Friday 20th January – NASA, the Texas one! (should stand for 'Not Another Space Area')

Apparently there was something important happening today somewhere like Washington DC… we decided to avoid the media coverage overkill of Trumps inauguration and go to look at spaceships instead!

Our campsite was only 15 minutes from NASA.  Simon had pre-booked tickets on the internet including an 11am booking to see a lecture from a REAL astronaut.  He had also booked us time slots on the tram tour and for seeing Shuttle Independence – a busy day lay ahead!

In the ‘Blast-off Theatre’ we met retired astronaut Dr Leroy Chiao.  His ambition to be an astronaut began when he was only 8 years old when he watched the moon landing. From there he knuckled down at school to get the grades and engineering qualifications he needed before his successful selection by NASA as an astronaut in 1990.  He has been on four space flights, performed six space walks and was the first Asian American to be Mission Commander on the International Space Station (ISS) when he spent over SIX months there in one go.  What a guy! (yes, a living Ace Rimmer, Dwarf fans)

Apollo Mission control

The tram tour took us to the original Mission control that Houston is infamous for.  The room from which 41 missions were overseen between 1965 and 1992 has been preserved and recreated as it was during the time of the Apollo missions as a National Historic Landmark.  We were seated in the room overlooking Mission control, in the very seats used by dignitaries and the astronauts’ families as they nervously watched the missions take place.

We were then dropped off at rocket park where we were treated to our SECOND recreation of the Saturn V rocket (recognise the pics?).   

But still very impressive, along with reminders of the Apollo missions that would never have been accomplished without the most powerful rocket ever made.

Cooper's Mercury VII capsule - not for the claustrophobic!

Back at the main plaza there were some great exhibits and we had an audio guide to give us even more information on what we were seeing.  The actual Faith Mercury VII capsule flown by Gordon Cooper in 1963 at the conclusion of the Mercury missions when he travelled farther and longer than any American before.  The Apollo 17 module that brought Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, and crew safely back in 1972.  Cernan recently passed away so this was particularly poignant.  

Re-enactment of work on the moon, with actual lunar rover and equipment used for training astronauts

We went on to Independence plaza, the only place in the world where you are allowed inside a historic shuttle carrier aircraft (SCA – NASA gets back to the acronyms) and also a mounted shuttle replica.  We learnt how this ‘piggybacking’ idea went from notion to reality and the adaptations made to the 747 aircraft to ensure the safety of the shuttles (and the flight crew!).

Space shuttle independence (replica), with Harvey for scale

We walked along the access arm used in 54 shuttle missions as the access point for the astronauts and their last contact with Earth prior to launch. (right)

I was especially intrigued by the insight into life on the ISS and the work currently ongoing.  Astronauts from around the World are performing experiments there to examine the long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body as well as breaking barriers in relation to food production and methods required for space exploration beyond the moon and potentially to other galaxies.  

This is how you keep all your stuff in one place in zero gravity!

What are your thoughts on the cost of space exploration in times of severe worldwide debt and when many go without food or a roof over their head?  It cannot be understated how much advancement in the medical and technological arenas is due to the space program.  We would be years behind if these intelligent engineers, maths geeks and intrepid pilots had not needed to solve the issues preventing them from getting mankind to the moon.  Food for thought.  And now the next aim of NASA is to reach Mars with their newly developing spacecraft Orion.

Separately, two independent businesses, SpaceX and Boeing, are creating capsules to transport people to the ISS within the next two years!  Exciting times.  Future generations may have the real option of space travel.  I wonder if the newly inaugurated President will have any effect on the Space race?!

The centre closed at 5pm, just before the heavens opened.  We made it back to the RV park just before flash flood warnings were issued for the whole Houston area.  They have a great system here.  Don’t ask me how they do it, but if your mobile phone is within a certain geographical location you get sent emergency alerts direct to your handset, along with an extremely annoying alert tone!  And not just your phone, they take over the radio waves as well!  And not just for severe weather…. In a couple of States, we have been driving along when a siren has started wailing.  After having a panic attack that something drastic was wrong with the RV, an announcement came across the airwaves notifying everyone about a vehicle believed to be involved in a kidnap.  Wow!  Suddenly everyone becomes extra pairs of eyes and ears for the Police.  But at the same time there must be a risk that the perpetrator will disappear off the radar or dump the vehicle as they will also know that the population is looking out for them.  An interesting system.  I’m guessing maybe originating from the necessity for hurricane or tornado warnings, but why don’t we have this kind of thing in Europe?