Kennedy Space Center - Apollo 16 40th Anniversary, April 2012

Kennedy Space Center
Apollo 16 40th Anniversary Soirée
April 14, 2012

Some time early in 2012, I got wind of an extraordinary event taking place at Kennedy Space Center.
Called the "Apollo 16 40th Anniversary Soirée", the event was being sponsored by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
The more I read about it, the more I wanted to go!
Here, then, are a few of the photos I took over the 4 day trip my wife and I made to Florida.

One of the happiest moments in my life!
My photo op with (L-R) Ed Mitchell (Apollo 14 LMP), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16 LMP),
and Fred Haise (Apollo 13 LMP). I'm the dorky looking guy in the gray suit, center right.

Sections:
KSC Visitor Complex (see below)
Inside the Saturn V Center
The Apollo 16 40th Anniversary Soirée
Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

The Rocket Park at the KSC Visitor Center. Click here for the full size image
The 7 vertical rockets are, L-R: Mercury-Atlas, Gemini-Titan II, barely visible behind the Gemini-Titan is the Atlas-Agena,
Mercury-Redstone, Delta B, Juno II, Juno 1-Explorer 1
To the right lying on it's side is the Saturn 1B

The Saturn 1B, used to launch the Apollo 7 spacecraft as well as 3 Skylab crews and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Flight (ASTP).
Click here for the full size image
In front of it on the left is an F-1 engine, which powered the giant Saturn V moon rocket. To the right
is one of the swing arms use during Apollo on which the crews walked out to enter their spacecraft for launch


Entrance to the KSC Visitor Center	Me & Mrs. D with a fake astronaut	Yours Truly	Orion mockup	Astronaut Memorial	Astronaut Memorial


On the path to the Rocket Park	Juno II	Delta B	The base of the Delta rocket	Mercury- Atlas	Mercury- Atlas, from the ground up Click here for the full size image	Mercury- Atlas, from the ground up Click here for the full size image	Mercury- Redstone	Juno 1- Explorer 1	Atlas - Agena	Gemini - Titan II

Details of the Saturn 1B

Walk around photos of Gemini-Titan II LR-87 engines. Photo at right is a large vertical
panorama made up of 3 seperate images. Click here for the full size image

Walk around photos of the giant Saturn V F-1 engine. Photo at right is a large vertical
panorama made up of 3 seperate images. Click here for the full size image

5 images of Swingarm 9 from the Apollo era. At right, what it looked like for a mission Back to top

Inside the Saturn V Center

The Saturn V herself


The sight that greets you upon entering the museum	The mighty F-1 engine 1.5 MILLION pounds of thrust!	Detail of Saturn V 1st S-IC stage, showing the airscoop	J-2 engine of the 2nd S-II stage	J-2 cluster at the base of the 2nd stage

Apollo Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) aka Spacesuit or Moon Suit


Eugene Cernan's A-7LB suit for Apollo 17 Click here for the full size image	A-7LB LEVA visor assembly	A-7LB LEVA visor assembly	Lunar extravehicular gloves	Lunar extravehicular boots

Click here for my Apollo EMU section

Apollo 14 Command Module (CM) #110 aka "Kitty Hawk"


Oveall view of Kitty Hawk	The unified entry side hatch	The hatch gear box

Click here for my CM Hatch page

Command-Service Module (CSM) #119

CSM #119 was originally designated as the "rescue vehicle" for the Skylab program. It also served as backup for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Program.
It is the only flight worthy CSM left on the planet. Click here for my CM Hatch page

Lunar Module (LM) #9

LM 9 was originally slated to be flown on Apollo 15, which was originally supposed to have been an "H" mission
(same type as Apollos 12-14).
When Apollos 18-20 were cancelled, 15 was changed to a "J" mission, requiring a more advanced type
of Lunar Module. Click here for an explanation of Apollo mission types

Lunar Transportation


The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) used on Apollos 15-17	The Modularized Equipment Trasnporter (MET) used on Apollo 14

The Apollo 16 40th Anniversary Soirée

The NASA bus at the
hotel, waiting to take
us to the event!

The League of (Truly) Extraordinary Gentlemen


*Charlie Duke, host of the event, Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 16	Rusty Schweickart, Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 9	*Eugene Cernan, Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 10, and Commander, Apollo 17	Jim Lovell, Command Module Pilot, Apollo 8, and Commander, Apollo 13	*Alan Bean, Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 12	Lunar Module centerpiece at mine and all the tables

* Moon Walkers


Jim Lovell, Master of Ceremonies for the presentation. A very charming and witty gentleman.	*Mr. Neil A. Armstrong You could've heard a pin drop while he was speaking!	My view of the presentation portion of the evening	L-R: Henry (Hank) Hartsfield, Shuttle astronaut, who was on the support team for Apollo 16; Ed Mitchell, Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 14; Fred Haise, Lunar Module Pilot, Apollo 13; Charlie Duke, and Jim Lovell at the podium	The guys, no doubt having a ball talking about old times doing incredible things

* Moon Walkers Back to top

Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour


The VAB from a distance	Launch Umbilical Tower	Mobile Transporter	Mobile Base	KSC Firing Room Building	Launch Complex 39A	Launch Complex 39B, once proud departure point for space vehicles, now stripped and bare

Walk around of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) mounted at the launch complex observation tower
Photo at right is a large vertical panorama made up of 3 seperate images. Click here for the full size image

A GORGEOUS NASA model of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with a Shuttle mounted on it's back,
inside the Mate-Demate Facility. As soon as the Shuttles are flown off to their museums, this, too, will
become a relic, and probably be torn down.