The early bird catches the worm

Early this morning, fellow volunteers, Fonda and Denny, and I headed out for the Mississippi/Louisiana border.  We were on a mission to take the tour of the NASA run Stennis Space Center.  The tour of this NASA Space Center is free, but you have to sign up at the Mississippi Welcome Center located at mile post 2 as you enter Mississippi from Louisiana. 

The first half hour of the tour is done by bus, and takes you down the roads of the huge NASA facility.  We arrived in time for the first tour, so we were the only ones on it!  I dislike big crowds, so I was thrilled!  This facility is where all the space rocket engines are tested.  Five small towns were eliminated when this facility was built back in the 60’s.  There is also a 120,000 acre buffer zone around the space center since the testing of these rocket engines are unbelievably loud, and have the force of an earthquake.  When the rocket engines are tested, the sound can be heard as far away as Mobile, Alabama, and Baton Rogue, Louisiana.  

After the bus tour, you are dropped off at the Stennis Space Center Visitor’s Center and Museum to spend as much time there as you wish.  This building is chock full of many exhibits about the US space program.

Two of the walls inside had exhibits from the American Needlepoint Guild.

The Guild provides a needlepoint representation of each manned space flight.  It was very impressive.

Then comes the interactive exhibits (my favorites!).  I guess I do have to report that I crashed the space shuttle two times in a row!  Guess I wasn’t cut out to be a pilot.  :(

I’m not sure how the three of us would have done as astronauts on the moon!  This is where the early bird caught the worm.  We were the first visitors of the day to enter the museum, and were able to experience all the hands on activities before the hordes of school kids and big bus tours arrived.  My advice to any visitors would be to arrive early enough to be on the first tour.  Otherwise, you’d be hard pressed to get a chance to enjoy the hands on activities.

I especially enjoyed the ThermaCAM.  It detects body heat.  That’s me taking a picture of my heat read out.  I always knew I was a hot chick!  :)) 

 

What a great excursion we had today!  I’d recommend this tour if you’re anywhere near the Louisiana/Mississippi border on I-10.  One of the most interesting things I learned was how astronauts go to the bathroom in space.  You are strapped down onto the toilet, and your wastes are vacuumed away!  Can’t imagine what that would feel like.  :)

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy