We took a little road trip over to the Alamogordo area of New Mexico. We stopped at White Sands National Monument. It's a small "National Park" that contains the largest gypsum sand dunes in the country. The sand looks and feels like the stuff found at the most beautiful beaches. You can play in the dunes -- bring or buy a saucer and sled down them. This park is wedged in between two military bases. The Army's White Sands Missile Range -- where the first atomic bomb was dropped and an AirForce base. The Airbase is a backup landing site for the space shuttle although its only been used once. There is also a NASA facility in the area.
We also checked out the Space Museum in Alamogordo. It has all the old stuff in it they used to help prepare astronauts for space flight for the Mercury up to the Apollo missions. Old space suits -- American and Soviet along with examples of the dehydrated food they ate -- even the "toilet" facitlities. The museum also has a collection of the different rockets that were tested as well as an incredible collection of satellite technology. We understand now why this area is crazy about space and willing to help fund a commercial "SpacePort". Where eventually anyone with the money can take a ride in space.
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