Space

SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch Reset For 3:45 PM EST

2018-02-06T12:23:00.003-05:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - SpaceX is poised to make space history once again with the launch its Falcon 9 Heavy rocket carrying a midnight cherry Tesla roadster into a Martian solar orbit.

The most powerful rocket since the Saturn V lunar missions is scheduled to liftoff at 3:45 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The launch was pushed back from 1:30 p.m. due to high winds.

The launch window remains open until 4 p.m.

Launch Weather 80% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is an 80% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concerns are liftoff winds and thick clouds.

Booster Rockets Ground Landing, Double Sonic Booms

After first booster separation from the core, SpaceX will attempt to land two Falcon Heavy booster rockets on land at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Landing Zones 1 and 2.

Landing Zones 1 and 2 are built on the former site of Space Launch Complex 13, a Cold War-Era U.S. Air Force rocket and missile testing range last used in 1978.

Residents of the communities of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Mims, Port Canaveral, Port St. John, Rockledge, Scottsmoor, Sharpes, and Titusville, Florida, are most likely to hear a sonic boom, although what Brevard County residents experience will depend on weather conditions and other factors.

Attempted Core Rocket Landing On Drone Ship

Following stage separation, the core rocket of the Falcon Heavy will attempt a landing on the Of Course I Still Love You autonomous drone ship downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.

Image and video credit: SpaceX

WATCH THE FALCON HEAVY LAUNCH COUNTDOWN LIVE:

Eclipse 2018: Super Moon Blood Moon Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse Live

2018-01-31T00:42:00.000-05:00

A Super Moon, Blue Moon, Blood Moon lunar eclipse will occur during the predawn hours today, Wednesday, January 31, 2018.

This once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event hasn't happened in 150 years because it is very rare for a Blood Moon lunar eclipse to occur on the same night as a Blue Moon.

What time is the Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse In The United States?

Eastern Time Zone: 6:45 a.m. - 7:00 a.m ET

Central Time Zone: 6:15 a.m - 6:30 a.m. CT

Mountain Time Zone: 6:00 a.m - 7:00 a.m. MT

Pacific Time Zone: 5:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m. PT

The Blue Moon will start to enter the outer part of Earth’s shadow at 5:51 a.m. Eastern Time / 4:51 a.m Central Time, but the start of the lunar eclipse won't be very noticeable to people in the eastern half of the United States.

Viewers in California, Oregon, Washington and western Canada will see a change at the very beginning of the lunar eclipse at 3:48 a.m. Pacific Time.

Where to watch the Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse:

The lunar eclipse will occur just before the moon sets in the west. So a clear view of the western horizon is key to watching this lunar eclipse.

Why Is It Called A Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse?

Total lunar eclipses are referred to as "Blood Moons" because they often appear dark red in color. For a total lunar eclipse to happen, the Moon must be full, which means it is directly opposite the Sun, with Earth in between. The reddish appearance of the Moon is caused by the Earth's atmosphere filtering out blue light from the sunlight that reaches the Moon.

A Super Moon occurs because the Moon is in an elliptical orbit around the Earth. When the Moon is closest, it is at its orbital perigee, which is why a Super Moon is also known as a Perigee Moon.

Blue Moons occur when there is a second full moon in a calendar month or when a season has four full moons. Full moons are separated by 29 days but seasons are 88 to 92 days long - so it is possible to fit four full moons into a single season. This happens just over two-and-a-half years, on average. When there are four full moons in a season, the third full moon is considered a Blue Moon.

This is why the phrase "Once in a Blue Moon" is commonly known to mean something rare and offbeat because of the rare occurrence of a Blue Moon.

Will the 2018 Super Blue Blood Moon look blue?

The date of a full moon doesn't affect the full moon's color. The Full Moon on Wednesday, January 31, 2018, will appear pearly-gray to most locations on Earth before and after the lunar eclipse.

