|
|
 |
|
 |
Kennedy Space Center Inducts New Members to Hall of Fame
 Once a year, Kennedy Space Center holds a special event where more than 20 astronauts gather to honor their own, and this year, guests at the Visitors Complex were able to join in on some of that fun. This past Saturday, May 2, at 3 pm, the eighth group of space shuttle astronauts were inducted in to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, and everyone visiting the Visitors Complex was welcome to help mark the occasion. During the public ceremony, veteran space shuttle astronauts George “Pinky” Nelson, William Shepherd, and Jim Wetherbee joined an elite group of space heroes like Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Sally Ride, and John Young. Each inductee brings his own chapter of space history to the Hall of Fame. Nelson, for example, is one of only six astronauts to fly the Manned Maneuvering Unit untethered in Space, Shepherd is commander of the first crew to live aboard the International Space Station, and Wetherbee is commander of the longest docked shuttle-Mir mission. These new inductees bring the number of space explorers in the Hall of Fame to 73. Attending the ceremony to honor the latest inductees were famous astronauts like Scott Carpenter, Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell, Bob Crippen, Al Worden, and Walt Cunningham. And as part of the weekend celebrations, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex featured special bus tours guided by Hall of Fame astronauts such as Cunningham, Robert “Hoot” Gibson, Fred Gregory, and Rick Hauck. In addition, autograph sessions, book signings, and public presentations with Hall of Fame members occurred all weekend long. On Saturday, the first book signing took place from 10:30 am to 11:30 am with Apollo 16 and Hall of Fame Astronaut Charlie Duke; the second took take place from 1 pm to 2 pm with Apollo 13 and Hall of Fame Astronaut Jim Lovell. The astronauts signed their own books (one for each person), which were then available for sale at the Space Shop. Then on Sunday at 10:45 am, 2:45 pm, and 4 pm, there were presentations from John Blaha, five-time space shuttle and Hall of Fame Astronaut. All book signings and presentations took place at the Astronaut Encounter Theater. Admission to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony was included with admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, which you can get for discount prices right here at OrlandoFunTickets.com. Labels: Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center Events
Watch Atlantis Soar into Space at Kennedy Space Center
 The Orlando, Florida area offers some incredible experiences you can not find anywhere else; theme parks adventures at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are among them, of course, but one of the more incredible ones is viewing a launch at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Launches at the NASA facility are getting rarer and rarer these days, but next month will see a historic launch as the STS-125 Space Shuttle Atlantis gets sent into space in order to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Tickets went on sale April 3 for the launch, which will take place on Tuesday, May 12. The viewing will take place in the main Visitor Complex Rocket Garden. This will be the fourth and final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Veteran astronaut Scott D. Altman will command the mission with Retired Navy Captain Gregory C. Johnson serving as pilot. STS-125’s crew also includes mission specialists John M. Grunsfeld and Michael J. Massimino, as well as first-time space-fliers Andrew J. Feustel, Michael T. Good, and K. Megan McArthur. Upon arriving at the Hubble Telescope, the crew will make various repairs over the course of five back-to-back spacewalks. They’ll install a wide field camera, a spectrograph, a full set of batteries, six new stabilizing gyroscopes, a new fine guidance sensor, new insulation, and they’ll repair two other instruments that are currently inactive. All these measures will keep the telescope in top shape through at least 2014. On the ground, those at Kennedy Space Center will be able to watch from a safe distance as the shuttle goes through its pre-launch procedures, which include the launch platform being drenched with 300,000 gallons of water to protect the orbiter from damage by acoustical energy and rocket exhaust. Then, six seconds before launch, those in the garden will be able to hear and see the main engines ignite and the water on the platform flash into a large amount of steam. If all systems are go, the shuttle will take off, trailing an amazing plume of fire behind it. On launch day, a large video screen at the Rocket Garden will broadcast live NASA TV launch coverage, and there’ll be astronaut appearances and launch briefings as well. For those who plan on seeing the launch, we highly recommend paying a visit to the KSC’s Visitor Complex afterwards. There, guests can put themselves in the shoes of an astronaut inside