textfiles/science/kennedy.txt

JOHN F. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899


  Kennedy  Space  Center  (KSC)  is  located  on  the  east  coast of
  Florida, 150 miles south of Jacksonville and approximately 50 miles
  east of  Orlando.   It  is  immediately  north  and  west  of  Cape
  Canaveral.  The  center  is about 34 miles long and varies in width
  from 5 to 10 miles.  The total land and water area occupied by  the
  installation  is  140,393  acres.   Of  this  area, 84,031 acres is
  NASA-owned.  The remainder is owned by the State of Florida.   This
  area,  with  adjoining  water  bodies, provides sufficient space to
  afford adequate safety to the surrounding civilian community during
  launches, landings of other hazardous operations.  Agreements  have
  been  made with the Department of the Interior regarding the use of
  non-operational areas as a wildlife refuge and national seashore on
  a non-interference basis.

  The center was originally created in the early 1960s  to  serve  as
  the  launch  site for the Apollo lunar landing missions.  After the
  Apollo program ended in 1972, Kennedy's Complex 39 was used for the
  launch of the Skylab spacecraft and later,  the  Apollo  spacecraft
  for the Apollo Soyuz Test Project.

  Kennedy  Space  Center serves as the primary center within NASA for
  the test, checkout and launch of payloads and space vehicles.  This
  presently includes  launch  of  manned  and  unmanned  vehicles  at
  Kennedy,  the  adjacent  Cape  Canaveral  Air  Force Station and at
  Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

  The center is responsible for the assembly, checkout and launch  of
  Space  Shuttle  vehicles and their payloads, landing operations and
  the turn-around of Space Shuttle orbiters between missions, as well
  as preparation and launch of unmanned vehicles.

  Kennedy  also  is  responsible  for  the  operation  of   the   KSC
  Vandenberg  Launch  Site Resident Office, located at Vandenberg Air
  Force Base in Santa  Barbara  County,  on  the  California  central
  coast.

  The  KSC  Vandenberg  Launch  Site  Resident  Office  serves as the
  interface with the U.S. Air Force to arrange for  base  support  at
  Vandenberg  of  all  NASA elements and for VLS and range support of
  all NASA projects supported by the Resident  Office.   It  supports
  spacecraft  requirements of other NASA centers, commercial and U.S.
  government agencies not affiliated with the Department  of  Defense
  by providing operational and administrative support.

  Forrest  S. McCartney, Lt. General USAF-Retired, is Director of the
  Kennedy Space Center.


THE PEOPLE AND FACILITIES OF THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

  The Kennedy Space Center, and the people  who  work  there,  are  a
  very  special type of resource for the United States and the world.
  The NASA/industry launch teams, and the people  who  support  them,
  have  skills and capabilities found only at the national spaceport.
  Every American manned space flight to  date  was  launched  by  the
  people  of  Kennedy.   This  NASA  Center is one of just two places
  capable of launching Space Shuttle vehicles.  The second  site,  on
  Vandenberg AFB in California, belongs to the U.S. Air Force, and is
  not  operational  at present.  It is being maintained in case it is
  needed in the future for Space Shuttle polar orbit missions.   Over
  the  years  the  NASA/industry  teams  have  also launched over 300
  unmanned  space   vehicles,   primarily   Deltas,   Atlas-Centaurs,
  Atlas-Agenas,   and   Titan-Centaurs.    These   lifted   off  from
  NASA-operated facilities on Cape Canaveral Air  Force  Station  and
  Vandenberg AFB.

  Every  person  who  works at the spaceport is a member of the team,
  even  if  their  jobs  are  not  directly  involved   with   launch
  operations.  Most of the hands-on work is performed by contractors.
  When fully manned, the Center has a workforce of (in round numbers)
  about 2,400 NASA civil servants and  13,000  to  14,000  contractor
  personnel.   The  largest contractor organization works in the area
  of Shuttle processing and launch  operations,  the  second  largest
  provides  maintenance  and  support  for the Center itself, and the
  third helps customers prepare their spacecraft and  other  payloads
  for launch.  Several other contractors provide various operational,
  support and housekeeping functions.

  The  operation  of  the  launch  and  support facilities at Kennedy
  demands unusual, sometimes unique, personnel skills.  But for  most
  NASA  and  contractor  employees,  the same knowledge and abilities
  that serve them here would work equally well in many other places.

