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.

1st SpaceX Falcon Heavy Blastoff 1 Year Later: Gallery

Maiden SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket blasts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 6, 2017.  Nose cone housing Starman seated in Tesla Roadster is stenciled with Falcon Heavy logo. Credit: Ken Kremer/SpaceUpClose.com/kenkremer.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 8 February 2019 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL –  The 1st blastoff of the SpaceX Falcon

Remembering the Fallen Space Heroes on NASA’s Day of Remembrance: Gallery

NASA pays tribute to fallen astronauts at the annual Day of Remembrance ceremony held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex with KSC Director and former astronaut Bob Cabana and NASA officials at the Space Mirror Memorial on Feb. 7, 2019. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM — 8 February 2019  KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX/TITUSVILLE, FL

1st Unpiloted Commercial Crew Test Launches Postponed by NASA, SpaceX and Boeing

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry as companies develop a new generation of spacecraft and launch systems to carry crews safely to and from low-Earth orbit – the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Boeing CST-100 Starliner. Initial test launches for both have slipped to 2019. Credits: NASA Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM — 6 February 2019

NASA’s InSight Lander Deploys Shield on Marsquake Detecting Seismometer

NASA’s InSight lander deployed its Wind and Thermal Shield on Feb. 2, 2019 (Sol 66). The shield covers InSight’s seismometer, which was set down onto the Martian surface on Dec. 19. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 4 February 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL –  NASA’s InSight lander has deployed the protective shield covering the Marsquake detecting seismometer instrument

NASA Selects ULA Atlas V to Launch Lucy on 1st Mission to Jupiter’s Trojan Asteroids

File photo of ULA Atlas V rocket poised for launch from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on Jan. 19, 2018. NASA has selected Atlas V to launch the Lucy probe on the 1st mission to Jupiter’s unexplored Trojan asteroids.   Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com Ken Kremer — SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM — 1 February 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – NASA

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Snaps Amazing Red Planet Selfie During US Government Shutdown on the Blue Planet

A selfie taken by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover on Sol 2291 (January 15, 2019) at the “Rock Hall” drill site, located on Vera Rubin Ridge.  Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Ken Kremer  —SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM –29 January 2019 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – NASA’s Curiosity rover has snapped an amazing ‘selfie’ of herself this month on the Red Planet – even as the US Government

Opportunity Rover Marks 15 Years on Mars as NASA Implements New Contact Strategy after Dust Storm Silence

This pre-dust storm panoramic mosaic view was one of the last ones taken by NASA’s Opportunity rover and shows the spectacular view from her approximate current position as of June 2018 after traveling halfway down the fluid carved slope of Perseverance Valley – while peering into the interior of vast Endeavour Crater.  This navcam camera photo mosaic was assembled by