Grand Opening of New Atlantis Exhibit

Hey Chasers,

Today marks the Grand Opening of the new Atlantis Facility at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

In November of last year, Paul and I joined a media circus in watching Atlantis as it moved out of the Vehicle Assembly Building from the last time and began a full day journey to the New Atlantis complex at the Visitor Center. At that time, the Atlantis Facility was only partly completed. One entire side of the building was intentionally left open so that Atlantis could be rolled into the building. The structure was completed by literally building it around the Atlantis Space Shuttle.

Earlier in February, Dr. Ryan Kobrick, one of our interviewees, and Executive Director of Yuri’s Night, sent us the photo below of Atlantis as the world’s largest shrink wrapped space craft.

Atlantis In Shrink Wrap being prepared for New Facility cr. Ryan Kobrick

Atlantis In Shrink Wrap being prepared for New Facility cr. Ryan Kobrick Feb 2013

 

Two days ago, another of our Florida space friends, Ryan Horan, was able to get early access to the facility. The shot is from a very similar angle and demonstrates a great “Before and After”

Atlantis in new Facility June 2013 cr. Ryan Horan

Atlantis in new Facility June 2013 cr. Ryan Horan

 

There is quite the lineup of special events for the opening ceremonies of the Atlantis Facility including a visit by nearly 50 of the shuttle astronauts who served on Atlantis’ 33 missions. Not only does the exhibit proudly display the vessel that flew the final shuttle mission, but communicates the legacy of the space shuttle program to visitors through an array of other displays within the facility.

A link to the schedule of events for the June 29th Grand Opening can be found here. If you are going to be there, please connect with us online. We’d love to see your photos and videos and hear about your experience seeing the legend of Atlantis on display in celebration of the Shuttle’s legacy.

The link to the new Atlantis Facility main page is here!

Keep Chasing!

-Matthew

 

 

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