NASA’s Day of Remembrance is marked by a memorial wreath placed before the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Jan. 28, 2021. The mirror was dedicated in 1991 to honor all astronauts who lost their lives on missions or during training. During the Day of Remembrance, NASA centers across the country honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
Students from the New York University Tandon School of Engineering prepare their robot for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 24, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Team members from the University of North Florida watch their robotic miner dig in the mining arena NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 27, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams used their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with lunar simulant and rocks. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Lisa Schott, vice chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, speaks during a memorial ceremony honoring former Apollo astronaut Walter Cunningham at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The ceremony was held Jan. 9, 2023, at the Heroes and Legends exhibit within the Astronaut Hall of Fame at the spaceport’s visitor complex. Cunningham was the lunar module pilot for Apollo 7 – the first crewed flight test of the Apollo spacecraft – where he tested maneuvers necessary for docking and lunar orbit rendezvous. He passed away Jan. 3 at the age of 90.
Michael Lopez-Alegria is one of three former astronauts inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (AHOF) on Nov. 13, 2021, during a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Brian Duffy, former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer, inducted Lopez-Alegria. Lopez-Alegria received an official medal and became a member of the 19th class of space shuttle astronauts to be inducted. The 2021 inductees were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians, and journalists. This year’s induction brings the total number of AHOF members to 102.
Former CNN space correspondent John Zarrella, left, interviews Gemini and Apollo astronauts Jim Lovell, center and Tom Stafford during opening ceremonies for the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The new facility includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
A butterfly sits in the palm of a visitor’s hand at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Kennedy kicked of its annual Earth Day celebrations with a sustainability expo at the visitor complex on April 11, 2019, where butterflies were released throughout the day. Approximately 40 exhibitors from across the nation assembled to provide information ranging from energy-saving solutions to wildlife and natural conservation.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Six-year-old Connor Johnson, right, discusses his interest in the space program with NASA Kennedy Space Center Director and former astronaut Robert Cabana during a ceremony in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex' Rocket Garden. During the ceremony, Cabana will present Connor with mementos to inspire the youngster to continue the dream he has had since the age of three of becoming an astronaut. Connor, of Denver, Colo., gained national attention for having the "right stuff" when he launched an online petition on the White House website in December 2013 to save NASA’s funding from budget cuts. One of the mementos, a piece of space history, was a bolt used to hold the International Space Station's Unity module in place in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay on the STS-88 mission, the first station assembly mission and Cabana's fourth and final spaceflight. Connor and his family were the guests of Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire managing the visitor complex. During his visit, Connor had the opportunity to meet with astronauts, see space vehicles and witness the Robot Rocket Rally underway in the complex' Rocket Garden over the weekend. To learn more about the educational activities available daily at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper
Roy D. Bridges Jr. is inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame (AHOF) during a ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on May 6, 2023. Also inducted into the AHOF Class of 2023 was retired astronaut Mark Kelly. Inductees into the Hall of Fame are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot, or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Bridges and Kelly, 107 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
New Mexico Tech students prepare their robotic miner for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 23, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Guests place flowers in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony. The memorial, a 42-foot-high by 50-foot-wide granite monument, displays the names of the fallen astronauts from Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as others who have lost their lives while on NASA missions or in training. Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
The Saginaw Valley State University team’s robotic miner is being measured and weighed to qualify for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 23, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.
Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Janet Petro listens during NASA’s Day of Remembrance ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial. The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, were honored by Kennedy employees and guests at the annual memorial event.
Flowers are placed in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex after this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony. The memorial, a 42-foot-high by 50-foot-wide granite monument, displays the names of the fallen astronauts from Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as others who have lost their lives while on NASA missions or in training. Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
Teachers participate in the Rocketry Engineering Design Challenge during the 2017 GE Foundation High School STEM Integration Conference at the Center for Space Education at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. High school teachers from across the country took part in the week-long conference, which is designed to explore effective ways for teachers, schools and districts from across the country to integrate STEM throughout the curriculum. The conference is a partnership between GE Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association.
A wreath is on display at the Space Mirror Memorial at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida during the annual Day of Remembrance ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, honoring fallen astronauts who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery including the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger STS-51L, and Columbia STS-107.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
A Day of Remembrance 2021
Boatswain’s Mate First Class Ronald Stewart rings the bell during the NASA Day of Remembrance ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Jan. 30, 2020. The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, were honored at the annual event.
