Author: Ken Kremer

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news. Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics. Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events.

NASA Chooses Maxar to Build 1st Element for Artemis Lunar Gateway

The power and propulsion element provides a communications relay capability for NASA’s Gateway, enabling it to serve as a mobile command and service module for human and robotic expeditions to the lunar surface.  Credits: NASA Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 24 May 2019 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced that Maxar Technologies has been chosen

1st Starlink Broadband Satellites Streak to Orbit on Twice Flown SpaceX Falcon 9: Photos

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks to orbit with 1st batch of 60 SpaceX manufactured Starlink broadband satellites in this long exposure  image after liftoff at 10:30 p.m. ET on May 23, 2019 from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 23 May 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL

Elon Musk Details SpaceX Revolutionary and Experimental Starlink Broadband Constellation, Launch Reset to May 23

UpClose look at payload fairing housing 60 Starlink-1 satellites for launch on SpaceX Falcon 9 reset to May 23, 2019 at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 21 May 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL –  SpaceX’s Starlink constellation of next generation broadband satellites could revolutionize

NASA Awards Artemis Human Lunar Lander JumpStart Study Contracts to 11 Firms

Illustration of a human landing system for NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program.. Credits: NASA Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 18 May 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL –  NASA has awarded new contracts to jumpstart studies and develop prototypes for its newly named Project Artemis human lunar exploration program to 11 firms across eight states aimed at landing American astronauts on

SpaceX Starlink 1 Launch Reset to May 16 After Hi Altitude Winds Force Scrub: Watch Live/Pad Photos

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 16, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 16 May 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL –  SpaceX’s maiden launch of the first batch

SpaceX Falcon 9 Poised for Starlink 1 Evening Launch May 15: Watch Live/Pad Photos

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket raised vertical and poised for liftoff at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL on Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 15, 2019 at 10:30 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 15 May 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, FL –  SpaceX is now targeting Wednesday evening May

Watch Jeff Bezos Reveal Blue Origin’s ‘Blue Moon’ Lander: Video

Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin unveils his privately developed ‘Blue Moon’ lunar lander on May 9, 2019 in Washington D.C.. Credit: Blue Origin Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 13 May 2019 TITUSVILLE, FL-  Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin rocket company, Amazon and the world’s richest person, has unveiled his vision of returning to the Moon –

Trump Administration Offers NASA $1.6 Billion Budget Increase to Achieve 2024 Moon Landing Goal

Artists concept for NASA’s human return to the Moon’s surface by 2024. Credit: NASA Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 13 May 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL –  NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced today that the Trump Administration will add an additional $1.6 Billion to NASA’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request in order to carry out the President’s new mandate to