Buzz Lightyear Returns from Space

You all know Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear. But did you know the space ranger actually took a trip into outer space? Last year, NASA took a 12-inch action figure of Buzz Lightyear on an STS-124 rocket to live on the International Space Station (ISS) with astronauts from around the world. For 15 months, from May 31, 2008 to September 11, 2009, Buzz was aboard the ISS as astronauts performed various experiments from biological to chemical. Nations like Japan, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Canada and others all have representatives aboard this massive station that serves as a symbol of international unity and harmony.

You might have heard that Cirque du Soleil creator Guy Laliberté just blasted off into space for his Poetic Social Mission—it seems everyone is getting in on the space craze! Once the Buzz Lightyear figure returned he was brought back to the Magic Kingdom where both toy Buzz and the REAL Buzz were honored with a ticker tape parade. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, lead the parade in a 1969 Camaro convertible along with Mike Fincke, former commander of the space station. Kids and adults lined the streets cheering the men on as the parade made its way through Tomorrowland.

In this great quote from the Orlando Sentinel we got a look into Aldrin’s humor regarding his space ranger competitor. “Aldrin said he briefed Buzz Lightyear before the doll was launched into space in May 2008 aboard space shuttle Discovery. ‘I said, now look, don't you forget, I'm the real Buzz,’ Aldrin said, looking serious.”

Disney plans to continue bringing awareness to its company through space education and promotion of Buzz Lightyear. They are working with NASA in a competition that will have children design a new patch for astronauts. The winner of this competition gets a trip to the Kennedy Space Center and Walt Disney World. Disney is also working with NASA on an educational space-themed video game. Disney is apparently working with the Smithsonian Institute to get a permanent exhibit over at the National Air and Space Museum. Buzz Lightyear is here to stay.

Kennedy Space Center Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Apollo Moon Landing

This July marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. What is now a historical event riddled with conspiracy theories by today’s youth was, at the time, an emotional, untouchable moment in American history. Neil Armstrong’s classic delivery of the “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” line made him an international hero and a patriotic symbol of a country at the pinnacle of technological advancement. The Kennedy Space Center will be featuring a special celebratory event in honor of the moon landing along with the great ongoing activities the attraction has to offer.

The Visitor Complex houses an incredible variety of NASA artifacts, two IMAX theatres and an active launch pad, Launch Pad 39, where visitors can see rockets launch toward the sky at various times of the year. An educational center with resources for teachers is also available. The Visitor Complex also houses the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, where items from all stages of NASA’s space exploration and the men and women who experienced it can be viewed. After exiting the exhibit, visitors will have the chance to experience what it’s like to launch into outer space. The Kennedy Space Center has G-Force simulators that let visitors experience the incredible physical pressures put on the human body by rocket launches and space travel.

But what better way to learn about space travel than from personal accounts from astronauts themselves? As part of the Apollo 40th Anniversary Celebration on July 16th, the Kennedy Space Center will have astronauts on hand to take audience questions and tell their first-hand accounts of what it is like to travel to outer space. Among the astronauts is the legendary Buzz Aldrin. USAF Colonel Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon after Neil Armstrong and winner of many Air Force accolades including the Legion of Merit and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

If you would like to meet Buzz Aldrin to partake in the Apollo 40th Anniversary Celebration and check out the great exhibits the Kennedy Space Center has to offer, then check out the Kennedy Space Center link on our website. DWTickets.com provides the best discounts for you year-round, not just during specials events. Let us help you make your Kennedy Space Center experience out of this world!

Out of this World Experiences at Kennedy Space Center

It is the beginning of a New Year, and many of you are probably trying to either think of a good New Year’s resolution or keep the ones you’ve already made. One of the most common resolutions people make is to try new experiences – we all want to enjoy life more and try things we’ve never encountered or done before. And one great place where you can do both is Kennedy Space Center (KSC). There, anyone who’s ever dreamed of going into outer space but lacks the NASA training can experience the next best thing with the KSC’s Shuttle Launch Experience. You’ll experience the sights, sounds, and sensations of a real shuttle space launch on this heart-lurching ride, which will definitely satisfy any New Year’s resolution.

The KSC’s newest attraction, the Shuttle Launch Experience, simulates the space shuttle’s vibrant rush from takeout into Earth’s orbit. The experience begins as passengers enter the Shuttle Launch Simulation Facility, a giant six-story structure similar to the space shuttle facilities at the KSC. As they wait for their chance at launch and ascend the gantry, passengers – known as ‘crewmembers’ from thereon – will witness veteran astronauts sharing their stories, setting the mood for the wild ride to come.

Then, crewmembers will enter the heart of the Space Shuttle Simulation Facility for a pre-launch briefing, where they’ll be told what to expect by veteran Space Shuttle Commander Charlie Bolden. Step-by-step, Bolden goes through the shuttle launch sequence. Then, passengers will board a mock-up Space Shuttle and strap in before the shuttle launch begins. The suspense is palpable with every second of the countdown thanks to a few special effects – then it’s a powerful, knuckle-clenching liftoff as you soar into outer space. You’ll feel like you’re actually cutting through Earth’s atmosphere thanks to state-of-the-art audio, visual, and lighting effects, along with a unique motion simulator that replicates the G-forces and rattle of lift-off.

The fun continues even after the initial boom; the sensations of launch continue as the ‘shuttle’ approaches Max Q, the zone where enormous forces squeeze the Shuttle. Crewmembers will also experience Solid Rocket Booster separation, main engine cut-off, and the External Tank separation. Everything has been designed to exactly replicate an actual shuttle launch. After the Shuttle Launch Experience, guests at KSC will definitely have a whole new appreciation for astronauts.

“It's not a thrill ride,” said Dan LeBlanc, chief operating officer of the Visitor Complex. “You won't be dodging asteroids or battling any aliens. We have worked hard to ensure that it is as close as you can be to simulating the reality of a Space Shuttle launch within the confines of Earth's gravity.”

And though it’s not a thrill ride by your typical standards, the Shuttle Launch Experience delivers plenty of thrills that until now, only astronauts have experienced. It’s definitely a ‘new’ experience that will put a fresh, fun spin on a New Year. So don’t wait until next year to experience the most realistic space shuttle simulation on the planet – get discount Kennedy Space Center tickets at DWTickets.com, and you’ll have one less resolution to break this year.