Discover the Legacy of Launch Beans

The tradition of eating Launch Beans and Corn Bread was started by Norm Carlson on STS-1 in 1981 and grew to become a “Launch Bean” tradition.

After every successful Shuttle Launch, the cooker below, and approximately eleven (11) additional cookers, were used to prepare and serve over 60 gallons of Beans and Corn Bread to Space workers at Kennedy Space Center in the Launch Control Center.

In the event of a Launch Scrub, the beans were refrigerated and no one was allowed to eat Beans for Corn Bread until the launch was called a “SUCCESS”!

We will always remember “Beans Are A Go” and the many people that made launching Shuttles an American success story.

• 6 lbs dried Great Northern Beans
• IO lbs smoked ham, cut into cubes
• I /2 shaker of lemon pepper
• 3 lbs chopped onions
• 2 stalks chopped celery
• I tsp liquid smoke