Space Launch Scenes

Diverse views of space launch facilities, rockets, and preparations for space missions, highlighting the excitement of space exploration.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In view across the Banana River from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with a National Reconnaissance Office payload, awaiting launch from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.Liftoff is set for 1:45 p.m. EDT on April 10. A 90 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at launch time is forecast. Designated NROL-67, the mission is in support of national defense.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for Sept. 3 at 2:17 p.m. EDT.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Clouds spread throughout the sky behind Launch Pad 39B where Space Shuttle Atlantis still sits after the scrub of its launch on mission STS-115. Atlantis was originally scheduled to launch at 12:29 p.m. EDT on this date, but a 24-hour scrub was called by mission managers due to a concern with fuel cell 1. Towering above the shuttle is the 80-foot lightning mast. At right is the 300,000-gallon water tank that releases its contents onto the mobile launcher platform during liftoff to aid sound suppression. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft, lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. EST on April 8, 2022, on Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1). Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada are aboard the flight to the International Space Station. The Ax-1 mission is the first private astronaut mission to the space station.

Exterior view of the Mission Control Center

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In view across the Banana River from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with a National Reconnaissance Office payload, awaiting launch from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.Liftoff is set for 1:45 p.m. EDT on April 10. A 90 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at launch time is forecast. Designated NROL-67, the mission is in support of national defense.

The mobile launcher with NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft aboard is seen inside the Vehicle Assembly Building during the opening of the doors to High Bay 3 before rolling out to Launch Complex 39B for the first time, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASAs Artemis I flight test, the fully stacked and integrated SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will undergo a wet dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39B to verify systems and practice countdown procedures for the first launch.

About 450,000 gallons of water flowed at high speed from a holding tank through new and modified piping and valves, the flame trench, flame deflector nozzles and mobile launcher interface risers during a wet flow test at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At peak flow, the water reached about 100 feet in the air above the pad surface. The test was a milestone to confirm and baseline the performance of the Ignition Overpressure/Sound Suppression system. During launch of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, the high-speed water flow will help protect the vehicle from the extreme acoustic and temperature environment during ignition and liftoff.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' main engines and solid rocket boosters ignite on Launch Pad 39A as it lifts off on its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.Atlantis with its crew of four; Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, lifted off at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8, 2011 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle

The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is moved on its transport stand by truck out of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Horizontal Integration Facility near Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The ICPS will be transported to the Delta Operations Center. The ICPS is the first integrated piece of flight hardware to arrive for the SLS. It is the in-space stage that is located toward the top of the rocket, between the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter and the Orion Spacecraft Adapter. It will provide some of the in-space propulsion during Orion's first flight test atop the SLS on Exploration Mission-1.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Multi-Use Lightweight Equipment (MULE) carrier arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for the fifth and final shuttle servicing mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, STS-125. The MULE carrier will join the Flight Support System, the Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier and the Orbital Replacement Unit Carrier in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility where the Hubble payload is being prepared for launch. The Relative Navigation Sensors and the New Outer Blanket Layers will be on the MULE. The payload is scheduled to go to Launch Pad 39A in mid-September to be installed into Atlantis' payload bay. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8 at 1:34 a.m. EDT. .

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery looms against the pre-dawn, cloud-streaked sky as it makes the slow 3.4-mile journey to Launch Pad 39A. The shuttle sits atop the mobile launcher platform, which are being moved by the massive crawler-transporter beneath. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 5:17 a.m. EST. Discovery is targeted to launch to the International Space Station Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss, enabling a six-person crew to live there starting in May.

A colorful sunrise marks the dawn of a new era in human spaceflight ahead of NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission, as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft stand ready for launch at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 29, 2020. The rocket and spacecraft lifted off from historic Launch Complex 39A at 3:22 p.m. EDT on May 30, carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Demo-2 is SpaceXs final flight test, paving the way for NASA to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and Launch Control Center stand out against a bright blue sky at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications are underway inside the VAB to prepare High Bay 3 for a new platform system.The modifications are part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program. High bay 3 is being refurbished to accommodate NASAs Space Launch System and a variety of other spacecraft.

