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{{Template:Infobox Disney ride |
| image= MissionspaceMissionspace2.jpg
| caption='''The exterior of Mission: Space.'''
| theme=Space travel
| sponsor= Hewlett-Packard
| land=Future WorldDiscovery
| vehicle= Spaceship
| park= Epcot
| opened=October 9, 2003
| custom_label_1 = Type
| custom_value_1 = Motion simulator|custom_label_2= Disney Genie +|custom_value_2= Yes}}Mission:Space is a pavilion and an attraction located in World Discovery within [[Epcot]]
==Pavilion History==
===Unbuilt Pavilions===
====Original Space Pavilion (1977)====
Although Mission: Space would not open until 2004, plans for a space pavilion in Epcot actually date back to the late 1970sEPCOT Center's early designs. In fact, in the 1977 Walt Disney Company Annual Report, the space pavilion is was one of the many planned EPCOT Center pavilions mentioned. The report describes the space pavilion as:{{Quotation| “A huge, interstellar "Space Vehicle" will transport passengers to the outer frontiers of the universe, highlighting man's efforts to reach out for the stars around him ... from the early pioneers who looked and wondered ... to modern-day space travelers and their triumphs ... to the challenges and possibilities of future space technologies and exploration”| Walt Disney Company 1977 Report}}The initial space pavilion was themed to look like a space station, and would have begun with guests taking an omnimover ride through space, and into orbit. From here, guests could have explored a variety of interactive exhibits, including the pavilion’s main attraction- which would have allowed guests to travel through space in a motion simulator theater, looking out walls of windows, through which they could see both the depths of space, and even be able to look down on earth. During the development of the pavilion, Imagineers consulted with famed art director John DeCuir Jr., as well as science fiction author Ray Bradbury. Although fairly well developed, plans for the space pavilion were pushed back to EPCOT Center’s “phase II” due to budget constrictions. When another phase II pavilion [[The Living Seas]] opened in 1986, it was built on the plot of land originally designated for the space pavilion. Following the addition of Seas pavilion, the theoretical space pavilion was relocated to a new space in between [[The Land]] and Living Seas.[[Image:Bradbury.jpg|400px|thumb|Ray Bradbury (right) and John DeCuir Jr. (left) working on the original concept for EPCOT Center's space pavilion.]]
{{Quotation| “A huge, interstellar "Space Vehicle" will transport passengers to the outer frontiers of the universe, highlighting man's efforts to reach out for the stars around him ... from the early pioneers who looked and wondered ... to modern-day space travelers and their triumphs ... to the challenges and possibilities of future space technologies and exploration”| Walt Disney Company 1977 Report <ref name= "Hill"> http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2011/10/07/why-for-did-epcot-s-future-world-not-turn-out-as-wed-had-originally-planned.aspx </ref>}} The initial space pavilion was themed to be an orbiting space station, and would have begun with guests taking off from a launch pad and heading into space <ref name= "Martin"> http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=283 </ref>. From here, guests could have explored a variety of interactive exhibits, including the pavilion’s main attraction- which would have allowed them to travel through space in a motion simulator theater <ref name= "Hill"/> <ref name= "Martin"/>. Looking out through walls of windows, guests would have been able to see out into space, even getting a stunning view of the planet Earth. During the development of the pavilion, Imagineers consulted with famed art director John DeCuir Jr., as well as science fiction author Ray Bradbury <ref name= "Hill"/> who helped create the attraction's storyline. Although fairly well developed, plans for the space pavilion were pushed back to EPCOT Center’s “phase II” due to budget constrictions and a lack of sponsor <ref name= "Martin"/>. When another phase II pavilion [[The Living Seas]] opened in 1986, it was built on the plot of land originally designated for the space pavilion. Following the addition of Seas pavilion, the theoretical space pavilion was relocated to a new plot in between [[The Land]] and The Living Seas <ref name= "Martin"/>. ====Journeys In Space (1990-19931998)====
In 1990, Disney announced that it would be creating a new incarnation of the space pavilion called Journeys in Space. According to a press release:
