Cape Canaveral or Cape Kennedy? Where is Kennedy Space Center?

America’s Spaceport – Part 2

By Bob Granath

Before the middle of the 20th Century, Cape Canaveral was a little-known point of land on the East Coast of Florida. But, by the 1960s the Cape was the focal point for America’s efforts to explore and utilize space. A name change and establishment of a separate civilian space center resulted in continuing confusion.

When President John F. Kennedy set the goal of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade, the Florida spaceport would be the starting point. One of the last trips Kennedy made as president was on Nov. 16, 1963. While touring the Florida spaceport, he received extensive briefings on progress toward reaching the lunar surface.

A week after President Kennedy’s assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11129, on Nov. 29, 1963. The proclamation renamed the Launch Operations Center as the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Additionally, Station No. 1 of the Atlantic Missile Range, the Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex, became Cape Kennedy Air Force Station.

According to former U.S. Rep. Don Fuqua (D-Fla. 9th), chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee from 1963, to 1987, it was never Johnson’s intent to rename both the NASA Launch Operations Center and the facility at Cape Canaveral.

“Johnson was looking for a lasting way to honor Kennedy,” Fuqua said. “(Johnson) said, ‘why don’t we rename that NASA center in Florida where they launch those rockets,’ meaning just the Launch Operations Center. But an eager member of the White House staff wrote the proclamation saying, ‘the Launch Operations Center and Station No. 1 of the Atlantic Missile Range.’”

Therefore, the U.S. Air Force also renamed their facility, Cape Kennedy.

Most Americans did not see the distinction between the U.S. Air Force owned and operated Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the NASA owned and operated Launch Operations Center across the Banana River on the Merritt Island Launch Annex, or MILA.

In an attempt to clarify the President’s directive, NASA Administrator James Webb released a formal statement that the Kennedy Space Center name only applied to NASA’s Merritt Island facility. At about the same time the Air Force issued a general order confirming their launch site would be Cape Kennedy Air Force Station.

As a result, the missions of Project Gemini in 1965 and 1966, as well as the early Apollo flights on the Saturn 1B all lifted off from Cape Kennedy. But the change was not universally accepted by Floridians relating back to the historical origin of the name dating back to the early 1500s. Additionally, further confusion arose from the fact that the city of Cape Canaveral, just south of the air force station, was unchanged.

In May 1973, the Florida Legislature enacted legislation signed by Gov. Reubin Askew (D-Fla.) restoring the original name. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names supported the decision. The name restoration to Cape Canaveral became official on Oct. 9 1973. At about the same time, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) said that it was a matter to be decided by the citizens of Florida. In a separate statement released by the Kennedy family, it was noted that they “understood the decision.”

The most recent name change came with the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in December 2019. Several installations formerly part of the U.S. Air Force now are segments of the new branch of the nation’s military. Patrick Air Force Base now is Patrick Space Force Base and the launch site now is Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Where is Kennedy Space Center Located?

Another area of frequent confusion is the location of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. In 1961, the agency began acquiring land on adjacent Merritt Island for the sprawling facility needed to support the Apollo Program’s effort to land humans on the Moon. For 30 years, it also was the site of Space Shuttle launches. NASA continues to work side-by-side with industry partners at the world’s premier multi-user spaceport.

Journalists often use The Associated Press Stylebook as a guide for consistent and accurate writing. In the manual’s entry for “John F. Kennedy Space Center,” it states, “Located in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s principal launch site in years past, and in years to come for manned spacecraft.” Even articles published by NASA Headquarters follow the AP’s lead, stating in on-line articles and news releases that Kennedy is located in Cape Canaveral.

Factually speaking, it is not. Kennedy Space Center is a city unto itself.

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is located . . . in Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida. In fact, the spaceport is large enough to have two zip codes – 32815 and 32899. Postmarks at the center’s post office read, “Kennedy Space Center.” Covering 140,000 acres, the center is separated from Cape Canaveral by the Banana River to the east and from the mainland by the Indian River lagoon on the west.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a four-part series recalling the history of America’s leading launch site. Check back on July 20, 2022 for part 3, the story of the expansive complex that sent astronauts to the Moon and now is the world’s premier multi-user spaceport.

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