A look at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 23, 2021, ahead of NASAs SpaceX Crew-2 launch. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, spacecraft commander; NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, pilot; ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, mission specialist; and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, mission specialist, lifted off from Kennedys Launch Complex 39A on 5:49 EDT. The crew will dock to the Harmony modules forward-facing international docking adapter of the International Space Station on Saturday, April 24, at 5:10 a.m.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The launch attempt of STS-116 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. The next launch attempt was scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 9, at 8:47 p.m. In the photo, the rotating service structure has been rolled into place around the shuttle. This will be Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2002. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 19 at KSC.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its bright-orange external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, takes center stage on its seaside launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in this aerial image taken from a NASA helicopter.Atlantis and its crew of four -- Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim -- are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, an

Psyche Solar Array Arrival and Offload. A NASA team prepares to unload twin solar arrays for the agencys Psyche spacecraft at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 15, 2023. The solar arrays were shipped from Maxar Technologies, in San Jose, California. They are part of the solar electric propulsion system, provided by Maxar, that will power the spacecraft on its journey to explore a metal-rich asteroid. Psyche will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. Launch is targeted for Oct. 5, 2023. Riding with Psyche is a pioneering technology demonstration, NASAs Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment.

NASAs Moon rocket is on the move at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-2 mission, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. The test flight serves as an end-to-end demonstration of SpaceXs crew transportation system. Todays launch of Behnken and Hurley was scrubbed due to weather and is now scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 30, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to low-Earth orbit for the first time since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis is poised for liftoff on Launch Pad 39A. In the distance are the pads and processing facilities on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16.

An Air Traffic Control radar has been constructed at Shiloh for the NASA control tower at the Shuttle Landing Facility. It will be used by NASA and the Eastern Range for surveillance of controlled air space in Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station restricted areas. Shiloh is on the northern end of Merritt Island.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Before dawn, space shuttle Discovery, atop the mobile launcher platform, makes the slow 3.4-mile journey to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (far left) was at 5:17 a.m. EST. Discovery is targeted to launch to the International Space Station Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and its solar arrays to the starboard side of the station, completing the station's backbone, or truss, enabling a six-person crew to live there starting in May.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Under cloudy skies, Space Shuttle Atlantis inches its way to Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building (right). The journey is a distance of just over 3 miles. The water in the foreground is part of Banana Creek. Atlantis will fly on mission STS-98, the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station. The orbiter will carry in its payload bay the U.S. Laboratory, named Destiny, that will have five system racks already installed inside the module. After delivery of electronics in the lab, electrically powered attitude control for Control Moment Gyroscopes will be activated. Atlantis is scheduled for launch no earlier than Jan. 19, 2001, with a crew of five

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery's liftoff is reflected in the water as it roars off Launch Pad 39A in a swirl of billowing smoke and steam at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its final flight to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. Launch was at 4:53 p.m. EST.Discovery and its six-member crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. Discovery is flying on its 39th mission and is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This is the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Spotlights bounce off the clouds over Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, lift off the pad at 4:05 a.m. EDT aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. In the foreground, at left, is the countdown clock at the Press Site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. RBSP will explore changes in Earth's space environment caused by the sun -- known as "space weather" -- that can disable satellites, create power-grid failures and disrupt GPS service. The mission also will provide data on the fundamental radiation and particle acceleration processes throughout the universe.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B from the Press Site as preparations for launch continue, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29 at 8:33 a.m. ET.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Reflected in the water of the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket begins its slow trek to Launch Pad 39B. The move, known as "rollout," began at 1:39 a.m. EDT. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27.

AN/FPS-85Unit location: 20th Space Control Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla. Mission: Space surveillance - tracks more than 12,000 earth orbiting objects, including deep space satellites in support of the space control mission. Supports space object identification. Radar details: Bi-phased phased array, one transmitter face and one receiver face. Azimuth: 120 degrees at one degree elevation. Elevation view: 3 degrees to 105 degrees with the antenna face inclined at 45 degrees. Range: in excess of 25,300 miles.

