Conference 7.286::space

    At KSC is a museum and display park with a bunch of interesting
    launch vehicles along with a souveneir shop and cafeteria (Tang
    served here!)
    
    There are two bus tours, one of KSC which takes in an old Saturn
    I blockhouse and a bunch of other interesting stuff. This is the
    only way you can see KSC. I could not find anyway of getting to
    look around the Titan III complex on Banana River.
    
    The other bus tour is of Canaveral AFB. It used to be that on Sundays,
    the AFB tour did not run but you could drive yourself around the tour.
    I strongly recommend this if it is still available. Near the old
    Redstone/Juno 1 launch pads is a museum and a park with all sorts of
    neat rockets, including my personal favourite, the Navaho. I spent a
    full day wandering around the area normally covered in a 40 minute or
    so bus tour. I ignored most of the 'do not enter' signs and wandered
    down to various old pads or their remains (your mileage may vary, and
    beware of crocodiles). Lots of history here, but be prepared to
    see rusting and decaying launch complexes. 
    
    If you are looking for scale info, be warned that the Gemini Titan
    and Mercury Redstone are definitely NOT correct. Some other stuff
    may be less than accurate although I don't recall any other examples.
    
    There is another USAF base down the coast a bit that has or had
    a Titan I, Thor and Minuteman missiles on display.
    
    gary

    
    
    I used to live in Florida, and made several trips to the KSC.  While
    the center has deteriotated significantly since the shuttle failure,
    there's still lots to see:
    
    	1) The visitors' center has photo displays, actual (flown) Mercury,
    Gemini and Apollo spacecraft.  It also has a Skylab section mockup,
    a Soyuz mockup, an actual LEM (in a diorama), one of the robot
    lander spacecraft (Surveyor ?), and other real space hardware including
    space suits and a moon rock.
    
    	2) There are two bus tours offered by the center (about $4 each)
    that I'd recommend.  One takes you to the older section -- the Air
    Force base.  You'll see the pad where the manned Redstones took
    off, the restored blockhouse with their clockwork timing mechanisms,
    pads once used for Delta, Atlas, Titan launches, and an outdoor
    display of pedestal-mounted boosters, early cruise missiles (Snark,
    anyone?) and air-to-air missiles.
    	The other tour takes you to the newer areas.  You drive past
    the VAB (can't go in....they keep SRB sections in there...real hazard).
    They take you to a real, "could-have-flown" Saturn V with Command
    Module.  It's lying on its side by the VAB.  It's fascinating, and
    kind of sad.  We threw this incredible, reliable machine away...
    The "new" tour takes you past the 2 shuttle pads, the shuttle
    rework buildings, past the giant crawlers, and to a couple of 
    instrumentation points near the pads.  
    
    The saddening element of the tour is the general deterioration of
    the Center since the first shuttle launches.  Somehow, NASA is
    letting its investment rust and rot away.  There are piles of
    rusting metal everywhere.  The vehicles show obvious corrosion
    and lack of care.  It looks more like a factory that's about
    to go out of business than a big, free-world spaceport.
    
    My recommendation, see it all ASAP.  Can't imagine how long it
    can be there if it keeps going downhill....
    
    
    Steve H
    
    

    Be prepared to both drool (I wish I could be a part of this) and
    cry (it's not fair that I'm an outsider and not a part of this)
    and cry (the a**h***s have let this wonderful Mecca go to he** in
    a handbasket)!
    
    Burns

    Having been to KSC several times i recommend the following:
    
    1) get to ksc as soon as they open.go out through the visitor center
       and buy your tickets right away for the bus tours.there are two
       a red tour and a blue tour.Also buy a ticket for the Imax theater
       presentation of "The dream is alive".it's a must-see multi-visual
       and audio movie that shows what it's like to go up on a shuttle.
    
    2) go on the tours first you can always look around the visitor
       center after you come back from the tours and the movie.If you
       have a camera try and get first in line and then go upstairs
       and way to the front of the double-decker buses that go on the
       tours.that way all you have in front of you is glass and no heads.

From: [email protected] (John Roberts)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: KSC tours
Date: 12 Jan 90 03:43:15 GMT
Organization: National Institute of Standards and Technology, formerly 
              National Bureau of Standards
 
>From: (Francis Vaughan) 
>Subject: Visits to KSC and launches
 
>Since a few people have been asking, I thought it was about time to share
>my experiences in trying to witness a shuttle launch.
 
