Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate Kathryn Lueders chaired the Flight Readiness Review for Boeing's upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) in Operations Support Building 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, July 22, 2021. At the conclusion of the meeting, all board members sign the Certificate of Flight Readiness certifying their readiness to proceed to the next milestones and launch of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Launch time remains 2:53 p.m. EDT Friday, July 30 for the uncrewed OFT-2 mission – Starliner's second flight to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
Danny McKnight, a U.S. Army retired colonel, speaks to Kennedy Space Center employees inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce. McKnight’s presentation included information on the commitment and leadership required to be successful when operating in difficult conditions.
NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley (left) and Robert Behnken speak to their families before entering the Tesla Model X that will transport them from the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 launch on May 30, 2020. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 3:22 p.m. EDT. Behnken and Hurley are the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
Eliz Greene, one of the guest speakers during Kennedy Space Center’s annual Safety and Health Days, presents information on reducing stress and improving focus inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
NASA and contractor employees who were working at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the Apollo 11 launch gathered for a group photo on the observation deck of Operations and Support Building II on July 11, 2019. From left, along with their titles from 50 years ago, are Richard Sharum, NASA civil servant; Edward Wilson, security officer for Wackenhut Corporation; Sue Gross, secretary to the deputy procurement officer; Emery Lamar, NASA Kennedy co-op student in Apollo Spacecraft Electrical Division; James Scotti, material clerk with Bendix Corporation; Suzanne Stuckey, secretary for telemetry; Andrew Pritchard, contractor with McGregor-Warner; Ken Poimboeuf, Design Engineering Directorate; and Grady McCorquodale, Launch Control Center engineer with Boeing. Not pictured are Richard Cota, civil servant in the Engineering Directorate; and Victor Kurjack, data courier.
Employees from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida attend a panel discussion featuring women in leadership roles across NASA in honor of Women's History Month inside the Operations Support Building II at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida held on Friday, March 15, 2024. Participants in the Women Launching Women panel commemorate inspirational women and men who have lifted and helped others excel in their careers across the agency and offer words of advice for the current workforce include JoAnn Morgan, former associate director of Kennedy Space Center; Janet Petro, Kennedy Space Center director; Charlie Blackwell Thompson, NASA Artemis launch director; Lorna Kenna, vice president and program manager of Jacobs Space Operations Group; Kim Carter, Kennedy Space Center Office of Center Engagement and Business Integration Services director; and Casey Swails, NASA deputy associate administrator.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Dragon spacecraft launches NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin aboard at 10:53 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 3, 2024, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is the eighth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the station, and the ninth flight of Dragon with people as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
On March 3, 2020, NASA Kennedy Space Center employees attend a presentation in the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
The United States Naval Academy Glee Club performs for Kennedy Space Center employees at the Florida spaceport on March 10, 2020. As part of the celebration, Kennedy Director Bob Cabana discussed the deep historical ties between NASA and the U.S. Navy. The highly acclaimed Glee Club has achieved prominence as one of America’s premier choral ensembles, performing throughout the nation each year.
Members of the Disaster Assessment and Recovery Team (DART) repair a section of roof atop the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The effort is part of the spaceport’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Matthew, which passed to the east of Kennedy on Oct. 6 and 7, 2016. The center received some isolated roof damage, damaged support buildings, a few downed power lines, and limited water intrusion. Beach erosion also occurred, although the storm surge was less than expected.
The United States Naval Academy Glee Club performs for Kennedy Space Center employees at the Florida spaceport on March 10, 2020. As part of the celebration, Kennedy Director Bob Cabana discussed the deep historical ties between NASA and the U.S. Navy. The highly acclaimed Glee Club has achieved prominence as one of America’s premier choral ensembles, performing throughout the nation each year.
On the observation deck of the Operations and Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Thomas Zurbuchen, center, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, prepares to view the launch of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket on July 30, 2020. Liftoff occurred at 7:50 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At left is Joan Irvin, and at right is Danielle Marsh. Both were former students who now work on NASA Planetary Science missions. The rover is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The rover will search for habitable conditions in the ancient past and signs of past microbial life on Mars. The Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management.
