The HabForum

As per Vincent's post on the Hab1.com homepage, rumour has it the MSFC tours will be re-introduced this summer. Hurrah! Anyone with more insider information on this (hint hint, counsellors) please speak up!!

The MSFC tour was a big highlight of ASA back in the day.

Actually, judging by the response of alumni andi when I told her, no one at Space Camp has been made aware of this yet...

I am very confident that the information is reliable though.

which areas of msfc would be visited? the historic test sites are completely locked up and gated off all the time these days.

Not all the time. When i was here 2 years ago they let VIP tour groups go and see them. I would guess if they were going to restart the tours they would open up those aereas.

hmmm...wonder how i could get on one of said VIP tours...i'm tired of looking through the gates...the stars are GORGEOUS out there though...

stargazer0105 wrote:which areas of msfc would be visited?

the Redstone test stand, Saturn I test area, Saturn V and SSME test stands (which you got to take an elevator to the top and get a spectacular view of the Arsenal), the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator (NASA's version of the UAT), Spacelab mission control, the ISS mockup, and Pathfinder dynamic test stand. Did i miss anything?

You will find pictures of the MSFC brochure in this post:

http://www.hab1.com/HabForum/viewtopic. ... c&start=40

I wouldnt count on those stops on the new tour. The NBS has been closed for years. Noone was still going to the top of any test stand as of of 1998 i think that was only the old academy level 2 program. Space lab mission control is now the payload operations control center. Space Lab hasnt flown in years. The ISS mockup is now part of the space camp training center. The test stand would probably be the same. i visited all those in 05 on a tour with a corporate program. Oh and the dynamic test stand was used for alot more than just pathfinder.

the thing is, those test areas aren't just sitting there like they used to be either. with msfc so involved with the design work for the ares project, more testing is going on than was before and access is a lot more restricted.

I think it's mostly going to be ISS control and a quick drive by of whatever is on the way to and from...

Boomerang wrote:Oh and the dynamic test stand was used for alot more than just pathfinder.

That's right! the Saturn stages were all tested in there too if I recall correctly

What a shame they had to quit giving tours. That would be great if they started back up.

I know there are so many people involved, but perhaps they should at least do the tours for the ASA and adult programs??

I thought they were wonderful. And Johnson does their tours.


--des

Lets also remember that Marshall and Langley two NASA centers who's tours have yet to restart post 9/11 are connected directly to military installations you need clearance from both sides to do the tours. From wha i have seen at Langley the military seems reluctant to give it even if NASA does. KSC and Johnson have it somewhat easier they are not dealing with that issue and both of them have restarted tours.

Don't even get me started on the logistical nightmare of obtaining military clearance for a foreigner (non-American). We went to Goldstone in 2002, and having three foreigners in our group, they held us at the gate for a LONG time... oh... the paperwork...

I could only imagine what sort of logistics are needed for regular camp groups, especially if they have foreigners in there.

Man I remember when I attended, the buses just drove through the gate for the tour and no one worried about security. How the world has changed.

airkale wrote:Man I remember when I attended, the buses just drove through the gate for the tour and no one worried about security. How the world has changed.

The good 'ole days.

Yeah sad but true. It seems to me that some of it would be ok enough. I don't know why not the old test stands and so on. Also there are the buildings with the underwater stuff. When I was there there was a mock of space station. We didn't get near any military stuff to my knowledge.

--des

Well the underwater tank has been shut down for years now. As for being near any military base you are on the same property and close or not its still thought of as potential threat.

portions of KSC are actually located on a military base. The tour to my knowledge does not cover those areas though.

About the closest you're going to get to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is the bus tour "Cape Canaveral: Then & Now." It goes to the Air Force Space & Missle Muesum. It says ID is required, so how much of a hassle it is, I'm not sure.