Ozzie Osband, space launch icon and force behind Brevard’s 321 area code, has died (Florida)

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When it comes to rocket launches, there are a few constants: There will be delays, and Titusville’s Ozzie Osband will be out at Space View Park hosting a watch party.

But those watch parties have come to an end. The American Space Museum announced Ozzie Osband died Sunday.

A self-proclaimed space cadet, Osband hosted public viewing parties at the Brevard park just a few miles away from the launch pads. Osband was hard to miss with his poofy white hair and beard, posted up next to a light pole with an amplifier and a microphone — ready to brief the spectators who had come out to see a launch and count them down to liftoff.

Osband arrived in Florida in 1987 and since then, rarely missed a launch, providing newcomers and long-time space fans alike with education and enthusiasm. He welcomed tourists from across the country and globe, sharing his enjoyment of all things space with the spectators. Then, just before launch, he would amplify the countdown feed from NASA.

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