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Space Coast - Part 1
Written by: Donald Miserandino
The Florida Space coast is more than what's out there, it's what's right here. Discover a place where passion for the environment and space exploration thrive side by side.
I suppose this trip to Florida took a turn for the fantastic, when at diner the first night, some people shouted out, "There's going to be an Atlas rocket launch in two minutes!" What a choice: fried calamari or a rocket launch? However, no choice was possible, as the table emptied and I was hustled out to the beach wondering what I had gotten into. Outside there was a group of people who were pointing to a bright light in the distance. The conversation buzzed about payload, afterburners, type of fuel, fuel cells re-entering the atmosphere and on and on and on... I was lost in the conversation and lost in the in dark. There I am staring at a bright dot in the distance, watching it get even brighter and slowly rise, when someone yells out "Listen to the rolling thunder". Whoa baby! It was almost as if you could see the noise rush towards us, then you feel it, hear it, and taste the excitement in the air.
This was some "Welcome to the Space Coast".
Meanwhile at the Holiday Inn Mambos restaurant, Chef Rich was keeping the food warm for us. When it's a toss up between the beach or food, well! Let's just say I went back to the table and let the space-o-philes ruminate over the experience. I had the Blackened Grouper and sampled the Beef tenderloin in the wine sauce. Wonderful food, on the beach, in the middle of a plague of "Space Launch Fever" ...ahh, life is good.
Now while Holiday Inn at Cocoa Beach is obviously "the location" for watching the stars and rocket launchings, it is firmly family friendly. Between the beachfront restaurant and catering, rates well below the Big Mouse, kid's rooms, pool and a quiet location, this place is meant as a home base for sightseeing the Space Coast. While I was there, many school trip buses were loading and unloading. This can be a busy place but I didn't hear them. There is of course the beach, or if the family chooses, a kid friendly pool with a fenced in area to keep the little ones at bay. Family friendly seems to be the designer's intentions, because they installed special "Kid- Themed" rooms and sleeping accommodations. The main point here however is attitude. Department heads are on the job for what seems like 24/7, because whenever we got back from a trip they were there... and what's with this "niceness" business.
Every employee says "Hi!" when they see you. It is most annoying especially after getting up early, getting in late and looking to get the first cup of mercy coffee. My face cracks when made to smile at such an early hour.
Late in 1949, President Harry S. Truman established the Joint Long Range Proving Ground in this area of Florida, in order to test the missile technology that was started in World War II. That Proving Ground has grown to 5,000 square miles from Ascension Island to Cape Canaveral. Originally, the land was needed for safety and security issues, now this area encompasses the major attractions of the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
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Kennedy Space Center assembly building, look at the size of the cars! | |
Kennedy Space Center, this is it, the real thing! Anywhere else just gives a taste. Most people think of Florida as amusement central and a whole lot of fun. Yes it is that, but it is much more. Get a fun taste of science elsewhere, but come here for the full meal. Because at Kennedy Space center the science is real. This is not a make-believe space ride. The exhibits are real. These are the actual rockets and equipment that our space program used. Even the lunch with an astronaut is real. The audience is small enough for all the folks to ask a question and get an answer right from the explorer himself. What would you give to ask Columbus a question about his trip? Or even a chance to talk to Nelly Blye, about her world travel adventures? Well our Columbus was Rick Seafoss, the astronaut. A special person in that he is one of only 432 people to go into space. Each kid and adult in the room appeared thrilled to just see him up close. The questions the kids asked, showed they were prepared to learn from him. Rick spoke of his trip, NASA, and the national benefits of space exploration that are shared with the general public. We were informed that for every $1 spent on the space program, almost $15 worth of improvements, goes back to the public in some form of equipment advancement. Many tools and equipment we use every day are developed here: from a solar cell to enhance breast cancer detection, to the cell phone technology. The Kennedy Space Center is a poster child for technology and the stars.
Part 1
Part 2
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