Cape Canaveral Name Changes

By Cliff Lethbridge

The launching area at Cape Canaveral has experienced some name changes since the missile testing range was created in 1949. Name changes have occurred with the actual launching area itself, the range itself, the military management organization and the military base of operations. These name changes are broken down and listed below by the year the name changes took effect:

The Launching Area At Cape Canaveral

(1949) Cape Canaveral Launching (or Launch) Area

(1950) LRPG Launching Area

(1951) Cape Canaveral Auxiliary Air Force Base

(1955) Cape Canaveral Missile Test Annex

(1964) Cape Kennedy Air Force Station

(1973) Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

(1992) Cape Canaveral Air Station

(2000) Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

(2020) Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

The Cape Canaveral Range

(1949) Joint Long Range Proving Ground

(1950) Long Range Proving Ground

(1951) Florida Missile Test Range

(1958) Atlantic Missile Range

(1964) Eastern Test Range

(1992) Eastern Range

The Military Base

(1940) Banana River Naval Air Station

(1949) Joint Long Range Proving Ground Base

(1950) Long Range Proving Ground Base

(1950) Patrick Air Force Base

(2020) Patrick Space Force Base

The Military Managing Organization

(1949) Air Force Division Joint Long Range Proving Ground

(1950) Long Range Proving Ground Division

(1951) Air Force Missile Test Center

(1964) Air Force Eastern Test Range

(1977) 6550th Air Base Group

(1979) Eastern Space And Missile Center

(1991) 45th Space Wing