Weather Promising for Easter Monday SpaceX Launch of Recycled Falcon 9 and Dragon Resupply Ship to Space Station

Venting of oxygen propellant venting from SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage at pad 40 in the final minutes before Dec. 17, 2017 liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida to the ISS on NASA contracted CRS-13 resupply mission. The CRS-14 cargo mission is slated for launch on April 2, 2018.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Ken Kremer  --   Space UpClose  --   30 March 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  The weather outlook is rather promising for the Easter Monday launch of the SpaceX’s 14^th resupply mission loaded with over 2.5 tons of science and supplies to the International Space Station on April 2.

NASA has also approved the use of ‘flight proven’ hardware for both the Falcon 9 first stage and Dragon cargo ship on the same mission for only the second time. 

Blastoff of the ‘used’ SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon CRS-14 commercial cargo freighter is now slated for 4:30 p.m. EDT Monday, April 2 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

U.S. Air Force meteorologists with the 45^th Space Wing Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base Air Force are projecting very good weather with an 80 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time. The primary concerns are for flight through precipitation and the cumulous cloud rule.

In case of a delay for any reason technical or weather, the weather forecast remains at 80 percent favorable for the 24 hour scrub turnaround day on Tuesday, April 3.

This great news will delight the hordes of tourists gathered from across the globe to watch the launch over the spring break and coincidental religious holidays this weekend.

The path to launch was cleared following the successful hold down static fire test of the first stage at pad 40 on Wednesday, March 28.

“Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting April 2 launch from Pad 40 in Florida for Dragon’s fourteenth mission to the @Space_Station,” SpaceX tweeted following the March test.

SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage stands erect at pad 40 during static test fire campaign ahead of launch, in this view from Titusville. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

During the engine test all nine Merlin 1D first stage engines were ignited for several seconds.

During Wednesday’s hold down static fire test, the rocket’s first and second stages are fueled with liquid oxygen and RP-1 propellants like an actual launch, and a simulated countdown is carried out to the point of a brief engine ignition.  

The hold down engine test with the erected Falcon 9 rocket involved the ignition of all nine Merlin 1D first stage engines generating some 1.7 million pounds of thrust at pad 40 while the two stage rocket was restrained on the pad – minus the Dragon payload. 

This static fire test appeared to last for perhaps seven seconds or more compared to a prior runs of about three seconds.

The longer engine firing was enabled by significant upgrades to the pad as part of the pad 40 rebuilding process, as previously explained by Muratore, Director of Space Launch Complex 40, during a media briefing.

The test is routinely conducted by SpaceX engineers to confirm the rockets readiness to launch.

The rocket was lowered the next day and returned to the pad 40 hanger to attach the Dragon spacecraft.

In another major milestone for only the second time in the history of SpaceX’s commercial resupply services (CRS) contract for NASA, both the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon resupply ship are reused vehicles that previously flew on missions to space and were recovered and recycled.

The Dragon was previously used during the CRS-8 mission and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean and the Falcon 9 first stage was recycled from the CRS-12 mission and touched down softly and safely at LZ-1 at the Cape.

Following four successful SpaceX Dragon liftoffs in 2017, the CRS-14 mission counts as the first of several planned for 2018.

About 10 minutes after launch, Dragon will reach its preliminary orbit, at which point it will deploys its solar arrays and begins a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the International Space Station.

The 20-foot high, 12-foot-diameter Dragon CRS-14 vessel will carry about 5,800 pounds of science experiments, research gear, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting outpost and stay about 4 weeks.

Grapple and berthing to the space station is targeted for April 4. Expedition 55 Flight Engineers Norishege Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, backed up by NASA astronaut Scott Tingle, will supervise the operation of the Canadarm2 robotic arm for Dragon’s capture. After Dragon capture, ground commands will be sent from mission control in Houston for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Harmony module.

