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

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 —

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

Fishing for a Falcon 9 in a bikini from a passing speed boat – locals appear unaware as SpaceX technicians craned the launched and landed SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-17 mission  1st stage off the ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ droneship in Port Canaveral, FL, Sunday morning May 5, 2019 around 11 a.m. EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer —

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,

Composite launch and landing streak of SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-17 mission after liftoff from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 4, 2019 bound for the International Space Station (ISS) – as seen from the VAB roof at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, FL. 1st stage lands safely just off shore of Port Canaveral eight minutes later

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

The SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon CRS-17 cargo vessel lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 4, 2019, on its way to the International Space Station. CRS-17 is the 17th SpaceX mission to the ISS carrying over 5,500 pounds of NASA cargo and science investigations– as seen from the VAB roof at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, FL.

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

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