    I tried to send you a message before your trip, which probably
didn't get there until you had left Australia. I went to KSC in
August, and had a more pleasant experience. 
 
>I attempted to see the STS-34 launch scheduled for October the 12th. As it
>was, the launch was delayed enough that I missed it, but my experiences
>may be of some value.
 
>Despite all of Davids and the NSSs efforts NASA seems not to give [expletive]
>about mere mortals who may have tracked half way around the world to see
>and learn. The Cape is as I indicated a short distance from Disney and all
>the other tourist traps. KSC is nothing but a big tourist machine catering
>for people who take a break from wasting money at Disney and thought they
>might like to take the kids to see a few rockets.
 
    It's probably more accurate to say that KSC is a working launch
complex, which tolerates tourists for PR purposes, and accomodates
them in keeping with its own safety standards. NASA doesn't even run
the bus tours - they're handled by a private company. Obviously, the
tourist center was designed by PR types. 
 
>There is three decades of history sitting out there and nobody cares.
 
    The rockets outside the visitor center have plaques next to them,
so you can read about them if you want to. I understand that the vast
majority of the tourists come for two main attractions: the Space
Shuttle, and the Apollo artifacts. 
 
>You can't even buy NASA publications from the bookshop at KSC.
 
    The bookshop seems to carry mostly photographs and souvenirs. I
don't know of any "popular" publications put out by NASA. For the
serious stuff, you probably need to deal with the technical part of
NASA, or the US Government Printing Office. Even using this approach,
I think most of what you will find are reports with names like
"Analysis of Stresses and Erosion of Carbon-fiber Composites in the
Upper Atmosphere at Hypersonic Velocities". For overview material, it
may be necessary to rely on outside publications. 
 
>The bus tours are appalling. Really appalling. It is hard to express my
>anger and frustration at the way these are conducted.
 
>There are two tours, the red and the blue. One takes you down the cape
>and shows you such unforgettable things as the launch control bunker for
>the Explorer shots. Outside this is a lawned area covered is old missiles
>and small rockets and interesting junk. They let you have ten minutes to
>see it. TEN MINUTES!! you can't even do justice to one exhibit in that
>time. As the bus left I saw a V-1 and V-2 for the first time out of the
>window. I had not enough time to walk completly around the lawn to even
>glance at the exhibits.
 
    The bus tours change over time, depending on what is going on.
When I went, there was only one tour, which went through the Apollo
display, stopped at the VAB (did you notice the large birds sitting on
top of the building? they look tiny because the building is so large),
to the launch area, then back to look at the Saturn V. I think the
reason they rushed you through so fast was because there must have
been a tremendous number of tourists around launch time, who would
have been even more angry if they didn't get to go on the bus tour at
all. Even when I went, I had to get there fairly early in the morning
to get a ticket for a 3:00 tour. On the other hand, we got to spend a
fairly long time at each stop, including at least 10 minutes near the
launch pads and 10 minutes near the Saturn V. 
 
>The second tour takes you around the KSC facilities. Again amazing things
>to see, no time to see them. We saw the building where the Apollo
>astronauts trained on a simulated moonscape, complete with one of the
>remaining landers. Plus in the same room one of the remaining
>command/service modules. Probably less than five minutes viewing time.
>Then a ride out to the VAB, a quick look at one of the crawlers (BIG) a
>drive around the perimiter of the VAB (one door partially open and a stack
>inside). This is the closest you will get to a shuttle. Around the other
>side is the Saturn V we keep hearing mentioned rusting on the lawn. You
>are not given enough time to walk the length of the rocket. Literally, I
>ran with my camera taking pictures and did not make it further up than the
>bottom of the third stage before the bus driver was yelling at everyone to
>get back on the bus.
 
    The path our bus took went from the VAB, right next to the road
the crawlers use to take the shuttles to the pads (interesting in
itself - built several feet deep for stability, and overlaid with flat
pebbles from river beds - you can see the crawler tracks (obviously
the bus would not come this way with a shuttle in transit)), past
launch pad 39A (fairly close), and to a point about a mile from the
shuttle on pad 39B, which seems about as close as they want anyone to
come to an exposed shuttle. Even at that distance, the shuttle is so
big that you can use an ordinary telephoto lens on your camera (I used
100-300mm) and pretty much fill your picture with the shuttle. I got
some nice stereo photos of the shuttle (!) which clearly show the relative 
positions of the launch tower and the various parts of the shuttle. 
 
