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| Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, FL |
Now through Nov. 11, visitors to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will have a limited opportunity to see Space Shuttle Atlantis at its new location.
The exhibit is worth $100 million and is scheduled to open in July 2013. Guests will be able to "Sneak-a-Peek" at the orbiter as part of regular admission to the visitor complex.
Construction will pause on weekends and weekday afternoons to allow visitors to get a closer look at Atlantis. A Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex tour guide will escort guests through the construction zone, provide information about the orbiter's new home, and allow guests to take pictures.
"We know they will cherish seeing Atlantis in this unique setting before construction is completed and the exhibit is unveiled to the world next July," said Bill Moore, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
The tour of Atlantis in the new exhibit building will be offered on Nov. 3, 4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Nov. 5-11 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Once the astronauts from its 33 missions have had a chance to see it, Atlantis will be raised 36 feet off the ground and rotated about 43 degrees so that it will be showcased on an angle as if it were in space. When it is displayed, its payload bay doors will be open and the Canadarm (robotic arm) extended.
Work will resume enclosing Atlantis in the exhibit building by completing construction of the final wall, which is expected by mid-December. Atlantis will be encapsulated in a protective wrap before that work begins.
At the entrance to the Atlantis exhibit, guests will be greeted by a replica external tank and two solid rocket boosters, expected to be installed in the coming months. On the opposite side, a silhouette of the orbiter is attached to show guests its exact size and placement.
Visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.