During a recent field trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the on-site expert offered some sage advice when asked about the relative safety of rocketry venues.

“I don’t recommend launching bottle rockets in mom’s kitchen,” said KSC lead educator Phil Bradley, who was demonstrating to a group of youngsters how to make a homemade rocket with a 2-liter bottle, baking soda and vinegar.

He and fellow educator Ben Hedgecock fielded other important inquiries from the three dozen Palm Bay Elementary School students such as, “Is that duct tape?” and “Are you the actor from ‘Wolverine’?” directed at the scruffier of the two educators and “Why can’t we do this inside?”

“Why, because science needs its space,” Bradley replied.

The students donned protective goggles and stood back about 80

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