>The problem is that that the stuff you see on the tours is high on the must
>see list, and there is no other way of seeing it.
 
    As Arthur C. Clarke wrote in "Against the Fall of Night", there is
another way. If you are in the US again, I hope you will have an
opportunity to visit the Air and Space Museum. (See comments) 
 
>I came half way around the world, spent a lot of money and time and basicly
>got to spend less than an hour total time seeing what I came to see.
 
    Yes, it is hard, especially with all the travel money you had to
spend. On the other hand, if you were already in the area, and didn't
go with the NSS package, you would have spent only a few dollars at
the tourist center. 
 
>The tour bus also takes you past launch pad A. Normally they let you off for
>a few minutes, but because of the RTGs fiasco nobody was let off the bus
>within sight of the launch pads (even though pad A was some miles off)
>in case they were a member of the Christics and wanted to picket the launch.
 
    I was afraid that might happen.  I'm glad I got there before those
Christics ruined it for everybody.  Maybe they'll be able to reduce
security again for future flights.  Incidentally, the pads are
surrounded by high fences topped with really nasty "barbed wire", and
I believe the area is under constant surveillance. 
 
>In summary, I would go with the NSS for a tour, take a camera, lots of film
>and burn film, because this is the only way you will get to see what is
>there; on your photos, you will not have time to register what is happening
>whilst you are there. If you want it all laid on and a bit of a holiday,
>take the four day package, if you only want the actual launch and can
>organise everything else (car, accomodation) get the one day launch special.
 
    Yes, definitely bring a camera. I used up about 3-4 rolls of film.
 
>Dept of Computer Science                        Francis Vaughan
>University of Adelaide                          [email protected]
>South Australia.
 
    Comments:
 
 - The visitor center has a nice museum and several theaters. As soon
as you get there, dash over and get in line to buy your bus tour
tickets. These will probably be for a tour several hours later, so you
will have plenty of time to look at the displays. If you get there too
late, the bus tours may be sold out, so an early arrival is highly
desirable. 
 
 - The shuttle can be seen (at least if it's on pad B) from the
grounds of the VAB. When we stopped there, I got some nice
long-distance telephoto shots (300-600mm), because I did not know
whether we would be allowed any closer. 
 
 - The main difficulties in long-distance photography are heat-shimmer
and haze. I suspect that these problems are reduced early in the day,
so it might be preferable to try for a morning bus tour. Definitely
use a haze filter. 
 
 - I don't know how much of an advantage the NSS viewing sight might
be. The big shots (Vice President, astronauts' spouses, etc.) watch
from about 3.5 miles away, which is the closest *anybody* is allowed
during the launch. (The beautiful pictures you see on TV and in
magazines are taken using close-up remote-controlled cameras, set up
before the launch.) I think the public viewing area is ~2 miles
further away. I suspect the most memorable impression of the launch is
the *sound*, which can be heard over a tremendous distance. 
 
 - If your main concern is to get a good look at the shuttle, I
suspect your best bet is to go a week or more before launch (that's
what I did). Around launch time, it is guaranteed that there will be
tremendous crowds, with consequent degradation in the quality of the
bus tours, and tourists may not be allowed to see as much. 
 
 - If your main interest is watching the launch, you should plan your
trip so the scheduled launch is early in your vacation, so you can
wait a few days if the launch is delayed by weather or other problems.
In the meantime, there are other tourist attractions in the area. I
went to Epcot, and found it fairly interesting. (It has some "real
stuff" in addition to the usual displays and rides, and there are
displays showing the cultures of various countries, in many cases run
by people imported from those countries. In keeping with the Disney
tradition, it's clean by theme park standards, most of the food is
interesting and inexpensive (check out the smoked mackerel in the
Norwegian section), and the staff mostly seem to be well-trained and
helpful. Many of them speak several languages, which is unusual in a
US theme park.) 
 
 - The crowding and quality of tours is likely to depend largely on
the time of year you go. Obviously the peak seasons for Disney World
would not be the best choice. If you go in the winter, don't be
surprised if it occasionally gets cold. 
 
 - There's a cafeteria at the visitor center, which seems to usually
be very crowded. 
 
