virtual tour of space shuttle

Virtual Tours of Space Shuttles to explore without leaving your couch

Today, we're happy to share with you a couple of great virtual tours from inside NASA Space Shuttles created by Jon Brack, a freelance photographer based out of Washington DC.

Starting in 2011, Jon's experience has expanded to include Virtual Reality (VR) and other immersive 360-degree storytelling platforms. He has created interactive tours of inside the space shuttles, around the ruins of Chernobyl, in all rooms of Elvis Presley's Graceland, and on the isolated beaches of Midway Atoll surrounded by endangered species and marine debris. Jon specializes in telling humanitarian and environmental stories, often in geographically isolated locations.

Today we would like to share with you some of his amazing 360-degree work, virtual tours of spacecrafts that are on display at Kennedy Space Center and California Science Center. You can follow Jon on Kuula and Instagram . Please enjoy!

Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

After the final space shuttle mission in July of 2011, Jon had the opportunity to shoot gigapixel panoramas for National Geographic of all three orbiters during their decommissioning at the Kennedy Space Center. This two-year project also allowed him to follow each orbiter to their new homes in Los Angeles, Washington DC, and at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Space Shuttle Endeavour in the California Science Center

Following its final launch in 2011, Space Shuttle Endeavour was flown to Los Angeles and is now on display in the Samuel Oschin Pavilion at the California Science Center.

If you would like to see more of Jon's work, please visit his website at jonbrack.com . His varied experiences have included living a year at the South Pole, documenting earthquake disaster recovery projects in Nepal, researching Hawaiian monk seals in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and many more.

To start creating virtuals tours like those, please visit Kuula.co and sign up! Creating virtual tours with us is fast and easy!

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The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center displays thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Discovery , a Blackbird SR-71, and a Concorde, in two large hangars.

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Preview what you'll see at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, with galleries dedicated to the story of aviation and space exploration, over 3,000 artifacts on display, expert preservation and restoration on view, and more to discover. 

Learn about human spaceflight, World War II aviation, vertical flight, and much more. 

From lectures to family days, experience new ways to learn about air and space. 

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Fly jet-age combat sorties in simulators that let you perform 360-degree barrel rolls! 

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These portable carts provide opportunities for active looking, discussion, and hands-on activities related to aviation, space exploration, astronomy, and planetary geology.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 am and 11:00 am, drop in to hear a story about air and space read by one of our Museum educators. Perfect for the youngest air and space enthusiasts!

Learn in new ways while making memories at a unique field trip to one of our two locations. 

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Step aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery with Google's 8K virtual tour

Check out the spacecraft in a 360-degree video.

• Named a Tech Media Trailblazer by the Consumer Technology Association in 2019, a winner of SPJ NorCal's Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2022 and has three times been a finalist in the LA Press Club's National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.

Now's your chance to (virtually) step inside the Space Shuttle Discovery.

To commemorate the 34th anniversary of the shuttle's first launch on Thursday, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and Google Arts & Culture released a 360-degree video that lets viewers peer inside Discovery, alongside the astronauts who helped deploy the Hubble Space Telescope. You can adjust the video resolution up to 8K. 

"Discovery flew every kind of mission the Space Shuttle was designed to fly, from Hubble's deployment to the delivery and assembly of International Space Station modules and more," said Ellen R. Stofan, the John and Adrienne Mars director of the National Air and Space Museum, in a statement . "Today, we're celebrating the orbiter's 39 missions and 365 total days in space with this special immersive film, 15 digital exhibits, virtual tours, and over 200 online artifacts."

The video was captured with Google's Halo camera , and features astronauts Charlie Bolden and Kathy Sullivan talking about their experience on Discovery. This is the first time the two have come aboard the spacecraft together in 28 years.  

The Hubble Space Telescope has been deemed one of the most critical scientific tools in history. It collected data that helped expand our understanding of the solar system and universe. 

Discovery is currently on display at the Smithsonian. Its maiden voyage started on Aug. 30, 1984. It's last mission was in March 2015.

"As we enter a new era of spaceflight in the years ahead -- with NASA's Commercial Crew Program and the development of Hubble's successor, the James Webb Space Telescope -- I hope this new collection demonstrates the remarkable progress we've made toward unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and how much farther we can go together," Stofan said.

Endeavour Tours Stay At Home and Explore Space Shuttle Endeavour

By city news service • published may 11, 2020 • updated on may 11, 2020 at 2:18 pm.

