Although not to the moon, NASA is still heavily involved with the International Space Station. The training mission control at NASA is used to prepare the ground crew for real space missions. I recommend the astronaut ice cream sandwich. After you’ve had all the space you can take, be sure to stop by the gift shop on the way out, which has just about any space related item you could want. The rocket is resting on its side, but when upright it is a towering 363 feet, taller than both the Texas Capitol (which is taller than the U.S. The last stop on the tour, and my personal favorite, is a real decommissioned Saturn V rocket that, until the funding was cut, was completely ready for the moon. When I was there, the old mission control from the ’60s was not opened to the public, but they should have that ready for the 50th anniversary. They also show the training Mission Control, which is used to get the up and coming ground crew ready. Some of the more impressive sights include the mock training lab, which features scale models of space equipment and vessels used to train the astronauts for their time in space, usually aboard the International Space Station. If you’re looking for more NASA experiences, they offer a tour of the Space Center grounds, which is quite interesting. The Saturn V rocket is resting on its side, but when upright it is a towering 363 feet, taller than both the Texas Capitol (which is taller than the U.S. Inside of the 747 by the entrance there is information on the Space Shuttle missions, and the shuttle itself shows what it would have been like for the astronauts who lived in it for weeks at a time, and what the shuttle was used for, like satellite repairs and ISS stuff. You can see their pictures on the back wall of the main room, which features pictures of every American space mission. The rest of the building contains other space related things, like the hall with real spacecraft used in the early to mid 1960s by some of the first Americans in space, including John Glenn and Gus Grissom. If NASA’s funding had not been heavily decreased after the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, this rocket would have been the next to go the moon.Įntering through the front doors will take you to a huge room filled with information about space, including diagrams, models and interactive activities for the younger guests (although no one is stopping you from learning about the difference in weight across the planets with the Angry Birds). The decommissioned Saturn V rocket sits on its side in a warehouse at the Johnson Space Center. Although not the real shuttle or airplane, these are accurate sized replicas, and you can even go inside of them. When arriving, you are greeted by an enormous statue of the Space Shuttle resting on the back of a Boeing 747. The Johnson Space Center (named after president Lyndon) is NASA’s main facility for training and research of human spaceflight.

Halfway between Houston and Galveston is the Johnson Space Center, which will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing this summer. This coastal city with a population of 50,000 sits about 50 miles from Houston, and 200 miles from Austin. Last summer it was Corpus Christi this summer, we’re going to Galveston.

But what if you don’t have money for a plane ticket to Montana or time for a road trip to Colorado? Fear not, for there are plenty of suitable Texas destinations. With triple digit heat coming to Austin, many residents are looking to escape through means of travel.

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