NASA and SpaceX managers participate in a Flight Readiness Review for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 25, 2021. International partners also participated. At right, Kennedy’s Center Director Janet Petro, speaks with J.D. Polk, chief Health and Medical officer. Crew-3 is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A on Oct. 31, 2021 as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 2:21 a.m. EDT.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to invited guests at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a prelaunch briefing for Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test, Dec. 20, 2019. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft launched at 6:36 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Orbital Flight Test is the Starliner’s first flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
On May 22, 2020, inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Commercial Crew Program Manager Kathy Lueders signs the official document denoting the agency and SpaceX are a ‘Go’ for the upcoming Demo-2 launch, following the conclusion of the flight readiness review. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Launch is slated for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.
In a panel discussion in the Kennedy Space Center’s Operations Support Building II, social media followers were briefed by NASA scientists on asteroids, how they relate to the origins of our solar system and the search for life beyond Earth. The discussion took place before launch of the agency’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Panelists for this conversation are, from the left, Ellen Stofan, NASA chief scientist; Michelle Thaller, deputy director of science communications for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate; Felicia Chou, NASA Communications; Alex Young, associate director for science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Lindley Johnson, director of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
Kennedy Space Center employees attend a presentation on reducing stress and improving focus inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020. The presentation, led by guest speaker Eliz Greene, was offered during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days, which took place March 2 through March 6. Throughout the week, Kennedy employees had the opportunity to attend a variety of presentations – all of which focused on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
The Blue Ghost lander, part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, lifts off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a journey to the Moon. The Firefly Aerospace lander, carrying 10 NASA science and technology instruments, will help to further understand the Moon and help prepare for future human missions.
Members of the Disaster Assessment and Recovery Team (DART) repair a section of roof atop the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The effort is part of the spaceport’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Matthew, which passed to the east of Kennedy on Oct. 6 and 7, 2016. The center received some isolated roof damage, damaged support buildings, a few downed power lines, and limited water intrusion. Beach erosion also occurred, although the storm surge was less than expected.
At the Operations and Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vice President Mike Pence addresses members of the U.S. Air Force after the scrubbed launch attempt of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Air Force's GPS III satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 18, 2018.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, and Captain Ben Shupp, commanding officer, Naval Ordnance Test Unit, stand with the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club at the Florida spaceport on March 10, 2020. Leading the Glee Club is Dr. Aaron Smith, director and chairman, Musical Activities Department, United States Naval Academy. As part of the special celebration, Cabana discussed the deep historical ties between NASA and the U.S. Navy. The highly acclaimed Glee Club has achieved prominence as one of America’s premier choral ensembles, performing throughout the nation each year.
Engineers celebrate the completion of the Extensible Column Subsystem (XCS) project during a banner event held in Operations Support Building II at Kennedy Space Center. The XCS team successfully executed an aggressive schedule, receiving outstanding support from the fabrication contractor, Met-Con. Full functional testing occurred at Met-Con’s facility, with no mechanical or structural issues. All four columns and the test fixture have been delivered to Kennedy. Full-scale testing will take place when the Mobile Launcher gets to the pad later this summer.
A pair of sandhill cranes explore a paved parking area near the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2021. Kennedy shares space with the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge, which is home to more than 1,000 species of plants, 117 species of fish, 68 amphibians and reptiles, 330 birds, and 31 different mammals. The refuge provides a favorable environment for the cranes as it contains shallow freshwater habitats for nesting, along with a variety of vegetation and prey to feed on.