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX CRS-14, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

NASA Postpones Webb Telescope Launch to 2020 for Testing to Resolve Technical Issues

Illustration of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope reset for launch in 2020.  Credit: NASA

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   27 March 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL –  Top NASA officials announced today that launch of the  James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) -  the agencies highest priority and premiere space observatory - has been postponed to 2020 so that engineers can conduct additional testing to resolve technical issues recently uncovered during the final integration phase of the components comprising the highly complex spacecraft that will look back almost to the beginning of time.

Liftoff of the Webb Telescope has been delayed to no earlier than May 2020, pending additional reviews to be carried out by a newly established independent review board, said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot at a media briefing for reporters today, March 27.

Officials disclosed that “avoidable” problems with the propulsion system and unexpected tears in the sunshade and snags in the deployment cables happened during recent testing that took longer than expected at the spacecraft integration facility of prime contractor Northrup Grumman located in Redondo Beach, California.  These significant glitches will now have to be corrected and resolved forcing a launch delay.  

“The James Webb Space Telescope is NASA’s highest priority science project and will leave a legacy for decades to come," said Lightfoot.  "Although the hardware is 100% complete, we need to complete vital testing and more testing time is needed to ensure success.”

NASA had already been projecting a recently revised launch delay to spring 2019 until today.  

Webb is currently undergoing final integration and test phases that will require at least another year of delay packed with rigorous testing to ensure a successful mission, NASA says.

“After an independent assessment of remaining tasks for the highly complex space observatory, Webb’s previously revised 2019 launch window now is targeted for approximately May 2020.”

To date the Webb project has cost $7.3 Billion out of a maximum funding of $8 Billion.

“Webb is the highest priority project for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, and the largest international space science project in U.S. history. All the observatory’s flight hardware is now complete, however, the issues brought to light with the spacecraft element are prompting us to take the necessary steps to refocus our efforts on the completion of this ambitious and complex observatory,” said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot.

The sunshield of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope sits deployed inside a cleanroom at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, California, in October 2017. Credits: Northrop Grumman

Lightfoot added Congress has been briefed that Webb might exceed the $8 Billion cost cap. If it does exceed the cost cap, then Congress will need to reauthorize the Webb project according to law.

The stakes are so high that “Failure in not an option,” said Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Thomas Zurbuchen, several times during the briefing

The 18-segment gold coated primary mirror of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is raised into vertical alignment in the largest clean room at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Nov. 2, 2016. The secondary mirror mount booms are folded down into stowed for launch configuration.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

I asked about the nature and extent of the tears in the sunshield and the snags in the cables.

“Altogether 7 tears were discovered on all 5 sunshade membranes. Two of the tears were 10 centimeters (4 inches) in maximum size,” Deputy Associate Administrator of SMD Dennis Andrucyk told Space UpClose during the briefing.

Each of the 18 hexagonal-shaped primary mirror segments measures just over 4.2 feet (1.3 meters) across and weighs approximately 88 pounds (40 kilograms).  They are made of beryllium, gold coated and about the size of a coffee table.

The Webb Telescope is a joint international collaborative project between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency  (CSA). 

Webb is designed to look at the first light of the Universe and will be able to peer back in time to when the first stars and first galaxies were forming.  It will also study the history of our universe and the formation of our solar system as well as other solar systems and exoplanets, some of which may be capable of supporting life on planets similar to Earth.

Watch this space for my ongoing reports on JWST mirrors, science, construction and testing.

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

Congress Delivers Big Boost to NASA 2018 Budget with Whopping $20.7 Billion in Omnibus Appropriations Bill

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) blasts off from launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in this artist rendering showing a view of the liftoff of the Block 1 70-metric-ton (77-ton) crew vehicle configuration. Credit: NASA/MSFC

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   26 March 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The US Congress delivered a big boost to NASA’s 2018 budget that provides a whopping $20.7 Billion in the omnibus appropriations bill agreed to by both parties and passed by the House and Senate and finally signed into law by President Trump on Friday, March 22 - after he surprisingly threatened a last minute veto.

The $1.3 Trillion omnibus spending bill agreed to by Congressional negotiators funds the entire US Federal Government until the end of this fiscal year (for the next six months) after multiple short term emergency funding bills and two government shutdowns.  It also avoided the threat of another government shutdown Friday night.

