
Kennedy Space Center employees participate in an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Two Kennedy Space Center employees engage in conversation during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

A Kennedy Space Center employee participates in an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Kennedy Space Center Associate Director, Technical, Kelvin Manning tries out a virtual reality headset during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

A Kennedy Space Center employee attends an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Kennedy Space Center employees participate in an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

A Kennedy Space Center employee participates in an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Barbara Brown, chief technologist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, speaks to Kennedy employees inside the Florida spaceport’s Training Auditorium on Nov. 19, 2019, during Innovation Days. One of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy, Innovation Days highlights how employees at the multi-user spaceport are constantly looking for new solutions to challenges they face at work. Also part of Innovation Days was an innovation showcase, where nearly 50 exhibitors demonstrated new technologies and innovations. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy.

Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana speaks to employees during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to participate in the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Plants utilized for ground experiments at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida that complement plant research on the International Space Station are photographed at an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room to participate in the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering an encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Kennedy Space Center employees are photographed at an innovation showcase, hosted by the Office of the Chief Technologist, on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. On the bottom right is Kathy Loftin, deputy chief technologist at Kennedy. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to participate in the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

A Kennedy Space Center employee demonstrates a new technology during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to participate in the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Lisa-Watson Morgan, NASA’s Human Landing System program manager, provides an overview of the program to Kennedy Space Center employees in the Florida spaceport’s Training Auditorium on Nov. 19, 2019. Watson-Morgan’s presentation was part of the center’s Innovation Days, one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. In addition to the presentation, Kennedy employees had the opportunity to attend an innovation showcase, where nearly 50 exhibitors demonstrated new technologies and innovations. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy.

Lisa-Watson Morgan, NASA’s Human Landing System program manager, provides an overview of the program to Kennedy Space Center employees in the Florida spaceport’s Training Auditorium on Nov. 19, 2019. Watson-Morgan’s presentation was part of the center’s Innovation Days, one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. In addition to the presentation, Kennedy employees had the opportunity to attend an innovation showcase, where nearly 50 exhibitors demonstrated new technologies and innovations. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy.

Lisa-Watson Morgan, NASA’s Human Landing System program manager, provides an overview of the program to Kennedy Space Center employees in the Florida spaceport’s Training Auditorium on Nov. 19, 2019. Watson-Morgan’s presentation was part of the center’s Innovation Days, one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. In addition to the presentation, Kennedy employees had the opportunity to attend an innovation showcase, where nearly 50 exhibitors demonstrated new technologies and innovations. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy.

Lisa-Watson Morgan, NASA’s Human Landing System program manager, provides an overview of the program to Kennedy Space Center employees in the Florida spaceport’s Training Auditorium on Nov. 19, 2019. Watson-Morgan’s presentation was part of the center’s Innovation Days, one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. In addition to the presentation, Kennedy employees had the opportunity to attend an innovation showcase, where nearly 50 exhibitors demonstrated new technologies and innovations. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy.

Melanie Pickett, a post-doctorate researcher at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, participates in an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. A first-time participant, Pickett presented information on an Algae Membrane Photobioreactor she and others are developing that would eliminate the need for sending water treated with toxic chemicals – currently used to break down urine – to the International Space Station. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Kennedy Space Center Chief Technologist Barbara Brown, left, and Deputy Chief Technologist Kathy Loftin are photographed during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Applied Physics Laboratory Lead Physicist Dr. Bob Youngquist demonstrates technology recently used to resolve a technical challenge at Kennedy Space Center during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to participate in the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

An interactive augmented reality sandbox, used by Swamp Works personnel to visually demonstrate the work being done in the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center to produce high-fidelity models of rocket plume impingement on the lunar surface, is photographed during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered in the Florida spaceport’s Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room to participate in the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering an encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Melanie Pickett, right, a post-doctorate researcher at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, speaks to Center Director Bob Cabana about an Algae Membrane Photobioreactor she and others are working on developing during an innovation showcase on Nov. 19, 2019, in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building’s Mission Briefing Room. The bioreactor device would eliminate the need for sending pre-treated water – currently used to break down urine – to the International Space Station, reducing the amount of human exposure to toxic chemicals. Nearly 50 exhibitors gathered to demonstrate new technologies and innovations during the center’s Innovation Days – one of several events throughout the year aimed at fostering and encouraging an innovative culture at Kennedy. Showcase participants included individuals from multiple directorates, programs and organizations throughout Kennedy. In addition to the showcase, employees had the opportunity to attend an overview presentation on NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS), hosted by HLS Program Manager Lisa Watson-Morgan.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

Vendors at the CPD Innovation Expo Showcase with speaker Janet Petro.

