It is so awesome to see a return to astronaut space missions by Space X from Cape Canaveral on May 30th. I will say that it was on my bucket list to take a trip to outer space. I not only fulfilled it, but went to Mars. So imagine this all leads to Mission to Mars which was at Tomorrowland until 1992. This attraction is located at the Alien Pizza Planet location and I would have liked that dated attraction than the pizza that is served. I took the attraction for granted and really didn’t take photos. Similar to Journey to Inner Space. You enter Mission Control which had a room of control panels and the flight director, Mr. Johnson, an Audio-Animatronic figure which again is a marvel of technology, but as a kid, I went get on with the ride! There is a little comic moment with an intruder alert from a clumsy bird. Then, you get to the ride itself, a circular theater, several rows, with a panels above and below. There are also large screens with technical information.
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| Mission:SPACE, EPCOT, 2010, photo by the author. |
You get narration by Third Officer Collins. You see the rocket blast on the lower screen, feel the rumble, and see the blue sky of your destination. Then, you lose booster engines and then get ready for a hyperspace jump so you can make the journey in seconds. Collins explains the details of the mission as you make your space travel. You are headed to Mars Acquistion Velocity and head into hyperspace. This makes a surreal light show and whirring sound. Then, you get a view of Mars, courtesy of the Imagineers. Next, two camera drones are sent to the Mars surface. You are shown some features of Mars like Mariner Valley and then a view of the camera drone showing a rift. Then, a view of Olympus Mon with the camera drone exploring it. Then, Collins is interrupted by the camera drone hit by meteorites, it is an emergency as your ship is hit by meteorites so it is back into a surreal hyperspace to return to Earth. Some videos exist for the attraction.
In WDW, it was replaced by ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which had an alien creature transported to a tube. Lights turn out and then you are sprayed with “blood”, it wasn’t a fun attraction. This closed in 2003 and then there was Stitch’s Great Escape which had you enter the Galactic Federation Prisoner Teleport Center. There is another Audio-Animatronic scene with a Sergeant and Skippy from the previous attraction. You enter the prisoner teleportation chamber, theater, and then Stitch of course runs amok in the theater. Stitch spit is more fun than “blood.” Next, Stitch is seen escaping into the park! The area is still up, but the ride is inconsistently open and will most likely be closed. So let’s head over to EPCOT, head to Future World East, and it is next to Test Track. The attraction replaced the former Horizons. The outside of the attraction features sytlized arcs, flowers, and the X-2 Deep Space Shuttle hurtling from Earth to the large globe of Mars.
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| X-2 Capsule, Mission: SPACE, photo by the author. |
The cast member outside asks you if you want the Green, less intense ride, or the Orange, more intense ride. I don’t try the intense rollercoasters, but you don’t go halfway if you are going to outer space. I said Orange all the way and took the Orange Mission pass which has the warnings. You enter the ISTC, International Space Training Center, which has a replica of the ride vehicle, the capsule that contains the riders. There is also a model of larger X-1 spacecraft and a lunar rover hanging overhead. Next to it is a massive, spinning gravity wheel from the X-1. There is a control station that looks like Mission to Mars. Where is Mr. Johnson? Once you hand your pass, there is a wall of astronaut suits, and you are given your crew assignments. There is Navigator, Pilot, Commander, and Engineer. This is of course similar to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. I usually got Engineer. The mission is explained by Capcom, this was Gary Sinese, which was cool since he was in Apollo 13 (1995). Now, it is Gina Torres, who is Zoe in Firefly, I would have liked both actors in the two sections.
She shows you the X-2 space shuttle which uses “solid hydrogen” fuel, next the crew positions are shown, and she notes that you have to work as a team. This is similar to the Falcon ride, you need to activate certain buttons, but if a position is missing, the action will be taken automatically. A video shows you the curved hallway with the position and numbers. The video shows the X-2 Flight Simulators and the narrator explains the “turblence and g-forces.” Once you find your crew position, another video gives the warning, Capcom explains that your objective is to reach Dallas Marinaras on Mars. The trajectory uses a slingshot around the Moon for a “lunar gravity assist”, the trip takes three months, during which you are put in hypersleep. This is more reasonable than the hyperspace jump. The next video shows you how to enter the simulator and prepare for the ride including bringing down the restraint. The narrator says that you should lean back and always keep your eyes open or you will be disoriented. This is the only ride where there is motion sickness bags for sick riders.
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| Astronaut suits, Mission:SPACE, photo by the author. |
The door opens and you enter the simulator, there are two simulators side by side, and the two hatches are closed by the cast members. There are four panels that show the status of the X-2. Capcom tells you that there are two tasks you are responsible for, Engineer gets to activate Hypersleep and extend the ship’s wings for descent. You see the camera move from the launch pad to the launch rail and the sky and clouds above. Mission control reports main engine start, you see the blast and then feel the G-forces crushing you in your seat! It is the best sensation in any ride. You pass through the clouds and then reach outer space! The Commander activates second stage separtation and then you get Zero-g. This is another novel sensation, you feel light, I don’t feel spinning or see it from the simulator. It is awesome to see the Earth spinning below you and then passing the International Space Station. Navigator fires the rockets to orbit around the Moon. Then, you get a good look at our Earth, before the good ol’ Engineer activates hypersleep. The screen is covered with ice. Everything turns to black.
Then, an alarm wakes everyone up, there is Mars before you, but there is a meteor storm! Pilot hits the shields, maneuvering through the meteors is something out of Empire Strikes Back!, once clear you see the surface of Mars and Navigator hits rockets for descent. This is a fast descent, an impressive visual I haven’t seen in sci fi planetary landings, and Engineer gets to activate the wings for gliding. You reach the canyons and there is another alarm that auto pilot has failed! Commander has to hit manual control and everyone has a control stick to guide the X-2 from hitting the canyon walls! It is an intense Top Gun-ride through the canyon with Capcom telling you what direction to move the control stick. You reach the crater and snow-slicked landing strip of Dallas Marianas. It is not an easy landing since you are at an incredible acceleration! This is duplicated in Star Tours. The snow collapses and you get a peek at the bottom of the crater! Capcom and all of the ISTC personnel clap for your accomplishment and welcomes you to Mars! At the exit of the attraction is the Advanced Training Lab, computer stations for young ones to become astronauts. I exited Mission:SPACE and immediately returned to take another trip, the cast member handing out passes was stunned that I was up for another intense trip! The attraction is an opportunity to be on the Demo-2 mission and even beyond to Mars!
#MissionSPACE, #Epcot, #MissiontoMars, #GinaTorres
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