NEW: Rocket Park to open by end of the month—check out the cool new features

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Rocket Park was called “the finest rocket collection in the world” by Mercury astronaut John Glenn, and now, the renovations are nearly complete at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. 

Read to learn fun facts about each of the rockets and the features you’ll want to check out. 

Modern look + historic storytelling

All the rockets at the newly renovated park have been freshly painted—and I can tell you firsthand—they’ve never looked better. However, even while showcasing a modern look, the park still pays tribute to the historic milestones. 

Rocket Park used to have a much more rigid format, featuring lines of rockets on the left and right with a center corridor to walk through, Now, the rockets are staggered throughout the park, strategically placed to weave together a narrative. 

For example, according to Curator Ed Stewart, all the rockets on the right side leading up to the Saturn I rocket show the evolution of technology necessary to achieve the Saturn-I rocket. 

“All rockets in the park leading up to the S-I have engineering components that are the same. They essentially took the tanks and components of the three rockets on the righthand side, made some modifications and stretched them to create the fuel tanks visible on the Saturn I.” 

Ed Stewart, Curator, USSRC

Stewart also highlights how the park showcases an interplay of contributions from the U.S. Army at Redstone Arsenal and missions to the moon, overall painting a picture of Huntsville’s contribution to space exploration. 

“Rocket Park is the story of how Huntsville became what it is. The rockets showcase the technologies that came out of Redstone Arsenal, which formed the foundation of Huntsville’s contribution to space exploration. 

Then on the left side, you watch the progression of landing on the moon—from primates to the lunar probe and the first American in space.” 

Ed Stewart, Curator, USSRC

Fun facts about the rockets

During the restoration, the paint on each rocket was modified to represent the rockets’ historical significance even better, Stewart also shared with us a fun fact about each one (L-R).

• Juno II: Based on the Jupiter rocket, the Juno II was painted in honor of the first successful lunar probe for the U.S. 
• Jupiter: This rocket was painted to represent the flight that took Able and Baker (a rhesus macaque and a squirrel monkey respectively) into space. 
• Jupiter C: This rocket is painted to represent the launch of America’s first satellite, Explorer I. 
• U.S. Army Redstone: This rocket was designed to drop a nuclear payload within a certain range. It’s also significant because it was the first production unit of the rocket and was used to train troops on how to launch the missile. 
• Mercury Redstone: Unlike the other vehicles in the park, this rocket actually lifted off; it was a short but important flight in history! The Mercury Redstone only reached a height of four inches off the ground before landing. Afterward, the rocket was sent to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville for testing to determine why it flew such a short distance. Modifications made to the Mercury Redstone allowed it to be used to launch the first, second, and third Americans into space. 
• Saturn I: The Saturn I was brand new technology with the purpose of landing us on the moon. Fun fact: It takes approximately 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the moon, and the moon is ~240,000 miles away!  

More green spaces = enhanced experience

One of the best parts about the Rocket Park renovations is the expansion of green spaces, a new amphitheater, and the Marshall Retirees Association’s Space Exploration Wall of Honor with the names of more than 21,000 local people whose work sent America to space. The engine section of the SLS Core Stage Pathfinder is also on display to highlight the Rocket City’s continuing role in space exploration 

“With the renovations, Rocket Park will be a more pleasant environment to be in. The park invites visitors to spend more time with each rocket.”

Ed Stewart, Curator, USSRC

BONUS: Pathfinder is still under construction but mark your calendar the Pathfinder Shuttle will get lifted on top of the shuttle stack on August 28 and 29 (weather permitting). 

Learn more + visit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Ready to check out Rocket Park for yourself? Visit the Space & Rocket Center today.

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