At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this early construction photo, taken June 30, 1961, workers are are involved in the survey and site preparation of the test stand.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this early construction photo, taken June 30, 1961, workers are involved in the survey and site preparation for the test stand.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 21, 1961, a worker can be seen inside the test stand work area with a jack hammer.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 21, 1961, workers can be seen inside the test stand work area clearing the site.

At its founding, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) inherited the Army’s Jupiter and Redstone test stands, but much larger facilities were needed for the giant stages of the Saturn V. From 1960 to 1964, the existing stands were remodeled and a sizable new test area was developed. The new comprehensive test complex for propulsion and structural dynamics was unique within the nation and the free world, and they remain so today because they were constructed with foresight to meet the future as well as on going needs. Construction of the S-IC Static test stand complex began in 1961 in the west test area of MSFC, and was completed in 1964. The S-IC static test stand was designed to develop and test the 138-ft long and 33-ft diameter Saturn V S-IC first stage, or booster stage, weighing in at 280,000 pounds. Required to hold down the brute force of a 7,500,000-pound thrust produced by 5 F-1 engines, the S-IC static test stand was designed and constructed with the strength of hundreds of tons of steel and 12,000,000 pounds of cement, planted down to bedrock 40 feet below ground level. The foundation walls, constructed with concrete and steel, are 4 feet thick. The base structure consists of four towers with 40-foot-thick walls extending upward 144 feet above ground level. The structure was topped by a crane with a 135-foot boom. With the boom in the upright position, the stand was given an overall height of 405 feet, placing it among the highest structures in Alabama at the time. In this photo, taken July 31, 1961, work is continued in the clearing of the test stand site.

Building 4200 of Marshall’s administrative complex is prepared for demolition in the fall of 2022. Building 4200 was Marshall’s administrative headquarters from 1963 until 2020. The project will make way for a newer, more energy-efficient facilities, providing worksites for new generations of engineers, scientists, and support teams.

Building 4200 of Marshall’s administrative complex is prepared for demolition in the fall of 2022. Building 4200 was Marshall’s administrative headquarters from 1963 until 2020. The project will make way for a newer, more energy-efficient facilities, providing worksites for new generations of engineers, scientists, and support teams.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, the Expedition 59 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures Feb. 26 in front of the statue of Vladimir Lenin as they prepared to depart for their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch training. From left to right are the backup crew, Drew Morgan of NASA, Alexander Skvortsov of Roscosmos and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, and the prime crew, Christina Koch of NASA, Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos and Nick Hague of NASA, who will launch on March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Beth Weissinger

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmember Nick Hague of NASA prepares to depart Feb. 26 for his launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch training. Hague, Christina Koch of NASA and Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos will launch on March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Beth Weissinger

Aerial view of Press Site, May 16, 2011, as the crowd prepares for the final launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour

S65-28639 (June 1965) --- Drawing illustrating orientation of Gemini spacecraft over prepared ground observation sites.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers pour and spread concrete at the base of the site of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, Ka-BOOM system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers are placing the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and preparing the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelski

A view of a proposed new launch site, Launch Complex 49, on Dec. 20, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In response to an inquiry from SpaceX, NASA is preparing to conduct environmental assessments to develop the proposed launch site. The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center’s security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental assessment before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, concrete has been poured at the site of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, Ka-BOOM system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers are placing the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and preparing the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelski

A view of a proposed new launch site, Launch Complex 49, on Dec. 20, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In response to an inquiry from SpaceX, NASA is preparing to conduct environmental assessments to develop the proposed launch site. The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center’s security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental assessment before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers pour concrete at the base of the site of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers are placing the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and preparing the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelski

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Space Shuttle Discovery on its Mobile Launcher Platform makes its slow 3.4-mile trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for the STS-82 mission. In the foreground is the U.S. flag at the Press Site area. A seven-member crew will perform the second servicing of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during the 10-day STS-82 mission, which is targeted for a Feb. 11 liftoff.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 46-47 crewmember Tim Peake of the European Space Agency prepares to depart for his launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Nov. 30 as backup crewmember Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) looks on. Peake, Tim Kopra of NASA and Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch Dec. 15 in the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA / Seth Marcantel