the space shuttle with the Shuttle Launch Experience. A wild ride that incorporates all the sights, sounds, and sensations of a real space shuttle launch, the experience features astronaut testimonials and a step-by-step recreation of the launch sequence made all the more real with sound and lighting effects and brilliant imagery on video screens. Other great attractions at the KSC include Astronaut Encounter, IMAX Films, the US Astronaut Hall of Fame, tours of the facility, and more. Those wanting to be on hand for Atlantis’ incredible ascent into space can get tickets for the launch on the Kennedy Space Center website. But for tickets to the KSC Visitors Complex, you can save by checking out discount Kennedy Space Center tickets on OrlandoFunTickets.com. Whichever way you go about it, you’ll definitely want to turn your head to the Orlando skies on May 12, and if you’re at Kennedy Space Center on that day, you’ll see a sight you’ll never forget. Labels: Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center Events
See Angels Soar at Kennedy Space Center Space and Air Show
 Just in time for the 50th birthday of NASA ,earlier this month, the Space and Air Show will be coming to Kennedy Space Center for the second time, hot on the heels of the Kennedy Space Center Fall Concert Series. On November 8th and 9th, aircraft of all shapes and sizes will take to the skies over the NASA Causeway. The show will begin at 12:30 pm and last until 4 pm, and it will feature precision pilots and veteran astronauts performing some of the most incredible aerial stunts to the delight of all. Be sure to catch the Navy’s elite flight demonstration squadron the Blue Angels in action. They will undoubtedly be the stars of the show, as this will be the second time the Angels have ever performed at KSC, their last visit being over 30 years ago. Other highlights of the show will include military aircraft demonstrations by the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a compact, extremely maneuverable multi-role fighter aircraft; the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the nation’s first true strike-fighter capable aircraft; and the A-10 Warthog, a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. There’ll also be a 920th Rescue Wing water rescue demonstration, as well as performances by Mike Goulian, a racer in the Red Bull Air Race World Series, and the Air Force Reserve biplane show. Getting to the show no later than 12 pm is strongly recommended in order to get through security and arrive at the air show site on time. The demonstrations will happen over the north side of the NASA causeway with the shuttle launch pads in the background. Since the causeway is not accessible to private vehicles, visitors will be transported to the viewing site by bus from the Visitors Complex (if you purchase regular KSC admission, transportation to the air show will cost an additional $15 per person). Visitors will catch all the in-air action from an open grassy field, so be sure to bring blankets and collapsible chairs for extra comfort. Beach umbrellas and coolers are not allowed, but food and souvenirs will be sold at the viewing site. And when you’re not having fun watching the skies, there’ll also be aircraft displays and space-related exhibits along the air show viewing area. One of the exhibits includes NASA’s Exploration Experience Trailer featuring a virtual model of the moon. Or, take a ride back to the Kennedy Space Center for the Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show featuring astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. Visitors to the KSC will have the opportunity to meet and spend time with astronauts, be guided by an astronaut on a tour of exclusive KSC areas, view special exhibits available only that weekend, and acquire rare astronaut memorabilia at the 6th annual Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Auction. And at the end of the day, visitors can even have dinner and drinks with legendary astronauts at Cocoa Beach. Admission to the Astronaut Autograph Show is additional, and is available in multiple packages for prices ranging from $5 for admission to the show to $350 for the full VIP package. And of course, you can take advantage of all the usual KSC exhibits, rides, and attractions if you haven’t had enough fun at the air show. So grab your discount Kennedy Space Center tickets here at OrlandoFunTickets.com, along with some seat cushions, and get ready for an air spectacular that will knock your socks off – and probably your hat, too. Labels: Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center Events, Orlando Attractions, Orlando Events, special events
Fall Concert Series at Kennedy Space Center
