A Blast at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville

Dream of Being an Astronaut

As I entered the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, I heard the words of Captain Kirk, “To boldly go where no man has gone before” which was a great prelude for things to come. The US Space and Rocket Center is the largest and most comprehensive space flight museum in the world. You do not need to be a twelve-year-old to dream of being an astronaut or traveling to the stars. I am an adventurous person. I could only imagine the excitement one must feel before leaving the earth to travel to a new frontier.

The US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville is home to one of only three Saturn V rockets in the world. Inside you can explore the transformation of the space program and learn what innovations are taking place at NASA. There are incredible artifacts to enjoy from our nation’s space program, in addition to the many hands-on interactive exhibits.

Dinner Under a Rocket

We went to Huntsville for a worldwide travel bloggers conference. We attended a private dinner and exploration event at the US Space and Rocket Center as part of the conference. It was wonderful to have the entire complex to ourselves so that we could eat dinner under the Saturn V

As we ascended the stairs of the center, I noticed what looked like a flying bicycle. It reminded me of a steampunk type vehicle. In reality, we were looking at a 1908 Quick Monoplane, which was the first vehicle to take flight in Alabama. William Lafayette Quick invented and flew this monoplane in 1908 in Hazel Green, AL. Quick’s plane creates quite a juxtaposition when compared to the Saturn V rocket you are about to see. Hence, it is awe-inspiring to think of the progression that led Americans from this primitive plane to rockets in less than 70 years.

Saturn V Rocket

A short walk led us to the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, which was specially designed to house the original engineering model of the first Saturn V rocket. Since it was an engineering model, this one never launched into space. We could walk underneath the rocket because it was suspended 10 feet above the floor. Words can’t describe its enormity consequently making it impossible to get one complete photo of it.

Above all, the National Register of Historic Landmarks includes the Saturn V on its registry. The Saturn V was also named one of the Seven Wonders of America by Good Morning America.

Food stations, bars, and dessert stations lined up under the rocket. Additionally, Apollo and space station artifacts completed the outer areas of the room. There were places to sit and enjoy your food and drink or you could take them with you as you marveled at the display in the center. An orchestra played as we wandered around the Apollo 16 Command Module and the Pathfinder space shuttle.

US Space and Rocket Center, A Must See in Huntsville

In summary, people travel for many reasons. One of the reasons we like to travel is to have unique experiences. Dinner under a Saturn V Rocket ranks near the top of unique experiences for us. If you are going to Alabama or the southern US states, think about a visit to Huntsville. The US Space and Rocket Center is just one of many things to do in this beautiful city of Huntsville.

You might also be interested in learning about a Huntsville Walking Tour.