“Celebrating 50 Years of Americans in Orbit” – John Glenn and Scott Carpenter Head Back to Kennedy Space Center
In 1962, NASA’s Project Mercury made history by sending an American into orbit for the first time. To mark the 50th anniversary of this historic achievement, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is inviting the public to a celebration that will be headlined by Mercury astronauts John Glenn (pictured above left) and Scott Carpenter (pictured above right), the first two Americans to orbit Earth.
The 50th anniversary event, entitled “Celebrating 50 Years of Americans in Orbit,” will feature a full day of activities on Saturday, Feb. 18 including:
- United Launch Alliance (ULA) presentation discussing the Atlas rocket used to launch astronauts into space during the Mercury program
- Space-themed artwork display created by area students
- NASA exhibitions providing guests with a vision of the future of human spaceflight
- “On the Shoulders of Giants” Program
“On the Shoulders of Giants” Program featuring John Glenn and Scott Carpenter
The highlight of the anniversary event will begin at 6:30 p.m. when special guests Senator John Glenn and Scott Carpenter participate in a ceremony honoring all of those who made Project Mercury possible. The “On the Shoulders of Giants” program will not only give attendees the opportunity to see the first two Americans in orbit, but it will also allow those who attend to see Glenn and Carpenter sign an artifact to be placed on permanent display. In addition, musical entertainment will be provided before and after the presentation.
Tickets will be provided at Guest Information for the first 750 people interested in the program for bleacher-style seating. Seating will begin at 5:30 p.m. All guests are encouraged to attend the program, and can bring folding chairs or blankets due to the limited availability of seating.
Ticket Information
- Guests who spend the day at KSCVC with admission or an annual pass can enjoy each of the celebration events, including the 6:30 p.m. program.
- A $15 program-only ticket is available for those who did not purchase admission or an annual pass during the day and will be valid from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on February 18, 2012. Tickets can be purchased on the day-of, or by clicking below.
Guests wishing to learn more about Project Mercury may also be interested in adding the “Cape Canaveral: Then & Now” guided tour to their admission package. This tour takes guests to the original Cape Canaveral launch sites associated with the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. For reservations or for more information about the “Cape Canaveral: Then & Now” tour, please call 866-737-5235 or click here.
The “Celebrating 50 Years of Americans in Orbit” event is being sponsored by United Launch Alliance.
Here’s some video:
