October 2019 – Kennedy Space Center

Core Stage Pathfinder Departs Kennedy

Backdropped by clouds lit by sunrise, NASA’s Pegasus barge departs the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf. — Backdropped by clouds lit with sunrise, NASA’s Pegasus barge departs the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf. Photo credit: Cory Huston

NASA’s Pegasus barge, with the 212-foot-long Space Launch System (SLS) rocket core stage pathfinder secured inside, departed the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 31, 2019.

The 212-foot-long Space Launch System (SLS) rocket core stage pathfinder is moved inside the Pegasus barge on Oct. 28, 2019, in preparation for departure. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The pathfinder is a full-scale mock-up of the rocket’s core stage. It was used by the Exploration Ground Systems Program and its contractor, Jacobs, to practice offloading, moving and stacking maneuvers inside the Vehicle Assembly Building using ground support equipment to train employees and certify all the equipment works properly. The pathfinder was at Kennedy for about a month.

The barge is carrying the pathfinder back to the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana.

Kennedy’s Senior Management Team Honored at Sammies Awards Gala

Senior leaders are photographed at the Partnership for Public Service’s 18th annual Service to America Medals awards gala in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 16, 2019, after receiving the Management Excellence Medal. Holding the award is Center Director Bob Cabana. Photo credit: NASA

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana and senior management’s forward-facing vision of transforming Kennedy into the multi-user spaceport it is today has led them to receive one of six Samuel J. Heyman Service to America medals.

Named after the Partnership for Public Service’s late founder, Samuel J. Heyman, the “Sammies” awards gala took place Oct. 16, 2019, in Washington, D.C., honoring six of our nation’s career civil servants and showcasing their remarkable achievements in tackling America’s most pressing challenges. Cabana and senior leaders were presented with the Management Excellence Medal for ushering in a new era of space exploration by opening Kennedy up to both government and commercial organizations.

This year’s award recipients were chosen from a group of 26 finalists, narrowed down from more than 300 nominations. Cabana and Kennedy’s team of senior leaders also were chosen as a crowd favorite, winning the Service to America Medals People’s Choice award in July – voted on by the public once the 26 finalists were selected.

Read the full story at https://go.nasa.gov/2qfv0mm.

ICON Successfully Launches from Pegasus XL Rocket

Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, with the company’s Pegasus XL rocket attached beneath, takes off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 10, 2019. NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is secured inside the rocket's payload fairing — Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, with the company’s Pegasus XL rocket attached beneath, takes off from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 10, 2019. NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is secured inside the rocket’s payload fairing. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

A Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket launched NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite at 9:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 10 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) to study the dynamic zone in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above.

The satellite was attached to the Pegasus XL rocket, which hitched a ride on the company’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft. Once the aircraft reached an altitude of 39,000 feet, the rocket was dropped, with ignition occurring five seconds after.

ICON is expected to improve the forecasts of extreme space weather by utilizing in-situ and remote-sensing instruments to survey the variability of Earth’s ionosphere. The mission also will help determine the physics of our space environment, paving the way for mitigating its effects on our technology, communications systems and society.

For more, visit https://www.nasa.gov/icon.

Teams Prepare for ICON Launch Tonight

Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft has arrived at the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Oct. 1, 2019. The company’s Pegasus XL rocket, containing NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), is attached beneath the aircraft. ICON will study the frontier of space – the dynamic zone high in Earth’s atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) will launch tonight on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from the company’s Stargazer L-1011 aircraft. The Stargazer will take off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:33 p.m. EDT.

The first launch attempt for ICON is 9:30 p.m. EDT. Follow live coverage here on the blog as well as on NASA TV and on the web at http://nasa.gov/live beginning at 9:15 p.m. EDT.

ICON Launch Moved Back 24 Hours

Due to weather in the area, NASA and Northrop Grumman have decided to move the Pegasus XL and ICON launch 24-hours to October 10 at 9:30 p.m., with takeoff of the Stargazer L-1011 at 8:32 p.m.

NASA’s live broadcast will begin tomorrow at 9:15 p.m. on www.nasa.gov/live.

The teams are not working any issues. The rocket, airplane and spacecraft are ready to launch tomorrow. As always, safety of the crew and mission success are our main focus.

NASA, Northrop Grumman Prepare for Launch of ICON

NASA and Northrop Grumman will hold a mission briefing at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in preparation for the launch of NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite. Tune in to NASA TV and the agency’s website to watch the mission briefing live.

The Northrop Grumman L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, carrying a Pegasus XL rocket with the agency’s ICON satellite, will take off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Skid Strip on Oct. 9. The launch window will be open from 9:25 to 10:55 p.m., with a targeted release at 9:30 p.m. Ignition of the Pegasus XL rocket will occur five seconds after release from the Stargazer.

ICON is designed to study the frontier of space: the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above.

Be sure to follow our blog for launch updates. Live launch coverage here and on NASA TV will begin at 9:15 p.m. on Oct. 9.