Lightning strikes the Launch Pad 39B protection system as preparations for launch of NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard continue, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29 at 8:33 a.m. ET.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop the mobile launcher as it rolls out to Launch Pad 39B, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the clear morning light, Space Shuttle Atlantis , atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, slowly makes its way to Launch Pad 39A. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway will take about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This 30-second timed exposure captures the bright lights around the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) plus the equally bright moon (upper right) as Space Shuttle Atlantis (far left) rolls out of the east side bay 1. The Launch Control Center sits between the Shuttle and the VAB. The full stack of Shuttle, solid rocket boosters and external tank are taking part in a fit check for the newly renovated crawlerway and high bay 2, which is on the west side. The major modifications to the crawlerway and VAB provide Shuttle flight hardware more storage space and protection - "Safe Haven" - from hurricanes or tropical storms. Atlantis began moving out of VAB high bay 1 at 2:59 a.m. EDT. After the successful Safe Haven fit check, Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39B in preparation for the STS-106 launch on Sept. 8.

During a practice run, crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2), with the space shuttle-era mobile launch platform-3 (MLP-3) on top, has exited High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and moves slowly along the crawlerway at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 1, 2019. The VAB is getting its first commercial tenant. Northrop Grumman signed a Reimbursable Space Act Agreement with NASA for use of the facilities. The company will assemble and test its new OmegA rocket inside the massive facilitys High Bay 2. The company also will modify MLP-3 to serve as the launch vehicles assembly and launch platform. Northrop Grumman is developing the OmegA rocket, an intermediate/heavy-class launch vehicle, as part of a launch services agreement with the U.S. Air Force.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen at sunrise on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-4 mission, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are scheduled to launch on no earlier than April 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, as the Artemis I launch teams load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants including liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as the launch countdown progresses at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than no earlier than 2:17 p.m. EDT.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Preparations are underway at Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for the arrival of the rocket components slated to launch NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive mission, or SMAP, in November 2014.A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket will be used to deliver SMAP into orbit. SMAP will provide global measurements of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state. These measurements will be used to enhance understanding of processes that link the water, energy and carbon cycles, and to extend the capabilities of weather and climate prediction models. SMAP data also will be used to quantify net carbon flux in boreal landscapes and to develop improved flood prediction and drought monitoring capabilities.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V first stage is lifted to the vertical position on Nov. 4, 2019, in the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, in preparation for Boeings Orbital Flight Test (OFT). The uncrewed OFT mission will rendezvous and dock Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft with the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. Starliner will launch atop the Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, and astronauts representing NASA and Boeing participate in a Boeing Orbital Flight Test media briefing near the countdown clock at the Florida spaceport on Dec. 19, 2019. Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test will be the Starliners first flight to the International Space Station for NASAs Commercial Crew Program.

NASA Kennedy Space Center - official site for NASA's center in Cape Canaveral, Florida

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Sunday, April 3, 2022, as the Artemis I launch team conducts the wet dress rehearsal test at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASAs Artemis I flight test, the wet dress rehearsal will run the Artemis I launch team through operations to load propellant, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice timelines and procedures for launch.

