For more than 30 years,watching the bright flameof a space shuttlerocketing toward space

until it was no more than a blipin the sky was one of the joys ofliving in Brevard.

Starting Saturday, you canget an up-close and personalview of shuttle Atlantis atKennedy Space Center VisitorComplex in a setting that showsoff just howmagnificent thatblip really is.

The newest attraction at KSCopens with great fanfare.Tonight, as part of the VIPexperience, there will berefreshments and music withguest speakers. The same goesfor Saturday morning. Close to50 astronauts are on the guestlist with at least one from eachof Atlantis’ 33 missions. Apolloastronauts also are expected toattend.

“Atlantis is on display as shewould be normally in flight. It’sthe first time ever that a lot ofpeople are going to see her thisclose,” said TimMacy, directorof project development forDelaware North CompaniesParks and Resorts.

“Here we are dealing with anational treasure,” Macy said.With a cost of $1.66 billion, “it’s apriceless artifact.”

Through logistical andengineering feats, the shuttlewas tilted at a 43-degree anglewith her payload doors open.Visitors can walk under, aroundor “nose level” to the massivecraft. During the planningphase, thousands of pictureswere taken. Those images laterhelped organizers choose theblueprint for how Atlantis wouldbe displayed— the view anastronaut would get as he or she

looked out the InternationalSpace Station window asAtlantis was pulling away.

How it beganAlthough KSC wasn’t officiallyannounced as Atlantis’permanent home until April2011, the idea for the exhibitcame about five years ago, withdevelopment starting a coupleyears later and constructiongoing on for the past 17 months.Delaware North worked withengineers from NASA, a designteam and technical adviser.

The $100 million project wasfunded through moneyborrowed from Space Florida,money generated fromKSCVisitor Complex admission feesand money made from food andmerchandise, Macy said. Nogovernment funds or tax dollars

were used.Atlantis was wrapped in

plastic before her big movefrom the Vehicle AssemblyBuilding to the state-of-the-artexhibit facility last fall. That90,000-square-foot buildingboasts an impressive theater,giant LED screens and 1,700light fixtures. Quotes frompeople who played a role in theAtlantis program line the wallsalong with breathtakingphotography of the shuttle andits glory.

“The bird itself, everyonethinks it’s slick and going to bepretty. But we’re showing youwhat it looked like when itlanded after STS-135,” Macysaid. “It went straight from thelanding strip, over to the orbiterprocessing facility, and then inNovember, we rolled it over

here and lifted it up 30 feet andtipped it at 43 degrees.”

NASA offered to clean it upand make it pristine, he added,but the teamwanted the spacedust to remain.

What to expectAlong with Atlantis, the exhibitfeatures more than 60interactive displays, continuousfilms in a theater and in thedisplay area. An impressivemockup of the Hubble SpaceTelescope hangs near the giftshop.

A 1983 airstream used byastronauts for various events ison display, as well as anastrovan, the vehicle used toferry astronauts to and fromlaunches and landings. The giftshop features space-themedartwork and an area where

guests can dress up likeastronauts for photo ops.

The play zone features a giantslide and “astronaut training”exercises.

Pop-culture phenomenonStephen Colbert of “The ColbertReport” on Comedy Centralmakes a special appearance inthe exhibit — via a NASAtreadmill. In 2009 during aNASA contest, the politicalpundit lobbied to name one ofthe rooms at the ISS after him.“Colbert” beat out NASAsuggestions Serenity, Legacy,Earthrise and Venture. As acompromise, NASA introducedthe Combined Operational LoadBearing External ResistanceTreadmill. The treadmill is usedfor exercising in space. You cansee Colbert’s “mission patch” atKSC.

COVER STORY

Countdown to Atlantis’ next mission: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...7. Atlantis holds the distinctionof having the quickestturnaround time between twomissions of any orbiter. Itoccurred after its maidenvoyage. How quickly was theorbiter turned around from itsfirst flight to its second?

a. 12 daysb. 27 daysc. 54 daysd. 99 days

8. STS-46, launched on July 31,1992, had astronauts from twocountries that had not beforehad a citizen flown into space.They were Claude Nicollier ofSwitzerland and FrancoMalerba of what country?

