prominent semi-digital sign that pointed me in the right direction to the space center. Additional signs directed me to the main entrance gate and subsequently to the parking area. I noticed right off that there were quite a few tour buses parked off to the right that was a sign of the times in terms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) precautions.
One year, about four decades ago I decided to take the exit and visit the space center but was never able to locate it as I drove around for over an hour. This was of course before the gizmo known today as GPS (Global Positioning System) was invented and today is standard equipment on most if not all mobile devices. Before that us travelers relied on something known as a map which provides graphical color-coded lines that represent roads and Interstates. I still bring my Rand McNally map on long trips just in case my GPS becomes inaccessible. In addition, I am retired Army and have taken several courses in land navigation. There is a still a chance however that even me can get lost or turned around so as a last resort I locate the sun or moon to gauge where I am positioned in reference to the earth's equator. Once I exited I-95 my GPS took me to a very prominent semi-digital sign that pointed me in the right direction to the space center. Additional signs directed me to the main entrance gate and subsequently to the parking area. I noticed right off that there were quite a few tour buses parked off to the right that was a sign of the times in terms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) precautions.
While headed to the parking area I could not help but to muse at a warning sign near a ditch on the right that reminded me of what our state has become famous and infamous for over the years. We typically lead or come in second in the nation when it comes to gators per capita, and they are our state reptile and the mascot of the University of Florida in Gainesville. The American alligator is the largest reptile in North America and its heart has four as opposed to three like most others. They are direct ancestors of dinosaurs who often hibernate when the temperature falls below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
They are most active when our temperature is between 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit so keep that in mind during your next visit if you plan to hang out near fresh water. I arrived at the center rather late in the afternoon as I was delayed by a rather silly legal matter involving a sibling who is mentally unstable. That may explain why the parking area was rather sparse especially in Zone six where I decided to park away from the other more congested zones closer to the main entrance. 
I also figured that my exit would be less crowded which I prefer after a long day of sightseeing and touring. One of the things that I look for right off is the placement of directional signs to point me in the right direction to the main entrance. There is nothing more frustrating than when I reach my destination, find parking spot, and then must spend needless time trying to figure out where I am in conjunction with the main entrance. Fortunately, that was not the case with this attraction as I was quickly able to locate the direction of the main entrance from thoughtfully place signs near my lot.
They are most active when our temperature is between 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit so keep that in mind during your next visit if you plan to hang out near fresh water. I arrived at the center rather late in the afternoon as I was delayed by a rather silly legal matter involving a sibling who is mentally unstable. That may explain why the parking area was rather sparse especially in Zone six where I decided to park away from the other more congested zones closer to the main entrance. I also figured that my exit would be less crowded which I prefer after a long day of sightseeing and touring. One of the things that I look for right off is the placement of directional signs to point me in the right direction to the main entrance. There is nothing more frustrating than when I reach my destination, find parking spot, and then must spend needless time trying to figure out where I am in conjunction with the main entrance. Fortunately, that was not the case with this attraction as I was quickly able to locate the direction of the main entrance from thoughtfully place signs near my lot.
I
was elated to see a sign over an area with kiosks that mentioned the word
tickets because I did not purchase mine in advance via their website. I just
was not sure if I was going to make it here in time to see much given my late
departure from Miami and subsequent distraction with a case involving a
family member that caused me to have to pull over on the side of the
interstate. My elation was short lived as the kiosks were apparently turned off
or did not work at all that day. I then proceeded towards the main entrance and
was blown away by a fitting tribute to the namesake of the center located
behind a spherical globe labeled NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration), the government program that was created on October 1, 1958,
during the President Dwight D. Eisenhower administration.
The
J.F.K. (John Fitzgerald) tribute featured a granite wall with his
likeness and quote engraved into it with an attached water fountain and quote
from one of his speeches about space exploration with nostalgic music playing
in the background. This is a well-done and fitting tribute to one of our
greatest leaders. Next, I headed towards the main gate and inquired about
purchasing a ticket and one of the attendants informed me that I would need to
get it from the adjacent Welcome Center. 
