Kennedy Space Center Looks Toward The New Space Economy

Kennedy Space Center Looks Toward The New Space Economy

April 15, 2024Posted inGeneral, Space News
Tom Engler, the Director of Center Planning and Development at KSC addressed Florida Tax Watch at their 2024 meeting last week, envisioning up to 300 launches per year from KSC in the near future. Photo: Florida Tax Watch
Tom Engler, the Director of Center Planning and Development at KSC addressed Florida Tax Watch at their 2024 meeting last week, envisioning up to 300 launches per year from KSC in the near future. Photo: Florida Tax Watch

In the new era of both public and private spaceflight, Florida’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) continues to serve as a major launchpad for America’s ambitions in space. Tom Engler, the Director of Center Planning and Development at KSC, recently highlighted the growing synergy between the federal government, private space ventures, and military advancements in space travel during a speech at the 2024 Florida TaxWatch Spring Meeting held last week in in Winter Park.

Spotlighting Astronaut Jeanette J. Epps, Ph.D.

February 27, 2024Posted inGeneral, NASA, Space News
Breaking Barriers and Soaring to New Heights
Jeanette Epps Portrait
Astronaut Jeanette Epps Photo: NASA

As we celebrate Black History Month, it is only fitting to shine a spotlight on individuals who have not only contributed significantly to their respective fields but have also shattered glass ceilings. Among these trailblazers is astronaut Jeanette J. Epps, a distinguished member of NASA’s Crew-8, scheduled to launch to the ISS this Friday at 12:04 AM.

Polaris Dawn Flight Delayed to Mid-2024

February 12, 2024Posted inGeneral, Space News
Polaris Dawn Crew in Zero Gravity Training
Polaris Dawn astronauts, L-R: Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Sarah Gillis, Jared Isaacman and Anna Menon undergoing zero gravity training in 2022.
Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Dawn

Polaris Dawn, the initial flight of a planned series of three private spaceflights led by American entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman, has been delayed according to an announcement from the program today. “We are now targeting no earlier than summer 2024 for launch of Polaris Dawn, the first of the Polaris Program’s three human spaceflights,” they said in a post on the X platform.

Sierra Space Sets Sights on IPO

February 10, 2024Posted inGeneral, Space News
Sierra’s Dream Chaser Space Plane is set to make its first flight this year. Photo: Sierra Space

In what some observers consider a signal of growing confidence and ambition within the commercial space sector, Sierra Space Corp., a leading aerospace company based in Colorado, is intensifying its preparations for an initial public offering.

Black History Month: FMN Honors NASA Engineer Tawnya Plummer Laughinghouse

February 2, 2024Posted inGeneral, Space News
Laughinghouse and a test articlr at the Marshall Spaceflight Center
Laughinghouse and a test article at the Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama Photo: Hal Foxton / FMN

Black History Month is here again, and FMN is proud to honor an outstanding NASA engineer.

In the vast realm of space exploration, one name has been shining bright at the forefront of innovation and discovery – Tawnya Plummer Laughinghouse. Laughinghouse is manager for Technology Demonstration Missions at Marshall Space Flight Center, where she oversees the largest program in the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

The Best Places To View a Crewed Rocket Launch

January 16, 2024Posted inFlorida News, General, Space News
CST-100 Capsule launches
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crewed capsule heading to space.
Photo: Charles Boyer

Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Florida’s Space Coast every year to view a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

While the area is accommodating and friendly to tourists, those same tourists often ask the same question of the locals: “Where is the best places to view a rocket launch?” The answer to “where is the best place to view a launch?” is best prefaced with “it depends.”

SpaceX Alumni Have Collectively Formed More Than 100 New Startups

December 18, 2023Posted inAviation, Aviation and Space News, General, Space News, SpaceX
Falcon 9 lifiting off from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in 2023.
SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying the NASA Psyche mission to orbit in 2023.
Photo: ©2023 TJ Waller / Florida Media Now.

Innovation is foundational at SpaceX, the California-based company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Not only has the company written a veritable laundry list of firsts, bests and mosts, it has also served as a cradle for former employees to start their own high-tech firms. Several SpaceX alumni startups are prospering, while others are still developing products and preparing to enter the marketplace.

How To Take A “Streak Shot” Of A Night Launch in Florida

October 24, 2023Posted inEntertainment / Recreation, General

If you are visiting Florida and want to create a great launch photograph but the launch is at night, take a look at this relatively simple technique that will yield some great results: a launch streak shot.

Launch streaks are not difficult for nearly any photographer to create, and it doesn’t take any specialized equipment other than a wide-angle lens and a relatively inexpensive shutter release cable used to keep the shutter of your camera open for several minutes during the flight of the rocket. Just follow a basic procedure and you too can create a memorable photo that will be one that you keep for years.