In the Kennedy Space Center’s Press Site auditorium, members of the news media listen as agency and industry leaders updated progress as the Orion spacecraft and its Delta IV Heavy rocket were being prepared for launch.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Minutes before STS-9 launch, nearly 1,000 news media representatives gather at the Press Site to prepare for coverage of the launch. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Minutes before STS-9 launch, nearly 1,000 news media representatives gather at the Press Site to prepare for coverage of the launch. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Minutes before STS-9 launch, nearly 1,000 news media representatives gather at the Press Site to prepare for coverage of the launch. Photo credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Complex 39 Press Site prepares for the nearly 2,500 accredited news media who arrived to cover the launch of Discovery and space shuttle mission STS-26R. Photo Credit: NASA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The launch tower on Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, clears the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload in preparation for a second attempt at launch. The first attempt on June 8, 2003, was scrubbed due to bad weather in the vicinity. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The launch tower (right) on Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, has been rolled back from the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload (left) in preparation for a second attempt at launch. The first attempt on June 8, 2003, was scrubbed due to bad weather in the vicinity. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the launch tower begins to roll back from the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload in preparation for a second attempt at launch. The first attempt on June 8, 2003, was scrubbed due to bad weather in the vicinity. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload are in the clear after tower rollback in preparation for a second attempt at launch. The first attempt on June 8, 2003, was scrubbed due to bad weather in the vicinity. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the launch tower begins to roll back from the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload in preparation for another launch attempt. The first two attempts were postponed due to weather concerns. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the launch tower rolls back from the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload in preparation for another launch attempt. The first two attempts, June 8 and June 9, were postponed due to weather concerns. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the launch tower begins to roll back from the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload in preparation for a second attempt at launch. The first attempt on June 8, 2003, was scrubbed due to bad weather in the vicinity. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Boeing Delta II rocket and its Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) payload waits for rollback of the launch tower in preparation for a second attempt at launch. The first attempt on June 8, 2003, was scrubbed due to bad weather in the vicinity. MER-A is the first of two rovers being launched to Mars. When the two rovers arrive at Mars in 2004, they will bounce to airbag-cushioned landings at sites offering a balance of favorable conditions for safe landings and interesting science. The rovers see sharper images, can explore farther and examine rocks better than anything that has ever landed on Mars. The designated site for MER-A mission is Gusev Crater, which appears to have been a crater lake. The second rover, MER-B, is scheduled to launch June 25.

An aerial view of a proposed new launch site, Launch Complex 49, on Dec. 28, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In response to an inquiry from SpaceX, NASA is preparing to conduct environmental assessments to develop the proposed launch site. The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center’s security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental assessment before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.

An aerial view of a proposed new launch site, Launch Complex 49, on Dec. 28, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In response to an inquiry from SpaceX, NASA is preparing to conduct environmental assessments to develop the proposed launch site. The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center’s security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental assessment before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.

An aerial view of a proposed new launch site, Launch Complex 49, on Dec. 28, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In response to an inquiry from SpaceX, NASA is preparing to conduct environmental assessments to develop the proposed launch site. The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center’s security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental assessment before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.

An aerial view of a proposed new launch site, Launch Complex 49, on Dec. 28, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In response to an inquiry from SpaceX, NASA is preparing to conduct environmental assessments to develop the proposed launch site. The 175-acre site, located north of Launch Complex 39B within the center’s security perimeter, would support the launch and landing of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle. NASA and SpaceX are moving forward with the initial environmental assessment before concluding a potential agreement to develop the property.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, groundbreaking will begin for the construction of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM, system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers will begin construction on the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and prepare the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers continue construction of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM, system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers are placing the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and preparing the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelski

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a worker continues construction of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM, system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers are placing the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and preparing the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelski

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- One of a team of robotic experts prepares the site scraped on the robotic arm for removal. The scrape occurred while work platforms were being installed to gain access to repair the oxygen leak in the Shuttle's mid-body. The site will be cut out and ultrasound testing will be done on the structure underneath. Launch of Endeavour on mission STS-113 has been postponed until no earlier than Nov. 22.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers continue construction of the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM, system. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers are placing the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and preparing the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelski

JSC2010-E-044365 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

JSC2010-E-044357 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the new countdown clock at the spaceport's Press Site is used for the first time as preparations were underway for the Orion Flight Test. News media representatives gather in anticipation of the launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket.

