Covering All Things Florida
While President Donald J. Trump celebrated the first 100 days of his second term that began January 20 with a trip to Michigan, NASA today released a long litany of its own achievements during that same period. In his inaugural address, President Trump laid out a bold and ambitious vision for NASA’s future.
Certain aspects of today’s launch of NROL-69 from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station were well understood … the name of the payload (NROL-69 aka Hummingbird), the launch time, the Falcon 9 booster, the launch site – Launch Complex 40. But many other aspects that the geekier side of us wants to know … the eventual positioning of the spacecraft, spacecraft dimensions and mass, the purpose of the spacecraft, orbit, design life, etc. aren’t available. Here’s why –
It was a good day to have a good day here in Florida, and that’s exactly what NASA, SpaceX and Crew-10 had today at Kennedy Space Center. Falcon 9 lifted off carrying three astronauts and one cosmonaut towards orbit and the International Space Station just as the sun was starting to set in the west. Some seven and a half minutes later, SpaceX booster B1090 completed its duty for the day by landing at LZ-1 in Cape Canaveral, 8.8 miles south of LC-39A.
NASA’s latest Commercial Lunar Payload Program (CLPS) mission, “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” developed by Firefly Aerospace (Cedar Park, TX), was successfully launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centers’s Launch Complex 39A in the early morning hours of January 15, 2025. This spacecraft, named Blue Ghost, is the first of three planned Ghost Riders spacecraft destined for lunar landings.
Calling all foodies!
For Florida residents and visitors who enjoy sampling fine and unusual cuisine at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival, there’s another similar theme park venue that beats many of the Disney offerings, and at a lower admission price. It’s the annual Taste of Space coming up at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex! This year there are five distinct culinary opportunities available, all located amidst exclusive and intriguing space-related exhibits, attractions, and yes, real live astronauts (not animatronics).
In anticipation of what will now be the uncrewed return of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station (ISS), NASA held a pre-departure briefing on Wednesday, September 4, from its Johnson Space Center in Houston. The briefing featured Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, Dana Weigel, manager of the ISS at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and ISS Flight Director Anthony Vareha. The officials shared critical updates and a refined timeline for Starliner’s return mission to Earth, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 6.
Big Labor Day plans? Leave early! Traffic congestion will be everywhere, and it’s high on most people’s list as a top stress generator. Does it seem to be getting worse where you are?
We at FMN are always looking for something unique and fun to do, and this place fits the bill. Do you want to experience the excitement of a safari but don’t want to travel to Africa? Wild Florida may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Located in east central Florida’s Osceola County near Orlando, the Wild Florida park offers Drive Thru Safaris, Airboat Adventures, walking tours, a gator park, and much more.
If Northrop Grumman and Space X are supposed to be competitors, why is Space X launching the upcoming NG-21 mission for Northrop Grumman? The answer lies in recent history and the rapidly changing world of geo-politics.
Disney is on a winning streak. While earlier this year Disney had several box office duds, others, such as Inside Out 2, have done well. Now, in its initial weekend release the latest installment of the Marvel franchise continues to attract movie-goers.
It is Northrop Grumman’s tradition to name each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of individuals who have made substantial contributions to human spaceflight. NG-21, the upcoming Cygnus resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS), is now officially named the S.S. Francis R. “Dick” Scobee. Scobee is a former NASA astronaut whose contributions to aeronautics and space exploration have left a lasting legacy. The mission will launch no earlier than Saturday, August 3rd from Cape Canaveral.
Chalk one up for Nikon.
My photographer colleagues at the Kennedy Space Center have an ongoing friendly camera rivalry. Mostly it’s Canon versus Nikon, as we compare the latest camera gear and features while covering rocket launches, inspections of the latest satellites, and press conferences with NASA and other space company leaders. So the Nikon users got a pleasant surprise