According to NASA, the key to a moon appearing blue is to have lots of particles slightly wider than the wavelength of red light (0.7 micron) and no other sizes present in the air. This is rare, but volcanoes sometimes produce such clouds, as do forest fires.

Humans saw blue moons almost every night when the Krakatoa volcano exploded in 1883 with the force of a 100-megaton nuclear bomb. Plumes of ash rose to the very top of Earth's atmosphere.

Some of those ash-clouds were filled with particles about 1 micron wide - just the right size to strongly scatter red light while allowing other colors to pass.

White moonbeams shining through the clouds emerged blue, and sometimes green.

People also saw blue-colored Moons in 1983 after the eruption of the El Chichon volcano in Mexico. And there are reports of blue Moons caused by Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

VIDEO: Michigan Meteor Causes 2.0 Magnitude Earthquake

2018-01-17T07:25:00.003-05:00

DETROIT, Michigan - A meteor caused a 2.0 magnitude earthquake Tuesday night just northwest of Detroit, Michigan.

NASA and the Detroit National Weather Service confirmed that a bright fireball which streaked over Michigan skies just after 8 p.m. Eastern Time was indeed a meteor.

"After reviewing several observational datasets, the NWS can confirm the flash and boom was NOT thunder or lightning, but instead a likely meteor," NWS Detroit stated on Twitter.

Later in the night, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that the impact of the shooting star caused a 2.0 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter about 40 miles northeast of Detroit near New Haven, Michigan.

Image and video credit: Mike Austin

First Full Moon Of 2018 Is A Supermoon On New Year's Day

2017-12-31T00:35:00.001-05:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The first Full Moon of 2018 is a Supermoon that will occur on New Year's Day, Monday, January 1, 2018, beginning with a moonrise over the Atlantic at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (with a few minutes of variation depending on your exact location).

The Full Moon will technically be 99.9% full at 12:33 a.m. before it sets the following Tuesday morning at 7:35 a.m.

A Full Moon in January has seasonal names such as a "Wolf's Moon" or "Old Moon."

What's so special about this New Year's Day 2018 Super Moon?

According to NASA, a Super Moon occurs because the Moon is in an elliptical orbit around the Earth. When the Moon is closest, it is at its orbital perigee, which is why a Super Moon is also known as a Perigee Moon.

A full moon at its closest point to Earth definitely will be big and bright. But it won't look much, if any, different than a "normal" full moon and will not have any readily observable effect on our planet except perhaps slightly higher tides.

When is the best time to watch the 2018 Super Moon?

Low hanging moons near the horizon appear larger to humans. So the Super Moon will appear biggest to the naked eye on the U.S east coast during and just after the moonrise around 5:30 p.m. on January 1, 2018.

If you live in a different time zones, the moonrise time would be around the same time in your local time.

Where is the best place to watch the Super Moon?

The Super Moon will be visible around the world. The best place to watch is wherever the viewer has a good view of the horizon, lack of artificial lighting, and no local cloud cover.

Winter Solstice 2017: The First Day Of Winter

2017-12-20T17:59:00.001-05:00

The Winter Solstice falls on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at 11:28 a.m. Eastern Time (4:28 p.m. Universal Time), according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.

What is Winter Solstice 2017?

The Winter Solstice, as pictured in the above NASA image, is caused by a tilt of the earth's rotating axis and marks the first day of winter. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere for locations like Melbourne, Florida, but the reverse happens in the southern hemisphere for locations such as Melbourne, Australia.

The Winter Solstice can occur on December 20, 21, 22, or 23, depending on calendar events such as leap year and when the Solstice begins relative to Coordinated Universal Time.

According to NASA, it is not the Sun that is moving north or south through the seasons, but a change in the orientation and angles between the Earth and its nearest star. The axis of the Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the Sun and the ecliptic plane. The axis is tilted away from the Sun at the December solstice and toward the Sun at the June solstice, spreading more and less light on each hemisphere. At the equinoxes, the tilt is at a right angle to the Sun and the light is spread evenly.

