In late August the Artemis I, which is the first launch of NASA’s moon-focused Space Launch System will happen. The most famous missions that have launched have been from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Officials at Cape Canaveral are expecting 100,000 visitors for Artemis I’s first window of launch. August 29, September 2nd and the 5th are the backup dates. If the rocket does launch on August 29th then it will happen at 8:33 a.m.

“We are expecting capacity crowds at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for the upcoming Artemis launch,” said Therrin Protze, the visitor complex’s chief operating officer. “(The visitor complex) will offer special Artemis launch viewing packages that will include some of the closest public viewing opportunities with distinctive experiences like live commentary from space experts and access to select exhibits and attractions.”

Tickets are already on sale for the vistor’s complex viewing.

This launch is just the latest in historic launches. Below is a list of the most famous missions that have launched have been from Cape Canaveral.

• Apollo 11 - July 16, 1969

  This is launch of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins where Armstrong would become the first person to step foot on the moon.

• Apollo 13 - April 11, 1970

  This mission was going back to the moon, but had an incident during the flight. It became a successful failure as they got back home safely, but weren’t able to land on the moon. The movie Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks tells the story of this mission.

• Mars Pathfinder - December 4, 1996

  It reached Mars on July 4, 1997 becoming the first to ever reach another planet. The mission brought in evidence suggesting that Mars once had flowing water and that the atmosphere is heated by the planet’s surface.

• First Space Shuttle Mission - April 12, 1981

  Space Shuttle Columbia was the mission of the Space Shuttle program. It landed only 54.5 hours later, having orbited the Earth 36 times.  The shuttle only carried a crew of two.

• SpaceX Crew Dragon Launch - May 30, 2020

  SpaceX successfully launched two NASA astronauts making SpaceX the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station. It also marked the first crewed orbital launch from American soil in 9 years

• Mercury-Redstone 3/Freedom 7 - May 5, 1961

  It was the first United States human spaceflight. It was piloted by Astronaut Alan Shepherd. The project had the ultimate objective of putting an astronaut into orbit around the Earth and return him safely.

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