The National Space Society invites you to the next Space Forum
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EST
The World’s Premier Gateway to Space:
A Historical Overview
With special guest
James Draper
Director, Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum
Space Launch Delta 45
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (SCSFS) occupies a singular place in the history of the Space Age. What began in the aftermath of World War II as a missile test range quickly became the launch point for America’s first steps beyond Earth—and, over time, the foundation of a global spaceflight enterprise.
In this Space Forum, James Draper, Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum Director, will trace the evolution of Cape Canaveral from its earliest Bumper and Vanguard launches through Mercury, Gemini, and the opening chapters of Apollo, and into the present era of high-cadence commercial and national security spaceflight. The story is not just one of rockets and launch pads, but of infrastructure, policy, and people—how a single stretch of Florida coastline adapted again and again to meet the changing demands of national defense, scientific discovery, and human space exploration.
Now fully integrated with neighboring Kennedy Space Center, CCSFS supports the busiest launch tempo in its history. With a growing mix of government and commercial rockets flying from legacy and newly rebuilt launch complexes, it stands today as the world’s premier gateway to space. This forum will place that modern reality in historical context, showing how decades of innovation and reinvention made today’s Space Coast possible—and what that history can teach us as we look ahead. Don’t miss this exploration of our spacefaring past—and how it continues to shape the next era of spaceflight.
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James Draper serves as Museum Director for the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, administered by Space Launch Delta 45 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. He develops and implements a vision for the museum and oversees budgets, strategic planning, and agreements with mission partners. His responsibilities include coordinating the Museum Volunteer Association, working with the supporting Museum Foundation, and guiding staff to meet USAF/USSF Heritage Program standards. Draper also collaborates with local and national cultural organizations to broaden public access to Cape Canaveral’s history, and oversees collections management, exhibitions, and restoration activities across more than 30 Museum facilities, including the Sands Space History Center and Hangar C.
Draper began his museum career as Site Manager of the Swiss Historical Village in New Glarus, Wisconsin, and later served as Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the Rock County Historical Society in Janesville. He entered federal service in 2003 as Museum Registrar at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
Register today to reserve your seat and ask your questions. Use the link below.
Register no later than January 22 at 8 pm EST