But how can it be called the First Day of Winter 2017 and Mid-Winter at the same time?

Although the December Solstice marks the beginning of Northern Winter, it is often called Mid-Winter. The difference lies in the definitions created by culture, agriculture and astronomy. According to astronomers, December 21st marks the beginning of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

The official start and end of Winter can vary by country - not because Winter starts a week or so earlier in one country than another in the same hemisphere, but because the recognition of the start of Winter is often influenced by historical or cultural reasons particular to that country. Most countries recognize Winter as starting on dates ranging in November and ending sometime in March.

Why does there seem to be such a lag time between the longest night and the coldest days?

Blame the oceans, which heat up and cool down slowly. Although the Winter Solstice marks the lowest exposure of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the Sun's heating radiation, the oceans are still warm in the Northern Hemisphere from the summertime, and that delays the peak heat by about a month and a half.

Winter Solstice Heating Radiation On Earth. Credit: NASA

Similarly, in June the water still cold from the Winter, and the average warmest days are still a month and a half ahead.

Summer Solstice Heating Radiation On Earth. Credit: NASA

Gemind December 2017 Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

2017-12-13T07:43:00.000-05:00

The Geminids meteor shower, which began on December 4 and runs through December 17, 2017, peaks tonight, December 13th through 14th, 2017.

The Geminids meteor shower is considered the best meteor shower of the year because it is the most consistent and active annual meteor shower which can be seen from almost any point on Earth.

"With August's Perseids obscured by bright moonlight, the Geminids will be the best shower this year," said Bill Cooke with NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "The thin, waning crescent Moon won't spoil the show."

Where to watch the December 2017 meteor shower:

The Geminids meteor shower is the most intense meteor shower of the year and can be seen from almost any point on Earth, depending on local cloud cover and artificial lighting.

What time is the 2017 Geminids meteor shower?

The shower will peak overnight December 13-14 with rates around one per minute under good conditions, according to Cooke. Geminids can be seen on nights before and after the December 14 peak, although they will appear less frequently.

"Geminid activity is broad," said Cooke. "Good rates will be seen between 7:30 p.m. on December 13 and dawn local time the morning of December 14, with the most meteors visible from midnight to 4 a.m. on December 14, when the radiant is highest in the sky."

Expect to see up to 120 meteors per hour between midnight and 4 a.m. on the morning of December 14, but only from a dark sky.

Where to look for Geminids meteor shower?

Geminids meteors stream from a point called "the radiant" in the constellation Gemini. They will rise in the east around 9 p.m. and be directly overhead at 2 a.m. The meteor shower sets in the western sky just before sunrise.

Where do the Geminids meteors come from?

Most meteor showers come from comets, which spew ample meteoroids for a night of 'shooting stars.' The Geminids are different. They are produced when Earth plows through a cloud of debris from an oddball object named 3200 Phaethon, which some astronomers describe as a cross between an asteroid and a comet.

Once thought to be an asteroid, Phaethon is now classified as an extinct comet. It is the rocky skeleton of a comet that lost its ice after too many close encounters with the sun.

There were no recorded Geminids before the mid-1800's. The first Geminids shower suddenly appeared in 1862, surprising sky watchers who saw 15 or so shooting stars each hour.

Photo and video credit: NASA

President Donald Trump Signs Directive For U.S. Moon Missions

2017-12-12T07:20:00.003-05:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. President Donald Trump is sending astronauts back to the Moon.

Trump signed Space Policy Directive 1 at the White House Space on Monday which changes national space policy by providing for a U.S.-led program with private sector partners for a human return to the Moon, followed by missions to Mars and beyond.

“The directive I am signing today will refocus America’s space program on human exploration and discovery,” said Trump. “It marks a first step in returning American astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972, for long-term exploration and use. This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprints -- we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars, and perhaps someday, to many worlds beyond.”

