Floridians celebrate ‘Rocket Hobo’ who created iconic space-themed area code
It was the party of the millennium.
More than 100 people gathered on the Space Coast Thursday for their annual “3-2-1 Day” and to honor the late “Rocket Hobo” who’s responsible for their iconic 321 area code that mimics NASA’s countdown sequence.
It was the first time Robert “Ozzie” Osband couldn’t attend the annual event — so organizers dedicated it in his honor.
“People like Robert Osband carry the torch for the Space Age in the community and help inspire all generations to explore outer space,” Gabriel Rothblatt, a Director of the National Space Society, said in a statement.
“This is a special celebration for an extraordinary man.”
Osband, who died in August at age 72, was a space fanatic and dedicated member of the American Space Museum.
The Army veteran was well-known in the Titusville area for broadcasting space launches from his lawn chair at Space View Park, a greenspace located 15 miles from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.
For these occasions, Osband always wore a green polo shirt, which he said was symbolic of “go for launch.” It’s also where he passed out his ”Rocket Hobo” patches.
He also made headlines in 1998 for bringing the 321 area code to Brevard County after a yearslong campaign to pay tribute to the community’s space station ties.
On Nov. 1, 1999, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush placed the first official “321” phone call from Tallahassee to Kennedy Space Center, with Osband sitting beside the deputy director receiving the call, the space museum said.
Osband even successfully fought for the phone number 321-LIFTOFF for his cell phone.
After decades of working for the Florida space community, Osband died on Aug. 6 of natural causes.
Celebrants of Osband’s life were treated to a viewing of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching Thursday afternoon to send supplies to the International Space Station.
“That’s what he would be here for — another great, large rocket going in the sky and a resupply mission to continue to have manned space be a part of the human experience,” Osband’s brother, Steve, told News 6.
On his brother’s lasting impression, Steve said it was: “To dream, to show up and experience what’s going on in the world.”