I
found the staff there very helpful and friendly and when I asked about a
military discount, they offered me their senior rate which was $5 off
the adult rate of $57. I decided to pass on the 1-year pass for $82
because I was not sure if I would be back this way in that time frame. After
all, it had been nearly 40 years since my last stop through. The staff
was also very helpful in explaining the site map - which was very easy to
follow - and what attractions were the highlights as I had just under an hour
and a half to see as much as I could. I was quite disappointed that I had
missed the last bus to the rocket launch area several miles away. They also
confirmed that the tour buses were not running due to COVID-19
(Coronavirus) and yes, they did require face masks while on the property. I
overheard several foreign languages being spoken while inside the Welcome
Center which suggests international visitors.
The
J.F.K. (John Fitzgerald) tribute featured a granite wall with his
likeness and quote engraved into it with an attached water fountain and quote
from one of his speeches about space exploration with nostalgic music playing
in the background. This is a well-done and fitting tribute to one of our
greatest leaders. Next, I headed towards the main gate and inquired about
purchasing a ticket and one of the attendants informed me that I would need to
get it from the adjacent Welcome Center. I
found the staff there very helpful and friendly and when I asked about a
military discount, they offered me their senior rate which was $5 off
the adult rate of $57. I decided to pass on the 1-year pass for $82
because I was not sure if I would be back this way in that time frame. After
all, it had been nearly 40 years since my last stop through. The staff
was also very helpful in explaining the site map - which was very easy to
follow - and what attractions were the highlights as I had just under an hour
and a half to see as much as I could. I was quite disappointed that I had
missed the last bus to the rocket launch area several miles away. They also
confirmed that the tour buses were not running due to COVID-19
(Coronavirus) and yes, they did require face masks while on the property. I
overheard several foreign languages being spoken while inside the Welcome
Center which suggests international visitors.
The
center does provide free WIFI which for me is a plus because I like to
use it to update my apps for free. I was once in a communications company while
serving in the military, worked as a warranty repair audio technician at a
growing furniture store chain, and was once an electrical distribution engineer
with a major electric utility company; but if you asked me what or where that
signal comes from, I could not tell you - perhaps space? Does anyone know? Maybe
one day when I have absolutely nothing better to do with my time and I am not
so tired that I want to take a nap or just relax with a cold one while watching
some sporting event or just thinking about what I am going to do with my time,
I will investigate what and where that signal comes from.
>Back
to the matter at hand, the first attraction that sticks out (literally) is the Rocket
Garden to the left which ingeniously features ships arranged as though they
were in a garden; Smile! I did not get a chance to take a closer look at each
one of the nine rockets but as the saying goes, if you have seen one you have
seen them all, right? Directly behind that area is an open space which is
labeled on the site map as NEW ATTRACTION LAUNCHING SPRING 2022 which is just
around the corner. I do not recall seeing any construction going on during my Fall
2021 visit but again, I was pushing the envelope to see as much as I could
in the hour and a half that I had until regular closing time of 5 PM. I
wonder what could be coming. Perhaps the word LAUNCHING is a clue? Maybe I will
know more when I write Part II of this article. 
The
garden is next to the Heroes & Legends attraction that had a long
line and no time for me to wait given my tight time crunch. The map says that
it celebrates the pioneers of NASA's early space programs and that it
takes a full hour to enjoy which explains why I decided to skip it this go
around. If I had to guess I would say that they cover John Glenn, Alan
Shepard, Neil Armstrong, Gus Grissom, and George Jetson
(just kidding!). The Jetsons were way ahead of their time and even today
we have yet to experience all the futuristic gizmos featured in that series to
include my favorite Rosie the maid.
