Leisure … more than a word, it's a lifestyle

Just Announced:  June 29th 2013 is the day that Kennedy Space Center’s fabulous new $100 million home for the new Atlantis Space Shuttle exhibit attraction will officially open.

On 25th April construction crews began removing over 16,000 square feet of plastic shrink-wrap from space shuttle Atlantis in the first preparations for the planned June opening. Atlantis has been enclosed in the plastic since November of last year to protect the priceless artifact from dust and debris during construction of the facility where it will be displayed.

“This is the next step in unveiling Atlantis,” said Tim Macy, director of project development for Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts at the visitor complex. “This is a priceless artifact. It is incumbent upon us to take care of her.”

Construction continues for the one-of-a kind, 90,000-square-foot educational attraction that will feature a 360-degree, multilevel view of Atlantis. “We’re on schedule,” said Macy. “We feel very comfortable about that now.”

In mid-November, Atlantis was raised 30 feet off the ground and rotated 43 degrees to be displayed as if it were in space. Its portside wingtip is only 7.5 feet off the ground. Atlantis will be held in place by two support beams attached where the spacecraft was mounted atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, for cross-country ferry flights.

“There’s nothing else like this,” Macy said. “The way it’s shown to the public and presented is like no place else on Earth.”

Once inside the exhibit, visitors will see Atlantis as it appeared in space with the payload bay doors opened and Atlantis’ Canadarm remote manipulator system — its robotic arm — installed and extended.

“We have to take the plastic off to allow us to open the payload bay doors,” Macy said. “We’ve never done this before, but we’ve got a great plan. We’ve got United Space Alliance guys who have worked on the shuttle for over 30 years, we have NASA oversight, we’ve got plenty of engineers, and we’ve got some really smart people working on this.”

United Space Alliance was NASA’s Space Program Operations Contractor, responsible for processing the shuttles between missions.

First flown in 1985, Atlantis’ last flight, STS-135, was to the International Space Station and took place from July 8 to 21, 2011.

“She’s had 33 missions in space and traveled over 12 million miles,” Macy said, noting that Atlantis has had a stellar 26-year career.

In April, construction began on full-scale twin solid rocket boosters at the entry to the Space Shuttle Atlantis facility with an external fuel tank to be added later. Guests will walk beneath the massive boosters and external tank, which will reach 184 feet into the air.

Displays will tell the 30-year story of the entire Space Shuttle Program, including a focus on the contributions of thousands of people working behind the scenes. Exhibits will include the shuttle’s key role in the launch and servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as construction of the International Space Station.

The full-scale replica of the Hubble telescope will be 43-feet-tall and hung through an opening in the second floor.

“Wait until you see Hubble,” Macy said. “It is enormous. It reaches all the way up the ceiling and suspends about 11 feet off the ground floor. It’s fantastic.”

There will be great detail in the information available in the displays for visitors to enjoy.

“It will also be presented in a way that’s entertaining,” Macy said. “There are over 60 interactive exhibits. What we’ve learned is we have to entertain as we educate.”

The exhibits and simulators will provide guests a never-before-experienced perspective on the shuttle’s complex systems, components and capabilities. The facility also is being designed for all ages.

“There’s a lot of stuff for kids here, too,” Macy said. “We’ve replicated the shuttle’s landing approach with opportunities for kids to go down a big slide that follows the shuttle’s landing path. Our goal is to have people come to enjoy what they are seeing here.”

Can’t wait…and we’ll bring you regular updates along the way!

Friday was a big day on the Space Coast as the veteran of 33 space flights, Space Shuttle Atlantis, reached her new home at Kennedy Space Center.

Atlantis began the 10-mile trek just before dawn as she emerged from the massive Vehicle Assembly Building riding atop a 76-wheeled platform. Commander Christopher Ferguson, pilot Douglas Hurley, flight engineer Rex Walheim and Sandra Magnus who were on board when Atlantis blasted off on NASA’s 135th and final shuttle flight on July 8, 2011 watched along with approximately 200 workers who had gathered in the early morning chill to see the NASA orbiter out in the open for the final time. Employees gathered in front of a long white banner that read, “We Made History,” and below that the single word “Atlantis.” They followed the spaceship for a block or two, then scattered as the shuttle transporter revved up to its maximum 2 mph amidst a convoy that included a dozen trucks and vans with their lights blinking.