A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Demo-1, the first uncrewed mission of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff was at 2:49 a.m., March 2, 2019. The SpaceX Crew Dragons trip to the International Space Station is designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Several remote cameras are positioned around the perimeter of Launch Pad 39B in preparation for the launch of mission STS-115 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. A lightning strike to the pad's lightning protection system on August 25, caused the mission management team to postpone the launch of mission STS-115 for 24 hours in order to review all electrical systems on the space shuttle and ground support equipment at the pad.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - As afternoon storm clouds sweep across a dune near Launch Pad 39A, Space Shuttle Endeavour is seen from the back side. In front of it is the 290-foot-tall water tower that provides the deluge over the mobile launcher platform for sound suppression during liftoff. The shuttle arrived at the pad in the early morning after an 8:30 p.m. rollout on July 10. Endeavour is scheduled to launch on mission STS-118 on Aug. 7. During the mission, Endeavour will carry into orbit the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and will mark the first flight of Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, the teacher-turned-astronaut whose association with NASA began more than 20 years ago. STS-118 will be the first flight since 2002 for Endeavour, which has undergone extensive modifications, including the addition of safety upgrades already added to orbiters Discovery and Atlantis.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, thousands of workers, their friends and families, and members of the news media are near the Launch Complex 39 Press Site to watch space shuttle Discovery embark on its final scheduled mission. Liftoff is set for 4:50 p.m. EST on Feb. 24. Discovery and its six-member STS-133 crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Dozens of media are gathered at the slidewire basket landing area on Launch Pad 39B to interview and hear comments from the STS-114 crew Mission Specialists Andrew Thomas, Wendy Lawrence and Stephen Robinson, Commander Eileen Collins, Mission Specialists Charles Camarda and Soichi Noguchi, and Pilot James Kelly. Noguchi is with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. The test ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the launch pad. STS-114 is designated the first Return to Flight mission, with a launch window extending from July 13 to July 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., speaks to members of the news media announcing that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A.SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agencys plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The cruise stage, aeroshell and lander for the Mars Exploration Rover-1 mission and the MER-2 rover arrive at KSC's Multi-Payload Processing Facility. The same flight hardware for the MER-2 rover arrived Jan. 27; however, the MER-2 rover is scheduled to arrive at KSC in March. While at KSC, each of the two rovers, the aeroshells and the landers will undergo a full mission simulation. All of these flight elements will then be integrated together. After spin balance testing, each spacecraft will be mated to a solid propellant upper stage booster that will propel the spacecraft out of Earth orbit. Approximately 10 days before launch they will be transported to the launch pad for mating with their respective Boeing Delta II rockets. The rovers will serve as robotic geologists to seek answers about the evolution of Mars, particularly for a history of water. The rovers will be identical to each other, but will land at different regions of Mars. Launch of the

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen at sunrise on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-4 mission, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are scheduled to launch on no earlier than April 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

AN/FPS-123: Early Warning Radar (EWR)Unit locations: 6th Space Warning Squadron, Cape Cod AFS, Mass. 13th Space Warning Squadron, Clear AFS, Alaska. Primary mission: Missile warning Ñ pro- vides detection, attack warning and attack assessment of sea-launched ballistic missiles and ICBMs launched against the continental United States and Canada. Sec- ondary mission: Space surveillance Ñ provides radar surveillance and tracking data on newly launched and orbiting space objects. Supports space object identifica- tion. Radar details: Dual face phased array Azimuth: 240 degrees using both radar faces. Elevation view: 3-85 degrees above horizontal. Range: approximately 3,450 miles; 5,354 array elements on each face.

Following a ceremony at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, the Florida spaceports launch control center (foreground) was officially renamed the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center. In the background is Kennedys historic Vehicle Assembly Building. The newly named facility serves as a nerve center where engineers and the launch director will monitor their flight consoles and give the “go” for the upcoming launch of Artemis I and later missions that will establish a sustainable presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars. Petrone, who was instrumental in Americas first voyages to the Moon and headed the Apollo program, died in 2006 at the age of 80.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch position along the runway. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system.Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASAs Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This aerial photo shows the expanse of the Launch Complex 39 Area, bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and cloud-filled sky. At center right, towering above the surrounding sites, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. To the left, or north, is the Orbiter Processing Facilitys Bay 3. On the western side are OPF Bays 1 and 2. South, near the roadway, is the Operations Support Building. The two-lane crawlerway stretches from the VAB toward the coast, site of Launch Pad 39A, closest, and Launch Pad 39B, far left. Between the VAB and the ocean sprawl the Banana Creek and the Banana River. The turn basin, at right, allows delivery of external tanks that are offloaded close to and transported to the VAB. At the western end of the Turn Basin sits the press mound, home of the NASA KSC News Center.