A "moon dust" beehive is on display during the 2017 Innovation Expo showcase at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Shaun Daly, an integration engineer in the Launch Services Program, explains a new outreach activity for young students during the 2017 Innovation Expo showcase at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

A worker tries out a virtual reality experience during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

A worker tries out a virtual reality experience during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

A guest speaker presents to the workforce during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

A worker tries out a virtual reality experience during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Trent Smith, a project manager in the ISS Exploration Research and Technology Program, displays microgreens grown in the same space dirt (arcillite) that is used in the plant pillows for the Veggie plant growth system on the International Space Station and in a 3-D-printed plastic matrix during the 2017 Innovation Expo showcase at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Ed Rosenthal, founder and chairman of Florikan controlled release fertilizers, displays his plant growth material during the 2017 Innovation Expo showcase at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The controlled release fertilizer is used in NASA's Veggie plant growth system on the International Space Station and in the Veggie control unit in a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Ivan Townsend III displays the four U.S. Patent plaques he received during a ceremony at the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Mark Lewis displays the two U.S. Patent plaques he received during a ceremony at the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. To his right is Kelly Jones-McDowall, event co-chairperson. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

NASA Kennedy Space Center workers display their U.S. Patent plaques during a ceremony at the 2017 Innovation Expo at the center. From left, are Luke Robertson, Trent Smith, Kelly Jones-McDowall, event co-chairperson, Martha Williams and Dr. James Fesmire. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

John Culver, Sustainability Program manager with the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, was one of the featured speakers at the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day event is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Trent Smith, project manager in the ISS Exploration Research and Technology Program, displays the U.S. Patent plaque he received during a ceremony at the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Jeffrey Carlson displays the three U.S. Patent plaques he received during a ceremony at the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

Robert Mueller displays the three U.S. Patent plaques he received during a ceremony at the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Operations Support Building (OSB) II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one of the many speakers discusses innovative ideas with NASA and partners during a three-day LAUNCH: Energy forum Nov. 11-13. This third in a series of forums is part of an ongoing initiative to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to sustainability challenges. LAUNCH allows NASA to propel innovative solutions that help those outside the agency make the connection between our lives on Earth and how we live and work in space. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s involvement, LAUNCH places a special emphasis on accelerating innovations poised for large scale impact in improving the lives of people in the developing world. During the forum, 10 international participants will showcase new innovations that could address energy problems on Earth and in space. NASA, USAID, Nike Inc., and the U.S. Department of State are LAUNCH founding partners. The partners all contributed to planning the forum, selecting innovators and recruiting other event participants. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Operations Support Building (OSB) II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one of the many speakers discusses innovative ideas with NASA and partners during a three-day LAUNCH: Energy forum Nov. 11-13. This third in a series of forums is part of an ongoing initiative to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to sustainability challenges. LAUNCH allows NASA to propel innovative solutions that help those outside the agency make the connection between our lives on Earth and how we live and work in space. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s involvement, LAUNCH places a special emphasis on accelerating innovations poised for large scale impact in improving the lives of people in the developing world. During the forum, 10 international participants will showcase new innovations that could address energy problems on Earth and in space. NASA, USAID, Nike Inc., and the U.S. Department of State are LAUNCH founding partners. The partners all contributed to planning the forum, selecting innovators and recruiting other event participants. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Operations Support Building (OSB) II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, participants listen as speakers discuss innovative ideas with NASA and partners during a three-day LAUNCH: Energy forum Nov. 11-13. This third in a series of forums is part of an ongoing initiative to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to sustainability challenges. LAUNCH allows NASA to propel innovative solutions that help those outside the agency make the connection between our lives on Earth and how we live and work in space. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s involvement, LAUNCH places a special emphasis on accelerating innovations poised for large scale impact in improving the lives of people in the developing world. During the forum, 10 international participants will showcase new innovations that could address energy problems on Earth and in space. NASA, USAID, Nike Inc., and the U.S. Department of State are LAUNCH founding partners. The partners all contributed to planning the forum, selecting innovators and recruiting other event participants. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Robert Youngquist, center, Applied Physics Laboratory lead, received a U.S. Patent plaque for his invention, Surface Acoustic Wave Tag-Based Coherence Multiplexing, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director; Youngquist; and Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

