Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Premieres 'Apollo 13: T

by Kennedy Space Center

Tom Hanks and Ron Howard, star and director of the acclaimed "Apollo 13" film, joined Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida Thursday, November 14 for the premiere of the digitally remastered film in the Visitor Complex's IMAX theater. "Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience" airs daily and is free with admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex ($26 adults, $16 children 3-11). The Visitor Complex is located 45 minutes east of Orlando, Florida.

(PRNewsFoto)[TK] KENNEDY SPACE CENTER , FL USA 11/15/2002

Special Guests Captain Jim Lovell, Director Ron Howard and Actor Tom Hanks On Hand to Commemorate Event

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The newest attraction at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opened this week, with the official premiere of "Apollo 13: The IMAX(R) Experience." The film will be shown daily at 3:30 at the Visitor Complex, and is free with admission.

A series of special events at the Visitor Complex commemorated the occasion. On Wednesday, November 13, Apollo 13 Commander James Lovell and Flight Director Gene Kranz joined more than 350 guests at the Visitor Complex for "Dinner and a Movie." Guests enjoyed a special screening of the dramatic, true story, followed by a buffet dinner with the commander of the heroic Apollo 13 mission and the famed flight director who helped bring the crew home safely. Lovell and Kranz shared their unique experiences during the famous mission, and how they worked together -- Lovell from the damaged spacecraft 205,000 miles away, and Kranz at Mission Control in Houston -- to bring the astronauts back to Earth safely.

Kennedy Space Center also welcomed Apollo 13 Director Ron Howard and Actor Tom Hanks, who joined Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell for a press conference at the Visitor Complex Thursday, November 14. The three made an appearance on behalf of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, of which Lovell is chairman. Established in 1984 by the six surviving original Mercury Seven astronauts; Mrs. Betty Grissom, widow of the Virgil (Gus) Grissom; and other participants, the organization awards 17 scholarships annually to upper level college students and those pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is the only IMAX(R) theater in Florida showing the film. The Academy Award(R)-winning film based on the heroic mission stars Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon as Apollo astronauts James Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, who found themselves in a life-or-death race back to Earth in April 1970 after an oxygen tank ruptured on their Service Module three days into their lunar mission.

"Apollo 13" is the first-ever 35mm live action film to be digitally re-mastered into IMAX(R)'s 15/70 format, which is ten times larger than a conventional 35mm film and three times larger than a standard 70mm film. The movie takes on an entirely new feel on the five-story-high screen, with visual sharpness and clarity and enhanced sound that bring a powerful, larger-than-life sensation to an already amazing story and critically acclaimed film.

Daily showings of the two-hour film at 3:30 p.m. are included in the regular cost of admission to the Visitor Complex.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open from 9 a.m. to approximately dusk every day except December 25 and certain launch days. Admission includes access to all attractions and exhibits, including the KSC Tour of restricted areas; the live Astronaut Encounter program; the 3-D IMAX(R) film, "Space Station"; the live-action show "Mad Mission to Mars 2025"; and guided tours of the newly redeveloped Rocket Garden. For more information, please call (321) 449-4400 or visit http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/.