Kennedy Space Center Is Giving Behind-The-Scenes Tours Of These Restricted Areas For The First Time Ever

History buffs can get up close and personal with the space program thanks to the addition of two new tours at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, the complex shared with Travel + Leisure. By Alison Fox

The new tours, which both started recently, offer travellers an inside look at NASA‘s Mercury and Gemini launches as well as access to restricted areas of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Now tour the restricted areas of the Kennedy Space Center

“We are excited to expand our speciality tour offerings and bring guests even closer to history,” Therrin Protze, the chief operating officer of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, told T+L. “These tours are perfect for space history enthusiasts looking to learn more about America’s early space program.”

 

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The first tour, the Cape Canaveral Early Space tour, takes travellers from the Air Force Space & Missile Museum to the site of the Mercury and Gemini launches as well as to the memorial site for the Apollo 1 crew. The tour costs USD 25 (INR 1,891) for adults and USD 19 (INR 1,437) for children 3 to 11.

The second tour, the Cape Canaveral Rise to Space tour, is led by a space expert and brings visitors to historic launch sites as well as Hangar C, the first permanent and oldest surviving structure at the complex. On the tour, visitors will be able to see artefacts like America’s first intercontinental ballistic missile and Gemini and Apollo “boiler plates,” used during simulations for training. The tour is open to people at least 14 years old and costs USD 75 (INR 5,673). It does not include admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Both tours will transport visitors by bus.

Guests of these tours must pre-register and provide their passport or government-issued ID and then bring the identification with them. Guests are also required to wear face masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status, though fully-vaccinated visitors do not have to wear a mask outdoors, according to the Kennedy Space Center.

The complex also offers several other unique experiences, including an Astronaut Encounter, which is included with daily admission.

Related: 2022 In Space Travel: What To Watch For This Year

This story first appeared on www.travelandleisure.com