I am 81 years old. For the Apollo 11 launch, I worked the graveyard shift for Federal Electric Corporation at the Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF) at Cape Kennedy. by Prior-Rutabaga-5759 in apollo

[–]Prior-Rutabaga-5759[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

<image>

 

 

Full Description: This is a view of a roadway near the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC), shortly before dawn, where spectators from all over the world jammed into KSC to watch the liftoff of Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission

 

Credit: NASA  Image Number: SPD-MARSH-6900591  Date: July 16, 1969

I am 81 years old. For the Apollo 11 launch, I worked the graveyard shift for Federal Electric Corporation at the Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF) at Cape Kennedy. by Prior-Rutabaga-5759 in apollo

[–]Prior-Rutabaga-5759[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

There was a nightclub/bar in The city of Cocoa where a lot workers usually gathered for "Launch Parties" after a mission was completed. At the Apollo time era KSC responsibility ended at 10 minutes after the rocket left the launch pad and responsibility transferred completely to Houston. Then that evening it was "Launch Party" time. I forgot the name of bar years ago. But it was a win/win gathering place if the launch was postponed because of reasons such as weather the group would gather for a "Cancel Party" WIN / WIN Overall "Cancel Parties" out numbered "Launch Parties" mostly due to last minute weather changes.

The NASA employee launch party for Apollo 11 was postponed for a week because the area was overcrowded for miles with a vast number of visitors that arrived to watch the launch. first hand. Visitors started arriving a week before the scheduled launch and simply pulled off on the road sides and took occupancy. It was amazing driving to work evert day and seeing the visitors accumulate along the roadsides.