CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA’s Florida spaceport is counting the days until it unveils a unique rocket engine test experience that seeks to grant visitors an up close and personal view of a simulated rocket engine test fire directly underneath the nozzle.
According to collectSpace, an online publication devoted to space history enthusiasts and other space-related content, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will open The Gantry at LC-39 in early 2025.
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The “innovative, interactive experience” utilizes a former launch pad that has been converted into a viewing tower that will include the simulation.
“The Gantry at LC-39 is an exciting next step in our mission to inspire and educate the next generation of explorers,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "This attraction will excite and educate all ages."
Static firings are routine tests at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, conducted before launches to ensure rocket readiness.
For safety, the public and personnel must maintain a safe distance due to the loud noise and potential dangers, such as explosions on the launch pad.
“Sounds, light, and a cooling mist stand in for the engine’s exhaust while still delivering the power and excitement of ignition,” according to a description provided by the visitor complex.
The impressive display, led by a fictional NASA engineer and their “assistant,” is just one of the new features at The Gantry. Guests can also design and virtually launch their rockets while exploring exhibits about NASA and Space Force launch pads, all visible from the tower’s 360-degree viewing platform.
The Kennedy Space Center is located within a wildlife refuge, and the Gantry at LC-39 has been redesigned under the theme “Off Earth, For Earth.” The new Earth Information Center (EIC) includes an immersive theater, a hyperwall display, and an exhibit gallery showcasing how the planet changes and affects all life.
Additionally, young visitors can climb on sculptures of sea turtles, alligators, and an eagle’s nest.
Interpretive graphics explain the Kennedy Space Center’s location within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and an artifact from a mobile launch platform is also on display.
The Gantry at LC-39 will continue to serve as a premier launch viewing site, offering ticket-holding guests close views of launches from the Space Force side of the Cape.
New features include a self-service outdoor dining area near the crawlway, which transports rockets to the LC-39B launch pad. Visitors can also see a large tread from a crawler-transporter.