A dragonfly perches on a tree branch with the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in view in the background at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ten levels of new work platforms have been installed in VAB High Bay 3. They will surround and provide access for service and processing of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Exploration Ground Systems oversaw the upgrades and installation of the new work platforms to support the launch of the SLS and Orion on Exploration Mission-1 and deep space missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Following ribbon-cutting ceremony, workers and officials wait outside the west door to the Operations and Checkout Building for its reactivation as the entry into the crew exploration vehicle environment. During the rest of the decade, KSC will transition from launching space shuttles to launching new vehicles in NASAs Vision For Space Exploration.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers watch the arrival of NASA's Juno spacecraft as it is moved into Astrotech's payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. to begin final testing and preparations for launch.The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core. Juno is scheduled to launch aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Aug. 5.

Boeing, NASA, and U.S. Army personnel prepare for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft landing in White Sands, New Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. The landing will complete an abbreviated Orbital Flight Test for the company that still meets several mission objectives for NASAs Commercial Crew program. The Starliner spacecraft launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, right, as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A, left, as preparations continue for the Crew-4 mission, Monday, April 25, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are scheduled to launch no earlier than April 27 from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This aerial view shows the air traffic control radar at Shiloh for the NASA control tower at the Shuttle Landing Facility. It is used by NASA and the Eastern Range for surveillance of controlled air space in Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station restricted areas and for aircraft landings and departures. Shiloh is on the northern end of Merritt Island.

A heavy-lift transport truck, carrying the Crew Access Arm for Space Launch Complex 41, passes through the entrance to NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The arm will be installed on the Complex 41 Crew Access Tower at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It will be used as a bridge by astronauts to board Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft as it stands on the launch pad atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a shade is placed around the new countdown clock at the spaceport's Press Site. The modern, multimedia display is similar to the screens seen at sporting venues. The new screen is nearly 26 feet wide by 7 feet high, a foot taller than the original clock. The historic countdown clock was designed by Kennedy engineers and built by space center technicians before Apollo 12 in 1969. NASA has acquired the countdown clock from the agencys Artifact Working Group at the agency's Headquarters for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B is seen from the press site, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. The launch director waived off todays Artemis I launch attempt at approximately 11:17 a.m. EDT.

A helicopter thats part of the convoy to escort NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to Launch Complex 39A flies over the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 27, 2020, ahead of NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 launch. The launch was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions, and the next launch attempt will be Saturday, May 30. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. EDT from historic Launch Complex 39A. Behnken and Hurley will be the first astronauts to launch to the International Space Station from U.S. soil since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceXs final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket pierces the dimpled cloud layer over Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying a Dragon capsule filled with cargo to orbit. Launch was at 10 10 a.m. EST. The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012. The mission is the second of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the orbiting laboratory.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Monday, April 4, 2022, as the Artemis I launch team conducts the wet dress rehearsal test at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASAs Artemis I flight test, the wet dress rehearsal will run the Artemis I launch team through operations to load propellant, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice timelines and procedures for launch.

A colorful sunrise marks the dawn of a new era in human spaceflight ahead of NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission, as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft stand ready for launch at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 29, 2020. The rocket and spacecraft lifted off from historic Launch Complex 39A at 3:22 p.m. EDT on May 30, carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Demo-2 is SpaceXs final flight test, paving the way for NASA to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media from around the globe gather on the grounds of the Press Site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to photograph and cover the prelaunch activities and lift off of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Seen towering above is the massive Vehicle Assembly Building.Atlantis began its final flight, with Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim on board, at 11:29 a.m. EDT July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station. Also in Atlantis' payload bay is the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, t

