"Houston...we've had a problem !"

Who can tell me who said "Houston, we've had a problem!"?  If you said "Captain James Lovell while aboard the United State's Apollo 13 moon flight" you are correct!   You may remember the movie Apollo 13, with Tom Hanks playing the role of James Lovell, but he said "Houston, we have a problem".  It has been the line out of the movie that everyone really remembers. 

 

If you get the chance to visit NASA's Johnson Space Center, in Houston Texas, which is the home of astronaut training and Mission Control, and see the actual 'mission control' that was responsible for safely bringing 3 astronauts home, I highly recommend it!

 

We were fortunate enough to be able to visit and tour NASA's Johnson Space Center and it felt like an honor.  What amazing things our country can accomplish when we work together!

 

Below is a photo of the Apollo 13 astronauts as well as the 'mission control center' used at that time.  As our space program has moved forward a new, more up to date, 'mission control center' has been built; however, NASA does not allow visitors to view this new center due to security issues that we all understand.

Photo by Jan

 

Photo by Jan

 

Below, Astronaut Gus Grissom, along with fellow astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee.  All three were killed  during a pre-launch test for the Apollo 1 mission at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (then known as Cape Kennedy), Florida. 

Photo by Jan

Below, Apollo 11 flight crew, first man on the moon  Neil Armstrong along with Buzz Aldrin landed their Lunar Module (LM) on July 20, 1969, and walked on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit  in the Command/Service Module (CSM), and all three landed safely on Earth on July 24.

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

Moving on to the actual rockets and such....

The Saturn V !  The Saturn V is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket humans have ever built. In 13 missions, it took 24 astronauts beyond earth's orbit, including all 12 astronauts who ever set foot on the moon, without a single loss of life.

Below are several photos of the Saturn V - from the tip of it's nose to the tips of it's toes! 

 



Photo by Jan

 

 

Photo by Jan



Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan



Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan



Photo by Jan

 

The Space Center has several displays of past missions.  Below is a real Gemini Capsule as it would appeared in space; of course the door has been remove so that you can see the astronaut inside.



Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

 

Astronaut on a space walk.

Photo by Jan

Model of the Saturn V

Photo by Jan

Scene from the lunar surface; showing two astronauts and the lunar rover.

Photo by Jan

The next photos are mock up's showing life as it was in 'Sky Lab'.

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan



Photo by Jan

Lunar Lander

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

Johnson Space Center rocket park.  On the right is the Mercury Redstone.  On the left is Little Joe - a test rocket.





Photo by Jan

Looking up the Redstone from his toes!

Photo by Jan

Another shot of Little Joe.

Photo by Jan

The Redstone - as the sun sets!

Photo by Jan

Then last but definitely not least - our Space Shuttle Independence mounted on a Boeing 905 space shuttle transport which was used to move the Space Shuttle from one place 'on earth' to  another place 'on earth'!  

Photo by Jan

 



Very impressive !!

Photo by Jan



 



Independence Plaza, presented by Boeing, is the newest international landmark, presently being built, offering an experience like nothing else in the world.

Visitors can enter the shuttle replica Independence, mounted on top of the historic and original NASA 905 shuttle carrier aircraft, and then explore the giant plane. It is the world’s only shuttle mounted on an SCA and the only one allowing the public to enter both.

 

 

Up next - mmmmm - Vicksburg Mississippi ... I think!  More soon.