The sliver of moonrock mounted on a plinth at the Apollo/Saturn V centre here weighs 17 grammes and is 3.7 billion years old. It was brought back by astronaut Jack Schmitt when he returned to earth at the end of the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.
Today, it is a fascinating piece of space travel memorabilia and one of the many attractions which make a visit to Cape Canaveral worthwhile. Around 1.5 million tourists a year come to the visitors' centre at NASA's spaceport, the launch site from where the National Aeronautical and Space Administration readies its space shuttles before they soar aloft.
It is easy to spend a whole day at the John F. Kennedy Space Centre although those who are really interested in the history of space travel will probably find that they still run out of time.
The open-air visitor centre boasts a rocket garden with plenty of photo opportunities in the shape of no less than eight rockets from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programmes of the 1960s and 1970s. A full-size mock-up of the 'Explorer' - the first generation space shuttle - stands close by. A separate astronaut memorial area recalls the 24 NASA astronauts who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Not to be forgotten either is a man in the bulky white space suit who tours the complex grounds shaking hands with guests. His rucksack is a replica of the ones worn by space travellers to the moon and contains a kind of life support system - an air-conditioning pack without which the actor inside would scarcely be able to survive the intense Florida heat.
No visit would be complete without a trip to the extensive launch pad area at Cape Canaveral. It is a lengthy bus ride to the 'Vehicle Assembly Building' where the space rockets bound for the moon were once put together. Visitors can also catch a glimpse of the gantries at launch complexes 39a and 39b, which are currently used for space shuttle missions, albeit from some considerable distance away.
The Apollo/Saturn-V museum is one of the major features of the centre and has been built around one of the Saturn V rockets left over when the programme was wound up. In a film theatre a simulation enables visitors to experience the atmosphere inside an Apollo-era firing room of the late 1960s.
Visitors can also learn much about the history of space travel by strolling alongside the 110-metre long rocket with its five huge engines. Plaques tell the story of the Apollo programme from the first lunar orbit of Apollo 8 through to the dramatic rescue operation for Apollo 13 and the last Apollo mission, 17, during which the famous piece of moon rock was taken.
Admission to the visitor centre costs 38 US dollars each for adults and 28 US dollars for children under 11 years of age which makes a 'trip into space' an expensive day out for families.
KSC officials are quick to point out that a day ticket to one of North America's popular amusement parks is even costlier. They also stress that the centre is not financed by state taxes, but must pay its own way.
The Kennedy Space Center celebrates its 40th birthday in 2007 and to mark the occasion the facility has treated itself to a brand-new attraction designed to show visitors what astronauts go through when they take off in a space shuttle.
The aim is to welcome 1,200 visitors a day into a new state-of-the art simulator which will shake and rattle them for nearly five minutes before a 'porthole' opens to reveal a breathtaking view of the stars. The device will be 'the only one of its kind in the world', said KSC-spokeswoman Andrea farmer. It opens soon or let us just say, the countdown has started.
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