KSC adding interactive experiences at Launch Complex 39
A historic launch pad is undergoing a renovation that will bolster its current role at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
The Gantry at LC-39 will be an interactive experience will feature an immersive theater show, a simulation of a test fire beneath a full-scale rocket engine, a rocket-build area and educational, gamified exhibits. The area also will feature a shaded courtyard with animal-inspired play sculptures and an outside dining area adjacent to the Crawlerway.
“This new attraction brings the stories around NASA’s research to monitor our planet and innovative interactives to offer a deeper connection to the space program through a unique and dramatic lens,” Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of the attraction, said in a news release.
The attraction, set to open in early 2025, is designed to showcase LC-39’s location inside a national wildlife refuge and the significant technological achievements accomplished there.
Launch Complex 39 includes three launch pads — 39A, 39B, 39C — as well as the formidable Vehicle Assembly Building, the Launch Control Center and the famed countdown clock. The Saturn, Apollo and space shuttles missions blasted off from this area.
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The Gantry at LC-39 will be accessed through the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, and it will be included with regular admission to the visitor complex. The viewing of rocket launches will continue with a large LED screen to enhance those moments.
The area’s Earth Information Center will include an immersive theater show, a hyperwall display and interactive exhibit gallery that provides “a holistic view of how the planet is changing,” the press release says.
The Test Fire Simulation will put visitors beneath a rocket engine and into a simulation that includes sounds, lights and a cooling mist.
“The Gantry at LC-39 is an exciting next step in our mission to inspire and educate the next generation of explorers,” Protze said.