Future Dates
Easter (Half Term) 2012
Downloads
A provisional itinerary can be found in both the brochure and the leaflet. Click the links below to download either.
Further Information
For further information, contact:
Julie Woodcock, ISSET
Tel: 02920 710295
E-Mail: jwoodcock@isset.org
About the KSC-JSC Programme
ISSET is currently offering exciting student programmes at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre. The experience is open to pupils of all ages who wish to explore the world’s biggest and most prestigious science and engineering programme.
The KSC experience includes hands-on activities such as the Astronaut Training Experience, tours and input from astronauts and space scientists. Pupils' interest and imagination are stimulated by the prospect of humans exploring the final frontier, leading edge technology involving spectacularly powerful rockets and the superb role models of astronauts.
About the Kennedy Space Centre
Kennedy Space Centre is a place where historical achievement, cutting edge technological advancement and wildlife meet to send humans on inspirational journeys into space.
Cape Canaveral is the site of the USA’s first launches into space during the 1960’s. It is the home of the first launch pads and space control systems. It was from Cape Canaveral that NASA not only first ventured into space, but also went on to master space walking, space rendezvous and docking of space craft.
Kennedy Space Centre was developed to take humans on journeys to the moon. It is now the launch and landing centre for the incredible space shuttle and the launch site for the components of the International Space Station.
The Space Centre lies within a 140,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge that is the home of over 500 species of wildlife including alligators, manatees, turtles, wild pigs, eagles and armadillos. The wildlife refuge consists of a range of habitats: marshes, estuaries, scrub, woodland, lagoons and beaches.
About the Johnson Centre
Whereas Kennedy Space Centre is the technological focus of NASA, with hardware and launch pads, Johnson Space Centre is the head of the endeavour, with administration, control, training, research and development.
Built for the moon missions, the Manned Spacecraft Centre (MSC) was opened in 1963, only two years after the site was decided. Designed as the operations Centre for manned space missions and later renamed the Lyden B. Johnson Space Centre (JSC), the control Centre manages all activity on board the spacecraft and directs all space shuttle missions.
Beginning with the Gemini missions, the Mission Control Centre (MCC) has been stationed at JSC, managing the space craft, space walks, landing operations and astronaut monitoring. With the advent of the International Space Station, JSC now contains three MCCs, one for the ISS, one for the shuttle, and one for classified shuttle missions.
The Sonny Carter Training Facility is the key to JSC’s training programme for astronauts, including the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (where astronauts are made ‘neutrally buoyant’ to simulate microgravity conditions, to practice their mission tasks), and the Astronaut Training Facility (where physical training, teaching, hypobaric testing, G-force experience and psychological testing take place).
Surrounding JSC are a wide range of facilities for project development, construction, research, training and education, including the Ellington Airfield, where astronauts train and maintain their flying skills in T-38 jets.
Johnson Space Centre is a fascinating part of NASA’s mission, showing a different side to space exploration than Kennedy. Thanks to this difference, it is a wonderful educational experience, close to many exciting innovations, facilities and personnel who are enthusiastic about space and science and love to teach.