Overview
Display location:
- Front of the museum blockhouse
AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Historic Aerospace Site
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Established by the United States Air Force in 1950 as the Joint Long Range Proving Ground, this area supported the initial development of America’s space program. The era of the Space Age for the U.S. began on this site with the launch of America’s first satellite, Explorer I, in 1958; followed soon after with the launch of America’s first astronaut, Alan Shepard, in 1961. Known today as Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the base has hosted more than three thousand launches including manned missions, robotic voyages exploring our solar system, and military missions designed to protect the American way of life. 2008
This monument was presented during the ceremony honoring the 50th anniversary of the launch of Explorer I on 31 January 2008.
Related Pages:
- National Historic Landmark Monument
- First United States Space Launch Monument
- CCSFS Markers, Memorials, Sites, and Stories