▁currently ▁active ▁( Space ▁La unch ▁Comple xes ▁ 3 7 B , ▁ 4 0 , ▁and ▁ 4 1 ). ▁Popular ly ▁known ▁as ▁" C ape ▁Kennedy " ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁and ▁as ▁" C ape ▁C ana ver al " ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁the ▁present , ▁the ▁facility ▁is ▁south - s out heast ▁of ▁NASA ' s ▁Kennedy ▁Space ▁Center ▁on ▁adjacent ▁Mer ritt ▁Island , ▁with ▁the ▁two ▁linked ▁by ▁brid ges ▁and ▁cause ways . ▁The ▁Cape ▁C ana ver al ▁Air ▁Force ▁Station ▁Sk id ▁St rip ▁provides ▁a ▁ ▁run way ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁launch ▁complex es ▁for ▁military ▁air l ift ▁aircraft ▁deliver ing ▁heavy ▁and ▁out s ized ▁pay loads ▁to ▁the ▁Cape . ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁American ▁space ▁expl oration ▁pione ers ▁were ▁launched ▁from ▁CC AF S , ▁including ▁the ▁first ▁U . S . ▁Earth ▁satellite ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁first ▁U . S . ▁astr onaut ▁( 1 9 6 1 ), ▁first ▁U . S . ▁astr onaut ▁in ▁orbit ▁( 1 9 6 2 ), ▁first ▁two - man ▁U . S . ▁space craft ▁( 1 9 6 5 ), ▁first ▁U . S . ▁un mann ed ▁lun ar ▁landing ▁( 1 9 6 6 ), ▁and ▁first ▁three - man ▁U .