 - There's probably a number to call to get all of this information
officially. I just wandered in, and things worked out OK. 
 
 - For a really good look at US space hardware and information on the
history of the space program, it's hard to beat the Air and Space
Museum (part of the Smithsonian Institution) in Washington, DC. Unlike
KSC, it's set up specifically for tourists. There's an amazing amount
of hardware there, not just rockets and space probes, but also
airplanes (Wright Brothers' Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, Voyager, X-15,
Bell X-1, many war planes), helicopters, balloons, space suits, etc.
There's also an IMAX theater showing several movies each day
(inclucing footage shot from the Space Shuttle), and a planetarium.
Admission is free (there is a charge for the theaters). There's a very
good book and souvenir shop (with both "tourist" books and technical
books on aviation, space flight, and space science), plus several
smaller shops and a cafeteria. Packages are searched at the door for
security reasons. The guards start kicking everyone out about 20
minutes befor closing, so it's best to arrive early. The museum stays
open several hours later than usual in the summer. I think it's the
most popular tourist attraction in DC by number of visitors, but I've
never seen it too crowded to get in and look around (it's a big building). 
 
    There's also an annex in Maryland where you can see workers
actually restoring the old planes for display (and sometimes flight).
I've never been there, but it sounds like an interesting place.
There's a proposal to open an annex at Washington Dulles (not
National) Airport in Virginia, for the display of numerous airplanes.
Supposedly the prototype space shuttle Enterprise is already sitting
in some obscure spot at the airport for eventual inclusion in the
display. 
 
    (Disclaimer: these are just my impressions as a tourist. I don't
know the official policies of the organizations.) 

                    John Roberts
                    [email protected]

From: [email protected] (Jerry Davis)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Viewing shuttle launches
Date: 19 Feb 90 13:50:39 GMT
Organization: Georgia Experiment Sta.
 
    This may be of interest to those of you who wish to attend future
Space Shuttle launches.  It was taken from the February 18, 1990
edition of The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, with excerps from The
Hartford Courant, authored by Steve Silk (paraphrased by me). 
 
 The next launch is scheduled for February 22; another for late April.
 For a complete list of liftoffs, write NASA, BOC-155, Kennedy Space
 Center, FL 32899.  Those who plan well in advance can write for a
 special pass permitting them onto Space Center grounds for the closest
 view of a launch (~seven miles from the pad).  About 2,000 passes are
 issued free for each launch date.  They are parceled out on a first come
 first served basis.  For reservations or more information, write:
 
              NASA Vehicle Passes
              PA-PAS
              Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899
 
 For information about visiting the Space Coast area of Florida, write:
 
              Brevard County Tourist Development Council
              P.O. Box 1969
              Cocoa, FL 32923    or call 800-872-1969
 
 Local officials allow people to park on Route 1 in Titusville.  Binoculars
 are a must as it is 15 miles away.  You may park there 24 hrs. before a
 launch.  Additionally, the article points out that many viewers prefer
 to watch the SRB's drop off.  This can be seen from spots along ~20 miles
 of beachfront.  The preferred spot is Jetty Park in Port Canaveral.
 
    I've never been there, I'm just passing along information.
  Apologies to the author for any botches. 
 
    Jerry

    I believe the passes referred to in .-1 are the "Causeway" passes,
    correct?
    
    At one time I understand The National Space Society arranged VIP
    tours of the launches, with admission to the VIP stands (which
    are closer than the Causeway, but farther than the press site -
    insert tongue-in-cheek quip about worth of reporters here).
    Anyone know if the NSS tours still admit to the VIP stands?

    The NSS viewing site is inside KSC some 6.7 miles from pad 39B, on the 
    Banana River just southwest of the Titan VAB.  
    
    I was there in October (but alas couldn't hang around for the delays)
    and it looked like a good site.  If the launch is from 39A, the view
    should be even better.  
    
    I'm looking forward to the next time I can go with them.
    
    Klaes
    
    

        I was going down to Florida for an Easter break anyway, and I
        noticed that STS-31 was scheduled for launch about that time,
        so I decided to try to get a car pass.

