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.

SpaceX Completes Successful Falcon 9 Static Fire Test, Targets Starlink 1 Nighttime Launch May 15

SpaceX conducts successful nighttime static fire test of Falcon 9 first stage engines at approximately 10:15 p.m. EDT on May 13 with exhaust spewing out left from the flame trench at Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, for Starlink-1 mission targeted for launch May 15, 2019 at 1030 p.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com  Ken Kremer —

Photos: Recovered SpaceX Falcon 9 with 1st Fully Retracted Landing Legs Transported to Cape, Achieving Recycling Milestone

BOOSTER RETURNS TO CAPE:  With all 4 landing legs retracted 1st time the SpaceX Falcon 9 launched and landed 1st stage booster from Dragon CRS-17 resupply mission to the ISS for NASA on May 4, 2019 was transported horizontally back to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, around 1 p.m. EDT May 8 – achieving a major recycling milestone. See NASA’s

Recovered Falcon 9 Landing Legs Stay Fully Retracted 1st Time in SpaceX Recycling Milestone Glistening with Sunset Sheen: Photos

Glistening with Sunset Sheen: First instance of recovered SpaceX Falcon 9 1st stage booster standing vertically with 4 fully retracted landing legs locked against the CRS-17 mission core stationed on pedestal at Port Canaveral, FL, 7 May 2019. Surrounded by two mockup Crew Dragon test articles.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 8 May 2019 PORT CANAVERAL,

SpaceX Dragon Arrives at Space Station

The SpaceX Dragon CRS-17 Cargo Craft captured and attached to the CanadaArm2 at 7:01 a.m. EDT on May 6, 2019 after launching on May 4 from Cape Canaveral, FL. Credit: NASA Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 6 May 2019 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL  –   Two days after a stunningly beautiful and technically flawless middle-of the-night launch atop a commercial

SpaceX Falcon 9 Poised for May 3 Liftoff on Dragon Cargo Mission to ISS: Photos, Watch Live

Up Close view of SpaceX Cargo Dragon and mobile cleanroom as technicians work towards addition of CRS-17 mission late load science items as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rests horizontal on Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The CRS-17 cargo ship is now slated for liftoff May 3, 2019 at 3:11 a.m. EDT.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer

Photos: Wrecked SpaceX Falcon Heavy Core Booster Arrives into Port Canaveral

Wrecked Falcon Heavy core stage resting horizontally on the deck of the OCISLY droneship on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019 after being towed back into Port Canaveral, FL. The booster landed successfully after April 11 launch but toppled over in rough seas days later and was destroyed.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 30 April 2019 PORT

Curiosity Rover Captures Two Solar Eclipses on Mars

Curiosity Observes Phobos Eclipse: Sol 2359: This series of images shows the Martian moon Phobos as it crossed in front of the Sun, as seen by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 (Sol 2359). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS. Ken Kremer  —SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM –30 April 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – In recent weeks NASA’s Curiosity rover has occasionally trained