Kennedy Space Center Rocket Launches & Programs

Main Visitor Complex

This viewing area is located next to Space Shuttle Atlantis® in the North Atlantis Lawn. It has live launch commentary. Visitors can see the rocket once it clears the tree line.

Distances to launch pads:

• To Atlas V SLC-41 - approximately 7.1 miles/11.4 kilometers
• To Falcon 9 SLC-40 - approximately 6.7 miles/10.8 kilometers
• To Delta IV SLC-37 - approximately 7 miles/11.3 kilometers
• To SpaceX LC-39A - approximately 7.5 miles/ 12 kilometers

Amenities and Inclusions:

• There are minimal viewing obstructions and you have access to launch commentary with bleacher and lawn seating.
• Access to main visitor complex attractions, shows, dining and retail if during operational hours

Banana Creek Launch Viewing Area

This viewing location is adjacent to the Apollo/Saturn V Center and offers outdoor bleacher seating with views of launch pads across Banana Creek. If the Apollo/Saturn V Center is open during the launch window it also includes Apollo Program exhibits and offers a close-up look at the world’s largest rocket, the Saturn V.

Distance to Launch Pads:

• To Atlas V SLC-41 - approximately 5.4 miles/8.7 kilometers
• To Falcon 9 SLC-40 - approximately 6.2 miles/10 kilometers
• To Delta IV SLC-37 - approximately 8 miles/12.8 kilometers
• To SpaceX LC-39A - approximately 3.9 miles/6.27 kilometers

Amenities and Inclusions:

• Bleacher seating and open lawn area (available first come, first serve).
• Access to the Apollo/Saturn V Center (including dining and shopping) when open. The Apollo/Saturn V Center may be closed for private events or due to other operational requirements.

Apollo Program

• From 1967 to 1973 there were a total of 13 Saturn V launches.
• The first of two uncrewed flights, Apollo 4, in 1967, was also the first rocket launch from KSC.
• The first crewed launch of Saturn V took place in December 1968 and was Apollo 8’s lunar orbiting mission.
• The next two missions tested the Lunar Module which were Apollo 9 (Earth Orbit) and Apollo 10 (lunar orbit).
• Apollo 11 which was launched from Pad A on July 16, 1969, made the first Moon landing on July 20.
• The Apollo program concluded at KSC with the launches of missions 13 through 17 from 1970-72.

Skylab

• Skylab was the first United States space station launched by NASA.
• It was occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974.
• Its major operations included an orbital workshop, a solar observatory, Earth observation, and hundreds of experiments.
• The last Saturn V launch put the Skylab space station in orbit. 
• In 1979, when it was not able to be re-boosted by the Space Shuttle, its orbit decayed and disintegrated in the atmosphere.

The Space Shuttle Program

• The Space Shuttle program was the fourth human spaceflight program carried out by NASA.
• It accomplished routine transportation for Earth-to-orbit crew and cargo from 1981 to 2011.
• Shuttle Discovery, and Shuttle Atlantis were the orbiter vehicles that were part of the program for space exploration.
• The Shuttle is the only winged crewed spacecraft to have achieved orbit and landing.

Expendable launch vehicles (ELVs)

• Since 1958, NASA and military worked together on robotic mission launches.
• In the 1960s, NASA had tow robotic mission launches a month and the frequent number of flights allowed for quick evolution of the vehicles.
• From the 1950s to 1978, KSC chose the rocket and payload processing facilities for all robotic missions launching in the U.S.
• KSC performed this service for commercial and foreign missions also.

Space Station Processing

• In the 1990s, KSC began to work with other NASA centers and international partners to prepare for processing before launch onboard the Space Shuttle.
• KSC utilized its experience processing the 22 Spacelab missions in the Operations and Checkout Building to understand ISS processing.
• Today, KSC continues to process International Space Station payloads from across the world before launch along with developing its experiments for on orbit.