JSC2010-E-044364 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Kennedy Space Center’s Press Site auditorium, members of the news media listen as agency and industry leaders updated progress as the Orion spacecraft and its Delta IV Heavy rocket were being prepared for launch. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/orion. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

JSC2010-E-044366 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

JSC2010-E-044362 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

JSC2010-E-044360 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

JSC2010-E-044363 (30 March 2010) --- In preparation for an April 2 liftoff for Expedition 23, the final assembly for Soyuz TMA-18 was performed March 30 by TsSKB-Progress personnel in the Launch Vehicle Assembly facility at Site 112 of Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov

Members of the Florida Oceanographic Society prepare to plant seagrass in the Banana River – one of three bodies of water that make up the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) – at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 29, 2023. Kennedy’s Environmental Management Branch is working to plant a minimum of 28,000 shoots of seagrass divided into 18 sites across three areas at the Florida spaceport as part of a pilot project for seagrass restoration efforts. The project will look at the feasibility of replanting seagrass in Kennedy waters and, if successful, could lead to the spaceport becoming a donor site where shoots of grass can be broken off and relocated to other areas within Kennedy or along the IRL to promote growth.

Members of the Florida Oceanographic Society collect mats of seagrass from their storage site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as they prepare to plant them in the Banana River – one of three bodies of water that make up the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) – on March 29, 2023. Kennedy’s Environmental Management Branch is working to plant a minimum of 28,000 shoots of seagrass divided into 18 sites across three areas at the Florida spaceport as part of a pilot project for seagrass restoration efforts. The project will look at the feasibility of replanting seagrass in Kennedy waters and, if successful, could lead to the spaceport becoming a donor site where shoots of grass can be broken off and relocated to other areas within Kennedy or along the IRL to promote growth.

Members of the Florida Oceanographic Society collect mats of seagrass from their storage site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as they prepare to plant them in the Banana River – one of three bodies of water that make up the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) – on March 29, 2023. Kennedy’s Environmental Management Branch is working to plant a minimum of 28,000 shoots of seagrass divided into 18 sites across three areas at the Florida spaceport as part of a pilot project for seagrass restoration efforts. The project will look at the feasibility of replanting seagrass in Kennedy waters and, if successful, could lead to the spaceport becoming a donor site where shoots of grass can be broken off and relocated to other areas within Kennedy or along the IRL to promote growth.

Members of the Florida Oceanographic Society collect mats of seagrass from their storage site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as they prepare to plant them in the Banana River – one of three bodies of water that make up the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) – on March 29, 2023. Kennedy’s Environmental Management Branch is working to plant a minimum of 28,000 shoots of seagrass divided into 18 sites across three areas at the Florida spaceport as part of a pilot project for seagrass restoration efforts. The project will look at the feasibility of replanting seagrass in Kennedy waters and, if successful, could lead to the spaceport becoming a donor site where shoots of grass can be broken off and relocated to other areas within Kennedy or along the IRL to promote growth.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) team prepare MSolo flight hardware for shipment in preparation for launch in 2022. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and it will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. MSolo is part of four of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Delivery Service missions where under the Artemis program, commercial deliveries beginning in 2022 will perform science experiments, test technologies and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for human missions.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) team prepare MSolo flight hardware for shipment in preparation for launch in 2022. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and it will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. MSolo is part of four of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Delivery Service missions where under the Artemis program, commercial deliveries beginning in 2022 will perform science experiments, test technologies and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for human missions.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) team prepare MSolo flight hardware for shipment in preparation for launch in 2022. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and it will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. MSolo is part of four of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Delivery Service missions where under the Artemis program, commercial deliveries beginning in 2022 will perform science experiments, test technologies and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for human missions.

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) team prepare MSolo flight hardware for shipment in preparation for launch in 2022. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and it will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. MSolo is part of four of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Delivery Service missions where under the Artemis program, commercial deliveries beginning in 2022 will perform science experiments, test technologies and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for human missions.