Atlantis then made her way to the official NASA handing over ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Headquarters in the Base Operations Building, preceded for the final few hundred feet by the Merritt Island High School color guard and the Titusville High School marching band. Spaceport personnel, former astronauts, shuttle workers, and their families turned out in force to take pictures and share memories before the ceremony that officially turned Atlantis over to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

The transport team then hauled Atlantis, sitting atop the Orbiter Transporter System over to Space Florida’s Exploration Park where she made a three hour stop.  This gave the public a chance to see the orbiter up close and although the Visitor Complex charged up to $90 a ticket most people reckoned it was well worth the admission ticket to be part of such an historical day.

The shuttle then began her final journey to her new home at Kennedy Space Center and to get the shuttle from the VAB to the Visitor Complex, 120 light poles were taken down, along with 23 traffic signals and 56 traffic signs. It was a relatively straightforward task compared with the logistical challenges faced by the California Science Center when it moved Endeavour through the streets of Inglewood and Los Angeles a month ago!

The mastermind behind Atlantis’ slow march through Kennedy was sweating bullets nonetheless.

“It’s only a priceless artifact driving 9.8 miles and it weighs 164,000 pounds,” said Tim Macy, director of project development and construction for Kennedy’s visitor complex operator, the company Delaware North.

“Other than that, no pressure at all,” Macy said, laughing. “Only the eyes of the country and the world and everybody at NASA is watching us.”

The shuttle was escorted along SR 405 in front of the Visitor Complex by over 30 NASA astronauts representing the whole space flight era and into her new display area. It’s here that visitors will have the opportunity for the next few days, until November 11th, to see Atlantis inside her new home as Kennedy Space Center offers a “Sneek-a-Peek” tour.

Construction crews will then begin closing in the display building and Atlantis will then be raised 36 feet off the ground and rotated 43 degrees so that it can be showcased on an angle as if it were in space… and as only the astronauts from its 33 space flights have previously had chance to see it…with both payload bay doors open and its KU-band antenna deployed.

“When the guests come to see the orbiter, their first look, their feet will basically be at the same height as the open bay doors,” Macy said. “So you’ll be able to look into the open bay of the orbiter. You’ll be able to go down a ramp and you’ll be able to walk below the orbiter and see the tiles up close. Except for the structure that’s holding it up, there’s no (problem) to see the whole orbiter from top to bottom.”

To complete the day, a 10 minute fireworks show illuminated the skies at Kennedy Space Center. It was a fitting way to round the day off and welcome Atlantis into retirement and to her new home.

The Atlantis display is scheduled to open in July 2013 and the exhibit will feature two sweeping architectural elements, or “wings” representing the space shuttle’s lunch and return. The outer layer of the building, which will be cloaked in iridescent hues of orange and gold, will represent the fiery glow of re-entry. The taller, internal wing of the building will also be covered in a shimmering tile pattern in varying tones of gray designed to represent the tiled underside of the orbiter. The six story exhibit being built adjacent to the existing Shuttle Launch Experience promises to be a great addition to what is already a fantastic place to visit. We look forward to reporting on progress of the display in the coming months.

More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com and here’s some video:

Locals and visitors to Central Florida are invited to be a part of the excitement throughout Thanksgiving weekend as NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission carrying the car-sized Curiosity rover launches aboard a massive Atlas V 541 rocket on its way to explore the red planet. The launch is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 25, at 10:25 a.m., the day after Thanksgiving, with special events and launch-related activities taking place throughout the week and beyond.

A limited number of guests are invited to witness the historic MSL launch from select designated locations within Kennedy Space Center, for just $20 plus the cost of admission (required). Or, guests may watch the launch from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for the cost of admission, which is $43 + tax for adults and $33 + tax for children ages 3-11. Guests may purchase an Annual Pass and enjoy unlimited visits for one calendar year from date of purchase (with the exception of Dec. 25) for just $13 more – $56 + tax for adults and $46 + tax for children ages 3-11.