{{Quotation| "JOURNEYS IN SPACE: The long-planned Future World attraction will present visitors with the ultimate thrill-ride: space travel. New systems and special effects will be used to give guests an outer-space experience without ever leaving terra firma"<ref name= "Martin"/> <ref name= "Hill2"> http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2005/01/04/what-was-supposed-to-be-built-at-disney-world-during-the-quot-disney-decade-quot.aspx </ref>}}[[Image:Spaceconcept2.jpg|400px|thumb|Concept art for the Journeys Into Space pavilion (above) and the "spacewalk" attraction (below).]]The Journeys In Space pavilion was designed to be more interactive and immersive then its predecessor <ref name= "Martin"/>, with full environments for guests to explore<ref name= "Martin"/>. Like the original space pavilion however, Journeys in Space was done in by budget constraints. Although there had been initially been talks with Delta about sponsoring the pavilion, Journeys In Space was eventually shelved due to lack of funding<ref name= "Martin"/>. Despite the fact that a sponsor had still not been found, plans for a modified version of the pavilion were revived in 1993. With GE choosing to end its sponsorship of Horizons and Michael Eisner unwilling to update the pavilion, Imagineers began to look at the Horizons building as a possible home for Journeys In Space<ref name= "Martin"/>. This new incarnation of the attraction would have allowed guests to walk through space in "Spacesuits" <ref name= "Martin"/>. Because Disney hoped to save money by reusing as much of Horizons as possible, not only would Journeys In Space have reused the pavilion itself, but also Horizons' overhead track and ride vehicles. An Imagineer who worked on this incarnation of the space pavilion told Disney historian Jim Hill: {{Quotation|A little background on the "space walk" attraction that was proposed for the Horizon pavilion. That was going to be one of several attractions that were going to be part of the initial Space Pavilion concept (much as Wonders of Life Pavilion had multiple venues under one roof). You entered the pavilion and found yourself around a campfire with a projected starfield above to put in mind of ancient man studying the heavens. <br> After a simple pre-show here, and then a cybrolator-like transitional scene, you were delivered to a space station orbiting earth. The space station was the hub for the other adventures. You probably know all this. The space walk adventure was a journey around the outside of the "space station", giving riders a chance to look into space and peer into the "non-public" areas of the space station operations (crew quarters, lab, etc.). As you correctly described riders would have been suspended from an overhead track. <ref> http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2005/02/10/542.aspx </ref>}}
===Mission: Space===
With the World of Motion and [[Universe of Energy]] pavilions closed for refurbishment, and no immediate plans for a space pavilion, Horizons remained operational through 1998<ref name= "Martin"/>. Although basic maintenance continued to be done on the attraction, no real money was spent to update or upkeep Horizons. With the pavilion’s pavilion's days clearly numbered, in 1999 the idea for a space pavilion once again took center stage<ref name= "Martin"/>. Unlike previous incarnations however, this time Compaq entered negotiations to sponsor the new pavilion<ref name= "Martin"/>. With a sponsor in place, Disney settled on an idea that had previously been considered as a pre-show preshow for Journey Into Space-a centrifuge attraction that would take guests into space<ref name= "Martin"/>. In order to facilitate the new attraction, it was decided that the Horizons pavilion would be demolished and a brand new pavilion would be built. Horizons closed for good on January 9, 1999, and on April 20, 2000 Mission: Space was announced to the public<ref name= "Martin"/>. Unlike previous incarnations of concepts for the space pavilion, Mission: Space was themed as an astronaut training center. Instead As such, instead of actually traveling into space as previous versions of the space pavilion imagined, Mission: Space allows guests to experience the training that astronauts going on the first mission to Mars would experience. [[Image:MichaelEisnerSpace.jpg|400px|thumb|Michael Eisner and HP CEO Carly Fiorina at Mission: Space's Grand Opening]]
Construction on Mission: Space began in October 2001<ref name= "Martin"/>, and although there was concern that Compaq’s Compaq's 2002 merger with Hewlett-Packard would delay the attraction, this never happened. Mission: Space Opened to guests on August 15, 2003, and was officially dedicated on October 9th of that year<ref name= "Martin"/>.
