Hou, TX Anybody ever been to the Johnson Space Center?

I always wanted to go to Houston, just to see what the JSC is like. Please let me know what its like, if you've been there. If I have my way, I'll be moving there in about 15 years, when I become an astronaut.
Hey, that brings up another good question, have any of you ever met an astronaut?

 

Yes to both questions. I live in the Clear Lake region so astronauts and rocket scientists are a dime a dozen. It's a pretty cool place though. I always enjoyed it as a kid.

 

Yes, I work there. And I've met many astronauts. They're all very smart people, so if you want to be one, you should at least get a masters degree. Most of them have PhDs, too. But the thing most people don't think about is that they're just normal people who are dedicated to their work. Besides, if you treat them like celebrities, they begin to act like them!

If you want a tour, check out Space Center Houston. They go to most of the cool places on site. I recommend going on the tram that takes you to the astronaut training facilities. The flight control room are neat, too, but not as cool to look at.

 

[color=663300]I went there with some weirdo girl one time back in January. But it was fun. [/color]

 

if you really want to have fun at johnson, go during their open house time. They usually have a hot air balloon festival the same weekend. so during the day you tour all the buildings in the air conditioning, and at night time they have the balloon-glow and a party thing. It's pretty awesome it's usually in late august.

I've been to that area many times

 

I've been there. There are moon rock displays, and simulators, and a IMAX theater. I've been on the tour of the facilities. There was a Centerfuge (sp) room, that now is a pool. It's cool.

 

I've been there. There are moon rock displays, and simulators, and a IMAX theater. I've been on the tour of the facilities. There was a Centerfuge (sp) room, that now is a pool. It's cool.

 

if anyone has any connections with the JSC I know Buck Tadlock is hoping to organize a 501st outing there.

 

JSC hasn't done an Open House since before September 11, 2001. The Ballunar Festival still happens, but visitors aren't allowed onto the working area of JSC. Perhaps sometime in the future they'll start up again, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

A 501st event would rock, but I STILL NEED SOME FRIGGIN ARMOR!!!!!!!

 

Hey I've been there before as a little girl when it was free...
it was fun and they would let us run around the model rockets and all. Now it's so expensive.

 

If money is your concern, Rocket Park at the front entrance to JSC is open to the public.

Simply pull up to the main gate (on Saturn blvd just north of NASA Road 1) and tell the guard you want to visit Rocket Park. He or she will direct you to a parking lot to the left of the guard shack. You can then walk around and look at the old rockets on display.

 

Hiya.
As everyone's said, you can visit the Center thru Space Center Houston (http://www.spacecenter.org/coupons.html)
They're open daily:
Summer:
June 10am-7pm, July 9am-7pm, August 10am-5pm, 10am-7pm Weekends

Winter:
Mon-Fri - 10am-5pm Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

I'd recommend doing the tram tour first so you can get that out of the way. Due to recent events, some of the areas they toured around is not accessible to the public, such as mission control (MCC-current), but they'll still take you to historic mission control (Apollo, etc).

You'll also see the facility where the astronauts train via simulations or mock-ups. Sometimes, during open houses, visitors can see a few more exhibits.

Rocket Park is still accessible to the public.

Even when you work there, it's still fun and exciting every day. We sometimes take it for granted but get reminded when we tour follks (new hires, co-ops, family/friends) around and they go ooo and ahhh.


As for astronauts, they're soccer moms and baseball dads, that you can bump into one at the mall and not even know it.

If you want more information, you can probably call 281-244-2100.

 

I take it you work there Darth Bum? Our 501st group has been hoping to make a connection there to do something with the space center in costume. You know you guys would like a group of storm troopers leading the tour sometime.