Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space Center

Cape Canaveral is part of a region known as the Space Coast in Florida, and is the site of the Kennedy Space Center. Most United States rockets and the Shuttle are launched from here.

From 1963 to 1973 Cape Canaveral was called Cape Kennedy. President John F. Kennedy was a key supporter of the space program, and after his assassination it was renamed as a memorial. In 1973 Florida restored the former 400-year-old name. The space center retains the name Kennedy.

The first rocket launch from the Cape was Bumper 8 from Launch Pad 3 on 24 July 1950. All manned US spaceflights have launched from Cape Canaveral.

How to get to Kennedy Space Center

It's easy to get to the Kennedy Space Center from Port Canaveral. Simply go west on 528 to 3. North on 3 to 405. Then east on 405 to the Center.

Port Canaveral, the city of Cape Canaveral, and Cocoa Beach are a few miles south of the cape. It's about 45 miles east of Orlando, Florida.

Cape Canaveral's Kennedy Space Center has hosted millions of visitors from around the world for more than 30 years. Explore the Visitor Complex, IMAX movies, space history exhibits, a full-sized walk-through Space Shuttle display, and the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Reservations for a bus tour of the facility are highly recommended (they sell out).