Cosmosphere

[Terry]

Hi All,

My wife and I just spent the day going through the Cosmosphere at Hutchinson, Kansas.

What a day! We saw "Space" at the IMAX theater. It explained how the space station was built and the photography was fantastic.

Then to Dr. Goddard's laboratory for an excellent demonstration on rocket engine design and explosive examples of liquid fuel rockets.

Then to the Planetarium for a look at the Hubble telescope pictures. Then all through the museum looking at everything exhibit there was.

We started at 10:30 a.m. and finished at 4 p.m.

The SR-71A Blackbird is mounted overhead in the main gallery.

I had an older friend who worked at Thikol chemical plant in Texas and remember seeing solid rocket fuel.

I worked on the Saturn test stand back in the 60's at Huntsville, Alabama.

I highly recommend this adventure for anyone, young and old.

What a day!

SR-71A Blackbird,
Length = 107'
Height = 18'6"
Wingspan = 55' 7"
Weight empty = 60,000 lbs
Max take off weight = 145,000 lbs
Max speed = Mach 3.3 or 2200 mph, 36 miles/min, faster than a 30.06 rifle bullet when fired.

Last airplane built with a slide rule and measuring tape. (If you don't know what a slide rule is, ask an old pilot. )

What a DAY !!!!

Terry

 

[geneseib]

Hi All,

My wife and I just spent the day going through the Cosmosphere at Hutchinson, Kansas.

What a day!
What a DAY !!!!

Terry

Always enjoy visiting there. What a surprise to find all that space technology in the middle of Kansas. The Russian and German stuff is quite interesting.

 

[tonycondon]

cool. Leah and I keep meaning to go up there.

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

Always enjoy visiting there. What a surprise to find all that space technology in the middle of Kansas. The Russian and German stuff is quite interesting.

Indeed. I personally think that the Russian stuff is what makes the musuem so cool. Without it, there is nothing there you can't see in Florida or Houston. I've been there a couple times, but its been a few years since I was there last. We took a high school trip there for a class, which was awesome.

 

[Matthew]

That's a pretty nice place - I've heard it has more Soviet stuff than anyplace outside the old Soveit Union.

Apollo 13 CM is there, too.

I liked the German displays, the V1s and V2s.

It's been a long time since I've been there, will have to do it again sometime.

 

[Tristar]

That's a nice museum. Jesse and I made a day trip of it last year and flew from Lincoln, NE to Hutchinson for the steak house on the field as well as to visit the Cosmosphere.

 

[Steve]

Their website

http://www.cosmo.org/

With the addition of Liberty Bell 7, the Cosmosphere joins the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and Space Center Houston as the only museums with flown manned Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft in a single location. The Cosmosphere also houses the Gemini 10 and Apollo 13 capsules.

http://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/FEATURE-LibertyBell.html

 

[Ghery]

Last airplane built with a slide rule and measuring tape. (If you don't know what a slide rule is, ask an old pilot. )

Or an old engineer!

 

[DawnW]

cool. Leah and I keep meaning to go up there.

Tony, it's really easy to get there and not usually crowded. Worth an afternoon at least!

 

[wby0nder]

The way they have the sr71 hung gives you very unique and amazing views of it's profiles. Stunning, especially when you walk in the main entrance. Worth the whole trip.

I've heard rumors that its on "loan" from the air force and if they ever need it the roof comes off and a crane goes to work. Matt Teller could probably provide some perspective on that. But the photos of the building going up around it are fascinating anyway.

 

[kmead]

Seriously, don't forget to see me. It seems we live at HUT, you can use the company car too. Just look for the big hangar with an abandoned Malibu.

Kevin