Throughout the launch week and beyond, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will host a variety of special events and launch-related activities. Beginning Nov. 21, the Visitor Complex welcomes a Mars Rover Exhibit, featuring a trio of full sized, high fidelity rover  models from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) including: Sojourner, Mars Exploration Rover (MER) and the newest member of the family, the car-sized MSL rover, Curiosity. The exhibit, located in Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted, will remain at the Visitor Complex through March 2012.

Nov. 22 through 26, children of all ages are invited to the LEGO^® Build the Future play area. Guests will be admitted to the play area for 45 minutes to build their vision of the future out of LEGO bricks. For a glimpse at LEGO activities, visit www.legospace.com.

On Nov. 25, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex welcomes back special guest Bill Nye of the Emmy award-winning TV show, “Bill Nye The Science Guy,^®” who will speak to guests at the IMAX^® Theater at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to discuss the MSL mission and Curiosity rover. Seating for Nye’s presentations is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so early arrival at the IMAX Theater is recommended.

Bill Nye is the Executive Director of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space interest group, as well as a scientist, former Boeing engineer, stand-up comedian, author, inventor and man on a mission: to help foster a scientifically literate society. He is the host of three currently running TV shows including “The 100 Greatest Discoveries” on the Science Channel, “The Eyes of Nye” on PBS and “Stuff Happens” on Planet Green.

On Nov. 25-26, guests may take part in the Scientists in Action live webcast and ask questions of MSL scientists as well as attend live presentations by visiting Mars scientists.

NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission features the car-sized Curiosity rover, equipped with the most advanced payload of scientific gear ever deployed to the surface of Mars. After an eight-month journey, MSL will land on Mars in August 2012. The innovative and precise guided entry and powered sky crane descent employed to place Curiosity on the Martian surface has made many of Mars’ most intriguing regions viable destinations for the first time. In the 23-months (one Mars year) after landing, Curiosity will analyze samples drilled from rocks or scooped from the ground as it explores, assesses and characterizes its landing region site with greater capabilities than any previous Mars rover. Much like a robotic field geologist and mobile geochemical and environmental laboratory, Curiosity will provide NASA scientists with new data for understanding Mars as a potential habitat for life, past or present.

To purchase MSL Launch Viewing tickets, visit www.kennedyspacecenter.com or call 866-737-5235. Due to the anticipated popularity of launch viewing opportunities, reservations are strongly suggested.

Opening this weekend at Kennedy Space Center is the maiden voyage of Sci-Fi Summer: Where Science Fiction Meets Fact. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center complex launches Sci-Fi Summer today, 11th June, as a celebration of the last 50 years of human spaceflight and science fiction during the limited time exhibition. Sci-Fi Summer blends the technology, innovation and exploration of NASA with the adventures of Star Trek, one of the most popular science fiction programs worldwide.

Appearing for the first time in the southeast, Star Trek: The Exhibition, from EMS Exhibits, Inc., is an interactive exhibit of authentic Star Trek artifacts from the past 45 years, featuring one of a kind costumes, props and filming models from every Star Trek television series and feature film. Together these components offer Star Trek Fans and novices alike an opportunity to experience first hand the imagination, artistry, technology and meticulous craftsmanship that have made Star Trek the most enduring science fiction franchise in history.

This is your chance to go deep within the the Star Trek universe to discover the history of this ground breaking series and a recreation of the U.S.S. Enterprise Bridge from the original series, where you can sit in the command chair of Star Trek’s most famous captain: James T. Kirk. Sit in the actual Captain’s chair, see the props and costumes used in the TV Series’ and films, and enjoy one of a kind displays, including Engineering and Sick Bay replica sets from Star Trek: The Next Generation, interactive kiosks, rare photo opportunities and unique adventures.

So make sure you go to Kennedy Space Center soon because the event starts today and finishes on 5th September… there’s a lot to see ! More pictures are here and please click below to watch a short preview video!

PS. Tomorrow I’ll be telling you about Star Trek Live! … an exciting and interactive stage show featuring Vulcan’s and humans. Check back in the morning!

Space Shuttle Endeavour blasted off on the penultimate shuttle flight yesterday morning under the command of Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The wounded congresswoman was at Kennedy Space Center and watched the launch in an undisclosed private location.