>Back
to the matter at hand, the first attraction that sticks out (literally) is the Rocket
Garden to the left which ingeniously features ships arranged as though they
were in a garden; Smile! I did not get a chance to take a closer look at each
one of the nine rockets but as the saying goes, if you have seen one you have
seen them all, right? Directly behind that area is an open space which is
labeled on the site map as NEW ATTRACTION LAUNCHING SPRING 2022 which is just
around the corner. I do not recall seeing any construction going on during my Fall
2021 visit but again, I was pushing the envelope to see as much as I could
in the hour and a half that I had until regular closing time of 5 PM. I
wonder what could be coming. Perhaps the word LAUNCHING is a clue? Maybe I will
know more when I write Part II of this article. The
garden is next to the Heroes & Legends attraction that had a long
line and no time for me to wait given my tight time crunch. The map says that
it celebrates the pioneers of NASA's early space programs and that it
takes a full hour to enjoy which explains why I decided to skip it this go
around. If I had to guess I would say that they cover John Glenn, Alan
Shepard, Neil Armstrong, Gus Grissom, and George Jetson
(just kidding!). The Jetsons were way ahead of their time and even today
we have yet to experience all the futuristic gizmos featured in that series to
include my favorite Rosie the maid.
Next
up was what I call the wall of space exploration celebrities that included
actual astronauts like Neil Armstrong, the human NASA computer Ms.
Katherine Johnson, and actress Nichelle Nichols of the Star Trek
series fame to name a few. Astronaut Neil Alden Armstrong was born on August
5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and died in Cincinnati,
Ohio on August 24, 2012 (age 82). He served as a naval
aviator from 1949 to 1952 and earned his Bachelor of Science
Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University and
Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University
of Southern California (USC). Among his many aeronautical accomplishments
he is mostly known for being the first man to land a craft on the moon and
first to step on its surface on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC
(Coordinated Universal Time) as the Apollo 11 commander. 
Ms. Katherine Johnson was born Katherine Coleman on August
26, 1918, in Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, and died
on February 24, 2020 (age 101), in Newport News, Virginia.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and French
from West Virginia State College in 1937 with highest honors and in
1939 was handpicked to be one of just three Black students to
integrate West Virginia University's graduate school. Ms. Johnson
was hired by NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics; today
NASA) in 1953 where she worked until retirement in 1986 (33
years). Among her many aeronautical accomplishments she mentioned that her
greatest was the calculations that help sync Project Apollo's Lunar Module
with the lunar-orbiting Command and service Module. Ms. Johnson
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (America's highest
civilian honor) in 2015 by President Barack Obama and in 2016
was portrayed by actress Taraji P. Henson in the hit movie Hidden
Figures. 
Actress
Nichelle Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols on December 28,
1932, in Robbins, Illinois. She was one of ten children
who was a singer and dancer (discovered by Duke Ellington) before turning to
acting. She danced with Sammy Davis, Jr. in Porgy and Bess
(1959), and opposite James Garner in Mister Budwing (1965). Nichols
joined the cast of Star Trek "The original series" in 1966
as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and played that character until 1969
when it ended and reprised the role on the big screen in 1979, 1986,
1991, and 2020. Nichols published her autobiography, Beyond
Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories in 1994, and in 1995
authored Saturn's Child and in 2002 Saturn's Quest. She has been
instrumental in convincing the NASA Astronaut Corps to break away from
its all white, all male past via her Women in Motion, Inc.
consultant firm.
Ms. Katherine Johnson was born Katherine Coleman on August
26, 1918, in Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, and died
on February 24, 2020 (age 101), in Newport News, Virginia.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and French
from West Virginia State College in 1937 with highest honors and in
1939 was handpicked to be one of just three Black students to
integrate West Virginia University's graduate school. Ms. Johnson
was hired by NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics; today
NASA) in 1953 where she worked until retirement in 1986 (33
years). Among her many aeronautical accomplishments she mentioned that her
greatest was the calculations that help sync Project Apollo's Lunar Module
with the lunar-orbiting Command and service Module. Ms. Johnson
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (America's highest
civilian honor) in 2015 by President Barack Obama and in 2016
was portrayed by actress Taraji P. Henson in the hit movie Hidden
Figures. Actress
Nichelle Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols on December 28,
1932, in Robbins, Illinois. She was one of ten children
who was a singer and dancer (discovered by Duke Ellington) before turning to
acting. She danced with Sammy Davis, Jr. in Porgy and Bess
(1959), and opposite James Garner in Mister Budwing (1965). Nichols
joined the cast of Star Trek "The original series" in 1966
as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and played that character until 1969
when it ended and reprised the role on the big screen in 1979, 1986,
1991, and 2020. Nichols published her autobiography, Beyond
Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories in 1994, and in 1995
authored Saturn's Child and in 2002 Saturn's Quest. She has been
instrumental in convincing the NASA Astronaut Corps to break away from
its all white, all male past via her Women in Motion, Inc.
consultant firm.