        I sent letters to two different addresses, both found in this
        conference.  The address from Note 383.6 by WRKSYS::KLAES is:

              NASA Vehicle Passes
              PA-PAS
              Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899
 
        The address from Note 432.3 by RDCV02::JCONNELL is:
    
                   Mrs. Dotty Davis
                   Mail code LPE
                   NASA Headquarters
                   Washington D.C.  , 20546
    
        I sent both of these out on March 8.

        I got a pass from the DC address!  From the KSC address,
        however, I got a lot of information but no pass.  The KSC
        information states that passes are no longer available for
        the next three launches;  the next available launch is
        Columbia in late August.

        Now that I've got a causeway pass, for gates 1, 2, and 3,
        where should I try to go to get the best view?

        Bob

Re: which gate?

Last time I went, I don't remember being given a choice. I also believe that
it  doesn't  really matter, they are just different gates to get the immense
number  of people to the same place from opposite ends - on the shore of the
Banana  river.  The  causeway  is  a  couple  of  miles  long,  so maybe the
northernmost  gates would get you slightly closer but you're already 7 miles
away,  and  the causeway doesn't run directly toward/from the launch pad, so
which gate you use probably doesn't matter much.

Be aware  that  once you're there, you're not leaving until it's launched or
scrubbed. They park bumper-to-bumper, fender-to-fender, with no throughways.
They have lots of noise from the PA, and they have porta-johns, but no food.
I don't think that they had water either.

There are  alligators in the Banana River, but they don't generally climb up
on  the bank with all the crazy people, but small kids going wading might be
a problem. So count your kids when you come and when you leave 8*).

    When I went to see STS-34 scrub :-(, we came in Gate 3 (since we were
    staying in the Orlando area).  Basically you will drive past Spaceport
    and the various administration buildings and then over the river.
    
    The facilities, I guess, are dependent on where you end up.  If you can
    get there early enough then you'll get a spot at one of the "prime"
    areas.  Food, drinks, and trinkets were available at these sites (along
    with the toilet facilities) with at most a 5 minute walk.  There were
    grandstands here and there - but most people were under umbrellas in
    the parking area (I'd advise bringing one - or an air-conditioned RV
    (although big RV's may require a special pass)).
    We brought along a cooler anyway.
    
    If you can swing it - bring a good telephoto lens (or telescope) and
    a tripod - you want any respectable views you'll need it.
    
    Guests are frequently warned to stay away from the water because of the
    gators.  The crowd is dense, so children should be kept close by.
    
    If you're coming in from the Orlando area - gas up before you leave. 
    There's very little in the way of service stations in the area (at
    least I didn't see too many - and the "Bee Line" is like a road in the
    middle of nowhere).                                      
    
    
    Best of luck on seeing a launch,
    
    - dave
    

re Note 383.11 by PRAGMA::GRIFFIN:

>     When I went to see STS-34 scrub :-(, we came in Gate 3 (since we were
>     staying in the Orlando area).  Basically you will drive past Spaceport
>     and the various administration buildings and then over the river.
  
        Well, I did the same when I got to see the STS-31 scrub!

        The view from "Section J" was tremendous (at the end where
        the snack bar was located;  not so at the end where the cars
        are parked).  I can only imagine that the night-time view of
        two shuttles on the pads at once will be awesome.  The 10X
        zoom lens on my camcorder got a very closely cropped view of
        the orbiter side of the stack (through trees;  for the best
        view, you have to find a point where there are no trees on
        the opposite shore).

        Since we had an 8-passenger van, we even got to bring some
        Florida-resident friends who had never seen a launch (except
        from 50 miles away).  (They still haven't.  :-{)

        Well, I did get a very nice STS-31 T-shirt at a tent outside
        of the Spaceport USA center.  (For a Star Trek fan, the
        legend "Space -- the final frontier" was a nice touch!)

        As a consolation prize, we did get to see the launch of the
        Delta 2 carrying the Indonesian communications satellite from
        about 10 miles away.  (Since I had seen the STS-1 launch, it
        wasn't nearly as impressive;  but it was interesting to see
        the separation of the strap-on boosters.)

        And I have an impressive, day-glow orange souvenir vehicle
        pass (still good, if anybody is headed there tomorrow
        morning!).

        Bob

  That's two of us, Bob.  But better a scrub than a catastrophe.  I didn't even
see the Titan launch.  Then again, I had trained my camera on the wrong pad
until some kindly neighbor pointed out that I might want to photograph the
shuttle launch instead...  Boy did I feel stupid (and I'd already seen a launch
before and knew what to expect).