Endeavour is headed for the International Space Station for one final time before heading to retirement at a Los Angeles museum. The shuttle’s experienced, all-male crew will deliver and install a $2 billion particle physics experiment during the 16-day flight, as well as spare station parts.

This is also the next to last flight for the 30-year-old space shuttle fleet. It is the final flight for the shuttle Endeavour, NASA’s youngest orbiter, which has flown 116.4 million miles in 24 previous flights.

All being well and with Mark Kelly at the helm, Endeavour and its experienced crew of five Americans and an Italian, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori will arrive at the International Space Station on Wednesday. They will deliver a $2 billion magnetic instrument that will seek out antimatter and dark energy in the universe.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators witnessed Endeavour’s last launch but it was a smaller turnout than the crowds that viewed the last shuttle launch in February. The early morning launch may have affected the turn out as Endeavour blasted off at 8:56 a.m. whereas February’s launch and last month’s failed attempt were in the afternoon.

Projections had put Monday’s crowd at 500,000, more than the number that saw shuttle Discovery’s final hurrah in February however Titusville Assistant Police Chief John Lau guessed the crowd at between 350,000 and 400,000.

I paid a visit to Legoland Florida yesterday and was treated to a helicopter ride to look over what’s happening on the construction site. Progress is slow but sure at this stage but I’m delighted to be able to confirm that all is on track for an opening sometime in October. I was also able to have a chat with Legoland’s General Manager Adrian Jones at the construction site and he reported that the infrastructure has almost been finished and now they were starting to really build things, put in rides and redo existing buildings.

Aerial view of Legoland Florida

Adrian Jones (left) - General Manager Legoland Florida & Nigel Worrall

The most visible construction involves the castle, which will double as a loading station for the new Dragon Coaster ride. Its distinctive top can be seen from outside the park gates and the Triple Hurricane wooden coaster will become Coastersaurus. Before Legoland’s 50 rides and attractions could be built, systems such as drainage and sewage had to be addressed. “A lot of the core infrastructure was just too old and it would not have kept up with a brand-new, state-of-the-art park” said Adrian.

The 150-acre resort will feature attractions designed primarily for children aged 2 to 12, with mild roller coasters, car and boat attractions, Lego-building areas, a ski stunt show and small-scale versions of cities made of Lego blocks. While the scenery is dominated by dirt and concrete at the moment it won’t be long before you’ll see the start of the Lego veneer. Come July a lot of the rides will be in place and they’re also hoping to have a large part of the Miniland USA area, complete with the state of Florida in miniature as well as mini cities of Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Miniland USA will also feature Florida landmarks, including the Daytona International Speedway and Kennedy Space Center.

The park is located in Winter Haven and is approximately a 40 minute drive from most of Florida Leisure’s vacation homes. It’s a very easy drive and the park is going to be a much gentler pace than a typical trip to Disney or Universal. Legoland is offering a discounted annual pass for $99 and that ticket will be good from when the park opens and through the end of 2012 but purchases have to be made by April 30 at Legoland.com. Sales have been going so well that the the annual-pass price will go up to $159 for adults and $129 for children ages 3-12 after that date so you need to act quickly. Here’s the video of yesterday’s visit…

Welcome home Discovery!

The oldest of NASA’s surviving shuttles, Discovery is home and has racked up nearly 150 million miles as it ended it’s final journey today. It has accumulated more than 39 missions in nearly 27 years and spent 365 days total in space. It flew to the International Space Station 13 times and made the first shuttle rendezvous with Russia’s Mir station in 1995.

Discovery first flew in 1984 and carried the Hubble Space Telescope to orbit six years later. It’s flown 184 astronauts, including John Glenn at age 77 in 1998.

Here’s a by-the-numbers look at Discovery’s lasting legacy in space that, according to NASA, will cement the shuttle’s place in the fleet’s record books:

148,221,675: The number of miles Discovery has traveled after 39 space missions. This is a distance record unmatched among NASA’s space shuttle fleet.   The miles traveled by Discovery could have carried it to the moon and back more than 288 times, or on 1 1/2 trips to the sun.

40,000: The number of spectators, according to NASA estimates, who watched Discovery’s final launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 24, 2011.

