NASA rolls out Artemis III SLS core, Blue Origin investigation. The SLS core of the Artemis III was rolled on to a barge in New Orleans on Monday, ready to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center. But it’s not all smooth sailing in the industry—Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure on Sunday. Ken Kremer, Managing Editor on Space UpClose, joined FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the latest on April 20, 2026. Screenshot Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-h71kw739j532cyhx
TITUSVILLE/JETTY PARK/PORT CANAVERAL/CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, FL – I was interviewed live on FOX 35 Orlando about two vastly important space topics on April 20 that impacts NASA, the military and commercial space launches..
First, NASAs rollout of the Artemis III core stage from the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans that’s being shipped on NASAs Pegasus barge to the Kennedy Space Center for processing and launch.
Artemis III is planned to liftoff in late 2027 following up on the huge success of the just completed Artemis II mission this month
Second, about the failed Blue Origin New Glenn-3 (NG-3) launch just days ago that resulted in total loss of the giant AST Space Mobile comsat on April 19 when the upper stage malfunctioned
NASA rolls out Artemis III SLS core, Blue Origin investigation. The SLS core of the Artemis III was rolled on to a barge in New Orleans on Monday, ready to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center. But it’s not all smooth sailing in the industry—Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure on Sunday. Ken Kremer, Managing Editor on Space UpClose, joined FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the latest on April 20, 2026. Screenshot Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-h71kw739j532cyhx
The FAA formally grounded the New Glenn rocket following the NG-3 launch failure. Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure
This interview also includes several of my New Glenn-3 launch photos.
NASA rolls out Artemis III SLS core, Blue Origin investigation. The SLS core of the Artemis III was rolled on to a barge in New Orleans on Monday, ready to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center. But it’s not all smooth sailing in the industry—Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure on Sunday. Ken Kremer, Managing Editor on Space UpClose, joined FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the latest on April 20, 2026. Screenshot Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-h71kw739j532cyhx
Fox 35 also interviewed me for a separate story about the New Glenn-3 launch failure for an evening news story
Watch my complete live interview video on Fox 35 Orlando here:
NASA rolls out Artemis III SLS core, Blue Origin investigation. The SLS core of the Artemis III was rolled on to a barge in New Orleans on Monday, ready to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center. But it’s not all smooth sailing in the industry—Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure on Sunday. Ken Kremer, Managing Editor on Space UpClose, joined FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the latest on April 20, 2026. Screenshot Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-h71kw739j532cyhx
Caption: NASA rolls out Artemis III SLS core, Blue Origin investigation. The SLS core of the Artemis III was rolled on to a barge in New Orleans on Monday, ready to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center. But it’s not all smooth sailing in the industry—Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure on Sunday, April 19. Ken Kremer, Managing Editor on Space UpClose, joined FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the latest on April 20, 2026. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-h71kw739j532cyhx
Enjoy our photos by Ken Kremer for Space UpClose
The Blue Origin New Glenn-3 (NG-3) rocket had blasted off beautifully on Sunday morning, April 19, about 40 minutes later than planned just past sunrise at 7:25 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Blue Origin New Glenn-3 (NG-3) rocket blasted off beautifully on April 19, 2026 at 7:25 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, but failed due to upper stage malfunction resulting in total loss of the AST Mobile BlueBird 7 communications satellite. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com
NASA hopes to launch the crewed Artemis III later next year into Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and one or both of the commercial lunar landing spacecraft from SpaceX and /or Blue Origin needed to land astronauts on the Moon perhaps as soon as 2028.
The SLS (Space Launch System) Artemis III core stage will travel 900 miles on the Pegasus barge from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans where the stage is manufactured, to complete assembly of the massive rocket at NASA Kennedy.
Ken Kremer recent TV interviews:
Apr 21/22 Fox 35 Orlando: Watch my comments about the new NASA OIG report severely criticizing the new lunar EVA spacesuit being developed by Axiom space – which are way behind schedule and may not be available until 2031! Thereby losing the moon to China !!
Apr 20/21 Fox 35 Orlando evening news: I was interviewed about Artemis III core stage shipping to KSC and failed New Glenn-3 launch. Also includes my New Glenn-3 launch photos
Ken Kremer of Space UpClose interview on Fox 35 Orlando about Blue Origin NG-3 mission. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox35 Orlando
Apr 20 Fox 35+ Orlando: I was interviewed live by Fox 35 Orlando about Artemis III core stage shipping to KSC and failed New Glenn-3 launch. Also includes my New Glenn-3 launch photos
NASA rolls out Artemis III SLS core, Blue Origin investigation. The SLS core of the Artemis III was rolled on to a barge in New Orleans on Monday, ready to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center. But it’s not all smooth sailing in the industry—Blue Origin is under the spotlight after the FAA called for a formal investigation into New Glenn’s apparent upper-stage failure on Sunday. Ken Kremer, Managing Editor on Space UpClose, joined FOX 35’s Garrett Wymer live via Zoom to break down the latest on April 20, 2026. Screenshot Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/Fox 35 Orlando. video: https://www.fox35orlando.com/video/fmc-h71kw739j532cyhxBlue Origin New Glenn-3 rocket stands vertical at Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, ahead of planned liftoff on 19 April 2026 with AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite to low Earth orbit. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.comBlue Origin New Glenn-3 (NG-3) rocket blasted off beautifully on April 19, at 7:25 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, but failed due to upper stage malfunction resulting in total loss of the AST Mobile BlueBird 7 communications satellite. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.comBlue Origin New Glenn-3 (NG-3) rocket blasted off beautifully on April 19, 2026 at 7:25 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, but failed due to upper stage malfunction resulting in total loss of the AST Mobile BlueBird 7 communications satellite. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com
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.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – After two weather scrubs earlier this week, the 3rd time finally proved to be the charm at last! With a gorgeous picture perfect launch for the 34th NASA SpaceX resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) thundered off the launch pad Friday evening May 15 carrying 6500 lbs hardware, science experiments & supplies to
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – I was interviewed live on FOX 35 Orlando about NASAs new release of 12000 dazzling images from the recent history making mission of NASA Artemis II mission astronauts around the moon and back. Featured here are some screenshots of a few of the images we discussed – and my impressions in the Fox 35 Orlando
