‌

Quick Information

ADDRESS

9339 Jeff Fuqua Blvd, Orlando, FL 32827, USA

RECOMMENDED DURATION

5+ hours

Timings

09:00–17:00

VISITORS PER YEAR

960000

TICKETS

From $82.39

NUMBER OF ENTRANCES

5

Plan your visit

Did you know?

It was the launch site for the Apollo 11 mission, which landed the first humans on the moon. The center has launched many space exploration vehicles, including space shuttles like Atlantis, Saturn V moon rocket, Apollo 14 Kitty Hawk capsule, Gemini 9 capsule, and Mercury Sigma 7 capsule. The center also has a Rocket Garden, where you can see rockets from NASA’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs

Kennedy Space Center is home to the Saturn V rocket, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, capable of launching astronauts to the Moon.

The Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center is one of the largest buildings by volume in the world, with enough space to fit four jumbo jets inside.

Book Kennedy Space Center Tickets & Tours

Kennedy Space Center Florida Admission Tickets

Flexible duration
‌
‌
Check availability

Kennedy Space Center Tickets with Guided Explore Tour

Flexible duration
Transfers available
Pickup available
‌
‌
Check availability

Kennedy Space Center Tickets & Chat with an Astronaut

Book now, pay later
Flexible duration
Pickup available
Meals included
‌
‌
Check availability

Kennedy Space Center Tickets with Round-Trip Transportation

Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
10 hr.
Transfers available
Pickup available
‌
‌
Check availability

Why Kennedy Space Center is a NASA Landmark

about Kennedy Space Center NASA

Kennedy Space Center in Florida is pivotal in NASA’s mission. It is the base for Space Shuttle launch and landing operations. Every manned mission to space has departed from NASA Kennedy Space Center. Over the years, it has evolved to become the starting point for hundreds of scientific and applications spacecraft.

Kennedy Space Center garnered more recognition for being the launch site of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Mars Rover Project, and New Horizons, which was the first spacecraft to ever visit Pluto.

Why KSC Was Established

about Kennedy Space Center NASA

President Dwight Eisenhower founded NASA in 1958 and the NASA Launch Operations Center in East Florida was opened in 1962. This facility was later renamed in honor of President Kennedy. President Kennedy’s goal of a crewed lunar landing by 1970 required the expansion of existing launch operations.

​Cape Canaveral turned out to be inadequate to host the new launch facility design and eventually a decision was made to build a new Launch Operations Center. This new center came to be known as the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.

Tracing the Legacy: From Concept to Launchpad

  • In September 1961, NASA sought to purchase land on Merritt Island to support the Apollo Lunar Landing Program. This land eventually became the Kennedy Space Center we know today.
  • In March 1962, the Launch Operations Center (LOC) was established as an independent NASA field center located on Merritt Island.
  • In November 1963, President Lyndon Johnson announced that the facilities of the Launch Operations Center and Station No. 1 of the Atlantic Missile Range as the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
  • The NASA Kennedy Space Center Headquarters building was formally opened on May 26, 1965. 
  • The Visitor Complex at NASA Kennedy Space Center Florida began when NASA Administrator James Webb established self-guided for the public to drive along predetermined routes through the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
  • As the American Space Program grew in popularity, more and more people were interested in getting a close up view of the Kennedy Space Center and its operations.
  • The government urged Webb to create a dedicated visitors’ program and by 1964 more than 250,000 self-guided car tours took place at the Kennedy Space Center.
  • Over the years, with more funding, the Visitor Complex was expanded to include more attractions and increase visitor footfall.

​Read more about how KSC became what it is today

Mission Zones at KSC

Heroes & Legends

This exhibit focuses on the legends of NASA’s early space program and how these men and women made their dreams a reality.

See NASA's Space Heroes

Shuttle: A Ship Like No Other

Admire a real space shuttle suspended overhead with the payload doors open. Atlantis is one of the three space-flown shuttles to be on display in the United States.

Explore Space Shuttle Atlantis

Behind the Gates

Be a part of some of history's greatest moments as you explore different launch locations at the Kennedy Space Center.

Go Behind the Scenes

​All about KSC attractions >

Race to the Moon

Also known as the Apollo/Saturn V Center, this mission zone is dedicated to the Apollo Moon landings, the courageous people involved in the mission and the machines used.

Discover the Saturn V Rocket

NASA Now + Next

Get a close look at the journey of space exploration and the exciting things that are yet to come at this exciting exhibit.

Visit NASA Now + Next

Frequently Asked Questions About NASA's Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center was built in Florida because it is relatively close to the equator compared to other locations in the United States. This proximity allows rockets to take advantage of the Earth's rotation during launches. The positioning also enables rockets to launch eastward over the Atlantic Ocean, minimizing risks to populated areas in case of launch failures.

More Reads

Plan Your Visit to Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center Timings

Kennedy Space Center Tours