This photo includes two employees wearing personal protective gear in the shipping and receiving area of Michoud Assembly Facility during the Stage 3 transition of NASA’s Framework for Return To On-Site Work. Wearing a facemask is mandatory for common areas where social distancing is difficult to achieve. Access to the facility is limited to authorized personnel working on mission-critical tasks that must be conducted onsite. Employees at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans will slowly and methodically resume Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage and Orion Spacecraft production and assembly activities at a pace that limits personnel and follows federal guidelines for social distancing and use of personal protective equipment such as face masks. For more information about SLS, visit nasa.gov/sls.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a groundbreaking was held to mark the start of construction on the Antenna Test Bed Array for the Ka-Band Objects Observation and Monitoring, or Ka-BOOM system. Using ceremonial shovels to mark the site, from left are Michael Le, lead design engineer and construction manager Sue Vingris, Cape Design Engineer Co. project manager Kannan Rengarajan, chief executive officer of Cape Design Engineer Co. Lutfi Mized, president of Cape Design Engineer Co. David Roelandt, construction site superintendent with Cape Design Engineer Co. Marc Seibert, NASA project manager Michael Miller, NASA project manager Peter Aragona, KSC’s Electromagnetic Lab manager Stacy Hopper, KSCs master planning supervisor Dr. Bary Geldzabler, NASA chief scientist and KSC’s Chief Technologist Karen Thompson. The construction site is near the former Vertical Processing Facility, which has been demolished. Workers will begin construction on the pile foundations for the 40-foot-diameter dish antenna arrays and their associated utilities, and prepare the site for the operations command center facility. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

Engineers prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument for the multilayer insulation installation inside Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility on Oct. 19, 2022. The activity is in preparation for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) mission, which will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. Researchers and engineers are preparing MSolo instruments to launch on four robotic missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services – commercial deliveries beginning in 2023 that will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to the lunar surface.

Engineers prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument for the multilayer insulation installation inside Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility on Oct. 19, 2022. The activity is in preparation for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) mission, which will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. Researchers and engineers are preparing MSolo instruments to launch on four robotic missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services – commercial deliveries beginning in 2023 that will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to the lunar surface.

Engineers prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument for the multilayer insulation installation inside Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility on Oct. 19, 2022. The activity is in preparation for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) mission, which will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. Researchers and engineers are preparing MSolo instruments to launch on four robotic missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services – commercial deliveries beginning in 2023 that will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to the lunar surface.

Engineers prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument for the multilayer insulation installation inside Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility on Oct. 19, 2022. The activity is in preparation for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) mission, which will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. Researchers and engineers are preparing MSolo instruments to launch on four robotic missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services – commercial deliveries beginning in 2023 that will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to the lunar surface.

Engineers prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument for the multilayer insulation installation inside Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility on Oct. 19, 2022. The activity is in preparation for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) mission, which will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. Researchers and engineers are preparing MSolo instruments to launch on four robotic missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services – commercial deliveries beginning in 2023 that will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to the lunar surface.

Engineers prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) instrument for the multilayer insulation installation inside Kennedy Space Center’s Space Station Processing Facility on Oct. 19, 2022. The activity is in preparation for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) mission, which will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface. Researchers and engineers are preparing MSolo instruments to launch on four robotic missions as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services – commercial deliveries beginning in 2023 that will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for crewed missions to the lunar surface.

jsc2017e039770 (04/05/2017) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA (left) poses for pictures with his backup, Randy Bresnik of NASA April 5 as they prepared to fly to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch preparations. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft from Baikonur for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Rob Navias

jsc2017e039769 (04/05/2017) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA (left) converses with cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) April 5 as Fischer prepared to fly to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch preparations. Misurkin will launch to the International Space Station in September as part of the Expedition 53 crew. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft from Baikonur for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Rob Navias

jsc2017e039772 (04/05/2017) ---- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA (right) walks to a waiting bus April 5 with his crewmate, Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center) and Yurchikhin’s wife as they prepared to fly to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch preparations. Fischer and Yurchikhin will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft from Baikonur for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Rob Navias

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- All is quiet and orderly inside the mobile launcher, or ML, at the park site adjacent to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Preparations are underway for modifications to begin to the outside of the 355-foot-tall ML structure this fall. NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations Program, or GSDO, is preparing the ML to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

jsc2017e039768 (04/05/2017) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 51 crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, left) and Jack Fischer of NASA (right) share a light moment April 5 as they prepared to fly to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch preparations. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft from Baikonur for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Rob Navias

Bethany March, an element integration engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Alabama, speaks to members of the news media during a tour of the Booster Fabrication Facility (BFF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Orbital ATK is a contractor for MSFC, and operates the BFF to prepare aft booster segments and hardware for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) solid rocket boosters. To her right is Rick Serfozo, Orbital ATK Florida site director. The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will launch on Exploration Mission-1 in 2018. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is preparing the infrastructure to process and launch spacecraft for deep-space missions and the journey to Mars.

