A Visit to Space Center Houston

A Houston must-see

As the birthplace of the American space program, the Houston Space Center is located right on NASA Road. It’s practically a city in its own right. You enter through the NASA Johnson Space Center. Admission is $30 with an audio guide and $19 without, which might seem pricey at first, but trust me, you’ll get your money’s worth. There are two main parts to explore: the tram tour of the facilities and the museum itself. The tram departs quite frequently, just be sure to check the schedule so you don't miss it.

Tram tour

The tram tour of the center lasts about 90 minutes. It’s the main attraction and not to be missed. This is where you’ll see the actual facilities where employees work.

The first stop takes you to an iconic NASA location: Mission Control. This is the modern-day version of the NASA operations control room. You know, the room you see in movies where everyone is tense because of a problem, or erupting in joy? Well, you’re there... or almost. In reality, you’re behind a glass partition looking into the room because it’s a working facility. If you’re lucky, you might catch them in the middle of the action. For example, when I visited, the room was full of people working on Mars mission simulations. We even got to see a live feed from a camera filming Earth from the ISS.

The second stop is dedicated to the building housing replicas of several modules and vehicles. You’ll find full-scale reproductions of all the ISS modules, numerous vehicles including a Soyuz, and notably the new Orion capsule. There’s also a docking arm and the development site for the Robonaut, a humanoid robot designed to assist astronauts with complex tasks. Just like at Mission Control, this is a working space where future astronauts train, so you’ll view the area from a long, elevated hallway with a glass wall, giving you a front-row seat to all the operations.

The final stop on the tram brings you to a hangar housing a real Saturn V rocket. Once again, this isn't a reproduction; it’s an actual rocket capable of spaceflight. And if we ever return to the moon, there’s a very high chance this same type of launcher will take us there. The Saturn V is, in fact, the largest rocket ever built. You feel truly tiny standing before the immensity of the machine, and realizing that the majority of the craft is just fuel tank really opens your eyes to the danger and precision of the operation.

With a bit of luck, you might also get to visit the historic control room at NASA. Personally, I didn't get that chance. Keep in mind that access to all these different areas is subject to availability. The entire tram tour is led by one or more guides who are very happy to answer all kinds of questions, so don't hesitate to ask.

The museum

The second part of the center is a museum dedicated to the space race. You’ll find a summary of American space history, from the first satellite launched to the latest events. There are plenty of activities for kids, ranging from video games to booths that explain physics principles in a fun way, as well as tailored exhibits.

One room displays a beautiful collection of spacesuits, from the earliest ones worn to those of the first female astronaut, all the way to the latest generation. Another room houses a collection of moon rocks, which are among the museum's centerpieces. You can even touch one with your own hand. There are only five places in the world where that’s possible!

Another section is devoted to life in space with a few reproductions. Then, heading out to Independence Plaza, you’ll come face-to-face with a shuttle mounted on a carrier aircraft. You can tour both, and they’ll show you exactly how takeoff and landing operations work for a shuttle.

Finally, if you’re feeling a bit peckish, there’s a restaurant called Zero-G. It’s a small, somewhat pricey cafeteria, but it gets the job done. If you plan your trip well, you can even book a lunch with an astronaut. To my great regret, I didn’t have that opportunity.

To wrap things up, finish your visit at the gift shop, where you can even buy real dehydrated astronaut food. Definitely something to try and taste!

Check out more photos in my album dedicated to the Houston Space Center.