Day 35, Touring Space Center Houston - Part 1

This post will be in two parts because we are having trouble adding photos.  They are getting out of order.  I may be talking too much today. LOL

Saturday the folks were tourists once again. This time they drove about an hour to tour Space Center Houston. Everything seems to be an hour from us no matter what direction we go.  Mama wasn't very excited about going, but Daddy kept telling her that they may have something special for Apollo 13 and since that mission was made into one of her favorite movies, she decided it might be okay.  Tickets are normally $22 a person, but she found out they were offering tickets half off if you ordered them last week, so that is what she did.

Space Center Houston is actually the official visitors center of NASA's Johnson Space center.  It seems to be geared towards kids, but there are things for adults.  There are several short films to watch and two different tram tours to take. One tram tour is to the Astronaut Training Facility and the other one is to Mission Control.  They both stop off at Saturn V Facility which is where a rocket is stored.  They chose the Mission Control tour as Mama was still hoping to see where Apollo 13 said "Houston, we have a problem."  Unfortunately, there are several mission controls and that is not the one they saw.  Everything takes about an hour to do, so you have to plan your time carefully around when the films are shown and the tours take place.  They followed the guide that said if you only have 3-4 hours, this is what you should do.  They were there for more like five hours.  Oh, they ate lunch there.  It was expensive, of course.  Dad had a hamburger that looked a little grey.  He said it was baked.  It was $8.  It came with fries.  Mama had chicken strips and fries and said it was fine.  It was also $8. 

Entrance to Space Center Houston

Inside Starship Gallery Museum

Space rover that astronauts used for training

Another shot of the space rover

This is a moon rock that you can touch.  There are only 8 in the world that people are allowed to touch. Mama said it was very smooth.  She washed her hands after touching it because she thought of all the germs that it must have on it.  LOL

More moon rocks.  They were behind glass.

 Mama and Daddy took the tour that included mission control.  Before you enter the Space Center, you have to go through security where they check your bags, etc.  You have to go through security again before you board the tram to see mission control.  Your picture is taken and Mama was not sure it was so much for security or if they want you to buy the photos.  They never really mention buying the photos though. They do not allow you to wear sunglasses in the photos.  You are also given a boarding pass for the tram and you have to give it back after you leave mission control.  Mama thought she lost hers and had a moment of panic.  Mama thought they would just drive you through the building to see mission control. Daddy said that was silly.  I think they were both surprised to have to climb 54 steps to reach mission control. They didn't tell anyone that before they arrived at the building.

This is Mission Control.  It was not being used though.

Another shot of Mission Control. They had TV screens that showed an active Mission Control center in the same building.

Cows along tour.  Not sure why they are there.  No comment was made about them.

Trees serve as a memorial to those astronauts that have been lost in space.

Saturn V rocket.  It was never used.

Rocket

Rocket on tour

Building that has mission control.