Space Center Holds Its 1st Open House

The John F. Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Fla., threw open its doors to the public for the first open house in its 30-year history. Between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors were able to drive along the same road taken by astronauts on launch days right up to the space shuttle Columbia, sitting on Launch Pad 39B. Columbia made its first flight in 1981 and is the oldest shuttle in the fleet. “I can’t believe how old it looks,� said visitor Dahlia Marks of Orlando, Fla. The wear and tear from its numerous missions was obvious to visitors but is not usually seen in television pictures. Visitors were able to drive their cars on the shuttle landing strip and wander about in the mammoth Vehicle Assembly Building, built to house the Saturn 5 moon rockets.