The record setting funding of $20.736 Billion is far beyond what Trump had proposed for Fiscal Year 2018.

The enacted 2018 NASA Budget given by Congress is $1.6 Billion more than the Trump Administrations fiscal year 2018 request of only $19.1 Billion and is nearly $1.1 billion more than the space agency received in fiscal year 2017.

The bill  provides full funding for multiple NASA’s programs in both human and robotic exploration - especially the deep space Moon/Mars human exploration initiative and Planetary exploration as well as Earth Science and also saves the WFIRST space telescope slated for cancellation by President Trump in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.

Overall winners include a $500 million increase to space science missions and $800 million increase for human exploration systems and about $100 million increase for space technology programs and smaller increases for other key programs.  

More key highlights include full funding for the Europa Clipper orbiter and lander, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), WFIRST space telescope, Mars 2020 rover and potential helicopter addition.
  

Trump did not request any funding for the Europa lander in either the 2018 or 2019 budgets.

Overall the omnibus bill provides the Europa missions with $595 million in funding with wording that they will be launched on NASA SLS rocket under development. 

Hull of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner Structural Test Article (STA)- the first Starliner to be built in the company’s modernized Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility high bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com

NASA’s SLS Heavy Lift rocket and Orion deep space crew capsule human exploration programs each received some additional funding amounting to $2.15 billion for SLS and $1.35 billion for Orion, which is also above Trump’s request.

Lawmakers also provided $350 million to start building a second mobile launch (ML) platform. This will help speed up the second SLS launch somewhat which is also the first crewed launch of Orion on the EM-2 mission to the Moon – because NASA can avoid the 33 month down time needed to modify the ML for a more powerful version of SLS.

NASA has considered buying a second mobile launcher, but decided not to due to lack of funds. Thus NASA hopes to move the launch date up to 2022 rather than 2023.

Full funding is also provided for operations of the International Space Station (ISS) and development of the Boeing and SpaceX commercial crew capsules to restore US launch access to the orbital research outpost.

The private Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon could launch NASA astronauts to the ISS as soon as late 2018 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center – thus ending our 100% dependence on the Russians for all seats to space.

Boeing and SpaceX are building private spaceships to resume launching US astronauts from US soil to the International Space Station as soon as late 2018. Credit: NASA

Lawmakers also restored funding for four Earths science missions slated for cancellation by Trump: the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, the CLARREO Pathfinder and Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 instruments and the Earth observation instruments on the Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft.

 

They also provided $100 million for NASA’s Office of Education – likewise targeted for cancellation by Trump.

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

Soyuz Docks at Space Station with Expedition 55 Russian-American Trio

Space station cameras sight the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft just meters away from docking to the Poisk module on March 23, 2018. Credit: NASA TV

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   23 Mar 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL-  Two days after blasting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, a Russian Soyuz capsule ferrying the Expedition 55 veteran trio of spaceflyers from Russia and America successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday afternoon.

The Russian Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft docked to the Poisk module on the Russian segment of the space station at 3:40 p.m. EDT while both spacecraft were sailing approximately 254 miles (406 kilometers) over Serbia in orbital darkness.

The Expedition 55 crew includes Soyuz Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel of NASA.  They now begin a 5 month stay at the orbiting research lab.

“Contact Confirmed. We have docking,” announced NASA commentator Rob Navias during a live broadcast of the high flying events on NASA TV.

“Soyuz MS-08 successfully arrived at the International Space Station, sliding into the Poisk module.”

Hatches between the two spacecraft were opened two hours later at 5:48 p.m. EDT and the new trio floated from the cramped Soyuz into the voluminous research lab.

“The space stations population has doubled.”

The newest Expedition 55 crew members (front row from left) Drew Feustel, Oleg Artemyev and Ricky Arnold gather in the Zvezda service module and speak to family and colleagues back on Earth after arriving at the ISS on March 23, 2018. Behind them are (from left) Norishige Kanai, Commander Anton Shkaplerov and Scott Tingle. Credit: NASA TV

During final approach the cramped Soyuz spacecraft carrying 3 highly trained humans was closing in at 0.1 km/sec after conducting a 122 degree fly around of the station.

