Former Astronaut and KSC Director Bob Cabana Joining IBX As Senior Advisor

Former Astronaut and KSC Director Bob Cabana Joining IBX As Senior Advisor

April 1, 2024Posted inAxiom Space, KSC, NASA, Space News
Astronaut Robert D. Cabana, mission commander on Shuttle Orbiter
Endeavour’s flight deck, logs a note regarding operations with Unity in 1998.
Photo: NASA

Robert D. “Bob” Cabana, a former NASA astronaut, NASA Associate Administrator (the agency’s third highest-ranking executive) and Director of Kennedy Space Center, has joined IBX, a firm that invests in and fosters innovation in space-related companies. Founded by engineer and entrepreneur Kam Ghaffirian, IBX supports companies Ghaffirian helped found: Axiom Space, Intuitive Machines, Quantum Space and X-energy along with other ventures. Cabana will serve as a Senior Advisor with the company.

Falcon 9 launching in 2022

SpaceX Planning To Launch Starlink 6-44 This Evening

March 14, 2024Posted inFalcon 9, KSC, Space News, SpaceX

Update: New Launch Window opens 3/14/24 7:04 PM EDT

A SpaceX Falcon 9 climbing to orbit in 2022.
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

SpaceX plans to launch the Starlink 6-44 mission tonight, Thursday, March 14, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

The payload will be another tranche of 23 Starlink satellites that will be ferried low-Earth orbit from pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. According to the company, “liftoff is targeted for 7:04 PM EDT, with backup opportunities available until 11:29 PM EDT.

Romancing The Stars: SpaceX Plans Pair Of Valentines Day Rocket Launches

February 12, 2024Posted inFalcon Heavy, KSC, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, US Space Force
A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket lifts off from LC40 at CCSFS in Florida.
A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket lifts off from LC40 at CCSFS in Florida. Image by Richard P Gallagher

This Valentines Day, SpaceX is setting hearts aflutter with not one, but two rocket launches. The Falcon 9 rockets are scheduled to take off from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Next Launch to Examine Earth’s Climate: PACE Satellite Targets 1:33am Tuesday Liftoff

February 4, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, Falcon 9, KSC, NASA, SpaceX
PACE POSTER
Image Credit: NASA

In an era where understanding Earth’s climate dynamics is more critical than ever, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, will be a vital asset to furthering and tracking our knowledge of the Planet. Set to launch from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40, this mission embodies the culmination of years of meticulous planning and collaboration between NASA and SpaceX, aiming to extend our comprehension of the planet’s climate system and its intricate processes. Lift is set for 1:33am Tuesday morning with the first stage booster returning to LZ 1 at CCSFS.

A Day of Remembrance and Reflection Through the Eyes of Photographer Richard Gallagher

January 26, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, History, KSC, NASA, Space News
Space Mirror Memorial
Remembering the Astronauts who are no longer with us. Above is the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image by Richard P Gallagher

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex held its annual Day of Remembrance ceremony yesterday, commemorating the brave astronauts who lost their lives in pursuit of space exploration and discovery. The event, a solemn tribute to their sacrifices, specifically honored the memory of those involved in the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia tragedies, as well as other astronauts lost in training accidents before ever reaching space.

Axiom-3 Launches From Kennedy Space Center

January 19, 2024Posted inCrewed, Falcon 9, KSC, NASA, Space News, SpaceX
Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 with four astronauts aboard on the Axiom-3 Mission.
Photo: Charles Boyer

Minutes before a warm front brought heavy showers to Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX launched the Axiom 3 mission on a 16 day round trip to the ISS. Four Axiom Space astronauts rode the chartered Space-X Crew Dragon module to orbit on top of a Falcon 9 booster at 4:49 PM EST this evening. The all-European crew is expected to dock at ISS in two days’ time and stay aboard the station until February 3, 2024.

Ax-3 Crewed Rocket Launch and Sonic Boom Expected Tomorrow

January 16, 2024Posted inCrewed, Falcon 9, ISS, KSC, NASA, SpaceX
Ax-3 on the pad
(Image credit: Axiom Space)

Axiom Space’s third commercial astronaut mission, Ax-3, is set to be a historic event as the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission underscores a new era in space travel, where access to low-Earth orbit (LEO) is becoming increasingly commercialized and international.

No Artemis II Launch Scheduled for 2024: NASA Announces Delays

January 9, 2024Posted inArtemis, KSC, NASA, Space News
Artemis 1 on the pad
SLS Artemis I on launch Complex 39A at KSC in Florida. Image by Richard P. Gallagher

NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, a cornerstone of the agency’s lunar exploration and Mars preparation efforts, has been delayed again. In a 2020 Artemis mission profile, NASA was aiming to again land humans on the moon in 2024. Developement delays have forced NASA to revise the timeline for the upcoming Artemis II and III launch dates.

SpaceX Delivers the Goods:

SpaceX Delivers the Goods:

November 10, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, Falcon 9, ISS, KSC, NASA, Space News, SpaceX

An Image review of the CRS29 Mission

Yesterday evening at 8:28pm SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon9 rocket carrying a Cargo Dragon capsule to the ISS. It was loaded with about 6500 pounds of food and water and research experiments to be carried out over the next six months. Lift off occurred from LC39A at KSC in Florida.

SpaceX Will Deliver Supplies to ISS

November 6, 2023Posted inFalcon 9, Florida News, ISS, KSC, NASA, National News, Space News, SpaceX
A Dragon Capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket on LC39A at KSC in Florida will deliver supplies to ISS. Image by Richard P Gallagher

Launch Alert with Sonic BOOM!

Something new! SpaceX will launch a Falcon9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo capsule. The mission, labeled CRS-2 SpX-29 (Commercial Resupply Service), is filled with supplies going to the International Space Station (ISS). It is scheduled for lift-off on November 9, 2023. The launch window is from 8:28pm to 1:28am Friday morning. It will launch from LC39A at KSC in Florida. The first stage booster will perform a boost back maneuver and return to land zone 1 at CCAFS in Florida. A sonic boom will be heard about 8 minutes after launch, depending on how far the viewing location is from LZ1.

Exploring NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications on the Psyche Mission

October 19, 2023Posted inFalcon Heavy, KSC, NASA, Space News

By: TJ Waller

NASA Psyche Liftoff
NASA Psyche Liftoff

In the vast expanse of space exploration, the need for efficient data transmission between spacecraft and Earth has always been a challenge. Traditional radio communications have served us well, but as our ambitions grow, so does the demand for higher data rates. NASA’s Psyche mission aims to push the boundaries of data transmission with the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) project. In this article, I will explore the fascinating world of DSOC, its significance for future missions, and how it could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.

Psyche launches to explore a Metal World

October 14, 2023Posted inKSC, NASA, Space News, SpaceX

Psyche launches on October 13th aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy booster. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

In a significant milestone for space exploration, NASA’s Psyche mission has successfully launched, marking a crucial step in our quest to explore a mysterious asteroid. The mission, which was originally scheduled to take place on October 5th, finally lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A on October 13th at 10:16 AM.