In the foreground, from left to right, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; Tory Bruno, president and chief executive officer of United Launch Alliance; and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine watch the launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test, Dec. 20, 2019. Liftoff occurred at 6:36 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test is the Starliner’s first flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Jim Free, associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters has signed the certification for flight readiness following the completion of Flight Readiness Review (FRR) on Aug. 22, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The FRR is an in-depth assessment of the readiness of the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft to support the uncrewed flight of Artemis I on its mission beyond the Moon and return to Earth. The meeting concluded with a poll of all managers. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 8:33 a.m. EDT on Aug. 29, 2022, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
Steve Stich (right), manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and Kathryn Lueders (left), associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA participate in the Flight Readiness Review for NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, May 11, 2022. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex -41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:54 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 19. The uncrewed flight test will be Starliner’s second flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Second lady Karen Pence (left) and Vice President Mike Pence exit the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 launch. Behind them are NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (left) and SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk. The launch, initially scheduled for May 27, 2020, was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions around Launch Complex 39A. The next launch attempt will be Saturday, May 30. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT from historic Launch Complex 39A. Behnken and Hurley will be the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
Secretary Elaine L. Chao, of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), visits NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 24, 2019. She spoke to Kennedy’s leadership in the Operations and Support Building II and discussed the DOT’s role in enabling commercial space.
NASA Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell Thompson participates in a discussion in honor of Women's History Month held on Friday, March 15, 2024, inside the Operations Support Building II at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Women Launching Women panel commemorates inspirational women and men who have lifted and helped others excel in their careers across the agency and offer words of advice for the current workforce.
Daniel Glavin, OSIRIS-REx co-investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, talks to social media followers during a NASA Social in the Operations Support Building II at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The presentation took place before launch of the agency’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana speaks to members of the news media on the balcony of Operations Support Building II describing the site's transition from a primarily government-only facility to a premier, multi-user spaceport. In the background is the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Modifications were recently completed in the VAB where new work platforms were installed to support processing of NASA's Space Launch System rocket designed to send the Orion spacecraft on missions beyond low-Earth orbit.
Following Hurricane Matthew, repairs have been made to the roof of the Operations Support Building (OSB) II in the Launch Complex 39 area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Assessments and repairs continue on various structures and facilities across the spaceport, part of the ongoing recovery from the storm, which passed to the east of Kennedy on Oct. 6 and 7, 2016. The center received some isolated roof damage, damaged support buildings, a few downed power lines, and limited water intrusion. Beach erosion also occurred, although the storm surge was less than expected.
Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, participates in NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Flight Readiness Review at Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. The mission is targeted to lift off from the Florida spaceport’s Launch Complex 39A at 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov will fly to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Seen here is the “Launch America” banner for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) on the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 28, 2021. NASA and SpaceX are preparing for Crew-3 – the third crew rotation flight to the International Space Station for CCP – and part of that includes conducting a dress rehearsal ahead of launch. On Oct. 28, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts and launch teams rehearsed countdown operations, concluding with the Go/No-Go poll for Falcon-9 fueling. The Crew-3 mission will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer to the space station for a six-month stay. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft are scheduled to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A no earlier than Nov. 6 at 11:36 p.m. EDT.
In the Kennedy Space Center's Operations and Support Building II, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, members of the media participate in a prelaunch mission briefing on NASA's Parker Solar Probe. Listening to the presentation is Eugene Parker, front row, far left, the S. Chandrasekhar Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago. This is the first NASA mission that has been named for a living individual. The Parker Solar Probe will lift off on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft was built by Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University in Laurel, Maryland. The mission will perform the closest-ever observations of a star when it travels through the Sun's atmosphere, called the corona. The probe will rely on measurements and imaging to revolutionize our understanding of the corona and the Sun-Earth connection.
NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana participates in a town hall discussion on Nov. 29, 2022, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA senior leaders also participating were NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy; Kurt Vogel, director of NASA Space Architectures; Cathy Koerner, deputy associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development; and Janet Petro, director of Kennedy Space Center. Discussion centered around NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives, Kennedy’s role in deep space exploration, and the path forward in the coming months and years.
Kennedy Space Center employees attend a town hall discussion on Nov. 29, 2022, at the space center in Florida. Panelists included Janet Petro, director of the space center; NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy; NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana; Kurt Vogel, director of NASA Space Architectures; and Cathy Koerner, deputy associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development. Discussion centered around NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives, Kennedy’s role in deep space exploration, and the path forward in the coming months and years.
At the Operations and Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vice President Mike Pence attends the launch attempt of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying the U.S. Air Force's GPS III satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 18, 2018. Speaking at the podium is Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Heather Wilson.