Live video feeds from the Soyuz and the space station provided exquisitely stunning views of the rendezvous and docking.

Space station cameras sight the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft just meters away from docking to the Poisk module on March 23, 2018. Credit: NASA TV

The all male trio comprising two NASA astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut had launched aboard their Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:44 p.m. EDT Wednesday (11:44 p.m. Baikonur time) into the plane of the space stations orbit.

The Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold, and Oleg Artemyev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, lifts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:44 p.m. EDT March 21, 2018 (11:44 p.m. Baikonur time). The crew is scheduled to dock to the International Space Station at 3:41 p.m. March 23, 2018.  Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky

After reaching orbit the Soyuz carried out a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings.

The entire sequence from launch to docking was fully automated.

“The flawless docking was executed automatically”

“The KURS automated system was right on the money,” said Navias. “It was a text book rendezvous and a smooth docking.”

Hooks and latches were driven home to achieve a hard mate as residual motions were dampened out.

The crew then conducted leak checks to confirm the docking was airtight with no issues.

With the arrival of the new trio, Expedition 55 reached its full complement of six astronauts and cosmonauts living and working on the orbiting outpost.

After pressure were equalized the hatches were opened between the two spacecraft at 5:48 p.m. EDT as they were soaring 254 mi (406 km) over the northern coast of Australia.

The new trio floated inside one by one. Arnold first, Feustel second and Artemyev last.

"All six crewmembers are now together,” said Navias.

Feustal, Arnold and Artemyev join the existing trio of crew members comprising Scott Tingle of NASA, Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency - already on board since launching on Soyuz MS-07 in December 2017.

All six crewmates then gathered for the traditional welcoming ceremony in the Russian Zvezda module and congratulations from Russian ground control and their families back on Earth. 

“You guys look great on orbit,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA’s director of spaceflight. “We can hardly wait for you to get busy and start doing lots of great work for us.”

The ISS has been continuously occupied for more than 17 years.

Shkaplerov, Tingle and Kanai are scheduled to remain aboard the station until June 2018, while Feustel, Arnold and Artemyev are slated to return to Earth in late August after 167 days on orbit.

This is Feustel’s 3^rd mission – including one to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope - and the second for Arnold and Artemyev.

The mission “continues the long-term increase in crew size on the U.S. segment from three to four, allowing NASA to maximize time dedicated to research on the space station,” said NASA.

They will continue investigations working on over 250 science experiments. 

At least 2 spacewalks are planned during Expedition 55.

“Highlights of upcoming investigations include: a new facility to test materials, coatings and components of other large experiments in the harsh environment of space; a study on the effects of microgravity on bone marrow and blood cells produced in bone marrow; and a newly-developed passive nutrient delivery system for the Veggie plant growth facility.”

The Expedition 55-56 crew poses for a picture at the conclusion of a press conference, Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

The next US cargo resupply mission is slated for blastoff on April 2 with on the SpaceX Falcon9/Dragon CRS-14 flight carrying over 5000 pounds of science and supplies to the ISS.

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com

Curiosity Mars Rover Tests New Drilling Technique But More Testing Needed

NASA’s Curiosity rover raised robotic arm with drill pointed skyward while exploring Vera Rubin Ridge – backdropped by the base of Mount Sharp inside Gale Crater. This navcam camera mosaic was stitched from raw images taken on Sol 1912, Dec. 22, 2017 and colorized. Credit: NASA/JPL/Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/Marco Di Lorenzo

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   22 Mar 2018

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL-  For the first time in more than a year, NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover carried out the first tests of a new drilling technique on Red Planet rock since its drill stopped working reliably in December 2016. 

Although the rover succeeding a drilling to a shallow depth, the results demonstrated that  more testing will be needed because the hole was not deep enough to collect a sample. 

See the drill bit and two stabilizers illustrated in our lead mosaic created by the imaging team of Ken Kremer & Marco Di Lorenzo – backdropped by Mount Sharp on Mars.

