You can discover the current and upcoming cutting-edge innovations of space exploration from NASA and their commercial partners inside Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex. Then, you’ll enter the spaceport of the future and launch aboard one of four unforgettable journeys to distant worlds on an immersive ride, Spaceport KSC. Plus, you can refuel your energy at Space Bowl Bistro, a restaurant featuring Bistro Bowls, including refreshing acai bowls and choose-your-protein savory bowls.
Inside Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex, you’ll find real flight-flown artifacts, models, and more.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Line of Sight Signs
“Line of Sight,” a cosmic wayfinder, developed by NASA’s JPL, uses NASA’s Deep Space Network to locate the positions of planets, satellites, the International Space Station, and celestial bodies moving throughout the universe.
Orion Crew Vehicle from EFT-1 Mission (Flight Flown)
Prominently centered in the exhibit hall is the flight flown Orion, Exploration Flight Test – 1 (EFT-1). Launched on December 5, 2014, the maiden voyage of the Lockheed Martin’s capsule orbited Earth at an altitude of 3,600 miles, more than 15 times farther in distance than the International Space Station (ISS). The entire mission lasted 4.5 hours with the capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
1/25 Scale Rocket Models
- NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS)
- United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V
- United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy
- United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur
SpaceX Cargo Dragon COTS-2 (Flight Flown)
This Dragon was the first commercial spacecraft to deliver and return cargo from the ISS in May 2012. The Dragon exhibit includes two interactive elements to learn more about it. You can learn about the Dragon, including the evolution from this spacecraft to the current cargo and crew versions and the design and features. Plus, you can learn about the launches, landings, and reusability of the Dragon capsules, the first stage of the Falcon 9, and the fairings.
Jared Isaacman Inspiration4 SpaceX Suit
Jared Isaacman: Commander of Inspiration4 a tech entrepreneur and accomplished pilot, led the historic Inspiration4 mission. As the commander, he and his crew embarked on a three-day orbital journey aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, marking the first all-civilian spaceflight in September 2021. This suit is designed by SpaceX, each custom – tailored space suit can provide a pressurized environment for all crewmembers aboard Dragon in atypical situations. Key features of the suit include a 3D printed helmet, touchscreen compatible gloves, a flame-retardant outer layer, and hearing protection during ascent and reentry.
New Shepard Virtual Space Flight Experience
Guests embark on a four-and-a-half-minute virtual reality journey that takes them on a space adventure aboard the Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule and above the Kármán Line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Named after Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to go space, the New Shepard Virtual Space Flight Experience features VR headsets that provide the sights and sounds of the experience as well as seats that move and rumble to enhance the various stages of space flight.
Boeing Crew Space Transpiration (CST)-100 Starliner Mock-Up Capsule (Full-Scale Engineering Model)
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner was designed to accommodate seven passengers or a mix of crew and cargo. For NASA missions to and from the ISS, it will carry a mix of four NASA or international partner astronauts with room for a fifth paying passenger. The spacecraft has an innovative, weldless structure and is reusable up to 10 times. It is the only American-built capsule certified to land on land, thanks to its parachute and airbag systems. It also flies and docks autonomously.
Boeing Spacesuit
A Boeing spacesuit like this one, designed by ILC Dover, will be worn by crew members who fly aboard the company’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. Starliner and the Boeing Ascent/Entry Suit (AES) are designed to give astronauts a safe and comfortable trip to and from low-Earth orbit — to places such as the ISS. The Starliner spacesuit is lighter, cooler, and more flexible than earlier spacesuits. It weighs just 20 pounds (9.1 kilograms) with all its accessories. That’s about 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) lighter than the AES worn by space shuttle astronauts.
Boeing Starliner Simulator (Full-Scale Model)
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner Simulator is a full-scale exhibit of the spacecraft’s crew module and cockpit. Similar to the flight simulator that Starliner-assigned astronauts spend thousands of hours training on at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, this hands-on exhibit allows future pilots to practice the spacecraft’s approach and docking to the ISS. The simulator provides visual display cues and a translational hand controller, designed based on the experiences of Boeing veteran astronaut Chris Ferguson (STS-115, STS-126 and STS-135). With about 80 switches and dials on the Starliner control panel, compared to more than 1,400 for the space shuttle, you’ll be docking in no time. (Full simulation takes 5-7 minutes.)
Lockheed Martin Space Habitat (Full-Scale Mock-Up)
This full-scale mock-up of what a habitat orbiting around the Moon could look like shows that you need to take advantage of all the space. Step inside and see how astronauts can live and work in deep space.
Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company, RL10 Upper-stage Rocket Engine
The RL10 has been the nation’s premiere high-performance upper-stage rocket engine for more than 50 years. Today, multiple models of the RL10 carry the engine’s legacy forward as the launch industry’s “workhorse” by powering the upper stages of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V and Delta IV Heavy launch vehicles. Additionally, the RL10 is the upper stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) deep space exploration rocket. A single RL10 powers the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage of SLS for the first three missions, and then four RL10 engines will support the more powerful Exploration Upper Stage that is being developed for future versions of SLS.
Interactive HoloTube: Kennedy Space Center Holomap
This interactive HoloTube, located near the Orion Crew Vehicle, shows you the history of Kennedy Space Center – including types of rockets, launch pads, crawlers, and more.
Space Bowl Bistro
Fuel up before your journey to Mars and beyond at Space Bowl Bistro. Choices range from quinoa, rice, greens, and noodle bases to proteins – including barbecue short rib, marinated ahi tuna, jackfruit, and more. It also offers a selection of soft drinks, as well as coconut water, coffee, tea, and domestic beer.
SpaceX Falcon 9 First Stage Rocket Booster (Flight Flown)
Officially known as Booster 1023, this SpaceX Falcon 9 booster supported two SpaceX missions Its first mission was in May 27, 2016 where it launched a SpaceX satellite mission from Space Launch Complex 40, a launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and successfully landed on SpaceX’s “Of Course I still Love You” drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
This booster next flew on Falcon Heavy’s demonstration mission on February 6, 2018, the mission that launched a Tesla into space. Following launch, this booster safely landed at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Sierra Space Dream Chaser (Full-Scale Model)
Sierra Space’s Shooting Star™ is a 15-foot (4.6m) transport vehicle that attaches to the Dream Chaser® spaceplane. The module will carry up to 10,000 lbs. (4536kg) of pressurized and unpressurized cargo to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract. Solar panels deliver 6KW of electrical power to the spacecraft, while six mounted thrusters provide Dream Chaser translation and rotation capability. Sierra Space designed the module to burn up upon re-entry, disposing of trash and other unwanted materials from the ISS.
Robotic Space Explorers Interactive Wall
You can learn about 40 different satellites and probes in space on a projection wall with interactive, touchscreen displays. Plus, you can select satellites to “launch” into orbit (on the projection wall).
CubeSats Model
CubeSats or nanosatellites, are new and inexpensive easy-to-launch satellites revolutionizing space technology.
James Webb Space Telescope HoloTube
Located upstairs next to Spaceport KSC, you can also see the HoloTube presentation station to learn about the high-powered James Webb Space Telescope by manipulating holographic imagery, video, and animation through a touchscreen kiosk.
Spaceport KSC
As the first and only galactic spaceport, you can enter and become interstellar travelers in the farthest reaches of our galaxy and beyond. After entering the concourse, choose one of four destinations – Cosmic Wonders, Daring Explorers, Red Planet, or Uncharted Worlds.
The height restriction to experience Spaceport KSC is 39”. A child swap room, allowing adults to alternate their turn on the ride, is available. For those unable to ride transfer or have a sensitivity to motion, an Observation Bay is available to experience a full ride without the movement.
Red Planet
Mars is the destination for this trip, engaging visitors for the 140-million-mile journey from Earth. Featuring a glimpse back in time at Mars’ ancient oceans, an encounter with the pioneering Perseverance rover, and an escape from one of the planet’s infamous dust storms, this tour offers an up-close look at our planetary neighbor’s history and potential.
Cosmic Wonders
Three locations are visited during this 56,000-light-years-away journey, including the inky Horsehead Nebula dust cloud, the glowing tendrils of the Crab Nebula, and a special visit to a massive Wolf-Rayet Star that is about to go supernova. You also have the opportunity to see the recently launched James Webb Telescope. A final “ahhh” moment includes a view of Earth from 28,000 light-years away.
Daring Explorers
Tracing the paths of Orbital Probes Cassini and Juno, this journey is a trip to the Outer Solar System, visiting planets Saturn and Jupiter and their Moons, Titan, and Europa. See the liquid lakes beneath Titan’s thick atmosphere, skim the rings of Saturn, marvel at Jupiter’s planet-sized storms, and feel the force of Europa’s geysers on this unforgettable tour of the gems of the Outer Solar System.
Uncharted Worlds
Planets and stars are the high points of this journey. You will see the beauty of the Trappist-1 star system, an ultra-cool red dwarf star in the constellation Aquarius located 40 lightyears from Earth. Along the way, guests weave past a hot steam planet and a frozen world of ice before skimming the surface of a world nestled inside the star’s habitable zone, the region most likely to host life as we know it.
For more information, visit www.kennedyspacecenter.com .