How to Make the Most of Your Shuttle Experience

Thousands of visitors descend on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center each year to witness shuttle launches. Soon, they’ll be able to experience the launch of one for themselves on the ride-like Shuttle Launch Experience.

Riders enter a passenger module that simulates (imaginary) seats in the shuttle cargo bay. Technical wizardry creates perceptual effects such as the feeling of increased G-forces during launch and weightlessness after MECO.

Plan Ahead

Navigating the airport can be overwhelming whether you’re flying for business or pleasure. However, there are some things you can do to make the process as stress-free as possible.

Among the most important is planning. Having all your necessary travel documents organized and easily accessible will save you time during the security check-in process. It will also help you avoid any last-minute hassles.

Many young people dream of exploring space, weightlessly roaming galaxies, and eating freeze-dried ice cream from pouches. But what does it take to become a space shuttle astronaut? Kennedy Space Center’s training simulators let visitors find out. Then, they landed the orbiter safely back at Kennedy Space Center.

Know What You Want

When planning your visit, decide what you want to experience at the Endeavour. The visitor center is full of exciting things, but one of its more popular features is the Shuttle Launch Experience – an eight-and-a-half-minute simulator ride that takes you through what it was like to be an astronaut during a shuttle launch. The experience is included in the price of admission to the space shuttle exhibit, and the developers took pains to make it as realistic as possible. They consulted 27 present and former shuttle astronauts and invested in state-of-the-art imagery systems.

With on-demand shuttle services for individuals, groups, and businesses, a TCS account allows you to book faster, track your vehicle, directly communicate with drivers, and access a wide range of additional travel perks.

Know When To Arrive

The most well-laid shuttle service arrangements can still go awry. An employee might get unexpected visitors or a meeting run overtime, and these last-minute changes must be communicated to the driver as soon as possible.

Given their resources, shuttle providers like the Disneyland airport shuttle must also determine how broadly they want to operate their services. This can be an iterative process, as providers try different routes and collect on-the-ground information about how each can be used effectively and efficiently.

As the company grows, shuttle staff must continually evaluate where employees live and work. This might mean establishing new lines or increasing shuttle frequency to ensure that most employees are covered. This is especially important, as many younger workers are moving regularly.

Know What to Bring

If you’re prepared for your trip, you will likely be happier during the ride. You may need snacks, water, hand sanitizer, books, or a tablet with games and reading material. It’s also a good idea to bring some pain or discomfort medications.

Operating a shuttle service comes with many recurring expenses and requires many clients to remain profitable. Fortunately, software like OptimoRoute can help shuttle services reduce costs and improve profitability by optimizing routes, saving fuel, and reducing travel time. It can also help shuttle services manage drivers and vehicles more effectively.

Know What to Expect

You won’t get to fly a real space shuttle (unless you’re a member of the elite astronaut corps today), but the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has built an amusement park-style ride that recreates some of the sensations. Its developers consulted 27 current and former shuttle astronauts and pressed for state-of-the-art imagery systems. They spent lavishly on special effects — from vibrating floors to fog machines that simulate the smoke of a rocket’s engine burn.

As the wheels of your shuttle blast off, you’ll feel 2.5 times the G-forces experienced on Earth. At a certain point, the engines throttle back to avoid stressing the vehicle and give you that momentary, illusory sense of weightlessness. After re-entry, the flight computers guide your shuttle toward KSC or Edwards.