17,400: The speed at which Discovery traveled (in miles per hour) to remain in orbit. It’s about Mach 25, or five times the speed of a bullet.

5,830: The number of orbits Discovery has flown around the Earth after its final flight. During spaceflight, Discovery completes one orbit around Earth every 90 minutes.

1984: The year Discovery blasted off on its maiden space voyage. Discovery’s first flight was NASA’s STS-41D mission, which launched on Aug. 30 carrying three communications satellites and an experimental solar array wing. The mission was commanded by astronaut Henry Hartsfield.

365: The number of cumulative days Discovery will have flown in space by the end of its career. Altogether, that’s 52 weeks. Put another way, if you were to string all of Discovery’s mission’s together into one mission, the shuttle would be in space for exactly an entire year.

246: The number of crew members Discovery has carried during its space career so far. According to NASA, Discovery has been the ultimate space taxi and carried the most astronauts of any shuttle.

39: The number of missions Discovery will have flown by the time it is retired.

13: The number of times Discovery will have docked with the International Space Station after it is retired.

5: The number of astronauts that marked a first-ever in space when they flew on Discovery. According to NASA, they include: the first female to ever pilot a spacecraft (former astronaut Eileen Collins);  the oldest person to fly in space (former astronaut John Glenn); the first African-American to perform a spacewalk (former astronaut Bernard Harris); the first cosmonaut to fly on an American spacecraft (Russian spaceflyer Sergei Krikalev); and the first sitting member of Congress to fly in space (former Utah Senator Jake Garn).

4: The number of years it took to build the space shuttle Discovery.   The shuttle was completed in October 1983 in Palmdale, Calif., and was shipped a month later to NASA piggyback atop the agency’s modified Boeing 747 shuttle carrier craft. Four is also the maximum number of times the shuttle has flown in space in a single year. In 1985, Discovery set the bar for number of flights by one orbiter in one year.

3: The number of satellites Discovery carried during its first launch. Discovery was also NASA’s third space shuttle built for orbital flight. It was built after the shuttles Columbia and Challenger.

2: The number of return-to-flight missions Discovery has flown to help NASA resume shuttle flights. Discovery was the shuttle that flew the STS-26 mission two years after the loss of the shuttle Challenger and its crew during launch on Jan. 28, 1986. The shuttle also flew the STS-114 mission that followed the 2003 loss of shuttle Columbia and its seven-astronaut crew. That mission launched in July 2005.

1: The number of actual dockings with Russia’s Space Station Mir. Discovery actually visited the Mir station twice. It was the first U.S. shuttle to rendezvous with (but not dock at) Mir in 1995. Its second and last trip to Mir was in 1998, when it actually linked up with the Russian space station.

Here’s some video our team took live from Kennedy Space Center a couple of days ago of the final launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.

It was almost four months late but Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off under clear blue skies this afternoon on its final mission to the International Space Station before it is retired next month. The 27-year-old orbiter, with a crew of six astronauts, roared from the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center at 4:53 p.m. as tens of thousands of spectators cheered NASA’s oldest and most-traveled shuttle.

“The final liftoff of Discovery,” exulted Mike Curie, NASA’s launch commentator, “a tribute to the dedication, hard work and pride of America’s space shuttle team.”

It was the 39th liftoff for Discovery. Its 11-day mission, commanded by space veteran Steve Lindsey, will deliver supplies and a humanoid robot to the International Space Station.

The launch marks the beginning of the end of the space-shuttle program, 30 years after NASA began launching reusable, do-all spaceships into orbit to do everything from launching satellites to building the space station itself. After Endeavour in April and Atlantis,now set for June, NASA will have no manned-space rocket for the first time in 60 years.

Today’s launch was delayed a little over three minutes by a computer glitch experienced by the U.S. Air Force Range Safety Office, which assures that the Atlantic Ocean downrange from KSC is clear of ship and airplane traffic but lift-off occurred with seconds to spare before the launch window closed.

“We had about two seconds of hold time remaining, which is about one second more than Mike [Leinbach] needed to get the job done, so we had plenty of margin,” quipped Launch Committee Chairman Mike Moses.

