KSC Explore tour

chrisblanc · 12 Feb 18, 12:06 PM

Has anyone done this tour? I was wondering what to expect

Thanks

ianc · 13 Feb 18, 02:24 AM

I did it several years ago. They take you past some of the facilities used for the shuttle and moon programmes, such as the VAB, the transporter, pad 39A and there is a viewing area on the coast midway between 39A and 39B. However Pad 39A is now in use again by SpaceX, so depending on what they are doing, that might be out of bounds, so they will take you to other areas instead.
You end up at the Saturn/Apollo Center (same as the free tour), but it takes 90 min or so longer to get there as you go the scenic route with some stops.
If it is your first visit, I would just do the free tour, and save the extra tours for subsequent visits. My favourite is the Early Space tour which goes into the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base next door to see a lot of the earlier stuff from before they started to the moon and where a lot of the unmanned launches are still done. Obviously depends on what your interests are.

**blades** · 13 Feb 18, 09:01 AM

A lot of the areas have become classified again so I'm not to sure where you would go now. Last time we did the tour it was just like a longer version of the normal tour but the time before we actually went into the assembly building and on to one of the launch pads - proper buzz. As IanC (same name and initial as me lol) says for your first time there is loads to do included the new shuttle exhibition which could take a morning on its own.

lolalolo86 · 13 Feb 18, 11:03 AM

We have been looking into the tours also and decided to do the early space tour as recommended by IanC on another thread as the explore tour seems to be an extension of the free tour. We have been before though and just want to explore a bit more in depth

chrisblanc · 16 Feb 18, 02:34 PM

I've been 3 or 4 times before, I just thought I'd try something different. I'd like to see the inside of the VAB, but am not sure they do this any more?

13 Feb 18, 02:24 AM	#2
	13 Feb 18, 02:24 AM ianc Apprentice Imagineer
ianc Apprentice Imagineer Join Date: Jun 10	I did it several years ago. They take you past some of the facilities used for the shuttle and moon programmes, such as the VAB, the transporter, pad 39A and there is a viewing area on the coast midway between 39A and 39B. However Pad 39A is now in use again by SpaceX, so depending on what they are doing, that might be out of bounds, so they will take you to other areas instead. You end up at the Saturn/Apollo Center (same as the free tour), but it takes 90 min or so longer to get there as you go the scenic route with some stops. If it is your first visit, I would just do the free tour, and save the extra tours for subsequent visits. My favourite is the Early Space tour which goes into the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base next door to see a lot of the earlier stuff from before they started to the moon and where a lot of the unmanned launches are still done. Obviously depends on what your interests are.