 Kennedy Space Center is known for many things. It is the home of the NASA Space Shuttle program and one of the only places where humans have been launched into space. It is also the site of the Vehicle Assembly Building, the fourth largest building in the world by volume and the place where the space shuttle is assembled and stored. What Kennedy Space Center may not be known for, however, is music. But that is all about to change with the Fall Concert series at the KSC Visitor Complex, kicking off on October 18th in celebration of NASA’s 50th anniversary celebration. Three acts with hits from the 60's, 70's, and 80's are coming to the iconic Rocket Garden stage of Kennedy Space Center. The live, festival-style, outdoor concert series will feature Survivor, performing on October 18th at 7 pm, The Guess Who, performing on October 25th at 5 pm, and Rick Springfield, performing on November 1st at 5 pm. Survivor is an iconic rock band known for their 80's smash hit “Eye of the Tiger.” Their hits have been featured in classic films such as Rocky III and The Karate Kid. The Guess Who is a superstar Canadian rock band known for hits such as “American Woman” and “These Eyes.” They released a DVD album in 2007, Shakin’ in Las Vegas, which featured four new songs. Rick Springfield is a Grammy award winner and 80's icon who is known for the #1 single “Jessie’s Girl” as well as his role as Dr. Noah Drake on ABC’s daytime soap General Hospital. The Fall Concert Series is occurring this year for the 2nd time; musical acts Kansas, Josh Gracin, and Lou Gramm performed on the Rocket Garden stage last November. This year’s concert series comes at the end of NASA’s first half-century, which fell on Wednesday, October 1st. Also commemorating NASA’s birthday will be the Space and Air Show on November 8th and 9th, which will feature Blue Angels from the US Navy and other military aircraft. Admission to any one of the fall concerts is included with regular admission to the Space Center Visitor Complex, and it’s free to Commander’s Club Annual Passholders. If you’re a regular visitor to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, there’s no reason not to plan a trip again to enjoy this one-of-a-kind concert series. And if you’ve never visited before, there’s certainly no time like the present – you can catch one of the concerts after taking advantage of the Space Center’s multiple attractions, such as the Apollo/Saturn V Center, the IMAX theaters, the guided tours into exclusive NASA areas, and the space flight simulators at the Astronaut Hall of Fame. In order to rock to the sounds of the space exploration era, order your discount Kennedy Space Center tickets today at OrlandoFunTickets.com and get ready for a concert that’s out of this world! Labels: concert series, Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center Events, special events
Catch a Shuttle Some Baseball or an After Hours Party on Your Next Orlando Vacation
You have decided to take a family vacation to Orlando but you have no idea how to plan your trip fret no more. OrlandoFunTickets.com has all of the cheap theme park tickets you will need to do everything you want to do: Disney, SeaWorld, and Universal. And we have discount tickets for any other Orlando attractions or events you are interested in too. So, once you get all of your discount Disney tickets, super-cheap Sea World tickets and unbelievably low-priced Universal tickets (right here at OrlandoFunTickets.com, of course), check out this list of upcoming events and updates: - The Pirate and Princess Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World has been extended through April. This is an after-hours celebration for adventure-loving boys and girls of all ages. You can partake in the plunder on these select dates: Feb. 22 and 26, March 1, 6, 11, 14 and April 1, 4, 6, 11, 16 and 23.
- Fat Tuesday may be over, but you can still enjoy Mardi Gras at the Universal Orlando Resort. Get your cheap Universal Studios tickets at OrlandoFunTickets.com and then head over on any Saturday night through April 19, and catch some beads!
- The Atlanta Braves are hosting other Major League Baseball teams on select dates through March 27 at Disney Wide World of Sports Complex. This is a great afternoon outing for the family on a non-theme-park day.
- The Space Shuttle Endeavor is scheduled for take off on March 11. If you haven’t visited the Kennedy Space Center, consider adding this to your vacation itinerary. Best of all, you can get your discount tickets at OrlandoFunTickets.com along with the rest of your cheap theme park tickets!
- The 15th Annual Epcot Flower & Garden Festival starts on March 15 and runs through June 1, and that means live concerts with over 20 different bands bringing the grooviest grooves from the 60s and 70s back to life.
- The newest addition to Orlando’s theme park landscape – SeaWorld’s Aquatica – will be open for business beginning March 1, bringing to the scene a most unique combination of water park and animal attraction.
Orlando is one of the busiest vacation spots in the world, but with the cheap theme park tickets and super service from OrlandoFunTickets.com, your journey here will be a breeze! Labels: Aquatica at Sea World, Discount Universal Tickets, Flower and Garden Festival, Kennedy Space Center Events, Pirate and Princess Party, Universal Orlando Events, WDW Events
|
|
|
|
