Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center

The Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center is located near the Keahole-Kona International Airport in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It is open 8:30am to 4:30pm every day except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission into the space center is $3 for adults, $1 for students and children, and $3 for seniors. Tours for school and large groups can be set up through the office with reservations.

The space center is an educational facility. It is dedicated to the first astronaut of Hawaii. He perished during the Challenger Mission of 1986. The center offers plenty of interactive exhibits with videos about the history of space flight. There are also topics such as physics and daily life while in space. The collection has personal items of Ellison S. Noizuka. It also has displays regarding space concepts, a lunar sample, and an Apollo 13 space suit. All of the displays are in some way related to space whether it is through pictures, video, or displays.

There are sometimes special events held at the space. For example there was a January Challenger commemoration. There is parking at the airport for the space center for those who wish to attend while on the Big Island.