Space Shuttle
Brevard County, Brevard County, Florida
Marker Inscription
This plaque flew on the final Space Shuttle Mission in July, 2011. From the fortunate few who have served in space to the thousands who make spaceflight a reality, thank you for keeping the dream alive. Your passion for these amazing space ships will always stand as proof of what this country can do when it dares to be bold!
Erected by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The Story
This plaque flew aboard the final Space Shuttle mission in July 2011, the last flight of a program that carried Americans to orbit for three decades. Its words thank not only the astronauts but the thousands of engineers, technicians, and workers who made spaceflight possible from Florida's Space Coast. It stands as a tribute to the end of an era at the heart of the U.S. human spaceflight program.
Why it matters
It commemorates the close of the Space Shuttle era, honoring the vast workforce behind one of the boldest chapters of American innovation and exploration.
Own a business near here? Add it to the map.
Related events
- · Final Space Shuttle mission (July 2011)
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Space Shuttle
Brevard County, FL · est. 2020
Set on Florida's Space Coast near the launch pads that carried the program aloft, this 2020 marker honors the countless workers whose labor turned the Space Shuttle from a dream into reality. From 1981 to 2011 the reusable orbiters flew 135 missions, building the International Space Station and launching landmark observatories. Behind each launch stood engineers, technicians, and support crews whose names rarely made headlines.
Launch Complex 34
Brevard County, FL
Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral was one of the pads that carried America into the space age. From here the mighty Saturn I and Saturn IB rockets rose in the early and mid-1960s, testing the hardware that would eventually send astronauts toward the Moon. It is also the solemn site where, on January 27, 1967, a fire during a ground test of Apollo 1 killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee — a tragedy that reshaped the safety of the entire lunar program.
Mercury 7 Monument
Brevard County, FL
Dedicated in 1964 on Florida's Space Coast, this monument honors the vast, largely anonymous workforce behind Project Mercury — the engineers, technicians, and support staff who put the first Americans into orbit. Its Latin motto, borrowed from the tomb of architect Christopher Wren, translates as 'If you seek his monument, look around you,' inviting visitors to see the launch complexes and the reach into space itself as the true memorial. It stands at the heart of the early Cold War race beyond Earth.
Project Mercury Complex 14 Memorial
Brevard County, FL
Dedicated in 1964, this marker honors Project Mercury, the program that first carried Americans into space aboard Atlas rockets launched from nearby Complex 14. Its builders sealed technical reports of the flights in a capsule meant to be opened in the year 2464, a gesture of faith in the future. The closing Latin epitaph — "if you seek his monument, look around you" — invites visitors to see the whole space coast as the achievement's memorial.