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Technical Tours

Expand your knowledge and attend on site tours of Orlando facilities on the cutting-edge of technology and environmental practices.       

Advance registration for all tours was required by May 12, 2023 due to clearances required by our tour sites and transportation reservation deadlines. Walk-ons will not be permitted for any of the technical tours.                                                                                

NASA Kennedy Space Center Shoreline Restoration and Dune Tour
Monday, June 5 • 7:00 am – 1:00 pm
Tour registration is closed. 

In support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) overall mission and requirements regarding assured access to space, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has identified the need for shoreline protection to safeguard its critical launch infrastructure assets in danger of being compromised due to coastal shoreline erosion. The recently completed inland dune restoration project not only helps KSC achieve these goals, but also provides protection for KSC coastal threatened and endangered wildlife species habitat.

The tour includes:
  • An overview of KSC’s shoreline restoration and management projects
  • Tour a portion of the KSC Inland Dune project site, where you will see:
    • A portion of the KSC inland dune and coastal areas
    • Native plants and wildlife
    • Launch Complexes 39 A&B, as well as some of KSC’s other launch infrastructure

Attendees will also have free time to view exhibits at the Visitor's Center and eat lunch. Explore the Space Shuttle Atlantis, Rocket Garden, Mars Rover Vehicle Navigator, Saturn V Rocket, U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, and more.

Cost: $75. Advance registration required by May 2. Includes transportation to and from the facility. All attendees must present valid photo ID to enter the facility. Attendees must be 18 years or older. 

All non-US citizens must provide additional information for clearances prior to the tour. Contact Cindy Fontanesi for more details.

Dress Code: Closed toe shoes required.
Orange County Landfill and Stanton Energy Center
Wednesday, June 7 • 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Orange County Landfill
Ever wonder what happens to your garbage and recyclables when you put them at the curb? Join the Solid Waste Division for a tour of the Orange County Landfill located in east Orange County. 

Orange County Landfill Virtual Tour

Stanton Energy Center
Attendees will tour the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center (SEC). This 3200-acre energy center, with its iconic cooling towers in east Orange County, is one of the most fuel-diverse electric generating sites in Florida featuring coal, natural gas, and landfill gas generation, as well as nearly 20 megawatts of solar generation, including the first solar array in Florida to be constructed on a closed combustion waste landfill. State-of-the-art pollution control equipment used by the Stanton Energy Center enables the plant to operate as a zero-liquid discharge facility, and 1600 acres of the SEC are actively managed to maintain essential habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.  With a generation capacity of 1,900 megawatts, the SEC one of the most reliable and environmentally responsible power stations in the nation.
 
In this tour, members will get a brief overview of the power generation process, plant logistics and operations, and information related to the pollution control practices and equipment utilized by the facility. In addition, the members will tour the coal unit main control room and get a bird’s-eye view of the entire facility.

Stanton Energy Center Virtual Tour

Cost: $50. Advance registration required by May 12. Includes transportation to and from facility. All attendees must present valid photo ID to enter the facility. Attendees must be 18 years or older. Tour maximum: 20 people.

Dress Code: Closed toe shoes, no shorts or tank tops. Tour may require walking on elevated surfaces.
Orange County Ambient Air Station
Thursday, June 8 • 8:00 am – 11:00 am

The Orange County Air Quality Management (AQM) staff operates stationary air monitoring stations located throughout the county. Ambient air is monitored for criteria pollutants (pollutants deemed harmful to human health & the environment), which include ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Orange County is currently in attainment with federal standards. The AQM section ensures that the air quality of Orange County meets standards set forth in the Federal Clean Air Act and in the Florida Statutes. This tour will showcase ambient air monitoring equipment utilized in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)’s comprehensive ambient air monitoring network that provides the public with accurate air quality information.  

The tour of the Orange County Winter Park Ambient Air Monitoring Site includes: 
  • Brief overview of Orange County’s AQM Program, including information on:
    • Compliance, Enforcement, and Asbestos
    • Permitting
    • Ambient Air Monitoring
  • Tour of Ambient Quality Station # 095-2002, where you will see instrumentation measuring:
    • Ozone
    • Carbon monoxide
    • Sulfur dioxide
    • Nitrogen dioxide
    • Particulate matter
View the Orange County 2023 Air Monitor Site.

Cost: $40. Advance registration required by May 12. Includes transportation to and from facility. All attendees must present valid photo ID to enter the facility. Attendees must be 18 years or older. Tour maximum: 50 people.

Dress Code: Closed toe shoes are required to tour the inside of the building. Sunblock is highly encouraged.