Here's my review of the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex (KSCVC) 'Explore Tour,' a $30 add-on that is a must-do. The price tag is well worth it for the additional experience you get. While we're all waiting for the Artemis II launch, you have an amazing opportunity to see the SLS Artemis II rocket up close. Come check out the Explore Tour with me...
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KSC EXPLORE TOUR GUIDE
above: Entering KSCVC you'll pass the Rocket Garden. I definitely recommend stopping by for a guided walk through with a knowledgeable docent who will tell you about these amazing vehicles.
below: Past the Rocket Garden and Gateway you'll see the Bus Tours transfer facility. This is where you'll go to get on your bus. If you're going on the KSC Explore Tour, you'll need to have your QR code or ticket ready to present. If you're going on the complimentary Behind The Gates (BTG) tour, just head on in and hop on the next available bus.
KSC Explore Tour Important Info:
This tour is selling out weeks in advance at this point. Use the link below to see if the date you want is available. If it is not available, you can still enjoy the BTG tour!
Pro Tip #1: BUY TICKETS ONLINE NOW
Pro Tip #2: There is a $5.60 'convenience fee' if you purchase online, BUT... you can call and buy these tickets from a representative (855-433-4210) and bypass that fee.
Look your best! Before you board the bus, there's a photo op with KSCVC's professional photographers.
Let's head out for your tour! The first stop for both the BTG and KSC Explore Tour is the LC-39 Gantry. Before we get there, we'll see the gigantic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
above: Pictured here is where the KSC Explore Tour will be stopping on the way back for passengers to get photos in front of the building.
below: At the gantry BTG passengers have unlimited time here. Once you've seen all you want, just get on any BTG bus and you'll head over to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Explore Tour passengers will be on a bit of a time table in order to accommodate the tour operators. If you want to come back out to the Gantry later, just hop on a BTG bus at the transfer facility after you've returned.
From the LC-39 Gantry, you have a beautiful view out over all of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS). Below are shots of the closest launch sites. Let's head up to the 4th floor and take a look around...
These tight zooms are all made with a 70-300mm zoom at 300mm
After exiting the elevator, head out onto the Gantry's exterior walkway...
above: On the left is United Launch Alliance (ULA) Payload Processing Facility (PPF). On the right, SpaceX's PPF, formerly known as the Solid Motor Assembly Building (SMAB). Far in the distance on the left is Blue Origin's facilities at Space Launch Complex (SLC) 36.
below: SLC-40, SpaceX Falcon 9 launches from here. The central tower contains an elevator and crew access arm for crewed missions using SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule. The pad is surrounded by 4 lightning arrest towers. The building to the right is a Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF), where encapsulated payloads are mated to assembled rockets (first and second stages connected by an interstage) for launch. There are typically 2-3 rockets being assembled in these facilties at any given time.
above: ULA's Vertical Integration Facility (VIF). This is where the ULA core stage is mated to the Centaur second stage, solid rocket boosters (SRB's) are mounted on the core, and finally the encapsulated payload is mounted atop the rocket. All this work is completed vertically with cranes lifting the parts into the VIF.
below: The ULA launch pad at SLC-41 is about 1,800 ft (m) from the VIF, and the rocket (either Vulcan or Atlas) is transported there on a railroad-like car called a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). Like the SpaceX facilities, the tower contains an elevator and crew access arm for personel launching in the Starliner capsule. Lightning arrest towers also compliment the pad's safety features.
Panning to the east - and we're still on The Gantry here - looking across at SpaceX's LC 39-A operations. At the left, the dark tower is the elevator and crew access tower and behind it the water tower. In the middle the massive Starship launch tower - Starship will be launching from KSC possibly by the end of this year! Finally on the right is the SpaceX HIF at LC 39-A.
below: Further north, your first 'good' view of LC 39-B with the SLS Artemis II rocket standing tall. You're 2.17 miles (3.5km) from the rocket here.
below: Facing west you'll be looking back at the VAB and the service tower for Artemis III.
Leaving the Gantry you're about to take a slow roll past LC 39-A, home of SpaceX's Falcon and Falcon Heavy. This historic site launched the Space Shuttle, and before it the Apollo missions.
Pro Tip: Sit on the driver's side of the bus when leaving the Gantry, this gives you the window seat for this drive-by viewing opportunity. The bus does not stop here.
above: The HIF at LC 39-A. Looking closer at the image you can see the launch tower and up at the pad the Transporter Erector which carries the assembled rocket to the pad for launch and then stands it up. Once the machine has gone vertical, it is referred to as the Strongback.
Your driver will proceed past here quite slowly, giving you a fantastic opportunity to see these facilties up close.
Next you're off to the A/B Photo Mound where you'll have a commanding view of pads A & B. Located about 4,600 ft (1.4km) from Pad B, you've got a magnificent view of SLS!
above: shot with a 10-22mm zoom at 22mm
below: shot with a 70-300mm zoom at 75 mm
It's a great spot for a selfie with someone you love! Here's LaunchInSight editor Chris with his wife Danielle. Standard iPhone selfie camera view.
update 1/30/2026: NASA has announced that the Wet Dress Rehearsal will be held on Feb 2, which pushes the launch date out to NET Feb 8. During this time, there may be times that KSCVC is not able to provide the stop at LC 39-B.
Your next stop - and this is why I'm making such a big deal of this - is at the gate to LC 39-B! You can't get off the bus here, but the drivers are pulling up very slowly and stopping in just the right place for you to get a picture! Some of these I shot through the bus window just to give you some perspective on how close you really are. This 1,800 feet (577m) from the pad. You will never get any closer as a civilian.
above: Everyone was hustling to get to a window for a picture when they realized the SLS rocket was this close! Wait for the the bus to stop! They want you to take pictures safely!
below: iPhone 13 wide camera view through the window.
Pro Tip: The drivers may open the door and allow you to go stand in the stairwell to take a picture. Be prepared. If you have a camera with interchangeable lenses, have that lens ready to go. If you're going to use a phone, have the camera open. Give everyone a chance to get a picture. This is a GREAT opportunity to share with your new friends!
All of my pictures are through the bus windows!
below: the Crawler that transported the SLS out to the pad. This was taken with an iPhone 17 at 26mm equivalent focal length by another passenger who generously shared it with me. This was taken from the doorway of the bus. Don't be afraid to go up there and get a picture. Don't be afraid to ask other passengers to share their photos with you!
From here you're off to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Along the way you're scheduled to stop for a photo op in front of the VAB. Our tour was a little behind schedule from the beginning (unusual, and not really the fault of the tour operators), so we had no choice but to skip that photo op. I think everyone would have agreed that the extra time we go to be up close with SLS was a very acceptable tradeoff.
Google map with all points labeled
WHEN WILL ARTEMIS II LAUNCH?
There are launch windows on February 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11. If Artemis cannot launch during that period, the next opportunity is March 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11, followed by opportunities in April 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Hopefully we'll see Artemis launch right at the opening of the first window, 9:41 pm on Friday, February 6. Launching a rocket to the moon sure would be a great way to start the weekend!
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