Florida's Space Coast again bustling with activity
TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- A decade ago, Florida's Space Coast was in the doldrums.The space shuttle program had ended, and with it the steady stream of s...
TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- A decade ago, Florida's Space Coast was in the doldrums.The space shuttle program had ended, and with it the steady stream of space enthusiasts who filled the area's restaurants and hotel and motel rooms during regular astronaut launches.The Kennedy Space Center's 7,400 laid-off shuttle workers struggled to find jobs in their fields, and many left for other states. The county's unemployment rate skyrocketed to almost 12%, and foreclosures were rampant in the aftermath of a housing crisis that struck Florida harder than most states.