The Apollo Courtyard, located adjacent to the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, is the new entry to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s (USSRC) museum complex and is also a stop on the Huntsville Tourist Bus Loop. Because this exhibit is located outside the ticketing area, it is free and open to the public. Guests entering the Davidson Center, both during regular museum hours and for special after-hour events, walk through the Apollo Courtyard.

According to the Alabama State Department of Transportation, 92,000 vehicles pass the U.S. Space & Rocket Center on I-565 each day; thus, the Apollo Courtyard is perfectly positioned for very high visibility. Last year the center was host to over 500,000 visitors, 34,000 space camp attendees, and visitors from 57 countries. The USSRC routinely attracts visitors from around the world, including international business leaders. The USSRC is the official Visitor Information Center for the Marshall Space Flight Center. Because it is the official museum for both NASA and the Army, both organizations use the facility for entertaining, and they routinely bring in senior-level groups for tours. The Apollo Courtyard is the arrival zone for all guests.

The centerpiece of the Apollo Courtyard is a 363-foot replica of the Saturn V rocket, the Center’s permanent exhibit on the Apollo Missions. The F-1 engines on this rocket are positioned approximately 12 feet above the courtyard, creating a shaded alcove. Plans call for installing misters into each of the five F-1 engines that can either be triggered manually or preset to “launch” at designated times during the day. The engines also will be equipped with LED lights and the courtyard area will feature a sound system from which the NASA audio of an actual Saturn V launch sequence will be played. With the combination of historical information and the entertainment of the simulated “launches” of the Saturn V replica, we envision that the courtyard will be a place that area residents of all ages and travelers staying in nearby hotels will want to visit in the evenings.