With Donald Trump vowing to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars” during his current presidency, and the first orbital hotel due by 2030, space is going to be floating high on the news agenda for the foreseeable future. But the good news for all non-billionaires (and non-astronauts) is that there are plenty of space-related destinations to visit on terra firma, right now.
Whether you’re into stargazing or satellites, spacewalks or shuttles – or even the possibility of first contact with alien life – there’s a place on planet Earth to add to your interstellar bucket list.
As with the 1960s “space race”, the US is setting the pace in terms of space tourism too, boasting top attractions like the restored Apollo Mission Control in Houston, the Very Large Array in New Mexico and the grandaddy of them all: Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral – the launch pad for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions, as well as the Space Shuttle programme.
If you’re looking for out-of-this-world holiday options, read on to discover our top 10 destinations for space lovers.
1. Kennedy Space Center: Florida, USA
Perched on Florida’s Atlantic coast, just a short drive from Cape Canaveral, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the holy grail for interstellar enthusiasts. Not only can you get up close and personal with real spacecraft (including the Space Shuttle Atlantis) and mission-worn space suits, but you can also try your hand at landing or docking an orbiter via their astronaut training simulators. The Center’s LC-39 Observation Gantry is arguably the best spot in the world to watch real-life launches – and it now has interactive exhibits to enjoy while you wait for blast off.
2. Baikonur Cosmodrome: Kazakhstan
Forget Borat; the Baikonur Cosmodrome is Kazakhstan’s real claim to fame. The world’s oldest and largest spaceport (Yuri Gagarin blasted off from here), it is still actively used by Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, which has a lease until 2050. Despite heavy security, members of the public are allowed to take tours via licensed operators – usually as part of package holidays. Once inside the vast site, lovers of historic rockets will be in heaven, as will young wannabe astronauts who will revel in the science of space travel at the on-site museum.
3. Very Large Array: New Mexico, USA
If you’ve always dreamed of communicating with distant galaxies, then a trip to the Very Large Array near Socorro in New Mexico is a must. The aptly monikered telescope facility – which featured in the films Independence Day and Contact – consists of 27 gargantuan satellite dishes, which work together as a super-antenna for listening to the deep universe. Visitors can check out a small museum, with an on-site cinema showing a film about the array which is, perhaps unsurprisingly, narrated by Jodie Foster. After that, it’s a self-guided walking tour of the mega-dishes themselves, before hitting the gift shop.
4. Cité de l’Espace: Toulouse, France
Underlining Toulouse’s status as “the European Capital of Space”, this educational theme park is stuffed with interactive exhibits, life-sized rockets and eclectic space paraphernalia. Particularly family-friendly, it boasts two planetariums and a modern Imax cinema where you can watch a documentary about the dramatic orbital repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, voiced by Leonardo DiCaprio. Astronautical wonders on display include a complete 55-metre replica of the Ariane 5 rocket, as well as Soviet Mir and Soyuz orbital modules.
5. Space Academy: Huntsville, Alabama, USA
Nicknamed “Rocket City”, Huntsville is home to the world’s largest space museum, the US Space and Rocket Center, where the headline act is “Adult Space Academy”. Over the course of a weekend, and in the shadow of three towering Saturn V rockets, guests get zipped into shiny new space suits and immersed in the art of astronauting, from shuttle operation to simulated spacewalks, and even the human centrifuge. Check beneath the helmets of your fellow students too: many Hollywood actors have completed the course, including Billy Bob Thornton and Chris Pratt.
6. Tanegashima Space Center: Tanegashima, Japan
Japan’s largest space facility, Tanegashima Space Center, is open to the public year-round, except during launches. It’s a tad tricky to get there – the facility sits on its namesake island, 27 miles south of Kyushu – but regular ferries (and faster jetfoils) make the pilgrimage. Once you’ve arrived, you’ll have access to the free Space Science and Technology Museum and its excellent multilingual exhibits, including a fascinating section on the International Space Station. Don’t hurry back to the mainland either: Tanegashima is home to some of Japan’s best beaches and finest surfing.
7. Space Center Houston: Texas, USA
The first word spoken on the moon was “Houston”, so it’s only fitting that the city is now home to one of the best interstellar museums on Earth. At Space Center Houston, you can nerd out over everything from a fleet of lunar buggies to a new and painstaking recreation of Mission Control from 1969, which was instrumental in that one small step for man. At the other end of our giant leap, don’t miss the “Mission Mars” exhibit, detailing mankind’s ongoing efforts to reach the red planet. If that’s not enough, you can book a VIP tour of Nasa’s neighbouring Johnson Space Center – and even book lunch with an astronaut.
8. Zero-G Experience: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Find out what it’s really like to float in space courtesy of one of Zero-G’s parabolic flights above the Nevada Desert. Aboard a specially adapted Boeing 727, complete with padded walls, you’ll experience waves of weightlessness for 20-30 seconds at a time, floating like a feather as the pilot surfs the skies over Sin City. This is the closest it gets to life in space, which is why Nasa astronauts use the same plane for their actual training. With flights starting at £8,000, the adventure doesn’t come cheap – but Zero-G will also provide professional photos of the experience to guarantee your bragging rights forever. (Flights are also available in other US cities, such as Seattle and Miami, depending on your chosen departure date.)
9. National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC
A space lover’s paradise, the National Air and Space Museum is operated by the Smithsonian Institute and is completely free to visit. Centrally located on the National Mall, the galactic-sized building boasts an incredible 22 exhibition galleries, covering everything from space flight to planetary science – and one of the greatest collections of spacecraft on Earth, including the Apollo 11 command module and the Space Shuttle Enterprise. When you get tired of walking around with your head in the heavens, take a seat in front of the building’s five-storey Imax screen and have your mind blown all over again.
10. Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles, California
Earth’s glitziest galactic observation post, Griffith Observatory, sits on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood, in the middle of Los Angeles. Bristling with telescopes and interactive exhibits, it is also home to the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, which hosts daily programmes on intergalactic topics ranging from alien oceans to the trajectory of comets. Not only will you be able to scan the heavens in style from here, but you’ll also get a bonus, all-encompassing view of the City of Angels in all its splendour.