Kennedy Space Center: Educational Fun & Out Of This World Experience

Named after the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is one of NASA’s 10 field centers, and the premiere destination for space travel history and exhibits. The center is located in Merritt Island, northwest of Cape Canaveral, halfway between Miami and Jacksonville, and east of Orlando.

Since KSC became operational, it has played a pivotal role as a launch center and research facility for NASA. The world’s greatest launch operations, including Apollo, Skylab, and the space shuttle programs took place here.

A Brief History

In 1962, NASA requested to acquire land on Merritt Island in an effort to support their Apollo Lunar Landing Program. This land became what is known today as the Kennedy Space Center. What would follow is a series of historic events. Once NASA acquired the land, they immediately began putting up structures essential for their operations.

Some of the earliest structures to be built at KSC include the Headquarters Building (located in the industrial area), the Central Instrumentation Facility, and the Vehicles Assembly Building. From 1967 to 1973, there was the launch of the first manned and unmanned space flights from KSC.

In 1969, Neil Armstrong, together with his colleagues, launched to the moon from KSC. Since then, every manned space flight launched in the United States has taken place at the Kennedy Space Center.

Attractions

There are plenty of things to do and see at the Kennedy Space Center. Every year, around 1.5 million people visit KSC for a first-hand account of the history and future of space exploration. The center is comprised of a visitor complex, a launch complex, and an industrial area. Early space missions are available for viewing in the Early Space Exploration Area.

The center also hosts the historic Saturn V rocket, which was used during the early exploration of the moon, and capsules from the Apollo, Mercury, and Gemini era. One of the most iconic structures at KSC is the Vehicle Assembly Building, which is also the 4th largest building in the world in terms of volume.

In an effort to honor the crew members of Challenger and Columbia, who lost their lives in 1986 and 2003, KSC has designated an area in the Atlantis exhibit as a memorial. Other attractions at KSC include IMAX, NASA Rocket Garden, and the Hubble Space Telescope Exhibit.

Programs And Events

Special events regularly take place at KSC. Although NASA shut down its shuttle program in 2011, launches still take place twice a month at Cape Canaveral. Whether it’s a government satellite, or supplies going to the International Space Station, KSC provides the ideal experience and gets the job done.

The Center runs a five-day camp for kids to help them hone their skills in math, through activities that are focused on space exploration. Astronauts also frequent the space center to deliver special lectures and programs.

Shopping

The Kennedy Space Station has the largest space-related gift shop in the world. The shop has thousands of space-themed merchandise including pins, patches, autographed books, and other NASA collectibles.

While a good 3-4 hours away from Cape Coral, and other coastal areas of Florida, it is still a fun trip to take with family.

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