The California Science Center is launching virtual reality tours of Space Shuttle Endeavour later this week, giving the spacecraft a new mission: educating and entertaining those staying at home.

Beginning Friday, May 15, the first virtual tour, featuring the flight deck, mid-deck and payload bay, will provide rare 360-degree views of the Endeavour -- which first launched on May 7, 1992, and completed 25 missions into space, including the first service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope as well as the first mission to add a U.S. component to the International Space Station.

The California Science Center website will offer several different tours of the Endeavour to be released throughout the spring and summer, giving participants at home the unique opportunity to explore the shuttle's interior, from the flight deck to the aft compartment.

Visitors typically only see the shuttle's fuselage at the center's Samuel Oschin Pavilion, where Endeavour has been housed since 2012. "It's a pleasure to invite the public to experience the inside of Endeavour in honor of the Space Shuttle's final mission anniversary," Science Center President Jeffrey Rudolph said, noting that the first in a series of four "Inside Endeavour" virtual reality tours commemorates Endeavour's final launch on May 16, 2011. "I'm especially pleased that these VR tours include some views that are rare, even for astronauts. Most importantly, the VR tours reveal the complexity of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's operations and the incredible expertise of the astronauts and engineers who steered it through 25 successful missions," Rudolph said.

The "Inside Endeavour" virtual tours were created by photographer Jon Brack and narrated by Science Center Assistant Aerospace Curator Perry Roth-Johnson.

Since the California Science Center at Exposition Park closed mid- March due to coronavirus stay at home orders, the museum also has offered free online program through various "Stuck at Home Science" activities. Visit the California Science Center .

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Immersive Tour of Space Shuttle Discovery

Take a walk around the smithsonian's national air and space museum's space hangar to get an inside-look at the most accomplished space shuttle..

By Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Special thanks to Nick Partridge, host of AirSpace, the podcast from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. s.si.edu/airspacepodcast

Discovery’s First Mission: A Resounding Success, After a Faltering Start

Speed of sound, remembering world war ii through art, behind the scenes: light fields of discovery, better propellers for “the few”: desmond cooke’s legacy in the battle of britain, human spaceflight (udvar-hazy center), conserving artifacts from command module columbia, how john glenn suited up for space, astronauts’ candy-coated space snacks, mitsubishi a6m zero fighter.

Space Shuttle

• Space Shuttle Discovery

Flashback Friday: Take a VR tour of Space Shuttle Discovery

In a time when traveling to a museum might not be the best of ideas (Thanks, COVID!!), being able to take a virtual tour is a godsend when you want to satiate your curiosity about something. Luckily, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum has us covered with a VR tour of Space Shuttle Discovery.

The video below is a VR tour of Discovery at her final home at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles, Virginia, part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. In the video, we join retired astronauts Charlie Bolden and Kathy Sullivan as they reminisce about their time on STS-31, Discovery’s mission to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope. After being lifted up to the hatch, our hosts climb aboard and spend time reliving the flight for us in different parts of the ship.

During breaks in their stories, we get a few moments to look around in 3D to get a good view of each part of the ship. We even go for a walk inside the payload bay which we can see was not stripped down for Discovery’s retirement like the engine bay. But in this case, the bay is empty, unlike Atlantis which is on display with the bay doors open.

In a stroke of luck, I wouldn’t have known about this space shuttle tour had I not been there when the empty interior views were being recorded. It was a few days after the American solar eclipse of 2017. I decided to make a big trip out of the event and capped off the week with a visit to Discovery . Naturally, I tried to see if there was some way to get up there and get a closer look (or maybe go inside) but it didn’t happen. But, like Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I tried.

Thankfully, this VR tour captures both the inside AND the outside of Space Shuttle Discovery so you can see what it’s like to stand in the shadow of this legendary vehicle. Due to the pandemic, visiting hours for the museum are changing as they adapt to evolving guidelines. Hopefully this little tour can suffice until we can all visit again safely.

BONUS VIDEO: On YouTube, literally right next to the 3D video embedded above, is this little gem seen below. Our tour guides, Charlie and Kathy, stop on the mid-deck and and take a moment to answer that age-old question that gets asked of every astronaut wherever they go: “How do you go to the bathroom in space?”

Oh, and for some reason, this video is also done in 3D.