a. Italyb. Spainc. Mexicod. Argentina

9. STS-117, launched on June 8,2007, was the longest durationspace flight mission byAtlantis. How longwas it?

a. 10 days, 21 hours, 27 minutes,19 seconds

b. 11 days, 11 hours, 11minutes,11 seconds

c. 13 days, 20 hours, 12 minutes,44 seconds

d. 16 days, 2 hours, 31minutes,6 seconds

10. Atlantis was featured inthreemajor motion picturesduring the course of its service.Which of the following is NOTone of those threemovies?

a. “2001: A Space Odyssey”b. “SpaceCamp”c. “Deep Impact”d. “Armageddon”

How’d you do? Answers,Page 23

TRIVIAGrand openingat KSC VisitorComplex is SaturdayBy Jennifer SangalangFLORIDA TODAY

Test your shuttle Atlantis knowledgeBy TimWaltersFLORIDA TODAY

Contact Walters at 321-242-3681or twalters@floridatoday.com.Twitter: @twaltersinforms

OTHER FUN AT KSC» Angry Birds Space Encounter: Thisinteractive exhibit opened March 21. NASAcollaborated with KSC, calling the project anopportunity to encourage young people in theSTEM (science, technology, engineering andmathematics) subjects. Exhibits include theEggsteroids Slingshot target game, Red PlanetLazer Challenge and Danger Zone, a mirrormaze. Included with general admission.» Shuttle Launch Experience: Guests get tofeel like an astronaut, checking out the sights,sounds and sensations in the shuttle launchsimulator. Included with general admission.» U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame: The museumfeatures exhibits, artifacts, space memorabiliaand various displays from space missionsthrough the years. You can learn about ournation’s history in the space program and whoplayed an important part leading the missions.Open from noon to 5 p.m. daily. Included withgeneral admission, allows for a second day atthe U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame» Astronaut Training Experience: KSC’s ATXprogram takes you through a shuttle missionsimulation, astronaut training exercises andhands-on space exploration activities at the U.S.Astronaut Hall of Fame. Reservations requiredfor the half-day program. Cost is $145 for those14 and older. ATX family prices are $175 forthose 12 and older, $165 for ages 7 to 11.

1. Howmany astronauts flewon shuttle Atlantis?

a. 77b. 101c. 156d. 275

2. What astronaut holds therecord for most flights aboardAtlantis?

a. Jerry Rossb. Charles Boldenc. Robert Cabanad. Ken Bowersox

3. Atlantis was the first orbiterto dock with the Russian SpaceStationMir onmission STS-71.What year did that take place?

a. 1991b. 1995c. 1999d. 2001

4. STS-71held another majormilestone. What was it?

a. Atlantis surpassed100,000,000 miles flown in space.

b. It was Atlantis’ longestmission.

c. It had four first-timeastronauts.

d. It was the 100th U.S. mannedspace flight.

5. Howmany times did Atlantisland at Edwards Air Force Base?

a. 3b. 6c. 9d. 13

6. Atlantis is roughly 122 feetlong and 57 feet tall. Abouthowmuch did it weighwhen ithad its three shuttle enginesattached?

a. 52,000 poundsb. 176,000 poundsc. 378,000 poundsd. 942,000 pounds

Atlantis is tilted with its payload baydoors open. RIK JESSE/FLORIDA TODAY

PAGE 12 TGIF FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013 FLORIDA TODAY FLORIDA TODAY FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013 TGIF PAGE 13

THE DETAILSWhat: Atlantis exhibitWhen: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. dailyWhere: KSC Visitor Complex onState Road 405Cost: Admission is $50 foradults, $40 for ages 3 to 11.Info: Call 866-737-5235 or visitkennedyspacecenter.com. Senda Tweet to @exploreksc

In the Angry Birds Space Encounter at Kennedy SpaceCenter Visitor Complex, guests have the opportunity toexperience seven interactive exhibits.MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Stephen Colbert of“The ColbertReport” on ComedyCentral makes anappearance in theexhibit— via aNASA treadmill. Seea video of theexhibit at floridatoday.com/atlantis.FOR FLORIDA TODAY

At Kennedy Space Center VisitorComplex, construction crews havejust completed the $100 million,90,000-square-foot facility thatshowcases the space shuttleAtlantis. TIM SHORTT/FLORIDA TODAY

At KSC Visitors Center,guests at Space ShuttleAtlantis are greeted bya full-scale, uprightexternal fuel tankand two solidrocket boosters.RIK JESSE/FLORIDA

TODAY