Engineers programmed Curiosity to conduct the initial drill test on Feb. 26 at a target called ‘Lake Orcadie’ at the six-wheeled robots current location on Vera Rubin Ridge.  

“The action produced a hole about a half-inch (1-centimeter) deep -- not enough for a full scientific sample, but enough to validate that the new method works mechanically,” NASA announced.

“This was just the first in what will be a series of tests to determine how well the new drill method can collect samples. If this drill had achieved sufficient depth to collect a sample, the team would have begun testing a new sample delivery process, ultimately delivering to instruments inside the rover.”

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used a new drill method to produce a hole on February 26, 2018 in a target named Lake Orcadie. The hole marks the first operation of the rover's drill since a motor problem began acting up more than a year ago.  Credit:  NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Normally the boring drills about 2.5 inches (5 cm)  into the Red Planet.

So the ‘Lake Orcadie’ test campaign of the new technique cored far less into Mars and was not enough to collect a useable sample for analysis by the rovers miniaturized pair of Chemistry lab instruments: Sample Analysis at Mars, or SAM, and Chemistry and Mineralogy, or CheMin.

Curiosity has drilled into Martian rocks 15 times so far since landing on Mars on Aug. 6, 2012 inside Gale Crater, but not at all in the past 14 months. 

Since December 2016 a faulty motor in the drill has prevented the robots drill bit from extending and retracting normally.

The bit is located between the two finger-like stabilizers that are used to steady it against the rocket targets.  See out lead mosaic from Sol 1912 showing the drill bit and stabilizers backdropped by Mount Sharp.

The engineering team had to devise a workaround to keep the drill bit permanently extended out far enough past the stabilizers to drill deep enough into rocket to collect a usable amount of pulverized samples to deliver to the two chemistry labs - something it was not designed to do. 

So they had to hack the software to use the drill without any interaction from the stabilizers.  

It took many months of effort to devise a software solution and then test it on the nearly identical rover in the Mars yard at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.

The new method is what the team describes as ‘freehand’ and is a lot like how we humans use a hand drill here on Earth. The old method is more like using a drill press.  

"We're now drilling on Mars more like the way you do at home," said Steven Lee, deputy project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. "Humans are pretty good at re-centering the drill, almost without thinking about it. Programming Curiosity to do this by itself was challenging -- especially when it wasn't designed to do that."

Watch this NASA JPL video showing and describing the new drilling technique.

Video Caption: After more than a year without the use of the Curiosity Mars rover's drill, engineers have devised a workaround and tested it for the first time on the Red Planet. More testing of the drill method is planned for the future.   Credit: NASA/JPL

An unfortunate byproduct of implementing the new freehand drill technique with the extended drill bit is that the rover can no longer use the hand mounted CHIMRA  (Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis) mechanism that sieves, portions and delivers the rock powder to the rover's instruments

“JPL also had to invent a new way to deposit the powder without this device. The new solution makes Curiosity look as though it is adding seasoning to its science, shaking out grains from the drill's bit as if it were tapping salt from a shaker,” the MSL team said.

“This tapping has been successfully tested here on Earth -- but Earth's atmosphere and gravity are very different from that of Mars. Whether rock powder on Mars will fall out in the same volume and in a controlled way has yet to be seen.”

The next step was to try a full depth drill with the new technique.

The Curiosity Mars rover snaps a dramatic selfie at the ‘Torridon’ quadrangle while making long stretches of wheel tracks exploring assorted rock layers, bedrock outcrops and mineral exposures around Vera Rubin Ridge with an exquisitely sharp view of the distant rim of the Gale Crater landing site visible in the background on the Red Planet.  This navcam camera mosaic was stitched and colorized by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo using raw images taken on Sol 1896, Dec. 6, 2017.  Credit: NASA/JPL/Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/Marco Di Lorenzo/SpaceUpClose.com

As of today, Sol 1999, March 22, 2018, Curiosity has driven over 11.6 miles (18.7 kilometers) since its August 2012 landing inside Gale Crater from the landing site to the ridge, and taken over 470,000 amazing images. 

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com