Leinbach acknowledged a “fairly large size” chunk of insulating foam fell from Discovery’s fuel tank nearly four minutes into flight. But he said that was late enough into the flight that engineers weren’t worried the foam did any damage to the orbiter.

Throngs of people watched the launch from vantage points all along the Space Coast. Among those in the VIP area were Florida Gov. Rick Scott, watching the first launch since he took office in January, as well as U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden.

In addition to Lindsey, 50, a retired Air Force fighter pilot who flew dozens of missions in Iraq, the crew includes pilot Eric Boe, 45, an Air Force colonel and fellow fighter-pilot veteran; and mission specialists Alvin Drew, 47; Michael Barratt, 51, a medical doctor; Nicole Stott, a former mission engineer at Kennedy Space Center; and Steve Bowen, 47.

Bowen replaced Tim Kopra, who was injured in a mid-January bicycle accident. Bowen flew aboard Atlantis last May and will be the first astronaut to fly on consecutive shuttle missions.

Discovery was originally planned to lift off on Nov. 1. But a hydrogen leak, followed by the discovery of cracks in the insulating foam and some support rods on the fuel tank, caused a lengthy delay as NASA engineers labored to identify a cause and a fix.

The highlight of the mission will be delivery of Robonaut 2, otherwise known as R2, a 40-inch robot built by General Motors that looks like a human from the torso up, with capabilities to one day be an active member of the space station crew.

R2 will spend the next year or so attached to a stand in the U.S. lab on the space station, simply being tested in zero-gravity and doing such things as turning knobs, plugging things in and other simple manipulation tasks.

NASA expects to upgrade and reprogram R2 so that it becomes a mechanical member of the crew. Eventually, it will get legs or some manner of lower body and be able to work with astronauts on simple tasks such as vacuuming, or more-complex maintenance and repairs and assisting astronauts on space walks. Finally, it could become a caretaker or experiment tender, working on assignments after astronauts have left.

NASA first began developing the robot 15 years ago, and the R2 model – the second generation of the concept — was developed in partnership with General Motors, at a cost of about $2.5 million per robot. Two have been built.

From waist to head, it stands 3-feet-4 inches and weighs 330 pounds. Built primarily of aluminum and steel, it has a soft, fleshy exterior, designed so that astronauts would not be hurt if they banged into it. R2′s arms give it an 8-foot wingspan. Its head is equipped with eight cameras. Its computer brain is in its torso.

For now, it will remain in a crate until the space station astronauts finish more-pressing tasks and have the time to set it up. Robonaut 2 has only a one-way ticket to space, and it’s been waiting for months inside Discovery’s hold.

On February 18, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will host The National 9/11 Flag Stitching Restoration for the state of Florida, presented by The New York Says Thank You Foundation. As part of a national journey across America, local service heroes and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex guests will join FDNY firefighters to help sew the Florida restorative patch, featuring a retired flag that flew over Kennedy Space Center, onto the historic National 9/11 Flag.

The event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, beginning with a ceremony led by The New York Says Thank You Foundation, followed by the first flag stitches by nominated heroes, first responders, families of 9/11 victims and local veterans. Flag stitching will be open to guests immediately following the ceremony until 3:00 p.m. The 20-by-30.5 foot flag, with the completed Florida patch, will be raised at 4:00 p.m. in the Rocket Garden.

The public is invited to nominate local service heroes from Florida who deserve the honor of stitching The National 9/11 Flag at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Nominees can be people of all ages who exemplify service and sacrifice to their local communities and to the U.S. and may be a wounded warrior, military veteran, first responder, educator, student, or volunteer service leader. Nominations must be received by February 11 and must be submitted online at www.National911Flag.org by clicking on “Nominate a Service Hero.”

The National 9/11 Flag, recovered in fragments after the collapse of the World Trade Center, is on a cross-country journey to be stitched back to its original 13-stripe format using pieces of fabric from American flags destined for retirement in all 50 states. Once the flag is made whole again by the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, The National 9/11 Flag will become part of the permanent collection of the National September 11 Memorial Museum being built at the World Trade Center.

A $5 discount coupon is available for additional guests and the general public by visiting www.KennedySpaceCenter.com/flag.