Scott Kelly (left) is one of three former astronauts inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (AHOF) on Nov. 13, 2021, during a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. NASA Associate Administrator Robert Cabana (at podium), former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer, inducted Kelly, who received an official medal and became a member of the 19th class of space shuttle astronauts to be inducted. The 2021 inductees were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians, and journalists. This year’s induction brings the total number of AHOF members to 102.
The audience looks on during the NASA Day of Remembrance ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Jan. 30, 2020. The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, were honored at the annual event.
Former space shuttle astronaut Dan Brandenstein, chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation board of directors, speaks to guests during the opening of the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The new facility includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana provides remarks during a wreath-laying ceremony in Florida, honoring the memory of former Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins on April 30, 2021. Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Delaware North at Kennedy’s visitor complex, also spoke during the ceremony, held just outside of the Heroes and Legends exhibit at the visitor complex. Collins served as pilot on the three-day Gemini X mission in 1966, and he was the command module pilot for the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969, where he remained in lunar orbit while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the Moon. Collins passed away on April 28, 2021, at the age of 90.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Andrea Farmer, public relations manager for the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex concessionaire Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, welcomes representatives of the news and social media to the complex' Rocket Garden for a ceremony honoring six-year-old Connor Johnson. During the ceremony, Connor will be presented with space mementos by NASA Kennedy Space Center Director and former astronaut Robert Cabana to inspire the youngster to continue the dream he has had since the age of three of becoming an astronaut. Connor, of Denver, Colo., gained national attention for having the "right stuff" when he launched an online petition on the White House website in December 2013 to save NASA’s funding from budget cuts. One of the mementos, a piece of space history, was a bolt used to hold the International Space Station's Unity module in place in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay on the STS-88 mission, the first station assembly mission and Cabana's fourth and final spaceflight. Connor and his family were the guests of Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire managing the visitor complex. During his visit, Connor had the opportunity to meet with astronauts, see space vehicles and witness the Robot Rocket Rally underway in the complex' Rocket Garden over the weekend. To learn more about the educational activities available daily at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper
A memorial wreath stands before the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony. Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
The last United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket joined the lineup of historic launch vehicles in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, on March 3, 2021. The first segment was placed in its display area. The Delta II rocket was a workhorse for NASA and civilian scientists, the U.S. military, and commercial clients throughout its almost 30 years of service. Since its first launch in 1989, the Delta II has launched 154 successful missions. NASA’s Launch Services Program launched the ICESat-2 spacecraft on the final Delta II launch on Sept. 15, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson speaks after receiving his medal and induction into the 21st class of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame during a ceremony on June 11, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The 2022 inductees were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians, and journalists. This year’s induction brings the total number of AHOF members to 105.
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida paid tribute to the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other astronauts who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, during the agency's Day of Remembrance on Jan. 27, 2022. Lowell Grissom, brother of fall astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom, speaks during a ceremony at the Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
On the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, team members from Mississippi State University work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. At far right is Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.
The University of New Hampshire’s robotic miner is placed on a cart to record its measurements and weight before the school’s team prepares it for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 27, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with lunar simulant and rocks. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
The Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. The new facility also looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Kennedy Space Center kicked off its annual Earth Day celebrations with a sustainability expo at the center’s visitor complex in Florida on April 11, 2019. Approximately 40 exhibitors from across the nation assembled to provide information ranging from energy-saving solutions to wildlife and natural conservation. In addition, there were multiple butterfly releases held at the expo throughout the day.
From left, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-FL, pause for a photo during the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship field hearing on July 19, 2019, in the Astronaut Memorial Foundation facility at the Florida spaceport’s visitor complex. The topic of the field hearing was “Moon Landings to Mars Exploration: The Role of Small Business Innovation in America’s Space Program.”
A newly released butterfly sits in a cluster of flowers at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Kennedy kicked off its annual Earth Day celebrations with a sustainability expo at the center’s visitor complex in Florida on April 11, 2019, which included multiple butterfly releases throughout the day. Approximately 40 exhibitors from across the nation assembled to provide information ranging from energy-saving solutions to wildlife and natural conservation.
Kelvin Manning, at left, Kennedy Space Center’s associate director, technical, visits one of the exhibitors at the Community Leaders Update, hosted by the center on Feb. 18, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. At right is Tassos Abadiotakis, KIAC program manager. A panel discussion was moderated by Center Director Bob Cabana during the update. Attendees included community leaders, business executives, partners, educators and government leaders. After the presentation, guests had the opportunity to ask questions and visit displays from the programs and some of the commercial partners.