Work toward the new directive will be reflected in NASA’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget request next year.

“NASA looks forward to supporting the president’s directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the Moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond,” said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot. “This work represents a national effort on many fronts, with America leading the way.”

Photo credit: NASA

Secretive SpaceX Launch Code-Named 'Zuma' Postponed Again

2017-11-17T12:05:00.002-05:00

Update:

The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a mystery satellite with the code-name 'Zuma' has been postponed again until SpaceX engineers can review data of a hardware issue with the fairing. No new launch date has been announced.

Previous story:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a mystery satellite with the code-name 'Zuma' has been rescheduled to liftoff at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, November 17, 2017, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch window will remain open for 2 hours.

Launch Weather 90% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 90% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concerns are cumulus clouds.

Attempted Ground Landing

After first stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on land at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. Landing Zone 1 is built on the former site of Space Launch Complex 13, a Cold War-Era U.S. Air Force rocket and missile testing range last used in 1978.

Payload

There is little information about this payload other than it is a government payload contracted through Northrop Grumman. The mission was added onto SpaceX's public launch manifest less than 30 days prior to launch.

Secretive SpaceX Launch Code-Named 'Zuma' Postponed Again

2017-11-17T11:58:00.000-05:00

Launch Weather 90% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 90% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concerns are cumulus clouds.

Attempted Ground Landing

Payload

2017 Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

2017-11-17T11:46:00.000-05:00

The 2017 Leonid meteor shower will peak during the early morning hours of Saturday, November 18, which is predicted to produce up to 10 meteors per hour this year. The Leonid meteor shower is active every year from November 5th through the 30th.

When to Watch The 2017 Leonid Meteor Shower:

Around 3 hours before sunrise at the viewer's location, the Leonid meteor shower should be visible from any populated area on Earth with clear dark skies. However, Northern Hemisphere observers will have more favorable viewing because the radiant's location in the constellation Leo.

How to Watch The 2017 Leonid Meteor Shower:

For optimal viewing, find an open sky, lie on the ground, and look straight up into the dark sky. It is important to be far away from artificial lights. Your eyes can take up to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, so allow plenty of time for your eyes to dark-adapt. A moonless night will produce less light to wash out the meteor shower spectacle.

Where does the Leonid Meteor Shower come from?

Leonids are made up of bits of debris from the Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Every 33 years, this comet visits the inner solar system and leaves a stream of dusty debris in its orbital track. Many of these debris streams have drifted across the November portion of Earth's orbit. Whenever the Earth hits one of these streams, meteors appear to be flying out of the constellation Leo.

Image and video credit: NASA

Secretive SpaceX Launch Code-Named 'Zuma' Rescheduled for November 16, 2017

2017-11-15T07:55:00.000-05:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a mystery satellite with the code-name 'Zuma' has been rescheduled to liftoff at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, November 16, 2017, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch window will remain open for 2 hours.

Launch Weather 80% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is an 80% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concerns are thick clouds and cumulus clouds.

Attempted Ground Landing

Payload

SpaceX Rocket Launch From Cape Canaveral October 30, 2017

2017-10-30T04:55:00.003-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Koreasat 5A communication satellite is scheduled to liftoff at 3:34 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, October 29, 2017, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Launch Weather 90% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 90% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concern is cumulus clouds.

Attempted Landing On Drone Ship

Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt a landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship.

But a successful landing after launch may be difficult because the Geo Stationary Transfer Orbit requires the first stage rocket to reach a significantly higher altitude than other recovered missions. This means that Falcon 9's first stage rocket will becoming down faster with less fuel to slow its descent than missions to lower orbits.

Payload

The Koreasat 5A satellite is designed to provide direct-to-home television broadcast and other communications services for Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Guam, Indochina, and South Asia.

Lego 'Women of NASA' Set To Hit Store Shelves November 1st

2017-10-19T08:17:00.002-04:00

Just in time for the holidays, LEGO Women of NASA will be available for purchase worldwide beginning on November 1st, 2017.

