1972 Map of Future Land Use at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

This is a c. 1972 NASA map of planned future land use at Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was issued internally in anticipation of the Space Shuttle Program and the need for expanded launch and landing facilities.

A Closer Look

Launch complexes are illustrated (though unlabeled). Launch complexes have pink rings surrounding them signifying Quantity Distance Inhabited Building Distance (Q/D IBD) areas. Perhaps the most recognizable feature is the planned Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) the 3-mile-long runway built for Space Shuttles to land after missions. Since the landing strip and surrounding area are highlighted as Q/D IBD and Air Field areas, we presume this means that the runway and its associated buildings were only in the planning stages at this time. Color highlights planned uses for the rest of the facility, including public use areas, conservation areas, and hazardous areas.

Dating

While undated, we have based our date on the announcement and construction of the Shuttle Landing Facility. The Space Shuttle Program was announced on April 16, 1972 (two days before the launch of Apollo 16) and construction began in April 1974. We believe this map to precede the beginning on construction on the SLF, hence our c. 1972 date.

Publication History and Census

This map is unsigned and undated, but we believe it to be an internal NASA publication from the planning stages of the Space Shuttle program. We have been told that it came out of a long time NASA employee's personal collection. This is the only known example.