From the Mission Control Centre made famous by ‘Houston, we have a problem’ to the European spaceport, these destinations bring you closer to space missions both past, present and future.
Artemis II feels like the perfect salve to the chaos going on down on Earth right now.
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While the repercussions of the US-Israel attack on Iran dominate the headlines, it’s been comforting to see pictures broadcast from the crew showing just how small and insignificant we are in comparison to the wider universe.
There are just a few days left of the mission – the crew should splash down around 2 am CEST on Friday 10 April – but the fascination with space these pictures have reignited in many of us will last far longer.
If you want to learn more about missions past, present and future, here are all the space centres and launch sites around the globe you can actually visit.
Space Center Houston, Texas, US
When you think of the Apollo missions, two quotes probably spring to mind: Neil Armstrong’s “That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”, and Jack Swigert’s “Houston, we have a problem”.
While the latter is technically a misquote popularised by the 1995 Apollo 13 movie (the real quote is “Houston, we’ve had a problem here”), the Mission Control Centre in Texas Swigert was reporting into is very much real – and somewhere you can visit.
The Space Center Houston offers various tours that take you to the NASA Johnson Space Center, including one with a stop off at the Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control where you can learn about the historic missions.
Within the Space Center Houston itself, you’ll find artefacts including the Apollo 17 Command Module, samples from the moon, and various spacesuits.
There is also an exhibition specifically on the Artemis programme and its future plans, as well as an immersive show about the Apollo and Artemis missions narrated by Tom Hanks.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida, US
All of NASA’s launches from Florida take place at either the Kennedy Space Center or the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with the former’s visitor complex offering the closest public viewing platform to both. The complex shares details around upcoming launches on its website, where you can also book tickets for ones that are open to the public.
Outside of viewing a launch, tickets to the visitor complex includes a bus tour which takes you past NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building, Launch Complex 39B (used for the Artemis missions) and Launch Complex 39A (previously used for the Apollo missions, and now used by SpaceX).
You’ll also get to visit the Apollo/Saturn V Center, home to a restored Saturn V launch vehicle, the Apollo 14 command module Kitty Hawk, and a slice of moon rock that you can actually touch.
Within the visitor complex itself you can strap in for a shuttle launch experience and stroll through the astronaut hall of fame.
Space Expo, Noordwijk, Netherlands
While the European Space Agency’s headquarters are in Paris, its main technology development hub, the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), is located in Noordwijk in the Netherlands.
You can go on a guided tour of ESTEC through the Space Expo visitor centre, and you’ll learn about the agency’s important research, the science behind space missions, plus future plans.
At Space Expo you can also explore a 1:1 scale model of the International Space Station (ISS) and look at real satellite photos of earth from space.
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
The ESA’s spaceport is found in Kourou, French Guiana, one of France’s overseas territories in South America.
There are free guided tours twice a day where you’ll get to visit the launch areas for Ariane 6 and Vega-C as well as the control centres, and you’ll also get to learn about the impact of space missions on the environment.
Should you be in town for a launch, there are limited spaces available at viewing sites in the centre, or you can watch from a nearby beach.
The Guiana Space Centre is also home to a museum where you can learn about the history of the European space industry and the spaceport itself.
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
In 1961, history was made at the Baikonur Cosmodrome with the first launch of a human into space, and to this day it is the main site used by Russia for crewed spaceflights.
While its location is no longer a secret, the only way to access the facility and the local town nowadays is through a guided tour – which can be seriously pricey.
Tours are generally timed around launches, and will include visits to the Cosmodrome History Museum, the Yuri Gagarin Monument, and, of course, the Baikonur Observation Site.
Wenchang Space Launch Site, Hainan, China
While many of China’s launches are closed to foreigners, and you won’t be able to take a tour of the Wenchang Space Launch Site itself, there are still plenty of opportunities to get your space fix in Hainan.
Last year, the Yaoguang Rocket Viewing Platform, the first public viewing facility in the area, opened its doors ahead of a Long March-7A rocket launch. Alongside a viewing platform, there are a number of displays explaining China’s space programme as well as themed shops and restaurants.
Alternatively, the Hilton Wenchang is a popular choice for space enthusiasts as you can watch the launches from the beach, with the launch site found just three kilometres away.
