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Celebrate Earth Day with Five Fun Facts About Kennedy

The headshot image of Danielle Sempsrott

Danielle Sempsrott

Apr 20, 2023
Article
Birds are seen flying over the water at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the background is the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building.
On a brisk morning at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, birds flock to warmer water in the Launch Complex 39 area. In the background is the Vehicle Assembly Building and NASA’s new mobile launcher. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles.
NASA/Tony Gray

By Danielle Sempsrott
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is home to more than rocket launches and research efforts. The Florida spaceport also is home to a variety of wildlife. Kennedy shares its boundaries with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – 140,000 acres of land, water, and marshes that house more than 277 bird species, 197 species of fish, 71 different types of amphibians and reptiles, and 29 kinds of mammals.

With these furry and scaly neighbors in mind, and the desire to preserve Florida’s native flora and fauna, Kennedy has devoted itself to protecting life here on Earth as we look to explore beyond our home planet.
In celebration of Earth Day this year, check out these five fun facts about our spaceport:

  1. Kennedy is constructing a two-megawatt solar site as part of a performance contract project. In a year, this site will generate enough energy annually to drive a car to the Moon and back 20 times.
  2. Exterior lights at Kennedy are designed to be sea turtle friendly so as not to disturb their nesting activities along the shoreline.
  3. Southeastern beach mice are a threatened species and are the only protected small mammals known to inhabit the coastal dunes and nearby scrub at Kennedy.
  4. According to the most recent survey, Kennedy is home to approximately 20 nesting pairs of bald eagles.
  5. One of Kennedy’s goals is to reduce waste going to landfills to less than 50% annually. In Fiscal Year 22, Kennedy diverted more than 37.5 million pounds of construction and debris waste from the landfill.

To learn more about the wildlife at Kennedy, or our sustainability initiatives, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/sustainability/index.html