Tradition is a big part of any event, and launches are no different. Inside of the CBS building at Kennedy Space Center’s press site, there is one ritual that has been around for years…Oreos. Peter King with CBS News Radio tells us about this delicious tradition.
King has been with CBS News Radio for over 20 years, and recalls the Oreo Tradition for as long as he can remember. Delores McDonough, the wife of one of CBS’s videographers, always made sure that the team was well fed on launch days. Every meal she provided always included a brand new pack of Oreos. 
Peter King with his Falcon Heavy Oreos
On one occasion, though, the grocery store was out of them and the launch ended up scrubbing. The entire team (jokingly) agreed it was because of the missing cream filled cookie. After that, Delores made sure to always have a brand new pack on hand for every launch. When Delores passed away, the whole team made sure to keep the tradition alive.
In fact, at the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch, King brought Oreos. However, he forgot to open them until the final time pushback, when it was starting to look like a scrub. After the CBS team toasted with the cookies, there was a successful launch. In response to the Falcon Heavy, King commented, “The Oreos did it!”
When asked if there was a specific kind of Oreo it needed to be, King said, “Either regular or Double Stuff…those other flavors are sacrilegious [for launches]”. Although King is not able to make it out to as many launches as he would like to, he told us that when he does, he keeps up the tradition. He says that “with everything on the horizon with SpaceX, other companies, and sending people to space, the Oreo will continue”.
Cassie Johnson is a Space Reporter and Photojournalist for Star Letters. She studied Studio Art and Design at Northern Illinois University, with a degree emphasis in Photography. When she is not chasing rockets or staring at the stars, Cassie can be found perfecting her photography or with her dogs, Frankie and Chewie. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram.
