Hometown News

Some interesting stuff going on back in my old hometown of Titusville, Florida.

This weekend marked the opening of the new Shuttle Launch Experience at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

"We want people to walk out of this with their mind affected," said Searfoss, who flew three Space Shuttle missions. "This will help tell the NASA story. After they exit the ride, people will hear a presentation of the benefits the Shuttle missions have brought back to Earth."

The journey begins as visitors enter a gantry-styled walkway into a building architecturally inspired by Space Shuttle processing facilities at KSC. Astronaut testimonials then set the stage for what is to come, along with a technical explanation of the steps of a Space Shuttle launch.

Dramatic sound and lighting effects, rumbling floors and fog dramatize the moments before launch. Guests will board the mock-up Space Shuttle and strap in for launch in a unique motion simulator designed to bring the mission alive by replicating the sights, sounds, G-forces and rattle of lift-off. The sensations of launch continue as they experience Max Q, the zone where enormous forces squeeze the Shuttle, Solid Rocket Booster separation, main engine cut-off and the External Tank separation. After this experience, visitors will never view a launch in the same way.

Titusville also recently had a visit by former Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle astronaut John Young. He was there to help kickoff a fundraising drive to complete the Apollo Memorial at Titusville's Space Walk of Fame. It will join already completed memorials for the Mercury and Gemini projects, and depicts the work of the 400,000 people that it took to send Young and 11 other humans to the moon. If you were one of those, or you'd just like to contribute, send your tax-deductible donations to the U.S. Space Walk of Fame, P.O. Box 6385, Titusville, FL, 32782-6385.