F A C T L E T
maintained. The presentations culminate with
the unveiling of the orbiter Atlantis.
Atlantis is displayed at an angle of 43.21
degrees (think about that number for a
minute) mounted to support pillars using
the attachment points for the external tank.
The payload bay doors are open and the
CanadaArm is deployed, simulating what the
vehicle would have looked like on orbit. The
orbiter still shows the effects of reentry with
plasma scars still on the thermal protection
blankets and tiles. If you brought a camera
with a decent zoom, look through the crew
compartment windows and you can see
some of the many switches inside the compartment.
On the wall at the engine end of the orbiter is a massive 20 ft. by 100 ft. LED backdrop
that displays the Earth, an orbital sunrise, and
many other unique visual cues that add to
the experience. Look up, there’s an Astronaut
with a Manned Maneuvering Unit on.
Atlantis flew 33 missions
during its 26 year career,
spending a total of 307 days
in space and traveling more
than 126 million miles.
207 astronauts flew
aboard the orbiter.
Also on the upper level are simulators that
let you try your skills at spacewalking, cockpit
mockups of the orbiter, and other interactive
and static displays to entertain and educate
visitors about the orbiter and the work it performed. There is also an actual Space Shuttle
Main Engine on display in the far right corner
near the back of the orbiter.
As you continue down a sloping ramp you
get an up close view of the propulsion end of
the orbiter and ultimately the belly of the orbiter and its sophisticated Thermal Protection
Tile sy