Explore Houston’s Petroleum, Space Industries

As is tradition at our Association meetings, we have set up opportunities for executives and guests to learn more about industries in the city we’ll visit. In Houston, those industries are petroleum and space.

Space Center Houston ($99)

This behind-the-scenes tour of Space Center Houston includes a visit to the center’s attractions, plus a private tram tour of NASA’s working government facilities.

The tram tour through Johnson Space Center includes visits at the historic Mission Control Center, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility or the current Mission Control Center. Stops such as the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory are possible but not promised.

In Space Center Houston, visitors may enter the shuttle replica Independence, which is mounted on top of the historic and original NASA 905 shuttle carrier aircraft. You’ll also see a lunar roving vehicle, the original model of the Goddard Rocket, the actual Mercury Atlas 9 “Faith 7” capsule, the Gemini V Spacecraft, the Apollo 17 Command Module, the giant Skylab Trainer, and the world’s best collection of space suits.

The tour is noon to 5 p.m. Thursday.

Offshore Drilling Rig ($49)

This retired jack-up drilling rig is now a museum for exploring the offshore oil and gas industry.

We’ll travel together to Galveston Island and explore the three-story rig and museum that tells the story of offshore oil and gas, including seismic technology, exploration and production. You’ll see drill bits, scale models of production platforms, remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs), and exhibits on drilling, geology, well-servicing, and more.

The tour is 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. It is dependent upon securing a minimum number of reservations.