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Brevard County, FL – For decades, the Space Coast has been the launchpad for America’s greatest achievements in space exploration. But while astronauts and rockets captured the world’s attention, a quiet group of men and women known as “Range Rats” kept every mission on track.
Now, one of their own has published a memoir that gives Brevard residents — and space history enthusiasts everywhere — a rare insider’s view of those pivotal years.
Recollections of a Range Rat, written by longtime technician Steve Matthews, takes readers behind the scenes of the Eastern Test Range from 1960 to 1971. Matthews’ career spanned missile-tracking missions on ships in the Caribbean, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, before bringing him to Cape Canaveral during the Apollo era.
From missile trails to moonshots, his story captures the human side of a technological revolution.
In his book, Matthews recalls the globe-spanning odyssey of the “Range Rats” — the engineers and technicians who operated radar ships, remote island stations, and ground systems that made spaceflight possible.
“Without the Range Rats, America doesn’t get to the moon,” Matthews said. “We were the ones making sure the data got back, that the missions stayed on course, and that the astronauts had the support they needed every step of the way.”
His journey began with RCA on missile-tracking ships, where high-stakes missions collided with moments of unexpected romance. A chance encounter at a 1960 Christmas party led him to Betty Bostic, the woman who would later become his wife.
After years at sea, Matthews transitioned to North American Aviation and joined Apollo launch operations at the Cape as a quality control specialist. There, amid the triumphs and tragedies of the program — including the fire that claimed the lives of the Apollo 1 crew — he and Betty reunited and married.
Their adventure later took them to assignments in Madagascar and Bermuda before eventually settling into family life.
For Space Coast residents, Matthews’ memoir is more than just one man’s story — it’s a reminder of the thousands of unsung workers who turned Brevard into the home of American space exploration.
From the sandy shores of Cape Canaveral to distant outposts across the globe, their contributions helped define an era that continues to shape the community today.
“People see the launches, they see the astronauts, but they don’t often hear about the folks behind the scenes,” Matthews said. “This book is my way of sharing what life was like for us — the long hours, the travel, the excitement, and sometimes the heartbreak.”
Recollections of a Range Rat is available now in paperback through rangeratrecollections.com and on Amazon.
Matthews hopes the book will not only preserve the memories of those who served alongside him but also inspire younger generations in Brevard who continue to carry the torch of innovation.
“This community is built on space history,” he said. “I wanted to give people a window into what it was like to live it.”
