WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

Florida Sen. George Kirkpatrick addresses attendees of the 50th anniversary ceremony of the first rocket launch, known as Bumper 8, from pad 3 on what is now Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The original launch occurred July 24, 1950. Sen. Kirkpatrick was presented with the Bumper Award by Winston "Bud" Gardner, chairman of the Florida Space Business Roundtable, for the senator's long-time support of the space program. The anniversary ceremony was hosted by the Air Force Space & Missile Museum Foundation, Inc. , and included launch of a Bumper 8 model rocket, plus remarks by Sen. Kirkpatrick, KSC's Center Director Roy Bridges, and the Commander of the 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit. A reception followed at Hangar C. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral.