With Artemis II preparing to send astronauts back toward the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, it’s worth noting that West St. Pete has a close relationship to the space program. Admiral Farragut Academy can claim two of only twelve moonwalkers, including Alan Shepard, the first American in space, along with Apollo astronaut Charles Duke. A rare moon rock is on display at Admiral Farragut Academy, one of only three such exhibits in Florida. Add in the west side’s technical corridor, where firms like ECI, E-Systems and Raytheon were involved in defense systems, radar and aerospace electronics, and West St. Pete starts to look like an important piece of the story as we head back to the Moon.
Local civic leaders began exploring ways to expand science education opportunities for young people. Science demonstrations, school programs, and community organizations were already introducing students to astronomy, physics, and other subjects during the early years of the Space Race. The idea of a dedicated science center grew out of those efforts. With support from educators, business leaders, and civic groups, plans moved forward for a permanent facility where these activities could be expanded. When the St. Petersburg Science Center opened in 1966, it provided a home for programs that had already begun taking shape across the community and reflected a national moment when science education had become a priority.
Its location on the west side of the city also placed it near an emerging corridor of technology and defense work. During the Cold War years, companies involved in electronics and communications began establishing facilities in west St. Petersburg. One of the earliest was Electronic Communications Inc. (ECI), which had operations in the Azalea area by the late 1950s. The company worked in communications and electronic systems during a period when advanced technology was increasingly important to both aerospace and national defense.
In later years ECI became part of E-Systems, a Texas-based firm known for producing communications and surveillance systems used by military and intelligence agencies. Raytheon acquired E-Systems in 1995. For decades the west St. Petersburg area employed engineers, technicians, and support staff who lived in nearby neighborhoods. The presence of these industries helped reinforce the region’s connection to science and technology at the same time the Science Center was inspiring students to explore those fields.
The Science Center opened in 1966 during the height of the Space Race, and the dedication was a major civic event. Free buses carried visitors from downtown to the new facility. NASA representatives from the Kennedy Space Center spoke at the ceremony, and Jack King, the well-known voice of mission control who delivered the televised countdown for American space launches, led the official countdown to open the center. Congressman Edward J. Gurney told the crowd that the center “provides the motivation for youth,” adding that the Space Age had sparked an interest in science among young Americans “such as we have never seen before.” It was the same year that Star Trek premiered on television.
The Science Center has long reflected the west side’s connection to the early space program. In its earlier days, it even featured Mercury-era capsule exhibits, the same type of spacecraft flown by astronauts like Alan Shepard, the first American in space. Visitors could get a close-up view and even climb inside, while others nearby played the role of Mission Control. The hands-on experience brought the space race to life.
In 1969, astronaut Charles Duke (Admiral Farragut Academy valedictorian, class of ’53) served as CAPCOM for Apollo 11 during the first moon landing. He was the single voice from Mission Control authorized to communicate directly with the astronauts. Then, in 1972, Duke walked on the Moon as the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 16.
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Today, west St. Petersburg is changing. The Science Center is being renovated and the former Raytheon property is being redeveloped into housing where hundreds of families and school-age children will soon live. A new generation will grow up just steps away from the same place that has inspired scientific curiosity for decades. It is not hard to imagine that among them could be a future engineer, scientist, or even the next person to walk on the Moon.
Timeline:
- 1953 Industrial land zoned in the Azalea and Jungle Terrace neighborhoods
- 1957 Soviet Union launches Sputnik
- 1957 Cold War electronics companies arrive (ECI)
- 1958 Local scientific workforce with interest in science education
- 1961 Admiral Farragut graduate Alan Shepard is the First American in space
- 1966 Science Center opens during Space Race enthusiasm
- 1969 Neil Armstrong becomes first man to step on the Moon's surface
- 1971 Alan Shepard walks on the moon, hits golf balls
- 1972 Admiral Farragut graduate Charles Duke is the 10th man to walk on the Moon
- 2014 Science Center Closes due to financial and operational problems
- 2026 Azalea Gateway Apartments scheduled groundbreaking
- 2027 Science Center reopening