jsc2017e039767 (04/05?2017) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA (left) exchanges morning greetings with his backup, Randy Bresnik of NASA April 5 as they prepared to fly to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch preparations. Fischer and Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft from Baikonur for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Rob Navias

jsc2017e039771 (04/05/2017) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 51 crewmember Jack Fischer of NASA (second from the right) poses for pictures with his crewmate, Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, second from the left) and Yurchikhin’s wife April 5 as they prepared to fly to the launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch preparations. Fischer and Yurchikhin will launch April 20 on the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft from Baikonur for a four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. Photp: NASA/Rob Navias

Inside the Booster Fabrication Facility (BFF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the news media view a forward skirt that will be used on a solid rocket booster for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Orbital ATK is a contractor for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, and operates the BFF to prepare aft booster segments and hardware for the SLS solid rocket boosters. Rick Serfozo, Orbital ATK Florida site director, talks to the media. The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will launch on Exploration Mission-1 in 2018. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is preparing the infrastructure to process and launch spacecraft for deep-space missions and the journey to Mars.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A worker inspects the interior of the mobile launcher, or ML, at the park site adjacent to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Preparations are underway for modifications to begin to the outside of the 355-foot-tall ML structure this fall. NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations Program, or GSDO, is preparing the ML to support NASA’s Space Launch System, the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts into deep space on future exploration missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

jsc2020e017125 - Expedition 63 Crew Waves Farewell - Expedition 63 crewmember Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, waves goodbye as he, Chris Cassidy of NASA, and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos prepare to climb aboard the Soyuz MS-16 rocket at Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Thursday, April 9, 2020. They launched a short time later to the International Space Station for the start of a six-and-a-half month mission. Photo Credit: (NASA/GCTC/Andrey Shelepin)

jsc2020e017003 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft and its booster are transported from the integration building to the Site 31 launch pad April 6 for final preparations for launch. Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are set to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-16 April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

A sunrise serves as the backdrop for the American Flag near the Press Site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the successful launch of SpaceX’s uncrewed Demo-1 flight test from Launch Complex 39A on March 2, 2019. The company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket and traveled to the International Space Station, where it validated end-to-end systems and capabilities in preparation for certification to fly crew.

ISS036-E-025017 (26 July 2013) --- In the International Space Station?s Destiny laboratory, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, Expedition 36 flight engineer, speaks in a microphone as he partners with Ames Research Center to remotely control a surface rover in California. The experiment, called Surface Telerobotics, will help scientists plan future missions where a robotic rover could prepare a site on a moon or a planet for a crew.

ISS036-E-025030 (26 July 2013) --- From the International Space Station?s Destiny laboratory, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, Expedition 36 flight engineer, uses a computer as he partners with Ames Research Center to remotely control a surface rover in California. The experiment, called Surface Telerobotics, will help scientists plan future missions where a robotic rover could prepare a site on a moon or a planet for a crew.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During the second stage of a simulated emergency, known as Mode 4, part of the KSC fire rescue team in a slidewire basket arrive at the landing site. The emergency exercise began at the 195-foot level of Launch Pad 39A. The KSC rescue teams are practicing emergency procedures in the unlikely scenario of a mishap on the pad during a launch sequence. The exercises are standard training procedures to assess and prepare emergency personnel, procedures and hardware. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

In the Kennedy Space Center’s Press Site auditorium, members of the media participate in a briefing on science research and technology work planned for the International Space Station, or ISS. NASA is preparing for the launch of a Cygnus spacecraft on the Orbital ATK CRS-6 commercial resupply services mission to the ISS. From left are: Pete Hasbrook, NASA associate program scientist for the ISS Program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Dr. Michael Roberts, deputy chief scientist for the Center for the Advancement for Science in Space, or CASIS.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The sun rises over the Press Site in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch Pad 39A is in the background at left. On this particular morning, preparations are underway for a launch from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a part of the spaceport which neighbors Kennedy Space Center. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

A sunrise serves as the backdrop for the countdown clock and American Flag near the Press Site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the successful launch of SpaceX’s uncrewed Demo-1 flight test from Launch Complex 39A on March 2, 2019. The company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket and traveled to the International Space Station, where it validated end-to-end systems and capabilities in preparation for certification to fly crew.

At Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a worker prepares the site before attaching a camera to the second stage of the Delta II rocket for the Mars Odyssey launch. The orbiter carries three science instruments THEMIS, the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS), and the Mars Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) that will map the mineralogy and morphology of the Martian surface. The Mars Odyssey Orbiter is scheduled for launch on April 7, 2001

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 29/30 Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin (foreground, left), NASA’s Dan Burbank (center) and Russian Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov (right) lead a delegation as they walk to their bus October 31, 2011, preparing to depart for their launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The trio will launch November 14 from Baikonur on their Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft for the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

An aerial view shows workers preparing the surface of one of the three lightning protection system towers for painting at Exploration Ground Systems’ Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2019. The old paint was removed by the most recent hurricane. Pad 39B is the site of future launches of the agency’s Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft on Artemis missions. The 600-foot-tall lightning towers will help prevent lightning strikes at the pad during prelaunch and launch activities.

jsc2020e016996 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft and its booster stand at their vertical position at the Site 31 launch pad April 6 following rollout for final preparations for launch. Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are set to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-16 April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2020e016994 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft and its booster stand at their vertical position at the Site 31 launch pad April 6 following rollout for final preparations for launch. Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are set to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-16 April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 59 crewmembers Christina Koch of NASA (left), Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos (center) and Nick Hague of NASA (right) pose for pictures Feb. 26 in front of the statue of Vladimir Lenin as they prepared to depart for their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for final pre-launch training. They will launch on March 14, U.S. time, on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Beth Weissinger

Expedition 52 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli of ESA, left, Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos, center, and Randy Bresnik of NASA visit Red Square prepare to lay roses at the site where Russian space icons are interred as part of traditional pre-launch ceremonies, Monday, July 10, 2017 in Moscow. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

jsc2020e016988 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft and its booster are transported from the integration building to the Site 31 launch pad April 6 for final preparations for launch. Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are set to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-16 April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2020e017122 - Expedition 63 Crew Waves Farewell - Expedition 63 crewmembers Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos, top, Chris Cassidy of NASA, center, and Anatoly Ivanishin wave goodbye as they prepare to climb aboard the Soyuz MS-16 rocket at Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Thursday, April 9, 2020. They launched a short time later to the International Space Station for the start of a six-and-a-half month mission. Photo Credit: (NASA/GCTC/Andrey Shelepin)

jsc2020e017124 - Expedition 63 Crew Waves Farewell - Expedition 63 crewmember Chris Cassidy of NASA waves goodbye as he, and cosmonauts Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, prepare to climb aboard the Soyuz MS-16 rocket at Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Thursday, April 9, 2020. They launched a short time later to the International Space Station for the start of a six-and-a-half month mission. Photo Credit: (NASA/GCTC/Andrey Shelepin)

S70-50761 (September 1970) --- This map prepared by Mapping Sciences Laboratory, Science & Applications Directorate at the Manned Spacecraft Center, shows the projected Apollo landing sites. Apollo 11 completed a successful lunar landing mission in the Sea of Tranquility in July 1969. Apollo 12 completed a successful lunar landing mission in the Ocean of Storms in November 1969.

NASA’s Project Morpheus prototype lander is moved into position at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for free flight test No. 15. During the 97-second test, onboard autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology sensors, or ALHAT, surveyed the hazard field for safe landing sites, then guided the lander forward and downward to a successful landing.

Camels line the road as NASA team members drive to the site 31 launch pad to prepare for the launch of Expedition 68 crewmembers Frank Rubio of NASA, and Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin are scheduled to launch aboard their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft on Sept. 21. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

jsc2020e016990 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft and its booster are transported from the integration building to the Site 31 launch pad April 6 for final preparations for launch. Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are set to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-16 April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Victor Zelentsov.

jsc2020e017005 - At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft and its booster stand vertically the Site 31 launch pad April 6 for final preparations for launch following rollout. Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos are set to launch aboard the Soyuz MS-16 April 9 for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 25 Flight Engineer Oleg Skripochka (L), Flight Engineer Alexander Kaleri (c) and NASA’s Scott Kelly answer questions from reporters as they prepare to depart September 25, 2010 for their launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan for their launch October 8 in the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Amiko Kauderer