A wreath is displayed during the NASA Day of Remembrance ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Jan. 30, 2020. The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, were honored at the annual event.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, a former space shuttle astronaut and member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, speaks to guests during the opening of the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Seated, from the left, are Rick Abramson, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Delaware North, former space shuttle astronaut Dan Brandenstein, chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation board of directors, and John Elbon, vice president and general manager of Boeing. The new facility includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Former CNN space correspondent John Zarrella serves as master of ceremonies during the opening of the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The new facility includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Kennedy Space Center Associate Director, Technical Kelvin Manning participates in NASA’s Day of Remembrance ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial. The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, were honored by Kennedy employees and guests at the annual memorial event.
Students from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte prepare their robotic miner for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 23, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
A team member from the University of Maine prepares their robotic miner for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 26, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their semi-autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Teachers prepare to demonstrate the projects they built for the Rocketry Engineering Design Challenge during the 2017 GE Foundation High School STEM Integration Conference at the Center for Space Education at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. High school teachers from across the country took part in the week-long conference, which is designed to explore effective ways for teachers, schools and districts from across the country to integrate STEM throughout the curriculum. The conference is a partnership between GE Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
Therrin Protze, COO at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, speaks in the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit during a ceremony on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, honoring former NASA astronaut Don Peterson. As a mission specialist on STS-6 in April 1983, he participated in the first spacewalk of the Space Shuttle Program. He passed away May 27, 2018, in El Lago, Texas. He was 84.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
The University of New Mexico (UNM) faculty and students who administer the Swarmathon University Competition 2019 gather for a group photo on June 11, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Melanie Moses, faculty lead for Swarmathon and a professor of computer science at UNM, is second from left. Behind her is Theresa Martinez, Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP) Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) engagement manager, at Kennedy Space Center. Swarmathon University Competition students and their mentors were at Kennedy to participate in a student/mentor panel, hear from speakers, get a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center, dine with an astronaut and receive awards. During Swarmathon University Challenge IV, students developed algorithms for robotic swarms that are robust and adaptable like the foraging strategies of ant colonies. The fourth and final Swarmathon was a combined virtual and physical competition, hosted by UNM.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Six-year-old Connor Johnson gives a big thumbs up following a ceremony in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex' Rocket Garden during which NASA Kennedy Space Center Director and former astronaut Robert Cabana presented him with space mementos to inspire the youngster to continue the dream he has had since the age of three of becoming an astronaut. Behind Connor is Cabana, second from left, and representatives of news and social media who attended the event. Connor, of Denver, Colo., gained national attention for having the "right stuff" when he launched an online petition on the White House website in December 2013 to save NASA’s funding from budget cuts. One of the mementos, a piece of space history, was a bolt used to hold the International Space Station's Unity module in place in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay on the STS-88 mission, the first station assembly mission and Cabana's fourth and final spaceflight. Connor and his family were the guests of Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire managing the visitor complex. During his visit, Connor had the opportunity to meet with astronauts, see space vehicles and witness the Robot Rocket Rally underway in the complex' Rocket Garden over the weekend. To learn more about the educational activities available daily at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
The Brevard County Fire Rescue Honor Guard presents the colors during this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
Students from the University of Rochester prepare their robotic miner for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 23, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
The Swarmathon team from the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo received the Best Poster Award during the awards ceremony for NASA’s Swarmathon University Challenge IV, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on June 12, 2019. Students and mentors from some of the Swarmathon teams were at Kennedy to participate in a student/mentor panel, hear from speakers, get a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center, dine with an astronaut and receive awards. For the challenge, university students developed algorithms for robotic swarms that are robust and adaptable like the foraging strategies of ant colonies. The fourth and final Swarmathon challenge was a combined virtual and physical competition. Fourth from right is Melanie Moses, a professor of computer science at the University of New Mexico, the host location for Swarmathon. Second from right is Theresa Martinez, engagement manager of the Minority University Research and Education Program, managed at Kennedy.
NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana updates community leaders, business executives, partners, educators and government leaders on Kennedy-led programs and accomplishments during a presentation March 29, 2019, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Cabana recapped achievements and future plans for the Commercial Crew Program, Exploration Ground Systems, Launch Services Program, Exploration Research and Technology, and Center Planning and Development. After the presentation, guests had the opportunity to ask questions and visit displays from the programs and some of the commercial partners.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony welcomes the last United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket to the lineup of historic launch vehicles in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, on March 23, 2021. Cutting the ribbon, from left are Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, Tim Dunn, launch director, Launch Services Program, and Therrin Protze, chief operating officer, Delaware North/KSCVC. The Delta II rocket was a workhorse for NASA and civilian scientists, the U.S. military, and commercial clients throughout its almost 30 years of service. Since its first launch in 1989, the Delta II has launched 154 successful missions. NASA’s Launch Services Program launched the ICESat-2 spacecraft on the final Delta II launch on Sept. 15, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
A wreath-laying ceremony honoring the memory of former Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins is held outside of the Heroes and Legends exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on April 30, 2021. Kennedy Director Bob Cabana and Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Delaware North at the visitor complex, provided remarks during the ceremony. Collins served as pilot on the three-day Gemini X mission in 1966, and he was the command module pilot for the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969, where he remained in lunar orbit while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the Moon. Collins passed away on April 28, 2021, at the age of 90.
Team members from Iowa State University prepare their robot miner on the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA Kennedy Space Center Director and former astronaut Robert Cabana, left, presents a space-program memento to six-year-old Connor Johnson in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex' Rocket Garden to inspire the youngster to continue the dream he has had since the age of three of becoming an astronaut. Connor, of Denver, Colo., gained national attention for having the "right stuff" when he launched an online petition on the White House website in December 2013 to save NASA’s funding from budget cuts. One of the mementos, a piece of space history, was a bolt used to hold the International Space Station's Unity module in place in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay on the STS-88 mission, the first station assembly mission and Cabana's fourth and final spaceflight. Connor and his family were the guests of Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire managing the visitor complex. During his visit, Connor had the opportunity to meet with astronauts, see space vehicles and witness the Robot Rocket Rally underway in the complex' Rocket Garden over the weekend. To learn more about the educational activities available daily at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper
Students from the United States Military Academy (West Point), dressed in safety gear, prepare to enter the mining arena with their robotic miner during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 24, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
Retired NASA astronaut John Blaha talks to Swarmathon University Challenge students and their mentors during a Dine with an Astronaut event at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on June 12, 2019. Students and mentors from some of the Swarmathon teams were at Kennedy to participate in a student/mentor panel, hear from speakers, get a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center, dine with an astronaut and receive awards. For the challenge, university students developed algorithms for robotic swarms that are robust and adaptable like the foraging strategies of ant colonies. The fourth and final Swarmathon challenge was a combined virtual and physical competition hosted by the University of New Mexico.
A butterfly perches on a visitor’s finger at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Kennedy kicked off its annual Earth Day celebrations with a sustainability expo at the visitor complex on April 11, 2019, where butterflies were released throughout the day. Approximately 40 exhibitors from across the nation assembled to provide information ranging from energy-saving solutions to wildlife and natural conservation.
During this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, from left, Kennedy Associate Director Kelvin Manning, former Shuttle Launch Director Michael Leinbach, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF) Thad Altman, AMF Vice Chair Sheryl Chaffee, Kennedy Deputy Director Janet Petro, and Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana stand in a moment of silence after placing a memorial wreath in front of the Space Mirror Memorial. Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
Students from San Diego State College prepare their robotic miner for its second turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 27, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams used their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with lunar simulant and rocks. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Bob Cabana, director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Jenn Gustetic, program executive, NASA Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), speak to Florida legislators participating in the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship field hearing on July 19, 2019, in the Astronaut Memorial Foundation facility at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex. The topic of the field hearing was “Moon Landings to Mars Exploration: The Role of Small Business Innovation in America’s Space Program.”
