Recently, I had the joy of revisiting the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. There, I had previously explored real rockets, learned about NASA missions, and participated in interactive activities pertaining to space exploration. During this visit, I got to explore the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where I learned about the race to the Moon, saw the Saturn V rocket, and learned about the history of the Apollo program.
The exhibit discussed the Space Race, a rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, to determine which country had the best space technology. This prompted the first spacecraft to go into orbit and led to the investigation of the moon’s surface, pushing science and technology to grow. During this time, NASA built the Saturn V rocket, a heavy-lift vehicle designed to get the US to the moon. The center reflects on the many people who made the Apollo Moon landing possible, on and off the Saturn V, notably the largest rocket ever found.
I loved hearing about Apollo 8 and its launch from the Cape in 1968. It was the first human spaceflight to travel to the Moon and back, and notably, it was the first Saturn V launched with a crew. Part of my time at Kennedy Space Center included visiting the firing room, where the Saturn V mission, Apollo 8, launched and orbited the moon. I was able to overlook the actual firing room with real equipment and panels that were used for the launch in 1968. This second visit to the Kennedy Space Center not only deepened my understanding of NASAs achievements and innovations as a whole, but it also helped me learn more about the Apollo program and hear more about the role of so many in the development of the Saturn V rocket that has shaped space exploration today.
In Orbit 