  RE: entrances

  I came in at the West entrance this time and found that the view was partly
obstructed.  I recomment the South entrance.  It seems to give a better view
overall, but still with obstructions.

John

re Note 383.13 by 2853::BUEHLER:

> Then again, I had trained my camera on the wrong pad
> until some kindly neighbor pointed out that I might want to photograph the
> shuttle launch instead...  Boy did I feel stupid (and I'd already seen a launch
> before and knew what to expect).

        Well, the other pad appeared closer and a less obstructed
        view! :-)

        Bob

        P.S. I did  the same thing at the STS-1 launch with my movie
        camera -- sudden last-minute pan to the other pad.

we will be in florida this week and i noticed that there is a shuttle on
the pad.  the last time we went, the pads were empty.  question: what are
the odds of seeing the shuttle itself without the rotating service tower
covering it?  do they tend to keep it covered or only bring the structure
around for specific servicing?

						mike

You would have to catch it at most day or so before a launch.   Most payloads
require rather constant attending, and the RSS isn't moved until it has to
(preparations for RSS rotation are made at L-2 days, but the actual RSS
rotation time is not fixed (I believe)).

- dave

My wife and I are going to Florida next week and we're planning a stop at KSC on
Friday, 12/13.  My memory is extremely foggy (we were there in June of '86), so I
thought some of you folks that have been to KSC recently could help us out here.

1) What is the current admission price to KSC?
2) How much are the bus tours?  What time do they start rolling in the morning?
3) Is "Ambassador" still there?  According to note 676.0 it was supposed to be
   there only through Sept. '91 (if they "extended" its stay that long).
4) Anything else (besides the IMAX theatre ... we'll definitely catch a show or
   two) we should check out?

...Roger...

	Roger:

	As luck would have it, I'm planning on visiting Florida and
	KSC this winter.  

>1) What is the current admission price to KSC?

	I think this is included in the price for the tours below.  I don't
	think you can visit KSC any other way.  Does anyone out there know
	any different?
	
>2) How much are the bus tours?  What time do they start rolling in the morning?

	Tours daily 9:45 until 2 hours before sunset; closed DEC 25 and
	several hours on certain launch days.  Admission $6; ages 3-11,
	$3.  Phone (407) 452-2121.

	There are two separate tours.  The "Red" tour includes the Flight
	Crew Training Building (with its Apollo 11 Moon Landing Show),
	Complex 39, the Space Shuttle and Moon Launch and the 525-foot-
	high Vehicle Assembly Building.  The "Blue" tour visits Cape
	Canaveral Air Force Station and includes the Mercury and Gemini
	pads as well as the Air Force Space Museum.

>3) Is "Ambassador" still there?  According to note 676.0 it was supposed to be
>   there only through Sept. '91 (if they "extended" its stay that long).

	I can't help you with this one.

>4) Anything else (besides the IMAX theatre ... we'll definitely catch a show or
>   two) we should check out?

	There's the Spaceport USA, with the IMAX Theatre (you already know
	this).  The movie is either "The Dream is Alive", "Blue Planet",
    	or "The Boy from Mars". Cost of admission is $2.75; ages 3-11, $1.75.
        You should allow 5 hours to see the Spaceport and take the bus tour.

	There's the Astronauts Memorial: Space Mirror.  This is also at
	the Spaceport and admission is free.

	Lastly, there's the U.S. Space Camp/U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
	It's on SR405, 11 miles east of I-95 just south of Titusville.
	Admission $4.95; ages 3-12, $2.95.

	Hope this helps.


	Chris
	London (That's Canada, eh?)
    
                         

Excellent, Chris.  Thank you very much.  Now if the "Ambassador" is still there
things will truly be wonderful!

I wonder if they show different shows at different times at the IMAX theater
(like they do at the Air & Space Museum in Washington)?  I saw 3 different shows
back-to-back when I was in Washington a couple of years ago.  "Blue Planet"
hadn't opened yet, so I'm looking forward to seeing it (if it's there).  I will
definitely see "The Dream Is Alive" again (for the 5th time).  It's just amazing
to watch the shuttle rock forward before jumping off the pad!!!!

...Roger...

