USA: Alabama – Space & Rocket Center

Just after World II a group of 100 rocket scientists from Germany; led by Wernher Von Braun, came to the USA to work for the Federal Government. This was the same team who had developed the V-2 bomb. Over the next decades Von Braun worked on developing missile technology for the US military, but his big ambition was to develop space vehicles to take men into space. His work led to the Saturn space vehicle developments which ultimately led to the Apollo missions. Through this work, the Marshall Space Center was created alongside Redstone Arsenal, where today they work on the future space launch vehicles (to replace the shuttle) and rocket engines.

The Space Center has a great set of displays outlining the work of Von Braun and his team and also exhibits of space technology including the lunar landing craft and earth return craft from the Apollo missions. This is also the home of Space Camps where children and families can attend 3 to 5-day camps, working on various activities related to astronaut training. This includes simulations of being in a space shuttle launch and working aboard the space station – looks great fun! The outside exhibits include a Space Shuttle together with the solid-fuel rocket booster and Saturn I and Saturn V space vehicles (which are huge).