US Space and Rocket Center

9/24

We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Space Center, the #1 tourist attraction in Alabama. Our son, Jeff, attended Space Camp here two times back in the 80's. We are finally catching up to him!

The museum detailed the "space race" and the importance of developing rockets powerful enough to make a moon landing possible. I never realized the importance of Werner von Braun in developing the Saturn rockets. He had developed V-2 rockets for Germany, and after the war came to the US to continue his work on rockets. Without his guidance and leadership, Neil Armstrong wouldn't have taken that "giant leap for mankind" in 1969.

I also remember when the two monkeys were sent into space. Baker, two when she went into space, lived to be 27 years old! It was suggested after the flight that she be given to scientists for research, but Werner said no, and kept her at the Marshall Space Center, until she died 25 years later! She would place her hand on an ink pad, put her "autograph" on her photo, and then hand it to visitors! In the picture to the right is her hand print and the capsule she was strapped in during her space flight. She is buried on the grounds.

We also saw an Imax film on the Hubble Space Telescope. It was amazing....