6/8/92: ORLANDO FIRM AWARDED KSC CONTRACT TO MODIFY VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
        BUILDING HIGH BAYS, BUILD ROOF MAINTENANCE PLATFORM

Karl Kristofferson                               June 8, 1992

KSC Release No. 63-92

     International Steel, Inc., Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a
$6,644,820 contract to modify High Bays 1 and 3 in the Vehicle
Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center, provide addi-
tional clearance height to the facility's north transfer aisle
door, add girder reinforcement to support new overhead cranes,
and build an interior platform to provide access to and catch
debris from the roof of the building.

     The VAB is where flight elements of the Space Shuttle are
assembled together before transfer to the launch pad.

     Work under the fixed price contract will be performed in
several phases over the next four years. The modifications will
be made during specially designated time periods to prevent in-
terference with Space Shuttle hardware processing in the VAB.

     High Bay 3 modifications are scheduled to begin in March
1993 and be completed within 137 days. During this effort,
changes to existing equipment will be made to allow processing of
the Space Shuttle Advanced Solid Rocket Motors (ASRM) scheduled
for first use on a Shuttle mission in late 1995. Similar changes
will be made in High Bay 1 beginning in October 1993, with
completion required within 130 days.

     The high bay work involves modifications to the integrated
workstands now used to assemble the current Space Shuttle
boosters, the four-segment Redesigned Solid Rocket Motors (RSRM).
The newer ASRM incorporates a three-segment design with field
joints at different heights, requiring the addition of access
platforms at the 80- and 124-foot levels of the 183-foot-high
workstands.

     The existing three VAB high bay platforms that are used for
access to the solid rocket boosters have a total of eight levels
and nearly surround the cylindrical booster rockets. These levels
will remain in place so that work on the current RSRM booster can
continue without interruption. However, the ASRMs will have a
radius that is two inches wider than the RSRMs, requiring the
removal of two inches of the inside platform edges at each level
to allow adequate clearance for the new boosters.

The north door to the VAB transfer aisle is now high enough to
allow the passage of RSRM segments. A smaller overhead door in-
creases clearance so that the orbiter's tail section can pass
through when this second door is opened.  Under this contract,
the overhead door will be modified to provide clearance to 65
feet, enough height to permit the ASRM aft segment to be
transported into the building. This modification work will begin
in December 1994.

      As a part of another contract, two new 325-ton overhead
cranes will be added to the VAB superstructure to lift the
heavier ASRM segments into the VAB high bays. International Steel
will, under its newly awarded contract, provide the reinforcement
to the overhead VAB superstructure to support the new cranes.
This work will begin in March 1993.

     Work on the  VAB roof access platform will also begin in
March 1993, with a scheduled completion date of May 1996. This
245,000-square-foot steel platform will be suspended six and
one-half feet below the interior high bay area roof to catch
small pieces of concrete that periodically fall from the roof
support structure. At the present time, webbed nets are in place
to protect workers and Shuttle hardware from this debris. The new
platform will also provide access for workers as they repair the
roof of the 27-year-old structure.

     The  ASRM-related modifications will make up $2,719,620 of
the contract award. The other $3,925,200 will cover roof platform
installation.

     The increased thrust provided by the ASRMs will allow the
Space Shuttle to carry an additional 12,000 pounds of payload
into low-Earth orbit. This additional capability will be impor-
tant during the launch of the elements of Space Station Freedom.

Karl Kristofferson                                June 8, 1992

KSC Release No. 62-92


     Watson Paving, Inc., Cocoa, Fla., has been awarded a
$2,206,742 fixed price contract to restore and pave the shoulders
of the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway at Kennedy Space
Center and reposition and upgrade part of its lighting system.

     The small business firm is scheduled to begin work June 10,
first to build up the 50-foot-wide shoulders on both sides of the
15,000-foot runway with a six-inch earthen base. The base will
then be covered with six inches of limestone, which will be
topped with one inch of FAA-approved runway asphalt.

     The runway shoulder work is the last phase of a program to
improve the safety of the SLF for Shuttle orbiter landings at
KSC. In their present condition, the soft shoulders have been
considered a hazard if the orbiter were to veer off from the con-
crete runway during landing.

     Other work under the contract includes the replacement of
the original runway edge lights that were installed in 1975 and
the electrical transformer that provides their power. The new
lights will mark the original 300-foot-wide concrete runway,
while the asphalt-paved shoulders will extend 50 feet beyond the
lights on each side. The lights are amber for the first 2,000
feet at each end and white in the middle section.