U.S. Patent plaques were awarded to, second from left, Luke Roberson, Trent Smith, Martha Williams and James Fesmire, for their invention, Aerogel/Polymer Composite Materials, known as Aeroplastic, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At left is Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director; and at far right is Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

U.S. Patent plaques were awarded to, second from left, Jeffrey Carlson, Robert Mueller and Ivan Townsend III, for their invention, Dust and Debris Tolerant Dual Poppet Valve Connector, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Not pictured: Gary Basin and Kevin Murtland. At left is Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director. At far right is Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

U.S. Patent plaques were awarded to, second from left, Mark Lewis, Adam Dokos, Robert Mueller, Jeffrey Carlson and Ivan Townsend III, for their invention, Dust Tolerant Connectors, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Not pictured: Gary Basin, Matthew Branch, Kevin Murtland, Matthew Nugent and Gabor Tamasy. At left is Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director. At far right is Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

U.S. Patent plaques were awarded to, second from left, Adam Dokos, Mark Lewis, Jeffrey Carlson and Ivan Townsend III, for their invention, Dust and Debris Tolerant Retractable Cover, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Not pictured: Gary Basin and Kevin Murtland. At left is Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director. At far right is Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

U.S. Patent plaques were awarded to, second from left, Robert Mueller, Adam Dokos and Ivan Townsend III, for their invention, Self-Cleaning Filament Connector, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At left is Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director. At far right is Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

