One reason rockets are launched from the Space Coast has to do with the Earth's rotation. The Earth rotates from west to east, most quickly at the equator, and to take advantage of this, adding the speed of rotation to the orbital velocity of the rocket, it is most beneficial to launch eastward from a location near the equator. Launching from an uninhabited location on an easterly coast at low latitude, minimizing the danger posed by debris from a failed launch, is ideal both for the safety of the people on the ground and for
fuel efficiency of the rocket. Given the high population densities in coastal
Texas, South Florida, and Puerto Rico, the Space Coast is often considered the best location when all factors are taken into account.[1]
Space-named landmarks (outside KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)
Many places near the Cape are named for subjects relating to the US space program including vehicles, astronauts, and the spaceport itself.
When the region became too heavily populated to be served by only one
area code, a local resident Robert Osband (aka Richard Cheshire)[13] discovered that
area code 321 was not assigned to any other territory (though it was being considered for the suburban Chicago area).[notes 1] If each number is pronounced individually—"3, 2, 1"—the pronunciation resembles the
countdown before liftoff; thus, the resident petitioned for the code to be assigned to the Space Coast region. His efforts were popular among local residents and resulted in success; the new code officially became effective on November 1, 1999.[14][15]
The area also sees Christmas tourism, as thousands of people attend the
Surfing Santas festival in
Cocoa Beach (by Cape Canaveral) over the holiday season.[18] Cocoa Beach attracts all types of people looking for a vacation because of the beachy location. A weekend here may have people stopping by a surf museum or shopping at a tiki gallery.[19]
Media
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adding to it. (April 2024)
Brevard Business News is a weekly newspaper in
Melbourne, Florida, United States covering business news and trends for the Space Coast. Fred Krupski started Brevard Business News in 1981,[20] and Adrienne B. Roth purchased it in 1986.