Girls aspiring in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) can follow in the footsteps of four pioneering women of NASA with this fun and inspiring LEGO set.

Build the Hubble Space Telescope and learn astronomy with the ‘Mother of Hubble’ Nancy Grace Roman. Develop the software for space missions with computer scientist Margaret Hamilton. And launch the space shuttle with Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, and Mae Jemison, the world’s first woman of color in space.

Nancy Grace Roman’s build features a posable Hubble Space Telescope with authentic details and a projected image of a planetary nebula.

Margaret Hamilton’s build features a stack of book elements, representing the books of listings of Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) onboard flight software source code.

Sally Ride and Mae Jemison’s build features a launchpad and Space Shuttle Challenger with three removable rocket stages.

In the original proposal, five NASA women were included but the set include just four, as Katherine Johnson chose not to be part of the set.

Under the headline “Ladies rock outer space”, LEGO fan designer Maia Weinstock presented her idea for a Women of NASA LEGO set to the LEGO Ideas crowdsourcing platform. There it gained lots of support from other fans and was selected for production for its inspirational value as well as build and play experience.

As a science editor and writer, with a strong personal interest for space exploration as well as the history of women in science and engineering, Maia Weinstock’s Women of NASA project was a way for her to celebrate accomplished women in STEM professions.

“In all realms of science, engineering, and technology, pioneering women have historically been underappreciated for their often groundbreaking work. We have also seen that when girls and women are given more encouragement in the STEM fields, they become more likely to pursue careers in these areas,” said Maia Weinstock.

“With this project, I wanted to spotlight a fantastic group of women who have made seminal contributions to NASA history. My dream would be to know that the first human on Mars — or an engineer or computer scientist who helped her get there — played with the LEGO Women of NASA as a child and was inspired to pursue a STEM career as a result.”

Image credit: Lego

Watch The 2017 Orionid Meteor Shower Tonight

2017-10-17T05:58:00.000-04:00

The 2017 Orionid Meteor Shower can be seen any night now through November 7 and peaks during the early mornings of October 20, 21, and 22.

Fall's best meteor shower promises to be even more spectacular in 2017 thanks to dark skies from moonless nights during the best viewing times.

When is the best time to watch Orionid meteor shower?

The best time to look for Orionid meteors is 4 a.m. when Earth encounters the densest part of Halley's Comet's debris stream.

What are the best dates to watch the Orionid meteor shower in October 2017?

Dark night skies are best for watching meteors, so the Moon plays an important role as to which dates are best for meteor shower viewing. The Moon will set before 4 a.m. of every morning during days closest to the peak from October 18 through October 22.

How to watch the Orionid meteor shower:

Observing is simple: set the alarm a few hours before dawn, go outside and look up in the direction of the constellation Orion. No telescope is necessary to see Orionids shooting across the sky. It is important to be far away from artificial lights. Your eyes can take up to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, so allow plenty of time for your eyes to dark-adapt.

Where to look for the Orionid meteor shower tonight:

Find Orion's noticeable three-star belt in the night sky, then follow his raised arm to his elbow to see the origination point of the Orionids. Orion will be almost straight above the viewer's head 1 to 2 hours before sunrise.

The Orionid Meteor Shower is named after the constellation Orion because the meteors appear to come from just north of Orion's bright star Betelgeuse. It is made up of debris left by Halley's Comet with a debris field that is so wide that encompasses the entire distance between the Earth and the Moon.

Image and video credit: NASA/JPL

Atlas V Launches After 5th Attempt

2017-10-15T08:17:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: United Launch Alliance successfully launched an Atlas V rocket on the fifth attempt after it was scrubbed due to weather and hardware issues.

A new launch date and time has been set for 3:28 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Sunday, October 15, 2017 from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Launch Weather

The most recent forecast issued by the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron predicts only a 70% chance of overall permissible weather conditions for Sunday's launch. The primary weather concern for launch is cumulus clouds.

