NASA's Johnson Space Center

My friend Blake works at the Johnson Space Center, and took us on a behind the scenes tour of the facility. We started off at the rocket house - which was amazing. I've seen the Saturn 5 rocket before, but only from a distance. Up close, you really see how massive it is. From there we went to the building where they tested all the avionics and software for the Space Shuttle program. Everything was so cool - but the most amazing part of this tour was getting to go onto the floor of the International Space Station Mission Control room. We got to talk to the flight director, and watch as they moved a camera on the Space Station to get a better view of the sunset. Many thanks to Blake for a once in a lifetime tour of NASA.

Yep - talking to the Flight Director of the International Space Station

This is the Mission Control Room for all of the Apollo Missions

Blake knew so many details - it was great

Here's Austin sitting in the same spot as Gene Kranz did during the Gemini and Apollo missions - so cool

As we were walking the floor of Mission control - a 'regular' tour group sits behind the glass - that's a close as they get.

The hotline direct to the Department of Defense

These are the mission badges from the various flights....

Notice Apollo 11 - the first man on the moon, and also Apollo 13.

A picture of Mission Control when 'the Eagle has Landed'

My image reflected in the mirror that the Apollo 13 crew used and subsequently presented to Mission Control.
Yeah, I think that's pretty damn cool.

This is the new Independence Plaza exhibit to showcase the 747 that was used to ferry the Space Shuttle.
Blake did a lot of the graphic design on this exhibit.