Shortly following the opening of Mission: Space, Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC) sued Disney for roughly 15 million dollars<ref name= "book"> Pedersen, R.A. The EPCOT Explorer's Encyclopedia:. United States: Epcyclopedia, 2011. Print. </ref>. The lawsuit stemmed from the fact that Disney had awarded Environmental Tectonics a 30 million dollar contract to develop the centrifuges and hardware for Mission: Space the attraction in 1999<ref name= "book"/>. In their lawsuit, ETC claimed that (among other things) Disney had failed to pay the full amount of the contract, had shared details of the companies company's designs with competitors, prevented the company from working with other entertainment companies, and that they had not properly tested the attraction for safety<ref name= "book"/>. Disney countersuedcounter-sued, claiming that ETC had failed to fulfill their contractual duties, and that they (Disney) had to spend an extra 20 million dollars in order to complete the ride<ref name= "book"/>. In January 2009, the companies settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.
After Mission: Space opened, two guests passed away after riding the attraction. On First, on June 13, 2005, four year old Daudi Bamuwamye died after riding the attractionpassed away. Subsequently, On April 12, 2006 Hiltrud Blumel passed away died one day after riding the attraction and becoming ill. Although both deaths were later ruled to have been the result of pre-existing conditions, the popularity of Mission: Space took a serious hit<ref name= "book"/>.
In response to some concerns about the intensity of the attraction, on May 19, 2006 Disney revealed that Mission: Space would now feature two versions of the ride- The Green and Orange Teams<ref name= "Martin"/>. The Green Team version of the attraction, allowed guests to ride Mission: Space without the centrifuges spinning, resulting in a much tamer ride. The Orange Team on the other hand, was the normal, spinning version of the attraction<ref name= "book"/>. Following the change, the original stand by line was used for the Orange Team, while the original FastPass line was used for the GreenTeam <ref name= "book"/>. Furthermore, when guests enter Mission: Space, they are now handed a card with their team choice on it, thus making sure that they do not ride the wrong version of the attraction.
===Mission: Space Relaunced===
On August 13, 2017, Disney unveiled an updated Mission: Space attraction <ref name= "Parksblog"> https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/07/mission-space-relaunches-aug-13-with-brand-new-experiences/ </ref>. At this time, a new Green Team experience was opened to guests <ref name= "Parksblog"/>. On this new adventure, guests orbit around Earth, seeing breathtaking views of the planet, before landing at Cape Canaveral. Other additions to the attraction at this time included a new preshow video, updated effects in the Orange Team version of the attraction (which retained its previous plot) and a lower height restriction (40 inches) <ref name= "Parksblog"/>.
==Attraction Plot==
===Queue===
[[Image:Missionspaceride.jpg|400px|thumb|The ride controls that guests can use inside Mission: Space.]]The queue for Mission: Space begins inside the pavilion, with guests entering the International Space Training Center’s “Sim Room”Center's "Sim Room". As they wait in the line, they guests can see various artifacts from the history of space travel. A large gravity wheel, props from the 2000 movie "Mission to Mars", and a replica NASA moon rover can all be seen found here. As guests enter the Command Room, they see that plaques commemorating the past, present, and even (fictional) future of space travel line the walls. A picture of the first family in space and the "First Deep Space Mission" can be found, reinforcing the idea that space travel has advanced a lot by the year 2036. Also in the queue, guests can also read inspirational quotes from famous astronauts and astronomers including: Neil Armstrong, Galileo, President John F. Kennedy, Plato, Kalpana Chawla, Carl Sagan, and even NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe.