Payload

The Atlas V 421 configuration rocket will carry a National Reconnaissance Office (NROL-52) satellite.

Few details have been released about the mission other than that it is "in support of national defense." NROL-52 will mark ULA’s seventh launch of 2017 and the 26th launch for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.

Image credit: ULA

SpaceX Successfully Lands Falcon 9 First Stage Rocket, Launches Satellite

2017-10-11T20:03:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: SpaceX successfully launched an EchoStar 105/SES-11 communication satellite into Geo Stationary Transfer Orbit and completed the 18th successful landing of a Falcon 9 first stage rocket.

Previous Story:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying an EchoStar 105/SES-11 communication satellite is scheduled to liftoff at 6:53 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Launch Weather 90% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 90% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concern is cumulus clouds.

Attempted Landing On Drone Ship

Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt a landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship.

Third Launch Of 'Flight-Proven' (Reused) Falcon 9

This will be SpaceX's third launch of a reused first stage rocket. This Falcon 9 first stage rocket previously launched the CRS-10 mission to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral, Florida on February 19, 2017.

Payload

EchoStar 105/SES-11, a high-powered hybrid Ku and C-band communications satellite, is a dual-mission satellite for US-based operator EchoStar and Luxembourg-based operator SES.

EchoStar 105/SES-11 provides EchoStar with 24 Ku-band transponders of 36 MHz, marketed as EchoStar 105, while it provides SES with a C-band payload of 24 transponders, marketed under the name SES-11. EchoStar 105/SES-11 replaces Ku-band capacity for AMC-15 and C-band capacity for AMC-18 at SES’ well-established 105 degrees West orbital slot.

EchoStar 105 was tailored to meet the Ku-band capacity needs of EchoStar’s enterprise, media and broadcast, and U.S. government service provider customers, offering coverage of the 50 U.S. states and expanded reach to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

SES-11, designed to accelerate the development of SES’s U.S. prime video neighborhood and optimized for digital television delivery, joins SES-1 and SES-3 at the center of SES's robust North American orbital arc, which reaches more than a hundred million TV homes. It also replaces C-band capacity for AMC-18, which SES offers over North America, including Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean, empowering businesses and governments to capture new opportunities and expand their reach.

SpaceX Rocket Launch From Cape Canaveral On October 11, 2017

2017-10-10T14:27:00.001-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying an EchoStar 105/SES-11 communication satellite is scheduled to liftoff at 6:53 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Launch Weather 90% 'GO'

According to the latest forecast from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 90% chance of favorable weather for the launch. The primary concern is cumulus clouds.

Attempted Landing On Drone Ship

Following stage separation, the first stage of the Falcon 9 will attempt a landing on the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship.

Third Launch Of 'Flight-Proven' (Reused) Falcon 9

Payload

EchoStar 105/SES-11, a high-powered hybrid Ku and C-band communications satellite, is a dual-mission satellite for US-based operator EchoStar and Luxembourg-based operator SES.

ABOVE PHOTO: SpaceX successfully launches an EchoStar satellite from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida earlier this year. Credit: SpaceX

2017 Full Harvest Moon Tonight

2017-10-05T08:30:00.002-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- There will be a Full Moon tonight, Thursday, October 5, 2017. But not just any full moon. That's because this Full Moon is a Harvest Moon that rarely occurs in October.

What Time Does The 2017 Harvest Moon Occur?

On the Florida's east coast, the Harvest Moon will rise over the Atlantic Ocean around 7:21 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 5 and set the following morning just after 8 a.m., with some slight time variation (+/- 20 minutes) depending on the viewer's exact location.

When is the best time to watch the Full Moon?

Low hanging moons near the horizon appear larger to humans. So, the Harvest Moon will appear biggest to the naked eye on the U.S east coast during and just after the moonrise.

