Kennedy Space Center

Inside the theater, a movie displays spectacular views of Shuttle Atlantis, as well as views from the shuttle as it takes off and flies through space. Toward the end of the movie, an acoustic door at the front of the theater opens and the brightly lit Shuttle Atlantis is seen through the translucent movie screen as the movie continues. Finally, as the movie ends, the translucent screen lifts open to display the Shuttle Atlantis, which fills the door opening and looks close enough to reach out and touch. After this dramatic introduction, visitors walk a few steps out of the theater and enjoy a 360 degree view of Shuttle Atlantis.

Uni-Systems Engineering designed, supplied and installed  structures and electro-mechanical drive systems for the operable projection screen and operable acoustical wall panel at Kennedy Space Center. The vertical lift acoustic door is 17 feet tall, 33 feet wide, and weights 14,700 pounds. The counter-weighted drive system silently opens the acoustic door in 10 seconds, and closes it in 16 seconds. The vertical lift translucent projection screen is 26 feet tall, 29 feet wide, and weighs 2,600 pounds. The counter-weighted drive system silently opens the screen in 5 seconds, and closes it in 15 seconds. The custom control system interacts with the theater’s show program and integrates theater door operation into the rest of the show.