Johnson Space Center & Pats-Texans
By Andy Lopusnak,
AndysPictures.com
Nov 30-Dec 1, 2013
As much as Baltimore as become the bane of my
photographic existence, Houston is right behind the Charm City. This trip for
the Patriots-Texans game marks my 15th NFL game in Houston (that doesn’t
include the week I was here for my first Final Four in 2011). In all these trips, I never hoofed it to
Johnson Space Center, which is an hour drive from the airport. With my flight
landing at 8:30 AM, I decided to go this time.
MISSION CONTROL
It’s 87 steps from the ground up to Historic Mission
Control. From the beginnings of the space program into the early 1990s, this is
where all space missions were controlled from the ground. In the 1990s, Mission
Control moved a level below (sadly, the tour didn’t go there since there are
active missions on the International Space Station).
After it was decommissioned, NASA restored Historic
Mission Control to look like it did during the moon landing. Even the chairs
are authentic in the view room, complete with ashtrays. This is where the
historic, “Houston, we have a problem” line was relayed to from space.
SATURN V &
ROCKET PARK
Covering more than a football field, the Saturn V was used from 1967-73 for all the Apollo missions. The USA launched 13 Saturn V rockets. It remains the tallest, heaviest and most powerful rocket launched.
Outside are two rockets: 1). the Little Joe II launch
vehicle that was used in high-altitude abort testing for the Apollo missions
from 1964-66; and 2). The Mercury-Redstone that sent the first two American
astronauts into space in 1961. There are also some boost engines outside of the
Saturn V complex.
SPACE SHUTTLE
INDEPENDENCE
Outside of the main entrance is the Space Shuttle
Independence, which was originally named Explorer and was on display at Kennedy Space Center when I was there in 2010. It was renamed Independence on October 5 of this year. Eventually, the Boeing 747 Space Carrier Aircraft that carried the shuttles from
Texas to Florida for launches will be part of an exhibit and have Independence
atop it. For now, it’s fenced off.
STAR TREK GALILEO
SHUTTLECRAFT PROP
In June of this year, the JSC put on permanent display the shuttlecraft Galileo full-sized prop for the Star Trek Original Series.
In 2010, my wife surprised me for my birthday when we
were living in Tampa by taking me to the Kennedy Space Center, which is about
an hour away from Orlando. KSC was a far better experience than JSC. Seeing the
actual Mission Control Center for all the moon landings was awesome, but I felt
there was a lot lacking at JSC.
I was more than a bit miffed that there were three soft
of different tram tours that should’ve been combined into one. The tours are
essentially to buildings that are next to each other, but because the JSC wants
to sell stupid photos of people in front of a green screen they are separated.
This separation means that at least an extra hour of waiting for the tram is
needed for each tour. On top of that, the same audio is played for most of each
tour and all three end at the Rocket Park, which means you need to ride another
tram back ten additional minutes to the Visitors Center to wait for another
tram tour. It should be one tour instead of three. Throughout the tours, NASA
claimed how it conserves time and gas in space flight; however, when it comes
to the tram tours they apparently like to waste gas for the tram and the time
of the visitors. Parking is $6 and adult general admission is $28.
PATRIOTS 34,
TEXANS 31
Houston dropped its tenth straight game (after starting
the year 2-0) and New England won its second straight after trailing by
double-digit points as Tom Brady tossed for over 300 yards for the 57th time in
his Hall of Fame career (good for fifth most ever). His favorite target, tight
end Rob Gronkowski posted his 12th career 100+ receiving yard game, as well as
an outstanding diving touchdown grab.
In a losing effort, Texans WR Andre Johnson became the
second fastest player in NFL history to top 900 career catches. He finished
with 121 yards – his 49th career game with over 100 (sixth most ever).
UP NEXT –
hoops/NFL double dip
I get my first college basketball game of the 2013-14
season Saturday when UCLA goes to Missouri, then Sunday I’ll be in the Nati for
the Colts-Bengals game.
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