The landing of space shuttle Atlantis July 21, 2011, marked the end of a great achievement in American spaceflight; it also left an uncomfortable feeling of a great unknown. With the cancellation of the Constellation Program — NASA’s next-generation human spaceflight plan — how would Americans get themselves back into low Earth orbit and beyond? Would we remain stuck hitching a lift on Russian Soyuz spacecraft?
But the end of the Space Shuttle Program brought even greater questions to those working and living along America’s “Space Coast,” the region in Florida around NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). That area’s economy and culture has been significantly tied to American spaceflight since the country first launched a man into space in 1961. The people there now live with an even greater unknown that often goes overlooked … until now.
In a documentary currently free until the end of the month in conjunction with YouTube’s movie area, we can hear the voices of this community. The 2nd Assassination of JFK highlights the historical and future significance of American spaceflight as it relates to the Space Coast, and we hear the thoughts of various community members, from NASA engineers to local business owners. These people take great pride in being at the forefront of space exploration — many are second- and third-generation KSC employees — and a murky plan for the future leaves them in limbo. The 2nd Assassination of JFK gives a voice to their uncertainty.
The 2nd Assasination of JFK
Director: Robert Christian Malmberg; Producers: Jason Linkous and D.K. Johnston