NASA - Kennedy 45th Anniversary

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Kennedy History

Four-and-a-Half Decades Ago...

For years, launch pads and towers rose one by one above the scrub land, dotting the shoreline of Florida's East coast. By 1960, the "Missile Firing Laboratory" had become an extension of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. On July 1, 1962, the Launch Operations Center was officially activated at the seaside spaceport, granting the center equal status to Marshall and offering the center's new director, Dr. Kurt H. Debus, a direct report to the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Kennedy History Features

A Past to be Proud Of

Kennedy Space Center celebrates 45 years of excellence.
Land Transformed for 'Space'

Eighty thousand acres were purchased to provide NASA with a new center.
Dr. Kurt H. Debus

The Father of Kennedy Space Center
Launch Complex Emerges From Wilderness

With a mandate to go to the moon, Kennedy Space Center emerged quickly from the seaside wilderness.
Early Spaceflights Set Stage for Future

Apollo lessons contribute to the shuttle program.
Setting the Pace

Space Shuttle and Expendable Launch Vehicle programs accomplish many firsts.
A Decade of Renewal

The 1990s brought a rebirth of the Space Shuttle Program.
Era of Expansion

Kennedy gains newfound strength and growth in the new millennium.
Like Nowhere Else on Earth

After 45 years visitors from all walks of life still find out-of-this-world experiences at Kennedy Space Center.
Constellation Program to Transform Kennedy's Landscape

After 45 years, the center is preparing to handle launching new space vehicles.