Why is October's Full Moon Called a Harvest Moon?

The Harvest Moon gets its name from agriculture. In the days before electric lights, farmers depended on bright moonlight to extend the workday beyond sunset. It was the only way they could gather their ripening crops in time for market. The Full Moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox became "the Harvest Moon."

Usually, the Harvest Moon arrives a few days to weeks before or after the beginning of fall. This year, the Autumn Equinox and changing of the calendar seasons occurred on September 22, 2017. Equinox means "equal night" in Latin, capturing the idea that daytime and nighttime are equal lengths everywhere on the planet.

Image credit: NASA

Autumn Equinox Marks First Day Of Fall 2017

2017-09-22T12:15:00.000-04:00

The 2017 Autumn Equinox falls on Friday, September 22, 2017. The Autumnal Equinox, as pictured in this NASA Earth Observatory photo, is caused by the tilt of the earth's rotating axis.

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the Autumn Equinox, marking the changing of the seasons from the last day of Summer to the First Day of Fall, occurs on September 23, 2017, at 08:02 p.m. Universal Time (4:02 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time).

Equinox means "equal night" in Latin, capturing the idea that daytime and nighttime are equal lengths everywhere on the planet. That is true of the Sun's presence above the horizon, though it does not account for twilight when the Sun's rays extend from beyond the horizon to illuminate our gas-filled atmosphere.

It is the equal amount of day and night in the northern hemisphere for locations like Melbourne, Florida, but also in the southern hemisphere for locations like Melbourne, Australia.

The apparent change in location of the sun and moon marks important dates for hunting, fishing, and farming.

Of course, it is not the Sun that is moving north or south through the seasons, but a change in the orientation and angles between the Earth and its nearest star. The axis of the Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the Sun and the ecliptic plane. The axis is tilted away from the Sun at the December solstice and toward the Sun at the June solstice, spreading more and less light on each hemisphere. At the equinoxes, the tilt is at a right angle to the Sun and the light is spread evenly.

2017 Autumn Equinox and 2017 Daylight Savings Time

Naturally, many people think that with the changing of the seasons comes the changing of their clocks at the beginning of Fall 2017. But this is not the case.

It is true, however, that a helpful way to remember whether to set our clocks ahead or behind one hour during the daylight savings time is to "Fall Back" and "Spring Ahead."

The beginning of Fall 2017 does not mean the end of 2017 Daylight Savings Time. Daylight Savings Time ends after the Autumn Equinox when days become shorter and shorter heading closer to the Winter Solstice.

So if you are asking, "When does daylight savings time end?" "Do we change clocks when Fall starts?" The answer is the date Daylight Savings Time (DST) will end for Florida is on Sunday, November 5, 2017.

Northrop Grumman To Acquire Orbital ATK

2017-09-18T13:02:00.001-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - Northrop Grumman Corporation announced today that it will acquire Orbital ATK for approximately $7.8 billion in cash, plus the assumption of $1.4 billion in net debt. Both companies have operations in Brevard County on Florida's Space Coast.

Orbital ATK shareholders will receive all-cash consideration of $134.50 per share. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2018 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and Orbital ATK shareholder approval.

“Our complementary portfolios and technology-focused cultures will yield significant value creation through revenue synergies associated with new opportunities, cost savings, operational synergies, and enhanced growth,” said Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Northrop Grumman.

Upon completion of the acquisition, Northrop Grumman plans to establish Orbital ATK as a new, fourth business sector to ensure a strong focus on operating performance and a smooth transition into Northrop Grumman.

“Our employees will also benefit from greater development and career opportunities as members of a larger, more diverse aerospace and defense enterprise,” said David Thompson, president and chief executive officer of Orbital ATK.

