Apollo 17 Liftoff in 1972

John F. Kennedy Space Center
N.A.S.A

The Apollo 17 space vehicle lifted off from Launch Complex 39 A, at 12:33 EST Dec. 7th 1972.

Color photo by NASA

Vanguard and the 'Baby Moon', Patrick Air Force Base

Baby Moon

Air Force Missile Test Center
Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
U.S. Navy Vanguard - Satellite Vehicle

The Vanguard blasts off from its launching stand at Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying in its nose a small earth satellite.  This "baby moon" is now circling the earth as part of United States participation in the International Geo-physical Year.  The Vanguard, undertaken by the Naval Research Laboratory, is one of the rockets now being tested at the Air Force Missile Test Center.

Lift-Off of The Thor IRBM Discover II Rocket

This picture shows the launching of the Thor IRBM Discoverer II rocket.  The purpose of the Discoverer program is to provide a scientific data-gathering earth satellite system having the capability of ejecting a recoverable research capsule from the orbiting satellite.  Discoverer VI was launched on August 8, 1959.

Photo by U.S.A.F.

Jupiter Rocket Being Fired

Jupiter Being Fired
Color by U.S.Army - Redstone Arsenal

Artist Rendition of Saturn V Apollo after Lift-off

John F. Kennedy Space Center
Artist's rendition of NASA's Saturn V Apollo seconds after lift-off carrying three astronauts on its maiden voyage to the moon.  The Kennedy Space Center and Cape kennedy is visible in the background.

Apollo 7 atop a Saturn IB Rocket

John F. Kennedy Space Center
N.A.S.A.
The Apollo 7 spacecraft, atop a Saturn IB rocket, lifts off from Complex 34.  The spacecraft achieved orbit to begin an 11-day mission.   The flight is intended to qualify Apollo for a manned flight to the moon.

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The launch was on October 11, 1968.

Saturn Rocket Lifts Off at Cape Canaveral, Florida

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's 1.5 million pound thrust Saturn rocket roars off its launching pad at Cape Canaveral.  Saturn is the first booster built especially for manned space flight.

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I believe this might be SA-1 which launched on October 27, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Space Shuttle Discovery, Lift Off

Kennedy Space Center
Blast off of the Shuttle Discovery

This postcard is postmarked 2005. 

Gemini - Titan and the First Man on the Moon Mission . . .

John F. Kennedy Space Center N.A.S.A.
NASA's Gemini-Titan 4 that launched McDivitt and White from Cape Kennedy, Florida

This postcard is one of my favorites because of what is written on it....
The sender writes: "We saw the rocket blast-off on Cape Kennedy today"

It is postmarked  from Cocoa Beach, Florida on 7-16-1969 - the day Apollo 11 left for the first moon landing!

The Space Shuttle Endeavor

Kennedy Space Center

Launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor from launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Photo courtesy NASA.

The sender writes:
On my trip to Kennedy Space Center.  (Private tour) - I actually touched the Discovery Space Shuttle!

The Atlas ICBM (Missile) at Blast Off

This picture shows the Atlas ICBM at the moment of blast off from its pad at Cape Canaveral. A similar type of vehicle launched our Astronauts into their orbits around the earth.

This postcard is from the 1960's.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launches from Kennedy Space Center

The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches into space on April 5, 1991 embarking on mission STS-37.  During this 6 day mission, the crew will deploy observatory equipment into space.  They will also space walk to test astronaut mobility while maintaing planned freedom aboard the Space Station.

Photo Courtesy: NASA 

Apollo 8 Liftoff

Apollo 8
Lunar Vehicle

Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Launch of Apollo 8 Astronauts, Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders, in a successful orbit of the Moon.
Color Photo by NASA

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Apollo 8, the second human spaceflight mission in the United States Apollo space program, was launched on December 21, 1968, and became the first manned spacecraft to leave Earth orbit, reach the Earth's Moon, orbit it and return safely to Earth. 

Space Shuttle Endeavour Lifts Off

The Space Shuttle Endeavour lights up the night sky as it embarks on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station.

Photo courtesy: NASA

Vehicle Assemble Building

The tallest part of the Vehicle Assemble Building has four bays in which different elements of the Space Shuttle are assembled and readied for flight.  Various sections of the solid rocket boosters are checked and refurbished and done in the shorter portion of the building.  A shuttle launch is seen in the background.

Photo courtesy: NASA

Space Shuttle Discovery Lifts Off

Clouds of exhaust fill Launch Pad 39B as Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off at 2:19 p.m. EST Oct. 29 on mission STS-95.  Making his second voyage into space after 36 years is Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio
(the postcard doesn't give the year, but this happened in 1998)

Photo courtesy: NASA

Mission STS-80 and Space Shuttle Columbia

A diversified mission of astronomy, commercial space research and International Space Station preparation gets under way as the Space Shuttle climbs into orbit from Launch Pad 39B at 2:55:47 p.m. EST, Nov. 19, 1996.  During Mission STS-80, the five-person crew will deploy and retrieve two free-flying spacecraft, conduct two spacewalks and perform a variety of microgravity research experiments in the Shuttle's middeck area.

Photo courtesy: NASA

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STS-80 was a Space Shuttle mission flown by Space Shuttle Columbia. 

Kennedy Space Center, Bookmark, Appollo 11 Launch

Postcard and Bookmark

Kennedy Space Center
Visitor Complex

Apollo 11 Launch
The Apollo 11 space vehicle rises to clear the launch tower at Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A.  Liftoff occurred at 9:32 a.m. EDT, July 16, 1969.  Crewmen Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. are speeding toward lunar orbit, from where Armstrong and Aldrin will attempt the first manned lunar landing.

Photo courtesy of NASA

The bookmark is where you add the stamp, and when the receiver gets the postcard in the mail, they separate the bookmark from the card using the perforated lines.  Brilliant! 

Saturn V Liftoff

Saturn V Liftoff  NASA

The Moment of Truth for Apollo 11
The Apollo 11 space vehicle rises to clear the launch tower at Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A.  Liftoff occurred at 9:32 a.m. EDT, July 16, 1969.  Crewmen Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. are speeding toward lunar orbit, from where Armstrong and Aldrin will attempt the first manned lunar landing.

Kennedy Space Center, "The Shuttle"

What takes off like a rocket, flies like a spacecraft, and lands like a plane?
The Shuttle

Kennedy Space Center

Two solid rocket boosters provide six million pounds of thrust for shuttle liftoff.  The space shuttle orbits at approximately 17,500 mph.  Or 10 times faster than a rifle bullet.  The shuttle orbiter has no engines like a regular airplane does - so it lands like a glider.  It can't circle the runway and try again.  It has to land perfectly the first time!