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, a former space shuttle astronaut and member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, speaks to guests during the opening of the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The new facility includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Barbara Brown, center, chief technologist, Exploration Research and Technology Programs, participates in a panel discussion during a Community Leaders Update hosted by Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 18, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. At left is Jenny Lyons, deputy manager, Gateway Logistics Element. At right is Jeremy Parsons, deputy manager, Exploration Ground Systems. The panel discussion was moderated by Center Director Bob Cabana. Attendees included community leaders, business executives, partners, educators and government leaders. After the presentation, guests had the opportunity to ask questions and visit displays from the programs and some of the commercial partners.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
Guests visit with a representative from Exploration Research and Technology during NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana’s update to community leaders, business executives, partners, educators and government leaders March 29, 2019, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Cabana’s presentation covered recent accomplishments and future plans for Kennedy-led programs, including the Commercial Crew Program, Exploration Ground Systems, Launch Services Program, Exploration Research and Technology, and Center Planning and Development. After the presentation, guests had the opportunity to ask questions and visit displays from the programs and some of the commercial partners.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
The Swarmathon University Competition 2019 team members from the University of Maryland participate in activities at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on June 11, 2019. They are standing in front of a poster they created for the poster competition portion of Swarmathon. The University of New Mexico was the host for the physical competition held in May 2019. The student teams were at Kennedy to participate in a student/mentor panel, hear from speakers, get a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center, dine with an astronaut and receive awards during an awards ceremony. During Swarmathon University Challenge IV, students developed algorithms for robotic swarms that are robust and adaptable like the foraging strategies of ant colonies. The fourth and final Swarmathon was a combined virtual and physical competition.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana speaks to guests in the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit at the spaceport's visitor complex on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. The ceremony is honoring the memory of former NASA astronaut Don Peterson. As a mission specialist on STS-6 in April 1983, he participated in the first spacewalk of the Space Shuttle Program. He passed away May 27, 2018, in El Lago, Texas. He was 84.
Students from Iowa State University College students prepare their robotic miner for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 23, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
Students from the University of Virginia prepare their robotic miner for its turn to dig in the mining arena during NASA’s LUNABOTICS competition on May 26, 2022, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 35 teams from around the U.S. have designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. Teams use their semi-autonomous or remote-controlled robots to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with rocks and simulated lunar soil, or regolith. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and deposit the most rocky regolith within a specified amount of time.
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida paid tribute to the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other astronauts who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, during the agency's Day of Remembrance on Jan. 27, 2022. From left, Lowell Grissom, brother of Virgil “Gus” Grissom; Kathie Scobee Fulgham, daughter of Challenger Commander Francis R. Scobee; and Sheryl Chafee, daughter of Apollo 1 astronaut Roger Chafee, place a wreath in front of on-screen images of NASA astronauts who have perished in the line of duty. The ceremony was held in the Center for Space Education at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex in Florida.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Six-year-old Connor Johnson gives a big thumbs up following a ceremony in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex' Rocket Garden in which NASA Kennedy Space Center Director and former astronaut Robert Cabana presented him with mementos to inspire the youngster to continue the dream he has had since the age of three of becoming an astronaut. From left are Connor's brother Liam, Cabana and Connor. Connor, of Denver, Colo., gained national attention for having the "right stuff" when he launched an online petition on the White House website in December 2013 to save NASA’s funding from budget cuts. One of the mementos, a piece of space history, was a bolt used to hold the International Space Station's Unity module in place in space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay on the STS-88 mission, the first station assembly mission and Cabana's fourth and final spaceflight. Connor and his family were the guests of Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire managing the visitor complex. During his visit, Connor had the opportunity to meet with astronauts, see space vehicles and witness the Robot Rocket Rally underway in the complex' Rocket Garden over the weekend. To learn more about the educational activities available daily at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper
Flowers placed before the Space Mirror Memorial mark NASA’s Day of Remembrance at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Jan. 28, 2021. The mirror was dedicated in 1991 to honor all astronauts who lost their lives on missions or during training. During the Day of Remembrance, NASA centers across the country honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration.
Inside the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft in this exhibit was piloted by astronaut Wally Schirra during his six-orbit mission on Oct. 3, 1962. For display purposes, it is shown here attached to a Redstone launch vehicle like the one that boosted astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom on sub-orbital flights in 1961. Schirra's capsule was actually launched by the more powerful Atlas rocket in order to reach orbit. The new facility looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
Three veteran astronauts were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (AHOF) on Nov. 13, 2021, during a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The new inductees in the front row – Michael Lopez-Alegria, Pam Melroy, the NASA deputy administrator, and Scott Kelly – were joined by other AHOF members after the ceremony. The three were inducted by former NASA astronaut and Hall of Famer Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. The new inductees each received an official medal and became members of the 19th class of space shuttle astronauts to be inducted. The 2021 inductees were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians, and journalists. This year’s induction brings the total number of AHOF members to 102. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
A photo of the three official Astronaut Hall of Fame (AHOF) statues revealed to the 19th class of inductees on Nov. 13, 2021, during a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The 2021 inductees - Scott Kelly, Pamela Melroy, and Michael Lopez-Alegria - were selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians, and journalists. This year’s induction brings the total number of AHOF members to 102.