Derwin Bradley, a veteran police officer and former soldier, speaks to Kennedy Space Center employees at the center’s Operations Support Building II on the topic of personal safety and awareness. The presentation was held March 27, 2019, as part of the Florida spaceport’s Safety and Health Days. During the presentation, Bradley also demonstrated basic self-defense tactics.
NASA senior leaders answer questions during a town hall discussion on Nov. 29, 2022, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Kennedy Center Director Janet Petro; NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy; Kurt Vogel, director of NASA Space Architectures; Cathy Koerner, deputy associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development; and NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana. Discussion centered around NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives, Kennedy’s role in deep space exploration, and the path forward in the coming months and years.
NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley (left) and Robert Behnken exit the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for transport to Launch Complex 39A to launch on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission. The launch, initially scheduled for May 27, 2020, was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions around Launch Complex 39A. The next launch attempt will be Saturday, May 30. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT from historic Launch Complex 39A. Behnken and Hurley will be the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley (left) and Robert Behnken wave as they exit the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for transport to Launch Complex 39A to launch on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission. The launch, initially scheduled for May 27, 2020, was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions around Launch Complex 39A. The next launch attempt will be Saturday, May 30. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT from historic Launch Complex 39A. Behnken and Hurley will be the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro participates in NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Flight Readiness Review at Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. The mission is targeted to lift off from the Florida spaceport’s Launch Complex 39A at 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov will fly to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Artemis I managers conduct a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) on Aug. 22, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In view is Artemis I Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson. The FRR is an in-depth assessment of the readiness of the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft to support the uncrewed flight of Artemis I on its mission beyond the Moon and return to Earth. The meeting will conclude later in the day with a poll of all managers. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 8:33 a.m. EDT on Aug. 29, 2022, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, shakes hands with Captain Ben Shupp, commanding officer, Naval Ordnance Test Unit, at the Florida spaceport on March 10, 2020. The United States Naval Academy Glee Club performed for Kennedy employees during a special celebration, which included Cabana discussing the deep historical ties between NASA and the U.S. Navy. The highly acclaimed Glee Club has achieved prominence as one of America’s premier choral ensembles, performing throughout the nation each year.
On May 22, 2020, inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Chief Engineer Ralph Roe signs the official document denoting the agency and SpaceX are a ‘Go’ for the upcoming Demo-2 launch, following the conclusion of the flight readiness review. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Launch is slated for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One is on its way to the Moon as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. The Blue Ghost lander launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 carrying 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the lunar surface to further understand the Moon and help prepare for future human missions.
Dr. Eugene Parker, a pioneer in heliophysics and S. Chandrasekhar distinguished service professor emeritus for the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, watches the launch of NASA's Parker Solar Probe. This is the first agency mission named for a living person. The liftoff took place at 3:31 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018. The spacecraft was built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. The mission will perform the closest-ever observations of a star when it travels through the Sun's atmosphere, called the corona. The probe will rely on measurements and imaging to revolutionize our understanding of the corona and the Sun-Earth connection.
Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor, participates in a Mars 2020 VIP briefing at the Operations and Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 30, 2020, before launch of the Mars Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff occurred at 7:50 a.m. The rover is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The rover will search for habitable conditions in the ancient past and signs of past microbial life on Mars. The Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off at 5:49 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 23, 2021, carrying the company’s Crew Dragon Endeavour. Onboard the capsule are NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, spacecraft commander; NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, pilot; ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, mission specialist; and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, mission specialist. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission crew will dock to the Harmony module’s forward-facing international docking adapter of the International Space Station on Saturday, April 24, at 5:10 a.m.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Flight Readiness Review takes place at Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. The mission is targeted to lift off from the Florida spaceport’s Launch Complex 39A at 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov will fly to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
In a panel discussion in the Kennedy Space Center’s Operations Support Building II, social media followers were briefed by NASA scientists on asteroids, how they relate to the origins of our solar system and the search for life beyond Earth. The discussion took place before launch of the agency’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Panelists in view are, from the left, Felicia Chou, NASA Communications; Alex Young, associate director for science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Lindley Johnson, director of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Also participating in the panel discussion are Ellen Stofan, NASA chief scientist and Michelle Thaller, deputy director of science communications for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
NASA Kennedy Space Center employees learn more about safety from informational tables set up inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
Kennedy Space Center employees attend a presentation on reducing stress and improving focus inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020. The presentation, led by guest speaker Eliz Greene, was offered during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days, which took place March 2 through March 6. Throughout the week, Kennedy employees had the opportunity to attend a variety of presentations – all of which focused on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
Kathy Lueders, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, signs a document during the Flight Readiness Review for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 15, 2022. International partners also participated. NASA and SpaceX mission managers held the review to confirm the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft are ready for launch. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A on April 23, 2022, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT.
