The perks of my job! Many days I sit inside an office, but once-in-awhile, I get to do really cool stuff.
When I worked in news, I was lucky enough to attend many shuttle launches out at Kennedy Space Center. It’s been awhile since the shuttle program ended, so I haven’t had been out to KSC in years!
I was able to come up with a project that would not only take me there, but would allow me to visit a place on property I’ve never been able to get close to!
My dream has been to visit the Astronaut Beach House. Most people don’t even know it exists, but it’s been something I’ve read about for a long time. This is the place astronauts gathered with their crew and their families before launch. The stories, the history, the tears that this place has seen is unreal. I was beyond excited and honored to get a chance to stand on the balcony of the house, and just take it all in. I was standing there thinking about the amazing space adventurers who have given their lives in the name of space exploration. This is the place where crew members of Challenger and Columbia said goodbye to their families – without knowing it would be the last time they could see each other. NASA Astronaut Mike Mullane wrote about the house in his book, Riding Rockets. Since reading about it, I’ve been obsessed. So when given the opportunity to check it out, I jumped.
Astronaut Beach House at Kennedy Space Center.
We also got a chance to visit some really historical and importance places all around property. We drove around launch pads, saw the O&C building where astronauts suit up before missions. We even saw some of the wildlife that Kennedy Space Center is known for, as it sits on the property of the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.
Here’s a look at some of the great adventures of the day:
