The challenge of President John F. Kennedy, to put a man on the moon by the end of the 60's, had its beginning several decades before the formation of NASA. As the guests have seen in other parts of Space Center Houston, the equipment and the technology have been developing since Robert Goddard's time. This attraction shows the excitement, the commitment and the risks taken by the people who fly in space. Here we can see the evolution of the equipment and the training of the men and women who dreamed to be astronauts. Nearly 300 people have flown in space since the first Mercury rocket took off in May 1961 with astronaut Alan Shepard, Jr. on board. That first flight lasted only 15 minutes. Contrast that with the May 1992 flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavor. That mission duration was 9 days with 7 crew members on board. Other missions have been longer in duration depending on the tasks that they were given to do.

People of all ages are fascinated with what it takes to be an astronaut. Many have dreamed and planned and prepared for years to become one. The class of 1992 had over 2000 applications of which 87 people were interviewed. From the 87, 19 US citizens and 6 international candidates were selected. There are requirements for education, physical and psychological fitness that must be met before you can become an astronaut.

We want guests to experience first hand what it takes to be an astronaut. The film, shown on a 5-story tall screen, takes the viewer by the heart to bring them into the life of an astronaut from the time they receive notification of their acceptance into the training program to their first mission. The film goes behind the scenes and allows the viewers to experience weightlessness, view the earth from space and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow astronauts and crew members.