  Some of the more unusual facilities in which people  work  are  the
  giant  Vehicle  Assembly  Building,  one  of  the  largest enclosed
  structures in the world; the Orbiter  Processing  Facility,  filled
  with  complicated  equipment  used  to prepare Shuttle orbiters for
  flight; Pads 39A and 39B, from which Shuttles lift off;  Delta  and
  Atlas-Centaur  launch  complexes  on  Cape Canaveral; and a host of
  other processing and support facilities.  These  include  buildings
  especially  designed  for  spacecraft  assembly  and  checkout, and
  others for hazardous work such as installing explosive ordnance and
  loading propellants.

  The heart of the Kennedy  Space  Center  is  its  engineering  work
  force,   both   contractor   and  NASA.   People  with  electrical,
  mechanical, electronic and computer engineering  degrees  have  the
  necessary  background  to  begin work here. After that, it may take
  years to learn some of the more unusual jobs.

  Many spaceport professionals deal with more routine  matters,  such
  as  designing  and  overseeing the construction of office or supply
  buildings, setting up and operating computer systems, or performing
  materials and structures tests.

  The engineering departments do their work along with  other  groups
  who  might  be found at any industrial facility.  Several logistics
  organizations order supplies and keep them available in warehouses.
  Another operates a facility-wide bus system and  supplies  vehicles
  for  local use.  Writing and graphics departments produce a variety
  of publications.  A local  printshop  prints  them.   A  janitorial
  force keeps the facilities clean.  A guard force provides security.
  It is the very different nature of the major function of Kennedy --
  serving  as  the nation's spaceport -- that makes it such a special
  place.  Watching a  rocket  blaze  a  fiery  trail  into  the  sky,
  hearing  the  thunder  of  its  passage,  is  a  fringe benefit not
  available at very many workplaces.


A PLACE TO VISIT

  Whether it's the bustle of spaceport activity, the  solitude  of  a
  nature  trail  or  the unspoiled beauty of a pristine seashore, the
  Kennedy Space Center offers the visitor a wide variety of things to
  do and see.

  A must stop on anyone's space itinerary  is  the  Kennedy  visitors
  center,  Spaceport  USA  --  a modern, sprawling complex of exhibit
  halls, theaters and supporting amenities that lure  well  over  two
  million   visitors  a  year,  ranking  it  among  the  top  tourist
  attractions in Florida.

  Open  every  day  of  the  year  except  Christmas,  Spaceport  USA
  provides  visitors  a  rare  opportunity  to experience the sights,
  sounds, color and drama of America's role in space.

  Indoor and outdoor exhibits and displays  feature  the  spacecraft,
  the  rockets  and  the programs that have extended our reach beyond
  the Earth.  Dramatic large-screen IMAX movies offer  a  spectacular
  view  of space as seen by the astronauts.  Bus tours of the Kennedy
  Space Center and Cape Canaveral facilities trace the  evolution  of
  the  nation's  space  program from its infancy to the Space Shuttle
  era.

  Educational  services  are  available  as  well.    The   Educators
  Resource  Laboratory  provides extensive facilities to aid teachers
  in the preparation of aerospace-related teaching materials. Slides,
  videotapes and  text  materials  can  be  copied  for  use  in  the
  classroom.

  At  the  Exploration  Station,  educational  programs  and hands-on
  activities illustrate and explain the principals  of  rocketry  and
  space  science  to  students of all ages.  Students often work with
  actual hardware used for space missions.

  Spaceport USA is located two miles south  of  Titusville,  Florida,
  off  U.S.  Highway  1.   It  is  operated  under  a  concessionaire
  contract, and is entirely self-supporting.   Parking  and  exhibits
  are  available  free.  Modest fees and admission prices are charged
  for bus tours and the IMAX movie.  Cafeterias and snack  shops  are
  available,  and  gift shops offer a wide range of space memorabilia
  and souvenirs.  Educational services are provided by  the  Center's
  Education Office.

  The  "other  side"  of  America's Spaceport is less known, perhaps,
  but an equally treasured national asset.  Under agreements  between
  NASA  and the Department of Interior, all but the operational areas
  of the Kennedy Space Center are designated as  a  wildlife  refuge,
  including  25  miles  of  undeveloped  ocean  beach  that forms the
  Canaveral National Seashore.

  This gentle but  untamed  land  swarms  with  wildlife.   Over  500
  species  of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are found here.
  Some, like the American bald eagle, woodstork,  alligator  and  the
  ponderous  manatee, or sea cow, are on the endangered or threatened
  species list.

  Recreational activities  abound:  fresh  water  and  surf  fishing,
  waterfowl  hunting  in  season, birdwatching, swimming at the ocean
  beaches, canoeing and hiking nature trails.

  Most of the refuge and all of the seashore  are  open  to  visitors
  during   daylight  hours,  except  when  space  operations  require
  closure.  Seashore headquarters and a refuge  visitors  center  are
  located several miles east of Titusville, on State Road 402.