Kennedy Space Center

NASA launch site on Merritt Island, near Cape Canaveral, Florida, used for Apollo project and space shuttle launches. It was established in 1962 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2002. The first Apollo flight to land on the Moon (1969) and Skylab, the first orbiting laboratory (1973), were launched from the site. In 2003, it launched the two spacecraft of the Mars Exploration Rover mission.

The centre, named after US president John F Kennedy, is dominated by the Vehicle Assembly Building, 160 m/525 ft tall, used for assembling Saturn rockets and space shuttles. The centre is in charge of the checkout, launch, and landing of shuttles. On 12 August 2003, the deputy director, James W Kennedy, succeeded Roy D Bridges, to become the eighth director of KSC.