Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL              

Embark on Mankind's Ultimate Journey

Orlando vacations aren't complete without a trip to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Just east of the most popular Orlando attractions and theme parks, NASA's launch headquarters is the only place on Earth where you can tour launch areas, meet a veteran astronaut, see giant rockets, train in spaceflight simulators, and even view a launch.

Experience Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, where the sky isn't the limit - it's just the beginning.

Originally called the Launch Operations Center, KSC was authorized in 1958 during the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower and completed in 1962 during the administration of John F. Kennedy. In 1963, the facility received its current name following the latter President's assassination. The adjacent Cape Canaveral was also renamed Cape Kennedy, but this change was unpopular with local residents and the cape reverted to its original name by a legislative act of the State of Florida in 1973.   Cape Canaveral is well known for the astronauts that lived here when the Space program first started.  You can still go into many restaurants and hotels and see signed photographs  hanging with pride.

Cape Canaveral is an excellent choice  for lodging during your stay to visit KSC.  Only 15 minutes away,  CC is a beautiful beach community abundant with hotels within your price range; high or low.  Each of the hotels offer grand accommodations, each with a different room or condo décor and swimming pool.  Each has individual amenities  for you to choose from.  Beautiful unspoiled beaches, restaurants, sun, sand, surf and sea all welcome you to Cape Canaveral.

Kennedy Space Center Attractions

From the far reaches of space come the most vibrant images known to man. Experience the powerful and stunning imagery of the Hubble Space Telescope at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during the Eye on the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope exhibition.

At Kennedy Space Center, our exciting attractions feature inspiring exhibits and hands-on experiences, including:

• The Apollo/Saturn V Center, where the incredible accomplishments of the Apollo moon program return to life
• IMAX® theaters, where you can feel the thrill of space exploration on five-story screens as you "float' alongside NASA astronauts.
• Guided tours into exclusive areas for a behind-the-scenes look at Kennedy Space Center's working space flight facilities
• Interactive space flight simulators at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®

Kennedy Space Center's only launch operations are at Launch Complex 39, Pads A and B. All other launch operations take place at the adjacent Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), which is operated by the 45th Space Wing (45 SW) of the US Air Force.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, is home to a number of museums, a simulation ride into space, two IMAX theatres, and a range of bus tours allowing visitors a closer look at various restricted areas that would otherwise not be possible.

The Visitor Complex also includes two facilities run by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation. The most visible of these is the Space Mirror Memorial, also known as the Astronaut Memorial, a huge black granite mirror through-engraved with the names of all astronauts who died in the line of duty. These names are constantly illuminated from behind, with natural light when possible, and artificial light when necessary. The glowing names seem to float in a reflection of the sky. Supplemental displays nearby give the details of the lives and deaths of the astronauts memorialized. Elsewhere on the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex grounds is the Foundation's Center for Space Education, which includes a resource center for teachers, among other facilities.