# Kennedy Space Center

> US space launch site in Florida

**Wikidata**: [Q48821](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48821)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_Space_Center)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kennedy-space-center

## Summary
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is a United States space launch site and NASA facility on Merritt Island, Florida, operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Established in 1962 and named for President John F. Kennedy, KSC is a NASA spaceport and research institute that includes major launch complexes and a launch-and-landing facility.

## Key Facts
- Inception: 1962-03-07 (established as a NASA center).  
- Operator / Parent organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  
- Instance of: NASA facility; spaceport; research institute.  
- Location: Merritt Island, Brevard County, Florida; coordinates 28.585280555555556° N, -80.65083055555556° W.  
- Elevation above sea level: 3 metres.  
- Named after: John F. Kennedy.  
- Part of: Eastern Range.  
- Major components / has part(s): Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39; Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 48; Launch and Landing Facility.  
- Not the same as: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (listed as different_from).  
- Public web presence: official website https://www.nasa.gov/kennedy/; social handles include Twitter @NASAKennedy (verified), Instagram nasakennedy, Facebook NASAKennedy, and a YouTube channel (ID UCjJtr2fFcUp6yljzJOzpHUg).

## FAQs
### Q: What is Kennedy Space Center?
A: Kennedy Space Center is a NASA-operated space launch site and research facility on Merritt Island, Florida. It functions as a U.S. spaceport and supports launch, landing, and related mission activities.

### Q: Where is Kennedy Space Center located?
A: KSC is located on Merritt Island in Brevard County, Florida, at latitude 28.585280555555556 and longitude -80.65083055555556. It lies within the Eastern Time Zone and is part of the Eastern Range.

### Q: Who runs Kennedy Space Center?
A: The center is operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and is a NASA facility and part of NASA’s organizational structure.

### Q: When was Kennedy Space Center established?
A: Kennedy Space Center's inception date is recorded as 1962-03-07.

### Q: Is Kennedy Space Center the same as Cape Canaveral?
A: No. The entry explicitly lists Kennedy Space Center as different from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

## Why It Matters
Kennedy Space Center is one of the United States’ primary NASA-operated spaceports and research centers, providing the infrastructure and organizational framework required for national space launch and landing activities. As a NASA facility established in 1962 and named for President John F. Kennedy, KSC houses major launch complexes and a dedicated launch-and-landing facility, serving as a central hub for launch operations within the Eastern Range. Its location on Merritt Island and integration with range infrastructure enable coordinated launch tracking, range safety, and mission support. The center’s status as both a spaceport and research institute reflects its combined role in operational launch activities and ongoing aerospace research. KSC’s facilities, management continuity, and public-facing platforms (website and social channels) make it a focal point for U.S. civil space activity, infrastructure development, and public engagement in space missions.

## Notable For
- Being a NASA-operated spaceport and research institute established in 1962 and named after President John F. Kennedy.  
- Hosting major launch infrastructure including Launch Complex 39 and the Launch and Landing Facility.  
- Its geographic siting on Merritt Island, Brevard County, Florida, within the Eastern Range and at low elevation (3 m).  
- Clear organizational identity as a NASA facility distinct from nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.  
- Long managerial continuity with documented directors from the center’s founding (e.g., Kurt H. Debus starting 1962-07-01) through later leadership.

## Body

### Overview
- Official name: Kennedy Space Center (aliases include John F. Kennedy Space Center; common short form: KSC).  
- Primary classification: NASA facility, spaceport, research institute.  
- Named after President John F. Kennedy.

### Location & Geography
- Physical location: Merritt Island, Brevard County, Florida.  
- Coordinates: 28.585280555555556° N, -80.65083055555556° W.  
- Elevation: 3 metres above sea level.  
- Time zone: Eastern Time Zone.  
- Part of the regional infrastructure known as the Eastern Range.

