Since we were flying through Houston on our way back from Costa Rica, we planned to stay a couple of days to go to the Houston Space Center, and that was time very well spent.
![](/blogimg/09/thumb1024_109_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/10/thumb1024_110_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/12/thumb1024_112_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/13/thumb1024_113_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/19/thumb1024_119_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
We roamed around the exhibits a little bit before our level9 tour:
![](/blogimg/24/thumb1024_124_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![hard to imagine this folded and fit under the lunar lander hard to imagine this folded and fit under the lunar lander](/blogimg/30/thumb1024_130_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
hard to imagine this folded and fit under the lunar lander
![](/blogimg/36/thumb1024_136_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/44/thumb1024_144_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/45/thumb1024_145_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
Then, we started our level9 tour: it's a private tour for 12 people showing many out of bounds area up front and personal, it was awesome.
![I love those signs :) I love those signs :)](/blogimg/14/thumb1024_214_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
I love those signs :)
Our tour started with the Saturn V rocket, and yes, it's big :)
![this piece on top of the rocket is supposed to take off and take the top module with it if the rocket fails at takeoff this piece on top of the rocket is supposed to take off and take the top module with it if the rocket fails at takeoff](/blogimg/64/thumb1024_164_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
this piece on top of the rocket is supposed to take off and take the top module with it if the rocket fails at takeoff
![](/blogimg/60/thumb1024_160_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/63/thumb1024_163_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/76/thumb1024_176_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![2nd stage 2nd stage](/blogimg/77/thumb1024_177_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
2nd stage
![1st stage + 2nd stage 1st stage + 2nd stage](/blogimg/79/thumb1024_179_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
1st stage + 2nd stage
![inside of 3rd stage inside of 3rd stage](/blogimg/80/thumb1024_180_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
inside of 3rd stage
Next, we went to their big swimming pool where astronauts train:
![](/blogimg/85/thumb1024_185_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/93/thumb1024_193_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/95/thumb1024_195_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/12/thumb1024_212_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/13/thumb1024_213_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
From there, we went to Mission Control Center for the space station (ISS) and got some explanations from someone working there and on his break:
![](/blogimg/23/thumb1024_223_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/30/thumb1024_230_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/26/thumb1024_226_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/46/thumb1024_246_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![the zoom on my camera came in handy :) the zoom on my camera came in handy :)](/blogimg/36/thumb1024_236_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
the zoom on my camera came in handy :)
![](/blogimg/50/thumb1024_250_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
The next part, which was super cool is that we were allowed to go in the actual mission control center used to put man on the moon:
![](/blogimg/69/thumb1024_269_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/73/thumb1024_273_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/76/thumb1024_276_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![I guess they didn't have Email yet :) I guess they didn't have Email yet :)](/blogimg/79/thumb1024_279_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
I guess they didn't have Email yet :)
![I fixed the squawk code on their console :) I fixed the squawk code on their console :)](/blogimg/87/thumb1024_287_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
I fixed the squawk code on their console :)
![The nice gentleman who took time off his break to give us a tour The nice gentleman who took time off his break to give us a tour](/blogimg/91/thumb1024_291_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
The nice gentleman who took time off his break to give us a tour
![I need to change my job title to this :) I need to change my job title to this :)](/blogimg/96/thumb1024_296_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
I need to change my job title to this :)
We then went to see the new mission control center that will replace the old one:
![](/blogimg/05/thumb1024_305_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/06/thumb1024_306_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/21/thumb1024_321_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![I'm glad to see they use 4 LCDs like me :) I'm glad to see they use 4 LCDs like me :)](/blogimg/12/thumb1024_312_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
I'm glad to see they use 4 LCDs like me :)
![](/blogimg/13/thumb1024_313_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/27/thumb1024_327_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
Last on our tour was their lab where they build new stuff:
![](/blogimg/36/thumb1024_336_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/40/thumb1024_340_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/56/thumb1024_356_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/42/thumb1024_342_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/52/thumb1024_352_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/63/thumb1024_363_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/64/thumb1024_364_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/69/thumb1024_369_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/77/thumb1024_377_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/88/thumb1024_388_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/89/thumb1024_389_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![copy of Soyuz for training copy of Soyuz for training](/blogimg/96/thumb1024_396_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
copy of Soyuz for training
![](/blogimg/98/thumb1024_398_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/18/thumb1024_418_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/32/thumb1024_432_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
We then used the remaining part of the day to see parts of the museum, and came back the next morning to finish it:
![](/blogimg/25/thumb1024_425_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![one twin stays on the ground, one goes to space, and they'll compare changes after one year one twin stays on the ground, one goes to space, and they'll compare changes after one year](/blogimg/37/thumb1024_437_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
one twin stays on the ground, one goes to space, and they'll compare changes after one year
![](/blogimg/38/thumb1024_438_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/41/thumb1024_441_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/43/thumb1024_443_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/45/thumb1024_445_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/58/thumb1024_458_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![impact testing impact testing](/blogimg/69/thumb1024_469_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
impact testing
![](/blogimg/72/thumb1024_472_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![nuclear propulsion would be good nuclear propulsion would be good](/blogimg/73/thumb1024_473_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
nuclear propulsion would be good
![](/blogimg/75/thumb1024_475_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![one astronaut gave us a talk one astronaut gave us a talk](/blogimg/78/thumb1024_478_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
one astronaut gave us a talk
![](/blogimg/85/thumb1024_485_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
![](/blogimg/92/thumb1024_492_20150731_Houston_Space_Center.jpg)
And that was it for our tour of Houston Space Center, it was plain awesome.