Ready to blast off?
Very few of us can afford to be space tourists. But we’ve got more opportunities than ever to explore from Earth and to see what’s ahead for future space tourists.
According to a survey by ValuePenguin last year, of more than 2,000 Americans surveyed almost half want to travel to space, but only 19 percent would be willing to spend more than $100,000 to do so. The majority believe space travel should be available to all.
Until that day comes, there are more places than ever— from museums to Walt Disney World to places to watch a rocket launch – where immersive exhibits can’t help but spur kids’ interest in space. Did you know the astronauts’ footprints are still on the moon— and likely will remain there for at least a million years?
Take a journey through space at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex located about 45 minutes from Orlando. Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex when it opens this year will enable visitors to explore the future of space travel and through immersive exhibits, atmospheric effects and more, experience what it is like to travel through space. The Kennedy Space Center is also a perfect place to see a rocket launch. Check the schedule and try to time your visit around a launch.
Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport, is one of New Mexico’s many space-oriented attractions, including the International UFO Museum in Roswell and the Roswell Spacewalk, an art installation where guests are transported through space. Roswell became famous, and a must-see for believers in UFOS, after the 1947 “Roswell Incident” when it was believed a UFO crashed nearby.
In Washington, D.C., the popular National Air and Space Museum will be closed for renovation until fall. The $200 million gift from Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chair of Amazon, and founder of aerospace and space flight company Blue Origin will support the renovation and new education center at the museum. Meanwhile, visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia where you can challenge yourselves at SpaceFlight Academy, a quiz show, to see if you are “flight ready.” The Moving Beyond Earth exhibit places you in orbit!
