Brenda Mulberry’s Space Shirts store on Merritt Island is printing more than 50,000 Artemis II T-shirts ahead of Wednesday’s lunar mission launch. The store, located near the Kennedy Space Center, has seen a rush of customers from across the country and even overseas. “People come from Germany, out of the country, out in the world,” Mulberry said. “It’s all over the place.”
The Artemis II mission, set to send astronauts around the moon, has drawn visitors to the Space Coast, boosting local businesses. Timothy Knox, a tourist from Maryland, recalled watching the first moon landing as a child and said the upcoming launch feels “just as thrilling.” He plans to buy a T-shirt and postcards for his mother. “I was 11 years old vacationing in Ocean City, Maryland, when I saw the first moonwalk,” Knox said. “It was a huge thrill. It’s a great thrill now.”
John Boyd, a Central Florida analyst, estimates 400,000 people will watch the launch, with 70% being Floridians, 25% from other U.S. states, and 5% international visitors. He noted the presence of a Canadian astronaut on the mission helps attract global interest. “It’s a really unique asset that Florida has above and beyond the beaches and Disney World,” Boyd said.
Fourteen hotels in the area are already sold out, and day passes to Jetty Park, a popular viewing spot, are unavailable. Mulberry said her store has received orders from customers across the U.S. and abroad. “We’ve been here through the good launches, and we’ve been here through the bad launches,” she said. “It’s apprehension and anticipation, a little bit.”
The event has created a mix of emotions for locals and visitors alike. While some express excitement, others acknowledge the stress of past launch delays. Still, the economic impact is clear: businesses are cashing in, and the Space Coast is once again at the center of national attention.