This closeup photo shows the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Support Complex at Kennedy Space Center. At right is a multi-purpose hangar and to the left is a building for related ground support equipment and administrative/ technical support. The complex is situated at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The RLV complex will be available to accommodate the Space Shuttle; the X-34 RLV technology demonstrator; the L-1011 carrier aircraft for Pegasus and X-34; and other RLV and X-vehicle programs. The complex is jointly funded by the Spaceport Florida Authority, NASAs Space Shuttle Program and KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Researchers utilize several types of watercraft to conduct underwater acoustic research in the Launch Complex 39 turn basin near Launch Pad 39A. Several government agencies, including NASA, NOAA, the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission are involved in the testing. The research involves demonstrations of passive and active sensor technologies, with applications in fields ranging from marine biological research to homeland security. The work is also serving as a pilot project to assess the cooperation between the agencies involved. Equipment under development includes a passive acoustic monitor developed by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and mobile robotic sensors from the Navys Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Thoroughly wrapped for travel, NASA's Kepler spacecraft is moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

NASA officials view space shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) as it launches skyward through the windows of Firing Room 4, Monday, May 16, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During the 16-day mission, Endeavour, with Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson, Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Robert Vittori will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Several remote cameras are positioned around the perimeter of Launch Pad 39B in preparation for the launch of mission STS-115 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. A lightning strike to the pad's lightning protection system on August 25, caused the mission management team to postpone the launch of mission STS-115 for 24 hours in order to review all electrical systems on the space shuttle and ground support equipment at the pad.

Data Center for Artificial Intelligence Computing in Rural Georg

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center Director Robert Cabana, at the podium, addresses the media assembled for a news conference on a new agency partnership at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Also participating in the news conference are, seated from left, Kennedy's Director of Public Affairs Lisa Malone, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, not in view, and Space Florida Chief Operating Officer Jim Kuzma.NASA has selected Space Florida, the aerospace economic development agency for the state of Florida, for negotiations toward a partnership agreement to maintain and operate the historic Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF. NASA issued a request for information to industry in 2012 to identify new and innovative ways to use the facility for current and future commercial and government mission activities. Space Florida's proposal is aligned closely with Kennedy's vision for creating a multiuser spaceport. The SLF, specially designed for space shuttles returning t

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This professional photographer is one of hundreds who are gathered at NASA Kennedy Space Center to capture the historic launch of Space Shuttle Discovery, seen on Launch Pad 39B on the horizon. Discovery is scheduled to lift off on the historic Return to Flight mission STS-114 at 10 39 a.m. EDT July 26 with a crew of seven. On the mission to the International Space Station the crew will perform inspections on orbit for the first time of all of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the leading edge of the wings and the Thermal Protection System tiles using the new Canadian-built Orbiter Boom Sensor System and the data from 176 impact and temperature sensors. Mission Specialists will also practice repair techniques on RCC and tile samples during a spacewalk in the payload bay. During two additional spacewalks, the crew will install the External Stowage Platform-2, equipped with spare part assemblies, and a replacement Control Moment Gyroscope contained

NASA management look on from Firing Room Four of the Launch Control Center (LCC) as space shuttle Atlantis launches from pad 39A on Friday, July 8, 2011, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The launch of Atlantis, STS-135, is the final flight of the shuttle program, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine made his first official visit to the agency's Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Aug. 6, 2018. His up-close look at the premier, multi-user spaceport began with a helicopter tour over the bustling Florida spaceport that included Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. NASA's Parker Solar Probe is being prepared for launch atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. The mission will perform the closest-ever observations of a star when it travels through the Sun's atmosphere, called the corona. The probe will rely on measurements and imaging to revolutionize our understanding of the corona and the Sun-Earth connection.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine made his first official visit to the agency's Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Aug. 6, 2018. His up-close look at the premier, multi-user spaceport began with a helicopter tour over the bustling Florida spaceport that included the center's Launch Complex 39B. This will be the site where NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft will liftoff on trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Guests attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the last United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket to the lineup of historic launch vehicles in the Rocket Garden at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, on March 23, 2021. The Delta II rocket was a workhorse for NASA and civilian scientists, the U.S. military, and commercial clients throughout its almost 30 years of service. Since its first launch in 1989, the Delta II has launched 154 successful missions. NASAs Launch Services Program launched the ICESat-2 spacecraft on the final Delta II launch on Sept. 15, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Groundbreaking for the new Central Campus will take place in the Industrial Area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA banners and an artist rendering of the new facility have been set up for the ceremony. Kennedy is transforming into a multi-user, 21st century spaceport supporting both commercial and government users and operations. Central Campus Phase I includes construction of a new Headquarters Building as one of the major components of the strategy. The new Headquarters Building will be a seven-story, 200,000-square-foot facility that will house about 500 NASA civil service and contractor employees.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Sunday, April 3, 2022, as the Artemis I launch team conducts the wet dress rehearsal test at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASAs Artemis I flight test, the wet dress rehearsal will run the Artemis I launch team through operations to load propellant, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice timelines and procedures for launch.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, displays a mock-up of its Dragon capsule during a media tour at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, or CCAFS, in Florida.In December 2010, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from CCAFS's Launch Complex 40. The Dragon capsule went through several maneuvers before it re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of the coast of Mexico. That was the first demonstration flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which will provide cargo flights to the International Space Station in the future. The company is preparing for another launch in late 2011, in which the Dragon spacecraft and trunk will fly close to the space station so the stations robotic arm can grab the spacecraft and bring it in for a docking.

NASA's Orion spacecraft that flew Exploration Flight Test-1 on Dec. 5, 2014 is seen as it arrives at the White House complex, Saturday, July 21, 2018 in Washington, DC. Lockheed Martin, NASAs prime contractor for Orion, began manufacturing the Orion crew module in 2011 and delivered it in July 2012 to NASA's Kennedy Space Center where final assembly, integration and testing was completed. More than 1,000 companies across the country manufactured or contributed elements to the spacecraft.

Artemis Flag Removal at LC 39 Press Site. The Artemis flag is removed from NASA News Center property at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 6, 2023, following the successful Artemis I mission. At left is former Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Senior Technical Integration Manager Phil Weber, joined by former EGS Manager Mike Bolger. Both men served in their respective roles during Artemis I, retiring at the end of 2022. NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft lifted off from Kennedys Launch Complex 39B on Nov. 16, 2022. Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11 and arrived back at Kennedy on Dec. 30. Artemis I sets the stage for the next mission of SLS and Orion to fly crew around the Moon on Artemis II.

NASA Kennedy Space Center Security Officer, Jack "Supr Jac" Hilderbrand talks on the phone at the security gate to Pad 39a just a day shy of his 70th birthday and the planned launch of the space shuttle Endeavour with the STS-127 crew. Hilderbrand has been working for the space program since 1960.

At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, students monitor progress as their Swarmie robots as they search for "resources." The goal is for the robots to pick up cubes with AprilTags, which are similar to bar codes. The Swarmies then move the cubes to a white square in the center of the completion arena. The small, four-wheeled robots are designed to effectively and efficiently locate hidden resources while astronauts explore distant destinations such as the moon or Mars.

An artist's rendering shows the $8-million Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Support Complex planned for the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center. The ground breaking took place today. To be located at the tow-way adjacent to the SLF, the complex will include a multi-purpose RLV hangar and adjacent facilities for related ground support equipment and administrative/technical support. It will be available to accommodate the Space Shuttle, the X-34 RLV technology demonstrator, the L-1011 carrier aircraft for Pegasus and X-34, and other RLV and X-vehicle programs. The complex is jointly funded by the Spaceport Florida Authority, NASA's Space Shuttle Program and KSC. The facility will be operational in early 2000

NASA's Orion spacecraft that flew Exploration Flight Test-1 on Dec. 5, 2014 is seen on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, July 22, 2018 in Washington, DC. Lockheed Martin, NASAs prime contractor for Orion, began manufacturing the Orion crew module in 2011 and delivered it in July 2012 to NASA's Kennedy Space Center where final assembly, integration and testing was completed. More than 1,000 companies across the country manufactured or contributed elements to the spacecraft.

