Posts: 4072
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 07-04-2026 08:27 PM               

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With all the hoopla and celebration of America's 250th year birthday today, it made me look back to another 50 years ago to 1976. There was another big celebration known as 3rd Century America, our nation's only exposition sponsored by the U.S. Government during America's Bicentennial Year.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center was chosen to host the nation's Bicentennial Exposition on Science and Technology on Florida's Space Coast. For me personally, it was a phenomenal experience, becoming one of my early NASA news media (press) accredited events. I was just out of high school and getting ready for college studies when the exposition of 16 government agencies and many industrial firms provided a glimpse of what our future could hold during the next 100 years.

All of the displays and exhibits were fascinating and public access-KSC tickets were available for only a modest fee. "On-space center" tours had been available, public awareness talks and programs were presented almost on a daily basis, military jet airplane fly-bys, which even included an original X-24B lifting body research vehicle on the grounds. In addition, Gemini and Apollo astronauts John Young, Michael Collins, and Ed Mitchell made special appearances throughout the 100-day exposition.

Official space covers rarely seen today along with other 3rd Century America material had been issued for the symposium. A special pictorial cancel in use was: "Kennedy Space Center, FL 32815 - Bicentennial Expo on Science & Technology, May 30 - Sept. 6, 1976" by the U.S. Postal Service. Above are a few of those posted covers along with a few other official Expo mementoes.

Posts: 933
From: Derbyshire UK
Registered: Mar 2023

Posts: 2112
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 07-05-2026 01:23 PM               

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Interesting and appreciated cover and memento presentation, Ken. I also visited KSC during KSC's "Third Century Expo" and have many fond memories of my first visit to KSC and it was also the first time you and I met (Fifty years ago?!).

One highlight of many was seeing (actually touching) the X-24B Lifting Body aircraft on display there just shortly after years of obtaining flight covers and autographs pertaining to it.