Launching Rockets

Launching rockets to the Moon and deep space has always attracted a lot visitors. Beaches and roads were packed with spectators to watch our nation’s boldest endeavor into the final frontier of space.

The limelight of America’s space program brought many VIP's and celebrities to experience the awesome rush and excitement of watching firsthand the thunderous liftoffs of our country’s quest into Space

The list of stars visiting and witnessing rockets launches include: Charles Lindberg, Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, Robert Gullet, Cary Grant,Festus Parker, Vincent Price, Michael York, Frank Sinatra and many others. A regular cluster of stars.

Many film actors visited the area for active roles they were playing on the set with scene shots in the Brevard County area.  Movies where space exploration was the theme and scenes from the Space Coast area include:


*  Marooned  a 1969 American film directed by John Sturges and starring Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, James Franciscus, and Gene Hackman.


* Armageddon - Cast included Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, William Fichtner,  Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David and Steve Buscemi.


* Space Cowboys-2000 science fiction film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. Eastwood also stars in the film alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, and James Garner as four older "ex-test pilots" who are sent into space to repair an old Soviet satellite. Filming started in July 1999.


* Contact a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel
of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Both Sagan and wife Ann Druyan.


* Apollo 13 is a 1995 American drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan and Ed Harris.


Even a TV series entitled The Cape ran in 1996-1997 starring Corbin Bernsen of "L.A. Law" 
fame and Ben Affleck.