U.S. and Canadian Patent plaques were awarded to, second from left, Phillip Maloney, Robert Devor and Jacqueline Quinn, for their invention, Removing Halogenated Compounds from Contaminated Systems, during the 2017 Innovation Expo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Not pictured: James Captain. At left is Kelvin Manning, Kennedy's associate director. At far right is Dave Makufka, Kennedy's Technology Transfer Program manager. The purpose of the annual two-day expo is to help foster innovation and creativity among the Kennedy workforce. The event included several keynote speakers, training opportunities, an innovation showcase and the KSC Kickstart competition.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pad 39A is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pad 39A is seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pad 39A is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dave Ferguson, the director of Global Development Common for the U.S. Agency for International Development, participates in a news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the "LAUNCH: Health" forum. During the two-day forum, 10 international participants showcased new innovations that could address health problems on Earth and in space. LAUNCH is a global initiative to identify and support innovative work that will contribute to a sustainable future. Through a series of forums focused on key challenge areas, including water, air, food, energy, mobility and sustainable cities, LAUNCH gives leaders an opportunity to present innovative ideas among peers and join in collaborative, solution-driven discussions. This is the second forum hosted at Kennedy. The first was "LAUNCH: Water" in March 2010. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dr. Jeff Davis, the director of Space and Life Sciences at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, participates in a news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the "LAUNCH: Health" forum. During the two-day forum, 10 international participants showcased new innovations that could address health problems on Earth and in space. LAUNCH is a global initiative to identify and support innovative work that will contribute to a sustainable future. Through a series of forums focused on key challenge areas, including water, air, food, energy, mobility and sustainable cities, LAUNCH gives leaders an opportunity to present innovative ideas among peers and join in collaborative, solution-driven discussions. This is the second forum hosted at Kennedy. The first was "LAUNCH: Water" in March 2010. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Complex 39 is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pad 39A is seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mikkel Vestergaard, the president of Vestergaard Frandsen in Lausanne, Switzerland, participates in a news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the "LAUNCH: Health" forum. During the two-day forum, 10 international participants showcased new innovations that could address health problems on Earth and in space. LAUNCH is a global initiative to identify and support innovative work that will contribute to a sustainable future. Through a series of forums focused on key challenge areas, including water, air, food, energy, mobility and sustainable cities, LAUNCH gives leaders an opportunity to present innovative ideas among peers and join in collaborative, solution-driven discussions. This is the second forum hosted at Kennedy. The first was "LAUNCH: Water" in March 2010. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of Boeing talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of the University of Central Florida talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of Craig Technologies talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of United Launch Alliance talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of Diversified Industries talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of PaR Systems talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, representatives of United Paradyne talk with guests at the Innovation Expo KSC Showcase. The event gave Kennedy employees an opportunity to meet 12 NASA partners and see how the Center Planning and Development Directorate is transforming Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport through partnerships and resource planning. The 17-booth exhibit consists of 12 partner booths along with Spaceport Planning, Partnership Development and Research and Technology offices. Photo credit: NASA_Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Aquatic biologists Doug Scheidt, left, and Eric Reyier with Innovative Health Applications, or IHA, lead a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Aquatic biologist Eric Reyier with Innovative Health Applications, or IHA, drives a skiff boat during a field-guided tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Aquatic biologist Doug Scheidt searches for landmarks and wildlife during the tour. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Aquatic biologists Eric Reyier, left, and Doug Scheidt with Innovative Health Applications, or IHA, prepare for a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Aquatic biologist Eric Reyier with Innovative Health Applications, or IHA, talks about the work that goes into protecting the natural habitat at a launch operations center during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. In the background is Kennedy's Launch Complex 39. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pads 39A, right, and 39B, left, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Solid Motor Assembly Building, or SMAB, is seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Solid Motor Assembly Building, or SMAB, and Launch Complex 37 are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and NASA's new mobile launcher, or ML, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The 355-foot-tall ML structure, which took about two years to construct, will be modified by NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A manatee swims in the Banana River during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Manatees are one of the many threatened or endangered species that call the refuge home. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Operations Support Building II, or OSBII, is seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Operations Support Building II, or OSBII, left, and the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Roy D. Bridges Jr. Bridge connecting NASA Kennedy Space Center's Industrial Area to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Industrial Area is seen during a field-guided boat tour. As part of the Kennedy's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of the center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 37 and the Atlas V Operations Center, or ASOC, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41 and the Vertical Integration Facility, or VIF, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and NASA's new mobile launcher, or ML, are seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The 355-foot-tall ML structure, which took about two years to construct, will be modified by NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Solid Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility, or SMARF, Space Launch Complex 40, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, facility, and Solid Motor Assembly Building, or SMAB, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and NASA's new mobile launcher, or ML, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The 355-foot-tall ML structure, which took about two years to construct, will be modified by NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, is seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and NASA's new mobile launcher, or ML, are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The 355-foot-tall ML structure, which took about two years to construct, will be modified by NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Attendees from the "LAUNCH: Health" forum participate in a news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are NASA Public Affairs Officer David Steitz, Dr. Jeff Davis, the director of Space and Life Sciences at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Dave Ferguson, the director of Global Development Common for the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Mikkel Vestergaard, the president of Vestergaard Frandsen in Lausanne, Switzerland. During the two-day forum, 10 international participants showcased new innovations that could address health problems on Earth and in space. LAUNCH is a global initiative to identify and support innovative work that will contribute to a sustainable future. Through a series of forums focused on key challenge areas, including water, air, food, energy, mobility and sustainable cities, LAUNCH gives leaders an opportunity to present innovative ideas among peers and join in collaborative, solution-driven discussions. This is the second forum hosted at Kennedy. The first was "LAUNCH: Water" in March 2010. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A boat dock and skiff boat are seen near the Roy D. Bridges Jr. Bridge that connects NASA Kennedy Space Center's Industrial Area to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Industrial Area following a field-guided boat tour. As part of the Kennedy's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of the center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Roy D. Bridges Jr. Bridge connecting NASA Kennedy Space Center's Industrial Area to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Industrial Area is seen during a field-guided boat tour. As part of the Kennedy's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of the center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The NASA News Center and Operations Support Building II, or OSBII, in Launch Complex 39 are seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, is seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and NASA's new mobile launcher, or ML, are seen during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The 355-foot-tall ML structure, which took about two years to construct, will be modified by NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A manatee splashes in the Banana River during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Manatees are one of the many threatened or endangered species that call the refuge home. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Roy D. Bridges Jr. Bridge connecting NASA Kennedy Space Center's Industrial Area to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Industrial Area is seen during a field-guided boat tour. As part of the Kennedy's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of the center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A boat dock and the Roy D. Bridges Jr. Bridge connecting NASA Kennedy Space Center's Industrial Area to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Industrial Area are seen during a field-guided boat tour. As part of the Kennedy's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of the center and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Solid Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility, or SMARF, Space Launch Complex 40, and Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, facility, is seen in the distance during a field-guided boat tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the center's first-ever Innovation Expo, the tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," is giving employees the opportunity to see the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse and healthy area encompassing about 140,000 acres of central Florida's east coast has been closed to the public for 50 years, allowing the coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks to provide habitats for more than 1,000 species of plants and animals. Innovation Expo is showcasing the innovative work taking place throughout the center's facilities and labs to encourage employees to work together to solve future challenges. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA