Mission: SPACE

Fulfill your fantasy of being an astronaut as you dodge meteors, navigate nebulae and slingshot around the moon.

Your journey to Mars begins at Planetary Plaza, where you’ll find inspirational quotes from pioneers of space travel.

From there, make your way to the Simulation Lab, which houses a 35-foot-tall gravity wheel like the kind NASA uses to simulate gravity in deep space. A genuine NASA Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), one of only 4 in existence, is also on display, on loan from the Smithsonian. Then pass by the Command Room, a glass bullpen where ISTC mission-control personnel are hard at work, manning their control panels.

Before you board, actor Gary Sinise briefs you as you prepare for your mission to Mars on the X-2 Deep Space Shuttle at the International Space Training Center (ISTC). Each member of your 4-cadet crew will assume an important role: navigator, pilot, commander or engineer. During your flight, each cadet will be instructed to initiate a mission-critical sequence, so be prepared!

Board your vessel, lower your harness and brace yourself for the incredible force of lift-off. Get goose bumps as you arc around the moon and then hold on tight as you attempt a precarious precision landing on the Red Planet’s alien surface.

Your crew is counting on you to do your part to ensure a successful mission and a safe trip back to Earth!

Mars-bound cadets can choose from 2 levels of training. Both offer the same training mission but differ in intensity. The Orange Team is the more intense training experience, while the Green Team is less intense.

The Orange Team experience uses a centrifuge that spins and tilts to simulate the speed and G-forces of a spacecraft launch and re-entry, while the Green Team experience is a motion simulator ride that does not spin.

If you are prone to motion sickness or uncertain about which level to choose, you should opt for the Green Team for a less intense but still thoroughly exhilarating experience.