Yesterday (13.10.12) I visited the Kennedy Space Centre with my school, our first activity of the hectic week planned on our Orlando Trip. I was amazed by it. Mind you, like one of our instructors - Jeff - pointed out, they had "no competition". Yet, I firmly believe that this will have been one of my most remembered activities - well some actually - what with the wide range of space related training simulations.
There was the centrefugal gravity simulator, which flung your guts everywhich way until the instructor - in my case a woman named Micky - thought it prudent to release you. You then staggered over to a bench to join your quickly recovered classmates.
Also we built rockets out of paper and shot them with air pressure across the hall. Jeff made us take an oath while creating them which involved not using them as Lightsabers, swords or telescopes, not sticking them in our mouths, eyes, ears or noses "like hundreds of children have done before me [laughs] ... this week [more laughs]" My rocket wasn't exactly successful but it had DFTBA written on it so I atleast felt proud of my design.
There was also an astronaut hall of fame where I learned the demise of 2 spacecraft, one in '86, the other in '03. I found this part extremely fascinating but I think relaying it could be considered copyright.
While we were eating lunch, Jeff and Matt - another instructor - wheeled out a cart of dehydrated food which they explained was rehydrated when they reach space because the weight of the water would be too much. This, somehow, still didn't put me off the amazing sandwich in my hand.
We also roleplayed various professions within the rocket, and also down on the ground. We somehow managed to land with the cargo bay door wide open.
We were also shown the heatproof, sand based material that most rockets are made from. And touched a gooey mixture of food coloured water - that we all thought was Jeff and Matt's pee - and some powdery polymer that I couldn't make out the name of because of Micky's Spanish accent. Oh well.
There was also a trajectory machine where it slowly spun two people at opposite ends of what looked like a see-saw round in a circle and they had to throw and catch a ball taking into account where their partner would be by them time the ball reached them. Amber and I successfully passed 1/6. Better than some people's 0. It was really hard!
Anyway, thankyou Kennedy Space Centre, thankyou Micky, Matt and Jeff for making my first - journey doesn't count - day in Florida, in America, so enjoyable. Oh, and Jeff, if ever you read this, that was a meagre attempt at a Scottish accent.
I will post photos when I get home to my laptop.
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