Just
past the wall of space exploration celebrities was a huge drawing of the International
Space Station on the side of a building with a flag of each country participating
at ground level. The first crew to occupy the station was in 2000 when American
Astronaut Bill Shepard and Russian Cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergi
Krikaley took up residence. Believe it or not, this football-field size
station will eventually end up in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean in
the year 2031 as NASA states that it is getting old with cracks
leaking air. In the interim they will be transitioning its capabilities to
private enterprises who will more than likely charge a fee to visit. 
The
first attraction that I decided to go inside was the IMAX Theater which
they have today in most major cities. The one in Uptown/Downtown/Center City
Charlotte, NC, opened in the late 1980's early 1990's
as the OmniMax Theater but in 1991 was renamed the IMAX
Theater and featured movies and films on a 50-foot tilted domed screen.
It will reopen on February 11, 2022, after major renovations to
include digital film technology. You can see it on the QCT Charlotte Daily
City Toursm route by Queen City Tourssm and Travel, our sister company. The
one here shows captivating films about the past, present and future of space
exploration. 
Surrounding
the theater were these gadgets and gizmos used in space exploration along with
video presentations. Ordinarily I would spend more time investigating most but
due to my tight time constraints I was relegated to mostly snapping picks for
future commentary. The really fascinating thing to me is that they were
actually used in outer space on one of the many missions flown since the
inception of the NASA program in the late 1950's as mentioned
earlier. I could even see the wear and tear from those missions on the outside
of the gizmos.
The
first attraction that I decided to go inside was the IMAX Theater which
they have today in most major cities. The one in Uptown/Downtown/Center City
Charlotte, NC, opened in the late 1980's early 1990's
as the OmniMax Theater but in 1991 was renamed the IMAX
Theater and featured movies and films on a 50-foot tilted domed screen.
It will reopen on February 11, 2022, after major renovations to
include digital film technology. You can see it on the QCT Charlotte Daily
City Toursm route by Queen City Tourssm and Travel, our sister company. The
one here shows captivating films about the past, present and future of space
exploration. Surrounding
the theater were these gadgets and gizmos used in space exploration along with
video presentations. Ordinarily I would spend more time investigating most but
due to my tight time constraints I was relegated to mostly snapping picks for
future commentary. The really fascinating thing to me is that they were
actually used in outer space on one of the many missions flown since the
inception of the NASA program in the late 1950's as mentioned
earlier. I could even see the wear and tear from those missions on the outside
of the gizmos.
I
got these 3D glasses near the entrance of the theater but quite frankly
could not tell any difference from watching via my own prescription specks. In
going over the map provided at the Welcome Center and going over it
while writing this article, I may have not showed up for one of the 3D
movies which explains the lack of a 3D experience. You would think
that the attendant would have told me that when I grabbed a pair right in front
of him. There went probably my only chance to watch a 3D movie because
that is surely not on my bucket list.
The
movie that I watched was more of a documentary on certain space flights and missions
from the past and technology used to accomplish them. I must admit that going
into space is something that I never intend to do just like going way down
under the ocean. I am, however, very appreciative of the brave men and women
who have those aspirations and cameras to record their findings so that I can
experience what they did without all the training and tremendous risks. Just
the thought of me being strapped into a seat in a cramped cabin facing skyward
brings chills to my spine! Kudos to all astronauts and deep-sea divers. 
Upon
my exit from the theater, I came across a liquid refreshment vending machine
and out of curiosity moved in for a closer inspection to see just what they
were charging for one of those non-alcoholic drinks? I guess $3 for a 20-ounce
bottle of liquid pleasure is not much if you consider the current price of
eggs in Egypt. I typically avoid purchasing foods or refreshments when I
visit tourist attractions because of the exorbitant tourist pricing unless I am
of course writing about meals at these places as when I visited Epcot in Orlando. I
usually dine at one of the nearby eateries outside of the tourist destination
or sometimes Wal-Mart if one is nearby.