* The Commander- Responsible for first stage separation and activating the manual control for landing. * The Pilot- Responsible for triggers the second stage rocket and deploying the shields. * The Navigator- Responsible for firing the thrusters for lunar orbit insertion and for the decent onto the surface of Mars. * The Engineer- Activate Responsible for activating hyper-sleep and extend extending the wings for landing.
After getting their roles, guests are buckled into their seats aboard the X-2 Rocket, which is almost ready for lift-off.
===Advanced Training Lab===
* The Space Base- A playground for young guests with a space theme.
* Expedition: Mars- A video game, in which guests take control of an astronaut, who has four minutes to find four other astronauts on Mars.
* Postcards from Space- In this exhibit, guests can send a short video of themselves with various space themed backgrounds.
==Shopping==
'''Mission: Space Giftshop'''- Located outside of the main attraction, the shop sells Mission: Space and other Epcot merchandise. ==Fun Facts and TriviaLounge==During the original construction of the Mission: Space pavilion, a large building was constructed for use as a sponsor lounge for HP. The building was never completed and a smaller lounge was instead built within the pavilion. Called the HP Red Planet Room, the entrance to the lounge is located to the left of the pavilion's main entrance <ref> http://www.robyeodesign.com/blog/2016/3/21/future-worlds-s </ref>. From inside the HP Red Planet Room, visitors can see Mission: Space's queue and exit.
During land clearing for Epcot's new space themed restaurant, the unfinished HP Lounge became visible to guests. Although the building has been used for storage, it is expected that the structure may be incorporated into the new restaurant <ref> https://wdwnt.com/2018/07/photos-land-cleared-for-epcots-future-world-space-restaurant-revealing-unfinished-hp-lounge/ </ref>.
==Fun Facts and Trivia==
[[Image:Missionspacelogo.jpg|300px|thumb|The International Space Training Center logo.]]
* There are three references to Horizons in the Mission: Space pavilion:
** Outside of the pavilion, a planter is shaped like the demolished attractionpavilion <ref> http://www.mainstgazette.com/2008/05/exploration-of-deep-space.html </ref>. ** The Horizons logo can be seen on the center of the Gravity Wheel located in the queue<ref name= "allears"> http://allears.net/tp/ep/e_ms.htm </ref>.** The log logo can also be seen on the checkout desk in the pavilions gift shop<ref> http://www.lostepcot.com/horizons.html </ref>.
* The Lunar Rover suspended from the ceiling in the queue is on loan from the Smithsonian<ref> http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/mission-space.htm </ref>.
* Trevor Rabin (formally of Yes) composed a new musical score for Mission: Space<ref name= "allears"/>.
* Imagineers went through nearly 100 different shades of red before settling the color that is used in the pavilions pavilion's facade<ref name= "allears"/>.
* In 2001, the Mission: Space Launch Center preview was housed in [[Innoventions East]]<ref name= "book"/>.
* The ride system is anchored in a basement which is 30 feet below ground<ref name= "book"/>.
* When Mission: Space was announced, Disney claimed that the Horizons pavilion would be too small to hold the attraction. In actuality, Mission: Space is significantly smaller then than Horizons<ref name= "book"/>. * If guests look at the small monitor located in the Command Room in Mission: Space's queue, they will see a small bird coming in for a crash landing. This is a reference to the extinct Flight to the Moon and Mission to Mars attractions in the [[Magic Kingdom]]. In these attractions' preshows, a bird would set off alarms, and Mission Control would mistake the bird for a UFO <ref> Mongello, Lou. "Mission: Space DSI: Disney Scene Investigation." Audio blog post. WDW Radio. N.p., 23 Sept. 2015. Web </ref>.
====Quotes in the Queue====
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/mission-space/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ3wrzRNrbc
http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2006/06/06/2772.aspx
http://futureprobe.blogspot.com/2011/12/disney-in-space-part-4-from-ray.html
http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2005/02/10/542.aspx
Pedersen, R.A. The EPCOT Explorer's Encyclopedia:. United States: Epcyclopedia, 2011. Print.