Two NASA retirees pose with Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Space Person, at the 2022 Center Director’s Holiday Coffee on Dec. 7, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The annual holiday event is an opportunity for Kennedy employees and NASA retirees to exchange holiday greetings with center leaders and fellow support staff.
An early morning view of the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. To the right is the Launch Control Center. All 10 levels of new work platforms, 20 platform halves altogether, have been installed in VAB High Bay 3 for the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades to the VAB, including installation of the new platforms to prepare for the first test flight of Orion atop the SLS from Launch Pad 39B.
A pair of sandhill cranes explore a paved parking area at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2021. Kennedy shares space with the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge, which is home to more than 1,000 species of plants, 117 species of fish, 68 amphibians and reptiles, 330 birds, and 31 different mammals. The refuge provides a favorable environment for the cranes as it contains shallow freshwater habitats for nesting, along with a variety of vegetation and prey to feed on.
In a panel discussion in the Kennedy Space Center’s Operations Support Building II, social media followers were briefed by NASA scientists on asteroids, how they relate to the origins of our solar system and the search for life beyond Earth. The discussion took place before launch of the agency’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Panelists for this conversation are, from the left, Ellen Stofan, NASA chief scientist; Michelle Thaller, deputy director of science communications for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate; Felicia Chou, NASA Communications; Alex Young, associate director for science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and Lindley Johnson, director of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
NASA and SpaceX managers participate in a Flight Readiness Review for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 25, 2021. International partners also participated. In view in front, at right, is Kennedy’s Center Director Janet Petro. Crew-3 is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A on Oct. 31, 2021 as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 2:21 a.m. EDT.
Tom Engler, director of Center Planning and Development at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, addresses Kennedy employees inside the Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
Artemis I team members conduct the Artemis I launch pre-test briefing on Sept. 23, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
Tom Engler, director of Center Planning and Development at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, addresses Kennedy employees inside the Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
Ken Bowersox, deputy associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations at NASA Headquarters, speaks during the flight readiness review for Boeing’s upcoming Orbital Flight Test in Operations Support Building 2 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Dec. 12, 2019. Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test will be the Starliner’s first flight to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Members of the Disaster Assessment and Recovery Team (DART) repair a section of roof atop the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The effort is part of the spaceport’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Matthew, which passed to the east of Kennedy on Oct. 6 and 7, 2016. The center received some isolated roof damage, damaged support buildings, a few downed power lines, and limited water intrusion. Beach erosion also occurred, although the storm surge was less than expected.
NASA Kennedy Space Center employees learn more about safety from informational tables set up inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
On May 21, 2020, inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Associate Administrator Steve Jurczyk participates in a flight readiness review for the upcoming Demo-2 launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Launch is slated for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.
NASA senior leaders participate in a town hall discussion on Nov. 29, 2022, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Kennedy Center Director Janet Petro; NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy; Kurt Vogel, director of NASA Space Architectures; Cathy Koerner, deputy associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development; and NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana. Discussion centered around NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives, Kennedy’s role in deep space exploration, and the path forward in the coming months and years.
International Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano takes part in the Flight Readiness Review for Boeing's upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) in Operations Support Building 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, July 22, 2021. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:53 p.m. EDT Friday, July 30. The uncrewed OFT-2 will be the Starliner's second flight to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
A Kennedy Space Center employee fills out a NASA Safety Reporting System questionnaire inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson kicks off the Flight Readiness Review for the upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, in Operations Support Building 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, July 22, 2021. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:53 p.m. EDT Friday, July 30. The uncrewed OFT-2 will be the Starliner's second flight to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
Vice President Kamala Harris visits with NASA astronaut candidate Andre Douglas, at left, and Randy Bresnik, at right, during launch countdown activities on Aug. 29, 2022, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was waved off for the day. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
A panel discussion featuring women in leadership roles across NASA honors Women's History Month inside the Operations Support Building II at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida held on Friday, March 15, 2024. Participants in the Women Launching Women panel commemorate inspirational women and men who have lifted and helped others excel in their careers across the agency and offer words of advice for the current workforce include JoAnn Morgan, former associate director of Kennedy Space Center; Janet Petro, Kennedy Space Center director; Charlie Blackwell Thompson, NASA Artemis launch director; Lorna Kenna, vice president and program manager of Jacobs Space Operations Group; Kim Carter, Kennedy Space Center Office of Center Engagement and Business Integration Services director; and Casey Swails, NASA deputy associate administrator.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Flight Readiness Review takes place at Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. The mission is targeted to lift off from the Florida spaceport’s Launch Complex 39A at 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov will fly to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Kennedy Space Center employees attend the 2022 Center Director’s Holiday Coffee on Dec. 7, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Rebecca Mazzone, Richard Johanboeke, and Bethanne Hull. The annual holiday event is an opportunity for Kennedy employees and NASA retirees to exchange holiday greetings with center leaders and fellow support staff.
Artemis I managers hold a final briefing on Aug. 26, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to confirm all is ready for launch team call to stations in Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A Petrone Launch Control Center. The agency’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to launch no earlier than Aug. 29, 2022, at 8:33 a.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
On May 21, 2020, inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine participates in a flight readiness review for the upcoming Demo-2 launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Launch is slated for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.
Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Program, participates in the Flight Readiness Review for NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, May 11, 2022. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:54 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 19. The uncrewed flight test will be Starliner’s second flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
At the Operations and Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vice President Mike Pence addresses members of the U.S. Air Force after the scrubbed launch attempt of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Air Force's GPS III satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 18, 2018.
NASA Kennedy Space Center employees learn more about safety from informational tables set up inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020, during the center’s annual Safety and Health Days. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
Mission managers with NASA, SpaceX, and international partners gather to complete a Flight Readiness Review on Feb. 21, 2023, for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, spacecraft commander, and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, pilot, along with mission specialists Sultan Alneyadi, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut, and Andrei Fedyaev, Roscosmos cosmonaut, are slated to launch to the space station at 1:45 a.m. EST on Feb. 27 from Launch Complex 39A on the Dragon spacecraft Endeavour atop the Falcon 9 rocket. Crew-6 is the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the station, and the seventh flight of Dragon with people as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
At the Operations and Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vice President Mike Pence attends the launch attempt of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying the U.S. Air Force's GPS III satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 18, 2018. Speaking at the podium is Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Heather Wilson.
Eliz Greene, one of the guest speakers during Kennedy Space Center’s annual Safety and Health Days, presents information on reducing stress and improving focus inside the Florida spaceport’s Operations Support Building II on March 3, 2020. Taking place March 2 through March 6, Safety and Health Days provides Kennedy employees with a variety of presentations to attend – all of which focus on how to maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
At the Operations and Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vice President Mike Pence addresses members of the U.S. Air Force after the scrubbed launch attempt of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Air Force's GPS III satellite from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 18, 2018.
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, agency Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot speaks to employees during a town hall meeting in the conference room of Operations Support Building II. To the right is Deputy Associate Administrator Lesa Roe. During the gathering, they updated progress on NASA programs.
A NASA Kennedy Space Center employee asks a question during a procurement discussion on Nov. 29, 2022, at the space center in Florida. NASA senior leaders participating in the discussion with employees are NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy; NASA Association Administrator Bob Cabana; Karla Smith Jackson, assistant administrator for Procurement; Scott Barber, associate general counsel for Acquisition Law; Craig McArthur, OCFO/director for Strategic Investments Division; and David Mitchell, chief program management officer.
