How to visit the Kennedy Space Center, according to its resident astronaut

Founded in 1967, Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, has been the launch site of numerous missions, including Apollo 11, which first put humans on the moon. Today it’s both a working research center and a popular tourist attraction. There is always at least one astronaut on site, meeting visitors and leading them on a journey. Scott coordinates these daily astronaut visits as well as the exclusive Fly With an Astronaut Experience, which takes guests on a behind-the-scenes tour of the property, letting them in on well-kept secrets. “You see a lot of up-close-and-personal things that the public doesn’t. It’s a very intimate discussion,” he says.

Courtesy Kennedy Space Center

Backstage Pass
“During Fly With an Astronaut, we drive past the quarters where the crew quarantines before they fly into space. The astronaut often talks about what he or she was doing the night before a launch, how they slept, and what they ate for breakfast. We talk about how the suit technician helps us get dressed and tests the suit’s various systems—making sure the oxygen and communication work and that the visor, helmet, and gloves fit properly. I mention how once everybody is dressed, we play a simple card game against the commander, over and over again until we all get a hand that beats them. It’s a tradition. Once that’s done, we’re ready to leave the crew quarters.”

Double Duty
“As we drive, we talk about the landscape. Which side is Cape Canaveral, and which is NASA, and what’s the difference? You may see alligators because the Kennedy Space Center is located on a wildlife refuge. We typically point out a large eagle’s nest in the trees. So, you get to see the most advanced technology in the world coexisting with nature.”

Courtesy Kennedy Space Center

Prepare for Liftoff
“The Shuttle Launch Experience is one of my favorites. It’s a simulated launch into space. You get strapped in and rotated upward so you’re lying on your back. The clock counts down. The shuttle shakes and vibrates with simulated smoke and fire billowing up. You feel like you’re actually launching into orbit, but it’s not a dizzy ride. At the end of the launch sequence, the door opens, and you see the Earth beneath you. It’s a really good representation of what it’s like to ride in the real shuttle. The whole experience takes about 20 minutes.”

A Fond Farewell
“The Forever Remembered exhibit is a nice tribute to the astronauts lost in the Challenger and Columbia accidents. You get a spiritual feeling seeing their personal artifacts. Ron McNair did martial arts. His samurai sword is there. And Mike Anderson was a Cub Scout—his uniform is there.”

This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Southbound.

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