HISTORY

& LEGACY

discover the Space Coast

Field Manor

Field Manor

Step into the past

Built in 1880, Field Manor celebrates pioneer life and agricultural traditions in Brevard County, Florida.  The Field family arrived here in 1868 and settled on 320 acres in Merritt Island. Field Manor now occupies 45 acres along the Indian River Lagoon, part of the original lands, and features a home decorated lovingly and welcoming to all along with the old packing house and its artifacts. Learn more.

Sams House

Sams House

The oldest standing home in Brevard

The Sams Family legacy can be found here in the 900 acres Pine Island Conservation Area, the site of the oldest standing home in the County, built by John H. Sams in 1875. Now a hands-on museum, the cabin sits by a home from a bit later and special tours are available.  As well, trails start right here for exploring more than 6 miles of trails, wading birds, bald eagles, alligators, manatees and bobcats and five different habitats. In the fall, a special event that always brings a smile is Pioneer Days. Learn more.

KSC Launch Complex 39-A

Launch of the First Moon Landing Mission

Apollo 11 was launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16 at 13:32 UTC, and it was the fifth crewed mission of NASA’s Apollo program. Apollo 11 (July 16–24, 1969) was the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC, and Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon’s surface six hours and 39 minutes later, on July 21 at 02:56 UTC. Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later, and they spent about two and a quarter hours together exploring the site they had named Tranquility Base upon landing. Armstrong and Aldrin collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of lunar material to bring back to Earth as pilot Michael Collins flew the Command Module Columbia in lunar orbit, and were on the Moon’s surface for 21 hours, 36 minutes before lifting off to rejoin Columbia. (Source: Wikipedia) Image credit: NASA

SpaceX

Home of the First Launch of Falcon Heavy, The World’s Most Powerful Operational Rocket

SpaceX conducted Falcon Heavy’s maiden launch on 6 February 2018, at 20:45 UTC.[4] The rocket carried a Tesla Roadster belonging to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, with a dummy dubbed “Starman” in the driver’s seat, as a dummy payload.[9] The second Falcon Heavy launch occurred on 11 April 2019, and all three booster rockets successfully returned to Earth.[10] The third Falcon Heavy launch successfully occurred on 25 June 2019. Since then, Falcon Heavy has been certified for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.[11] (Source: Wikipedia) Image Credit: SpaceX

Vehicle Assembly Building

The largest single-story building in the world

The VAB is the largest single-story building in the world,[4] was the tallest building (526 ft or 160 m) in Florida until 1974,[5] and is the tallest building in the United States outside an urban area.[5] The Vehicle Assembly Building (originally the Vertical Assembly Building), or VAB, is a large building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), designed to assemble large pre-manufactured space vehicle components, such as the massive Saturn V and the Space Shuttle, and stack them vertically onto one of three mobile launcher platforms used by NASA. As of March 2022, the first Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was assembled inside in preparation for the Artemis 1 mission.[2]

At 129,428,000 cubic feet (3,665,000 m3) it is one of the largest buildings in the world by volume.[3] The building is at Launch Complex 39 at KSC, 149 miles (240 km) south of Jacksonville, 219 miles (352 km) north of Miami, and 50 miles (80 km) due east of Orlando, on Merritt Island on the Atlantic coast of Florida.[3] (Source: Wikipedia) Image Credit: NASA

Merritt Island Airport (COI)

General aviation and recreational flights

View beautiful Merritt Island with the wind in your hair from the front seat of a vintage WWII-era biplane or take a helicopter tour of our beautiful Atlantic coastline.

Merritt Island Airport (COI) provides general aviation and recreational flights, and also features aircraft charter services, banner towing, flight training, avionics services and aircraft maintenance & sales.   Under the leadership of the TICO Airport Authority, Merritt Island Airport is part of a three-airport system also including  Space Coast Regional Airport and Arthur Dun Airport. www.flyspacecoast.org

Image credit: Florida Air Tours

We’re Here To Help
Your Business

Through Planning, Partnerships,
Infrastructure, Financing Tools & Grants

Dedicated to Sustainability & Economic Growth in Merritt Island