Small indeed. But back then getting a basketball into orbit was quite a feat of science.
I remember the rockets on Cape Canaveral blowing up on the launch pad, or getting a few hundred feet up before coming back down.
There is a wonderful wildlife preserve surrounding the Kennedy Space Center. I think it was established as a buffer zone for failed rocket attempts. The thinking being that if the rocket came down, a housing development or business center would not be a good place for the crash.
I usually visit the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge a few times each year. It's about 100 miles north of us. There is an abundance of waterfowl in the winter, they come from 'up north' to evade the cold winters. Egrets, Spoonbills, Herons, Ducks, Mergansers, Grebes, Hawks, Ospreys, Eagles, Vultures, Rails and plenty of small birds too. Plus the occasional large mammal like river otters, armadillos, and bobcats.
It's maintained by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife with help from Ducks Unlimited.
From December to April, especially on dry years, it's a great place to visit if you like nature.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Titusville Florida
Bob