Secretary Elaine L. Chao, of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), visits NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 24, 2019. She spoke to Kennedy’s leadership in the Operations and Support Building II and discussed the DOT’s role in enabling commercial space.
Engineers celebrate the completion of the Extensible Column Subsystem (XCS) project during a banner event held in Operations Support Building II at Kennedy Space Center. The XCS team successfully executed an aggressive schedule, receiving outstanding support from the fabrication contractor, Met-Con. Full functional testing occurred at Met-Con’s facility, with no mechanical or structural issues. All four columns and the test fixture have been delivered to Kennedy. Full-scale testing will take place when the Mobile Launcher gets to the pad later this summer.
During live television coverage of NASA SpaceX’s Crew-1 launch on Nov. 15, 2020, Kyle Herring, NASA Communications, discusses the launch and the agency’s 20th anniversary of human presence on the International Space Station at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Crew-1 is the first regular crew mission of a U.S. commercial spacecraft with astronauts to the space station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Crew Dragon Resilience capsule will launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A carrying NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi to the space station for a six-month science mission.
Tory Bruno, president and chief executive officer of United Launch Alliance, left, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine watch the launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test, Dec. 20, 2019. Liftoff occurred at 6:36 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test is the Starliner’s first flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
On May 22, 2020, inside the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Associate Administrator Steve Jurczyk participates in a flight readiness review for the upcoming Demo-2 launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Launch is slated for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, left, and Tory Bruno, president and chief executive officer of United Launch Alliance, wait at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to see the liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test, Dec. 20, 2019. Liftoff occurred at 6:36 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test is the Starliner’s first flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, center, visits with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, at right, and astronaut candidate Andre Douglas, during launch countdown activities for NASA’s Artemis I mission on Aug. 29, 2022, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was waved off for the day. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, was joined by Nancy Bray, director of Spaceport Integration and Services, center, and Tom Engler, director of Center Planning and Development in briefing members of the news media on the balcony of Operations Support Building II. They described Kennedy's transition from a primarily government-only facility to a premier, multi-user spaceport. In the background is the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Modifications were recently completed in the VAB where new work platforms were installed to support processing of NASA's Space Launch System rocket designed to send the Orion spacecraft on missions beyond low-Earth orbit.
Artemis I team members conduct the Artemis I launch pre-test briefing on Nov. 12, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
From left, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, second lady Karen Pence and Vice President Mike Pence wait to greet NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley outside of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 launch. The launch, initially scheduled for May 27, 2020, was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions around Launch Complex 39A. The next launch attempt will be Saturday, May 30. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT from historic Launch Complex 39A. Behnken and Hurley will be the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
In the Kennedy Space Center's Operations and Support Building II, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, members of the media participate in a prelaunch mission briefing on NASA's Parker Solar Probe. Briefing moderators from left, are Karen Fox, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Dwayne Brown, NASA Communications. The Parker Solar Probe will lift off on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft was built by Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University in Laurel, Maryland. The mission will perform the closest-ever observations of a star when it travels through the Sun's atmosphere, called the corona. The probe will rely on measurements and imaging to revolutionize our understanding of the corona and the Sun-Earth connection.
Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich takes part in the Flight Readiness Review for Boeing's upcoming Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) in Operations Support Building 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, July 22, 2021. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:53 p.m. EDT Friday, July 30. The uncrewed OFT-2 will be the Starliner's second flight to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
Artemis I managers conduct a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) on Aug. 22, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The FRR is an in-depth assessment of the readiness of the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft to support the uncrewed flight of Artemis I on its mission beyond the Moon and return to Earth. The meeting will conclude later in the day with a poll of all managers. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 8:33 a.m. EDT on Aug. 29, 2022, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.
NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley (left) and Robert Behnken wave as they exit the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for transport to Launch Complex 39A to launch on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission. The launch, initially scheduled for May 27, 2020, was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions around Launch Complex 39A. The next launch attempt will be Saturday, May 30. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT from historic Launch Complex 39A. Behnken and Hurley will be the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.