Covering All Things Florida
A lightning strike from a severe thunderstorm started a conflagration in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge this afternoon. It is north of Kennedy Space Center, and is currently no threat to property or human endeavor — in other words, the facilities at Kennedy Space Center.
Florida’s State Parks can be a great place to spend your Memorial Day weekend. It’s a great idea to do a bit of planning though, as admission will be free to all of the state’s parks, and that means one thing…even bigger crowds.
With everything going on in the world, no doubt 2024 will be a bizarre year. 2025 may start out even stranger. While stories like this are normally just a wee bit out of FMN’s wheelhouse, we found this one curious enough to take a look at. It’s not exactly “The Love Boat”, but…..
In a media release this evening, NASA announced June 1st at 12:25 PM as the next targeted date for a Starliner launch attempt.
Mission managers from NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) continue to evaluate a path forward toward launching the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station. The teams are now working toward a launch opportunity at 12:25 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 1, with additional opportunities on Sunday, June 2, Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.
After completing a required environmental review, the US Space Force will permanently base its Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) at Patrick Space Force Base.
Less than a month ago, Starliner seemed like it was ready to go. With a launch date for the first crewed flight test set for May 6th, NASA officials expressed confidence that Starliner was “go for launch”. Following a Flight Readiness Review held just days before the May 6th launch date, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said he was satisfied that the Readiness Review was thorough, and that Starliner, Atlas V and ISS were prepared properly for the test flight.
One does not have to work in the space industry to know that the Eastern Range is a very busy place these days. Less than ten years ago, the gaps between rocket launches were often measured in weeks or months. For example, in 2016, there were 23 launches from the Space Coast, and only 16 in 2017.
This past weekend, the 15th Annual Thunder on Cocoa Beach powerboat racing event roared into action from May 17-19, drawing in massive crowds and delivering high-octane thrills. Known for its intense racing and scenic Atlantic backdrop, this year’s event did not disappoint.
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
In perhaps the most vivid launch for spectators so far in 2024, SpaceX launched another twenty-three Starlink Mini V2 satellites to orbit after successfully launching the Starlink 6-59 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this evening.
Liftoff was at 08:32 PM EDT. Around 8.3 minutes after liftoff, the first-stage booster used for the mission, tail number B1062, touched down safely on ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. After landing, B1062 has now flown to space for a record-setting twenty-one times.
NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have announced yet another delay in the launch of the Boeing Crew Flight Test to allow additional time for comprehensive spacecraft closeout processes and “flight rationale assessments.” The launch, which aims to send NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to the International Space Station (ISS), is now targeted for no earlier than 3:09 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 25.
When you think of a big ship, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is one of the US Navy’s massive aircraft carriers. Truly a floating air base with a full-length flight deck for aircraft to take off and land, aircraft carriers are indeed huge. Typically 1,092 feet (332.85 meters) long and with a beam of 134 feet (40.84 meters) , they are formidable symbols of naval power worldwide. At the same time, they’re not the only huge ships on the ocean, and in a few weeks, one of the largest afloat will call Port Canaveral home.
Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, is roughly the same size, and even a bit longer from bow to stern than an aircraft carrier: at 1,188 feet (362 meters) long, 211 feet (64 meters), it is also a huge ship, one devoted to giving its passengers the ultimate vacation experience. While the Utopia is huge, she is edged out slightly by RC’s Icon of the Seas, it is only only 8 feet longer and therefore carries the title of “World’s largest.”