     Three Space Shuttle missions are scheduled to conclude with
an orbiter landing at KSC during the 150-day limit of the con-
tract. Prior to landing operations, the contractor must make sure
that there are no open excavations or other hazards to a safe
landing.

     The SLF is also used by the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA),
a modified Boeing 747, when it returns the orbiter to KSC after a
mission-ending landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Shuttle
crew members also use the SLF when flying T-38 jet trainers and
the Shuttle Training Aircraft.

Mitch Varnes                                       Sept. 21, 1992

KSC Release No. 130-92

Note to Editors/News Directors

     Two key players in the shaping of  America's  space  program
will  be  honored  on  Sept.  23  when  the National Space Club's
Florida committee awards the pair with the group's first Lifetime
Achievement Awards.

     NASA  Administrator  Daniel  Goldin  will  be  the  featured
speaker  at  a luncheon that will culminate in the recognition of
the lifelong aerospace contributions of Robert H. Gray and Walter
J. Kapryan.   The event will be held at  the Howard Johnson Plaza
Hotel in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

     "I  can't  think of two more deserving individuals for these
initial  Lifetime  Achievement  awards,"  commented   George   L.
English,  the  space club's Florida chairman.   "Both Bob and Kap
are widely recognized as true pioneers of the space business  now
routinely  conducted  on  Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and at
the Kennedy Space Center."

     Gray dedicated nearly 30 years of his professional career to
government service before retiring from NASA in 1986.   He was  a
manager  at  both the Goddard Space Flight Center and at the Ken-
nedy Space Center,  where he served as launch  director  for  178
space missions.  Gray was the first director of the Kennedy Space
Center's  Space  Shuttle  Projects  Office  and  retired  as  the
center's space station manager.   Since his retirement from NASA,
Gray has acted as an aerospace consultant to various contractors,
the European Space Agency and the government of Australia.

     Kapryan was a prominent figure in all of NASA's manned space
programs  before retiring from civil service in 1979.   A project
engineer in the Mercury and Gemini programs,  Kapryan  served  as
launch  operations  chief  for the last six Apollo missions.   In
this  position,   Kapryan  had  operational  responsibility   for
launches that included the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project,  Skylab and
manned missions to the moon.   He was the Kennedy Space  Center's
first  director  of Space Shuttle operations.   Although retired,
Kapryan continues to stay abreast  of  NASA  activities  and  oc-
casionally  serves  as an advisor and consultant to the aerospace
industry.

     Members of the press wishing to cover Administrator Goldin's
speech or the National Space Club awards presentation may proceed
directly to the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel.    The  luncheon  and
keynote address are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.
 

pragma::public:[nasa.shuttle.ksc]

Please read the 0hello. file first for more details on the images
located in this directory.

- dave

From: [email protected] (UPI)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.aerospace,clari.tw.space,clari.biz.products
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 15:12:00 PST

	CALABASAS, Calif. (UPI) -- Lockheed Corp. said Thursday it has been
awarded a NASA contract to manage the Kennedy Space Center in Cocoa
Beach, Fla., which could have a 10-year value of $1.9 billion.
	The contract, which begins next year, covers an initial period of
four years, plus three two-year options and is a major boost to
Lockheed's efforts to diversify and to expand its non-defense
activities.
	NASA chose Lockheed over EG&G Inc., of Wellesley, Mass., which had
previously held the contract and derived about 7 percent of its annual
revenue from the pact. Analysts believe the loss of the contract will
eliminate most of the potential earnings growth for EG&G next year.
	EG&G stock fell $1.625 to $18.625 a share on the New York Stock
Exchange, while Lockheed gained 50 cents to $48 a share.
	Abut 2,000 EG&G employees work at the Kennedy Space Center and most
are expected to be hired by Lockheed next year.
	A team led by Lockheed recently won a key contract with a potential
value of $770 million to proceed with the first phase of the Theater
High-Altitude Area Defense Missile.
	EG&G had third-quarter earnings of $22.1 million on sales of $749
million.
	Lockheed has continued to post profits despite the decline in defense
dollars. Its third-quarter earnings rose 6 percent to $86 million, or
$1.40 a share. Sales for Lockheed, the nation's sixth-biggest defense
contractor, were up 4 percent to $2.47 billion.