“For the better part of seven decades, watching rockets launch from Cape Canaveral has been a major tourist attraction, a favorite activity of locals, and a taken-for-granted part of Florida life. Few experiences in this lifetime are as awe-inspiring as watching a rocket launch not more than five miles from the launch site. When NASA lights the fuse on these babies, the solid rocket boosters blast the payload into space with several million pounds of thrust. Words cannot adequately describe the sight, sound, and feel of one of these events-- like the Grand Canyon and oral sex, it must be experienced to be appreciated.” SpaceFloridaRocketsNasaLaunchRocket Launch Book:A Florida State of Mind: An Unnatural History of Our Weirdest State Source: A Florida State of Mind: An Unnatural History of Our Weirdest State
“The shuttle would announce its arrival with the trademark double sonic boom-- Boom, BOOM!!-- and shortly thereafter you could see the bright silvery craft dropping from the sky. Space enthusiasm in the state has dimmed somewhat sine the final return of the Space Shuttle on July 21, 2011, but even now, there are traffic jams on the access roads whenever a launch is scheduled. If you are within five miles of the launch site, the sky lights up, the ground rumbles, the crowds cheer, and waves of unrepentant patriotism surge through your body.” FloridaSpace ShuttleLaunchSpace Coast Book:A Florida State of Mind: An Unnatural History of Our Weirdest State Source: A Florida State of Mind: An Unnatural History of Our Weirdest State