Long before rockets were launched from Cape Canaveral, the prominent landmark was home to a fierce tribe of Ais Natives. Known for cannibalism, these warlike Ais lived along the shoreline and survived on shellfish and local vegetation. Ponce de Leon first met the Ais Indians in 1513, and was forced into a hasty retreat. Cape Canaveral first appeared on Spanish maps in 1564, along with another important reference point, the Florida Keys. The area around the cape was a point were European vessels left the Florida coast and headed northeast out into open Atlantic waters. These coastal shoals along the Canaveral Coast are the most dangerous section of the Atlantic. The ocean bottom is littered with shipwrecks, some laden with Spanish gold, and has become a popular stop for modern treasure hunters.
     Pictured here is the earth's sun, rising up over the Atlantic. The area is restricted for public access due to on-going hazardous launch operations along the beach. Today, a line-up of Delta and Atlas rockets deliver satellite components into earthbound orbits or long range explorers outbound into the solar system.