Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to Re-Open Apollo/Saturn V Center in Late March After Temporary Closure

By  //  March 4, 2021

exact date will be announced soon

Following a temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will be delivering guests “back to the Moon” by way of the Apollo/Saturn V Center beginning in late March. (Kennedy Space Center image)

BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Following a temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will be delivering guests “back to the Moon” by way of the Apollo/Saturn V Center beginning in late March.

An exact date will be announced soon.

In accordance with new health and safety guidelines, seats on the bus will be limited and are subject to availability. Guests will use a kiosk near the bus transport entrance to select a departure time and reserve their spot on the bus.

When a boarding time is announced for departure, guests will be welcomed inside a gated area with social distancing markings.

Once inside the bus, passengers will be seated in a socially distanced manner for the short trip directly to the Apollo/Saturn V Center and can return at their leisure. No advance reservations for bus transportation are available.

Upon arrival at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, an interactive exhibit and attraction that explores the wonder of the Apollo Program from the days leading up to the first launch and to the Moon landings that followed, guests will be greeted by a recently renovated “sense of arrival” designed to set a new tone for the experience.

Other new enhancements include Moon Scape, which boasts an interactive design that informs guests about the importance of the Moon landing and how they can support future space exploration, as well as a display of newspapers from around the world that represent the global impact of the first steps on the Moon.

Additional experiences include augmented reality stations where guests can recreate the first steps on the Moon, the opportunity to pose for a photo in Neil Armstrong’s footsteps, and the chance to hear from veteran astronauts Al Worden, Charlie Duke, Harrison Schmitt, and Jim Lovell via life-sized, virtual holograms.

The focal point of the Apollo/Saturn V Center is the majestic Saturn V Moon rocket, one of only three remaining in the United States.

A new addition to this exhibit is projection mapping on the side of the Saturn V that shows the iconic footage of the Moon landing. The Moon Rock Café will not reopen at this time. Light snacks will be available for purchase at the gift shop.

The health and safety of employees and guests is the highest priority for Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and the bus rides to the Apollo/Saturn V Center are no exception. Departures will be timed to minimize crowding as well as the time onboard the bus. (NASA image)

The health and safety of employees and guests is the highest priority for Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and the bus rides to the Apollo/Saturn V Center are no exception. Departures will be timed to minimize crowding as well as the time onboard the bus.

Drivers are specially trained to disinfect the buses after arrival at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, again following return to the visitor complex bus queue and prior to the start of each day to ensure a worry-free travel experience.

Passengers will be required to wear face coverings and seating and capacity will be appropriately managed to maintain proper social distancing.

Additional details are available at www.kennedyspacecenter.com/info/coronavirus

All main visitor complex attractions are available to guests, including the IMAX theatre, pre-shows for Space Shuttle Atlantis®, and Heroes & Legends, featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, and the Shuttle Launch Experience® as well as expanded dining options at limited capacity. The visitor complex will continue to operate with reduced hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and at a limited capacity.

An add-on, space expert-led walking tour through Heroes & Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, the Rocket Garden, Nature and Technology, Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted, NASA Now, Space Shuttle Atlantis, and Astronaut Training Experience®, is also available for small groups for an additional $20, Thursdays through Sundays.

Leadership will continue to assess the situation and make adjustments to the availability of exhibits, tours and experiences as deemed safe and appropriate.

The Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour to restricted spaceport areas and Special Interest Bus Tours remain unavailable at this time.

To help protect against the spread of COVID-19 and help ensure guest and employee safety, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has taken and will continue to take actions to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus based on the guidance of the CDC.

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.

These precautions are temporary and are subject to change at any time based on the recommendations of the CDC, State of Florida and Brevard County. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex management continues to work closely with local, state and federal experts to ensure that we are up to date on the situation as it evolves.

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