NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Explorer’s Wanted

NASA’s Exploration Space main show takes place in a small open theater with bench seating for about 60. Electrosonic designed, integrated, programmed and installed the exhibit’s AV system, including projection, audio, video and show control. SH Acoustics (www.shacoustics.com) was brought in to evaluate the acoustic environment and audio delivery, and to work alongside Electrosonic to achieve a full system design. “One of the most important things was that the dynamic range is huge,” said Steve Haas of SH Acoustics. “There are very quiet, breathtaking moments, and sudden, loud, forceful explosions and sounds of rocket liftoff.

Much of the audio, video and lighting gear was custom-mounted on an overhead ceiling truss. Guy Fronte, Electrosonic Project Manager, said, “We filled that ceiling space with Tannoy loudspeakers, a Tannoy subwoofer and one gigantic Bag End subwoofer. The Bag End has four 18-inch cones and the Tannoy has two 18-inch cones, and they work together to envelop that space with bottom-end sound. The Tannoy sub is directly overhead—on a vibration-isolated custom mount that could hold up a pickup truck if it had to—and the Bag End is on the floor directly behind guests, built into a cavity in the wall,” he said.