New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Spencer Davis, a NASA Traffic Management specialist in the Spaceport Integration Directorate at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, stands near a newly installed electric vehicle (EV) charging station near the Central Campus Headquarters Building at Kennedy on Sept. 14, 2022. Part of a partnership between Kennedy and Florida Power & Light (FPL) to bring 23 EV charging stations to the spaceport, the ChargePoint CT4000, Level 2 chargers are capable of charging electric vehicles at a rate of 15-30 miles of range per hour. This partnership was set up under FPLs EV program and provides a charging infrastructure that includes a simple way for businesses and employees to pay for usage.

FRA - POLITIQUE - CYBERDEFENSE - Florence Parly, ministre des Armées, à RennesFlorence Parly, ministre des Armées, se rend jeudi 3 octobre 2019 au quartier Stéphant à Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande ( 35 ), où elle inaugurere le premier btiment du Commandement de la cyberdéfense ( COMCYBER ), spécifiquement conçu pour répondre aux besoins techniques et opérationnels du COMCYBER et accueillir ses différentes unités.FRA - POLITICS - CYBERDEFENSE - Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, in RennesFlorence Parly, Minister of the French Armed Forces, will visit the Stéphant district in Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande ( 35) on Thursday, October 3, 2019, where she will inaugurate the first building of the Cyber Defence Command (COMCYBER), specifically designed to meet the technical and operational needs of the COMCYBER and accommodate its various units.

JWST Full-Scale Model on Display.A full-scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope was built by the prime contractor, Northrop Grumman, to provide a better understanding of the size, scale and complexity of this satellite. The model is constructed mainly of aluminum and steel, weighs 12,000 lb., and is approximately 80 feet long, 40 feet wide and 40 feet tall. The model requires 2 trucks to ship it and assembly takes a crew of 12 approximately four days. This model has travelled to a few sites since 2005. The photographs below were taken at some of its destinations. The model was on display at The International Society for Optical Engineering's (SPIE) week-long Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentations conference,May 25 - 30, 2006.

Crowds of people are seen watching the rollout of the space shuttle Atlantis in this image made atop of the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) that is carrying Atlantis from High Bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39a for its final flight, Tuesday evening, May 31, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The 3.4-mile trek, known as "rollout," will take about seven hours to complete. Atlantis will carry the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module to deliver supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space Station. The launch of STS-135 is targeted for July 8.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers show their support as the orbiter Discovery slowly rolls out of the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 to begin its transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). First motion was at 1 29 a.m. EST. Inside the VAB, Discovery will be mated to the External Tank_Solid Rocket Booster assembly for Return to Flight mission STS-114. After all umbilicals have been connected, workers will perform an electrical and mechanical verification of the mated interfaces to verify all critical vehicle connections. A Space Shuttle interface test is performed to verify vehicle interfaces and vehicle-to-ground interfaces. The launch processing system is used to control and monitor orbiter systems as required. Space Shuttle Discovery will roll out to Launch Pad 39B approximately one week after the rollover to the VAB. The launch window for mission STS-114 is May 15 to June 3.

In the Swarmathon competition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, students were asked to develop computer code for the small robots, programming them to look for "resources" in the form of AprilTag cubes, similar to barcodes. To add to the challenge, obstacles in the form of simulated rocks were placed in the completion arena. Teams developed search algorithms for the Swarmies to operate autonomously, communicating and interacting as a collective swarm similar to ants foraging for food. In the spaceport's third annual Swarmathon, 23 teams represented 24 minority serving universities and community colleges were invited to develop software code to operate these innovative robots known as "Swarmies" to help find resources when astronauts explore distant locations, such as the Moon or Mars.

A display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex describes the purpose of Swarmies. Computer scientists are developing these robots focusing not so much on the hardware, but the software. In the spaceport's annual Swarmathon, students from 12 colleges and universities across the nation were invited to develop software code to operate Swarmies to help find resources when astronauts explore distant planets, such as Mars.

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