(07/24/2000) --- A 50th Anniversary Ceremony was held today in honor of the first rocket launch, called Bumper 8, from Pad 3 at Cape Canaveral on July 24, 1950. Members of the original Bumper 8 team reconvene at the ceremony with a Bumper 8 model rocket. The model was later launched as part of the festivities. Other activities included presentation of a Bumper Award to the Honorable George Kirkpatrick, State Senator, District 5; remarks by Center Director Roy Bridges and Commander, 45th Space Wing, Brig. Gen. Donald Pettit; and a reception at Hangar C. Bumper consisted of a German V-2 missile acting as the booster and a U.S. Army WAC Corporal rocket as the second stage. Since 1950 there have been a total of 3,245 launches from Cape Canaveral