While they both talk about it, Charlie steps up to explain how the toilet works and why it works the way it does. He shares details about the toilet but not ALL of them (Don’t ask me how I know) Yes, Charlie Bolden, the retired astronaut, former NASA administrator and retired United States Marine Corps Major General made a short video about how a toilet works. Ah, the glamorous life of an astronaut.

• Hubble Space Telescope: Out of Order, not anymore
• Space Shuttle Close Out Crew leader’s suit placed on display at Smithsonian
• This Day In Space (July 8, 2011): The launch of STS-135, the final Space Shuttle launch

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The Space Shuttle Pavilion will be closed due to exhibition planning from  Tuesday, September 3 through Friday, September 13  

Space Shuttle Pavilion

Our Space Shuttle Pavilion is home to Enterprise , NASA’s prototype orbiter that paved the way for the space shuttle program, with 17 dynamic exhibit zones featuring original artifacts, photographs, audio and films that immerse visitors in this historic era.

Check out our most spacious exhibition yet, Apollo: When We Went to the Moon through September 2.   The Space Shuttle Pavilion will be closed Tuesday, September 3 through Friday, September 13.

Walk directly underneath the orbiter or visit an elevated platform for a dramatic view. Then, see a space-flown Soyuz TMA-6 space capsule up close and explore the contrast between the two incredible spacecraft.

Enter the Pavilion through a soundscape featuring actual conversations between mission control and Enterprise pilots during flight tests. Then, explore immersive displays of Enterprise ’s design and the talented team behind the shuttle program. 

The successful transport of Enterprise started with a flight from Washington, DC to JFK Airport before a multi-day trip from JFK to New Jersey, and finally, up the Hudson River to the Intrepid Museum, where it opened to the public on July 19, 2012.

Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut, is now the Senior Adviser for space programs for the Intrepid Museum and a professor at Columbia University. Mike is a veteran of two space flights, the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009.

Fun fact: Mike is the first astronaut to tweet from space!

Follow along with the space shuttle Enterprise as it makes its way on its final journey to the Intrepid Museum’s Flight Deck!

Browse records from all four categories of our collections: objects, media, archives and oral histories. Explore thematic and item-specific groupings or uncover personal artifacts like uniforms, souvenirs and images.

We offer a number of compelling programs and events that celebrate history, science, technology and engineering in exciting ways.

Get up close and personal with early spaceflight pioneers and see how small steps became giant leaps into the future of Mars exploration.

Go behind the scenes with astronaut and Museum Senior Space Adviser Mike Massimino, and explore the thrilling history and design of the space shuttle, Enterprise .

Astro Live is a fun-filled and educational experience for the whole family that explores space, astronomy and more. Listen in on talks from leading scientists, and take part in activities and demos by Museum educators.

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Control Center 360º Tour

Go behind the scenes at the heart of Hubble operations with this 360-degree virtual tour.

Take a 360-degree, virtual tour of the Hubble Space Telescope’s home for mission operations, the Space Telescope Operations Control Center (STOCC) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Begin in the lobby to learn about the orbiting spacecraft. Visit the Mission Operations Room, where the flight operators command and monitor Hubble. Step into the Operations Support Room, where the flight team investigates spacecraft anomalies and verifies new procedures. Then explore the exhibit hallway to view hardware that once flew in space aboard Hubble as well as tools that astronauts used to repair and upgrade the observatory.

(To watch 360° videos, you need the latest version of Chrome, Opera, Firefox, or MS Edge on your computer. On mobile devices, use the latest version of the YouTube app.)

More Hubble Activities and Links

Calling Future Explorers

Start with a 360-degree video and discover the unique paths that led people to careers with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Explore the Night Sky

Using our Skymap, find astronomical objects with a backyard telescope, or binoculars, then compare your view to Hubble's images of the object.

Hubble Albums

Flip through Hubble's Flickr albums and see astronauts at work in space, behind the scenes of mission operations, and images from nebulae to gravitational lens.

Hubble E-books

Investigate the mysteries of the universe, or dive into Hubble's history with our free, downloadable e-books.

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Hear about Hubble's mission, discoveries, and images.

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From science to history, from servicing mission to technology, and from documentaries to human interest stories, NASA had produced a library of informative and interesting videos on the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Virtual Museum Tours

We now offer live, online tours of our famous aircraft and galleries, catered to your interests, and guided by our experts. Perfect for groups and gatherings!