### Organization & Operation
- Operator and parent organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  
- Listed grid identifier: grid.419743.c.  
- Official website: https://www.nasa.gov/kennedy/ (English).  
- Social media and channels: Twitter @NASAKennedy (verified account), Instagram nasakennedy, Facebook NASAKennedy, YouTube channel ID UCjJtr2fFcUp6yljzJOzpHUg.

### Facilities & Infrastructure
- Notable components (has part(s)):  
  - Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39.  
  - Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 48.  
  - Launch and Landing Facility.  
- Visual assets in the record: logo (Kennedy_Space_Center_Logo.svg), aerial image (Aerial_View_of_Launch_Complex_39.jpg, point_in_time 1999), page banner and montage image URLs listed in the structured properties.

### History & Leadership
- Inception recorded as 1962-03-07.  
- Early and subsequent directors/managers (selected entries):  
  - Kurt H. Debus — start_time 1962-07-01; end_time 1974-11-19.  
  - Lee R. Scherer — start_time 1975-01-19; end_time 1979-09-02.  
  - Richard G. Smith — start_time 1979-09-26; end_time 1986-08-02.  
  - Forrest S. McCartney — start_time 1987-09-01; end_time 1991-12-31.  
  - Robert Crippen — start_time 1992-01-01; end_time 1995-01-21.  
  - Jay F. Honeycutt — start_time 1995-01-22; end_time 1997-03-02.  
  - Roy D. Bridges Jr. — start_time 1997-03-02; end_time 2003-08-09.  
  - James W. Kennedy — start_time 2003-08-09; end_time 2007-01-04.  
  - William W. Parsons Jr. — start_time 2007-01-04; end_time 2008-10-11.  
  - Robert D. Cabana — start_time 2008-10-26; end_time 2021-05-17.

### Identifiers & External Records
- ISNI: 0000000108454769.  
- VIAF: 144777016.  
- GND ID: 5143972-4.  
- Freebase ID: /m/045z8.  
- GeoNames ID: 4160318.  
- Library of Congress authority ID: n50082518.  
- Additional registry IDs and cross-references are recorded in the structured properties.

### Classification & Relationships
- Classified as a NASA facility and research institute; functions as a U.S. space launch site and spaceport.  
- Explicitly recorded as different from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.  
- Part of the Eastern Range, integrated into regional launch-range operations.

### Media & Public Information
- Logo and multiple images are available (file paths provided in structured properties).  
- Social follower counts and channel metrics are tracked in the structured properties (values and point-in-time qualifiers included).  
- Commons category: Kennedy Space Center; Wikipedia title: Kennedy Space Center; sitelink_count: 75.

(End of entry.)

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-01-10
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/kennedy/kennedy-space-center-history/)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. Czech National Authority Database
6. [Source](https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2012/07/01/a-brief-history-of-kennedy-space-center-s-50-years/77371078/)
7. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/84985main_debus.pdf)
8. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/scherer.html)
9. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/smith-r.html)
10. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/mccartney.html)
11. [Source](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/08/31/McCartney-retires-from-Air-Force/8519557380800/)
12. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/mccartney.html)
13. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/08/us/5000-space-shuttle-jobs-to-be-cut-in-next-five-years-nasa-reports.html)
14. [Source](https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/12/13/director-of-space-center-quits/)
15. [Source](https://books.google.com/books?id=Eo8q3BIg1S8C&pg=PA611&lpg=PA611)
16. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/honeycut.html)
17. [Source](https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42755068.pdf)
18. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/bridges.html)
19. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2003/release-20030804b.html)
20. [Source](https://astronomy.com/news/2007/01/new-kennedy-space-center-director)
21. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/jan/HQ_0701_Parsons_KSC.html)
22. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2008/release-20081030.html)
23. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-announces-new-associate-administrator)
24. [Source](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/space/os-bz-kennedy-space-center-new-director-20210630-nqpxqwa4zff5bahkoec4m6cx5m-story.html)
25. GeoNames
26. GRID Release 2015-12-14
27. GRID Release 2016-12-06
28. BabelNet
29. Quora
30. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
31. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
32. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
33. HAL
34. FactGrid
35. KBpedia
36. YouTube API
37. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)