The
movie that I watched was more of a documentary on certain space flights and missions
from the past and technology used to accomplish them. I must admit that going
into space is something that I never intend to do just like going way down
under the ocean. I am, however, very appreciative of the brave men and women
who have those aspirations and cameras to record their findings so that I can
experience what they did without all the training and tremendous risks. Just
the thought of me being strapped into a seat in a cramped cabin facing skyward
brings chills to my spine! Kudos to all astronauts and deep-sea divers. Upon
my exit from the theater, I came across a liquid refreshment vending machine
and out of curiosity moved in for a closer inspection to see just what they
were charging for one of those non-alcoholic drinks? I guess $3 for a 20-ounce
bottle of liquid pleasure is not much if you consider the current price of
eggs in Egypt. I typically avoid purchasing foods or refreshments when I
visit tourist attractions because of the exorbitant tourist pricing unless I am
of course writing about meals at these places as when I visited Epcot in Orlando. I
usually dine at one of the nearby eateries outside of the tourist destination
or sometimes Wal-Mart if one is nearby.
Another
nuance that I engage in while visiting tourist attractions is to bring my own
bottle(s) of water; typically, frozen to keep it cold throughout the day
especially in sunny South Florida. They keep me hydrated while walking
from one attraction to the next thus avoiding a heat injury. As a former U.S.
Army Drill Instructor, I have seen firsthand what those ailments can do to
the human body why exerting yourself in hot climate areas. I especially
appreciate it when the site has thoughtfully placed one of those water
fountains that includes a refill option for plastic bottles. They usually come
with a digital gauge that lets you know how many bottles have been filled. 
If
I do dine on site, I typically save that activity for last which gives me a
chance to upload my pics and vids to the cloud to avoid them being accidently
deleted which has happened in the past. We live and we learn, right! The center
comes complete with seven options which I consider a lot considering the
relatively small size of the park. They even have an adult lounge (Planet Play
Lounge) inside the IMAX Theater building that serves beer and wine for
those parents that need a break from chasing Timmy and Mindy all
over the park who just insist on physically interacting with the actors in an
aggressive manner and touching things that are clearly marked "Do not
touch." Smile! The Orbit Cafe is the only one that caught my
attention as it is situated right next to the IMAX Theater. 
My
final nuance when visiting tourist attractions is to stop by the souvenir shop
and pick up a memento or two. I typically set a budget of less than $10
to keep from getting carried away in all the excitement generated during my
visit. Some folks choose to purchase a souvenir for others in their life and of
course it's their prerogative and money. I used to do that but as I have aged,
I have resolved to the notion that those folks perhaps resent the fact that you
were able to take the time off to travel and have the extra funds to do so and
not invite them to join you on the trip. It works for me at least. Smile!
I will purchase my souvenir in Part II of this article.
If
I do dine on site, I typically save that activity for last which gives me a
chance to upload my pics and vids to the cloud to avoid them being accidently
deleted which has happened in the past. We live and we learn, right! The center
comes complete with seven options which I consider a lot considering the
relatively small size of the park. They even have an adult lounge (Planet Play
Lounge) inside the IMAX Theater building that serves beer and wine for
those parents that need a break from chasing Timmy and Mindy all
over the park who just insist on physically interacting with the actors in an
aggressive manner and touching things that are clearly marked "Do not
touch." Smile! The Orbit Cafe is the only one that caught my
attention as it is situated right next to the IMAX Theater. My
final nuance when visiting tourist attractions is to stop by the souvenir shop
and pick up a memento or two. I typically set a budget of less than $10
to keep from getting carried away in all the excitement generated during my
visit. Some folks choose to purchase a souvenir for others in their life and of
course it's their prerogative and money. I used to do that but as I have aged,
I have resolved to the notion that those folks perhaps resent the fact that you
were able to take the time off to travel and have the extra funds to do so and
not invite them to join you on the trip. It works for me at least. Smile!
I will purchase my souvenir in Part II of this article.
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