Online Tour with an Aerospace Hotshot

Choose a live, online tour from the Museum that combines your interests and our experts! This one-hour experience is all about satisfying your aviation or space curiosities with a personal tour of your favorite gallery led by one of our curators or aerospace mavens. Our collection spans the history of flight from World War I to today’s new space race, so we can tailor your tour to be comprehensive or specific, interactive or passive, with each geared to your audience—company employees or convention attendees, friends and kids, clubs, and aerospace enthusiasts. Make your event special with an online visit from The Museum of Flight.

Price: $500 for a 60 minute program (45 minute tour; 15 minute Q&A)

Virtual Aircraft Cabin Tours for Groups – Live!

The cockpit of a B-17 bomber is normally a tight fit for even a couple people, but there is always room for your group during our live, 3D virtual tours! Step inside with an expert guide as they take you a virtual journey through some of the Museum’s most historic aircraft. You will be enlightened with guide’s inside stories, and be led through the entire cabin and cockpit. It’s all live, so ask questions and stop to check out the smallest details. Most of these aircraft are never open to the public, so this is an opportunity for you and your friends to take a trip to the rare world inside of vintage bombers, airliners, Air Force One, and even the Space Shuttle. Choose up to three different interior tours during each one-hour experience.

Price: $200 for a 60 minute program (45 minute tour; 15 minute Q&A)

Book a Tour

Both tours are offered Monday – Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM (Pacific). If you’d like to schedule a tour outside of this time frame, contact us for availability.

Please contact Private Events at privateevents@museumofflight.org or call us at 206-764-5706 .

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HYPERDECK is an all-new immersive, virtual reality experience . Up to 8 players enter into a dynamic virtual world featuring a full-motion floor and multi-sensory effects like strong winds, heat, and earth-rattling movements. 

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We’re heading back to the Moon – and we need your help!

Blast off from Launch Complex 39 at Hyperdeck, an immersive multi-simulator virtual reality experience. Suit up and help collect lunar minerals along the Moon’s surface. Feel the rush of the air as you glide from one location to the next or the heat from the boosters as you soar high above Earth’s atmosphere while the ground rattles beneath you. Two groups of four players can enter the virtual world at a time. Outside the game, spectators can use tablets located around the exterior of the Hyperdeck stations to help players – or challenge them. The experience lasts approximately seven minutes. Guests must transfer from a wheelchair/ECV.

An on-site reservation is required to experience this attraction.* Availability is limited daily. Reserve your mission when you first arrive.

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You Can Now Tour the International Space Station From the Comfort of Your Home

You can now travel to space without decades of hard work and training..

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Chances are the coronavirus outbreak has curtailed any ambitious summer vacation plans you may have had. But as far as Google is concerned, that doesn’t need to be the case. In fact, the internet giant wants to take you to space.

Google Arts & Culture now offers a full, 360-degree virtual tour of the International Space Station, and it’s accessible to anyone with internet access. Making use of the company’s Street View technology, the tour lets you explore every single nook and cranny of the 21-year-old space station without the decades of hard work and preparation that would normally require.

A look inside the International Space Station  Google Arts & Culture

While you won’t get to experience the feel of floating through the space station, Google’s digital exhibition feels like the next best thing. You can travel down any of ISS’s long and winding tunnels and look around all of its equipment-packed rooms. You can even check out the crew quarters and see some of the astronauts’ personal items.

In addition to the tour, Google has also whipped up a fun and educational ISS-themed informational program. Aimed specifically at younger virtual space tourists, the show attempts to illustrates what life on the station is like. It covers everything from what and how the visiting astronauts eat to the effect that zero-gravity takes on their bodies while they orbit the Earth.

Google Arts & Culture

If your virtual trip to the ISS has only managed to stoke your appetite for more space content, Google has you covered. The station tour is just one of several digital exhibitions Arts & Culture has on its Space Exploration page. Other exhibitions of interest include a closer look at the moon landing , a tribute to women who have gone to space , as well as scores of high-definition video content shot from space. Of course, if your virtual traveling interests are more earthbound, there’s still plenty of content for you to check out on Arts & Culture, too. The company also has countless virtual tours of tourist attractions, national parks and museums around the world.

Bryan Hood is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. Before joining the magazine, he worked for the New York Post, Artinfo and New York magazine, where he covered everything from celebrity gossip to…

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