Me- at spacecamp |
I've been referencing my time at Kennedy Space Center Space Camp for the past two days on facebook that I figured it must be fate. Time to share a picture that rarely sees the light of day. Yours truly, V.L. Jennings at space camp- at the top of the shuttle simulator ladder.
I will always be so thankful to the people who run that place. I was 16 then and about two years outside of the camp age requirement. We were able to call the staff and get them to allow me to attend though. That was such an awesome vacation! I enjoyed it so much that there are numerous nods to KSC in Visionary From The Stars.
Besides the shuttle mission simulator we also had a chance to try various other simulators. We got to try moon walking, simulated climbing in "nearly zero gravity" (Its amazing what some counter weights can simulate!), and I also rode the G force simulator three times. The last time I almost got sick- I kid you not!
Another of my favorite moments was riding the bus beside the launch pad crawler and watching it crush the rocks beneath its HUGE plates as it rolled up the road.
I learned so much, took TONS of notes and I believe I took 5 rolls of film worth of pictures (yes, back before digital cameras were standard). Then that fannie pack you see in the picture... Well I had my last two days of film in there and my notes and left them all behind at a gas station on the way home. EPIC FACEPALM!
We went back to get it but someone had already wandered off with it. No money inside that I remembered... just undeveloped film and a mini notepad. (Really? Who steals film?)
I do still have a copy of the Camp KSC chant that one of the program leaders was said to have written. I love that song so much that I asked them for a copy of it before the camp ended- it STILL hangs in my kitchen (yeah, I am well aware that I am a nerd).
If I can get at least 10 comments on this blog post I will take a picture of it and post it here on my blog for you all to see- 20 comments and I will even sing it for you!
Have you ever been to Kennedy Space Center? What was your favorite part of your visit?