Roy D. Bridges Jr. speaks to guests after he is inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame (AHOF) during a ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on May 6, 2023. Also inducted into the AHOF Class of 2023 was retired astronaut Mark Kelly. Inductees into the Hall of Fame are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least 17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA-trained commander, pilot, or mission specialist who has orbited the earth at least once. Including Bridges and Kelly, 107 astronauts have been inducted into the AHOF.
Guests attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the last United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket to the lineup of historic launch vehicles in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, on March 23, 2021. The Delta II rocket was a workhorse for NASA and civilian scientists, the U.S. military, and commercial clients throughout its almost 30 years of service. Since its first launch in 1989, the Delta II has launched 154 successful missions. NASA’s Launch Services Program launched the ICESat-2 spacecraft on the final Delta II launch on Sept. 15, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Participants from the 14th First Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition watch NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 launch from the Banana Creek viewing site at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov launched to the International Space Station at 3:27 a.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A. Students and advisors from University of Washington, University of Colorado-Boulder, and an international team from Queens University – this year’s First Nations Launch grand prize teams – traveled to Kennedy for a VIP tour, culminating in viewing the Crew-7 launch. Another highlight included a guided tour of historic Hangar AE, led by James Wood (Osage Nation and Loyal Shawnee), chief engineer of NASA’s Launch Services Program, technical advisor for the Crew-7 launch, and First Nations mentor and judge. One of NASA’s Artemis Student Challenges, the First Nations Launch competition comprises students from tribal colleges and universities, Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions, and collegiate chapters of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society who design, build, and launch a high-powered rocket from a launch site in Kansasville, Wisconsin. The competition is facilitated by NASA’s Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium and managed by the agency’s Office of STEM Engagement at Kennedy.
A flag presentation and singing of the National Anthem are part of the opening ceremony of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their uniquely designed mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.
During the grand opening of the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, the national anthem was performed by Carmen Harrell. The new facility includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and looks back to the pioneering efforts of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. It sets the stage by providing the background and context for space exploration and the legendary men and women who pioneered the nation's journey into space.
The crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other fallen astronauts who lost their lives in the name of space exploration and discovery, are honored by NASA Kennedy Space Center employees and guests with a ceremony at the Kennedy Visitor Complex’s Space Mirror Memorial on Jan. 28, 2021. The date marked the 35th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy. NASA centers throughout the country participate in the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance memorial event.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana provides remarks during a wreath-laying ceremony in Florida, honoring the memory of former Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins on April 30, 2021. Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Delaware North at Kennedy’s visitor complex, also spoke during the ceremony, held just outside of the Heroes and Legends exhibit at the visitor complex. Collins served as pilot on the three-day Gemini X mission in 1966, and he was the command module pilot for the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969, where he remained in lunar orbit while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the Moon. Collins passed away on April 28, 2021, at the age of 90.
Supervisory employees from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center participated in the Supervisor Cohort “Action Day” hosted by Leadership for the Future at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on Friday, June 7, 2024. NASA Kennedy’s Leadership for the Future supervisor cohort initiative focuses on creating a space for supervisors to engage in providing solutions for important topics on center, as well as supporting the development of the supervisory community. The Leadership for the Future Champions hosted the Action Day to share expectations, form the teams, scope the projects, and launch. Leadership for the Future Champions, comprising several of the spaceport’s senior leaders, select the supervisor cohorts with the goal of advancing the spaceport, the agency, and America’s leadership in space.
On the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, team members from Temple University work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.
Swarmathon University Competition 2019 organizers, mentors, guest speakers and student teams gather for a group photo on June 11, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The University of New Mexico was the host for the physical competition held in May 2019. The student teams were at Kennedy to participate in a student/mentor panel, hear from speakers, get a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center, dine with an astronaut and receive awards during an awards ceremony. During Swarmathon University Challenge IV, students developed algorithms for robotic swarms that are robust and adaptable like the foraging strategies of ant colonies. The fourth and final Swarmathon was a combined virtual and physical competition.
Veteran NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in a public ceremony at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction on April 6, 2019.
The Swarmathon team from the University of Houston Clearlake and San Jacinto College received the Mission to Mars award for their achievements in the NASA Swarmathon University Challenge for 2019. They are at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on June 12, 2019. Students and mentors from some of the Swarmathon teams were at Kennedy to participate in a student/mentor panel, hear from speakers, get a behind-the-scenes tour of Kennedy Space Center, dine with an astronaut and receive awards. During Swarmathon University Challenge IV, students developed algorithms for robotic swarms that are robust and adaptable like the foraging strategies of ant colonies. The fourth and final Swarmathon challenge was a combined virtual and physical competition.