ABOVE IMAGE: An Atlas V rocket carrying an Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft stands ready on Launch Complex-41 launchpad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Credit: NASA

Weather 80% 'GO' For Atlas V Rocket Launch OF NASA's TDRS-M Satellite

2017-08-17T19:30:00.000-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- Weather chances are 80% 'GO' for Friday's launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 configuration rocket carrying NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)-M from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The mission has a 40-minute launch window that is scheduled to open at at 8:03 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, August 18, 2017.

The launch date had been pushed back after the satellite's Omni S-band antenna was damaged during final spacecraft closeout activities last month at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida.

Launch Weather 80% 'GO'

According to the latest weather forecast from the United States Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is an 80% percent chance overall of acceptable weather conditions for Friday's launch. The primary weather concern for launch is thick clouds.

MISSION PAYLOAD:

The addition of TDRS-M to the Space Network (SN) will provide the ability to support space communication for an additional 15 years. The network consists of TDRS satellites that transmit data to and from ground stations on Earth for NASA missions and expendable launch vehicles.

Without the Space Network, scientists, engineers and control room staff would be unable to readily access data from missions like the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station.

Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

VIDEO: SpaceX Launches, Lands Falcon 9 Rocket At Cape Canaveral On August 14, 2017

2017-08-14T12:52:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: SpaceX has successfully launched and landed a Falcon 9 rocket at Kennedy Space Center after deploying a satellite headed for the International Space Station.

Previous story:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - The launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule to the International Space Station is scheduled to liftoff at 12:31 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, August 14, 2017, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Last Use Of A New Dragon Capsule For CRS Missions

For the last time ever, SpaceX will launch a new Dragon capsule to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract.

All remaining SpaceX CRS mission launches will be reused Dragon capsules.

Attempted Ground Landing, Sonic Boom

After first stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on land at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Landing Zone 1.

Residents in the communities of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Mims, Port Canaveral, Port St. John, Rockledge, Scottsmoor, Sharpes, and Titusville, Florida, are most likely to hear a sonic boom, although what Brevard County residents experience will depend on weather conditions and other factors.

Weather 70% 'GO' for Launch

According to the latest forecast by the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron, there is a 70% chance of acceptable weather conditions for Saturday's launch. The primary weather concerns are cumulus clouds and flight through precipitation.

CRS-12 Payload

The Dragon capsule will carry nearly 6,000 pounds of scientific experiments, food and other supplies to the crew aboard the to the International Space Station, including a veggie plant growth experiment.

Photo and video credit: SpaceX

Perseid Meteor Shower In August 2017

2017-08-08T16:25:00.000-04:00

The 2017 Perseid Meteor Shower is visible for about two weeks before and after its peak which occurs during the early morning hours of August 12.

“This year, we are expecting enhanced rates of about 150 per hour or so, but the increased number will be canceled out by the bright Moon, the light of which will wash out the fainter Perseids,” said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.

The Perseid Meteor Shower produces more fireballs than any other meteor shower.

A fireball is a very bright meteor, at least as bright as the planets Jupiter or Venus.

Every Perseid meteor is a tiny piece of a comet that orbits the sun every 133 years. Each swing through the inner solar system can leave trillions of small particles in its wake.

Cooke thinks the Perseids are rich in fireballs because of the size of the parent comet. Comet Swift-Tuttle has a huge nucleus - about 26 km in diameter," said Cooke. "Most other comets are much smaller, with nuclei only a few kilometers across. As a result, Comet Swift-Tuttle produces a large number of meteoroids, many of which are large enough to produce fireballs."

2017 Perseid Meteor Shower: Where To Watch

The Perseids meteor shower will be visible almost all over the world - but will be best seen in the northern hemisphere. A major determining factor on where a good place is to watch the Perseids meteor shower is local cloud cover and artificial light pollution. Lie on your back and look straight up. Allow about 45 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark.

2017 Perseid Meteor Shower: Where To Look

You can tell if a meteor belongs to a particular shower by tracing back its path to see if it originates near a specific point in the sky, called the radiant. The constellation in which the radiant is located gives the shower its name, and in this case, Perseids appear to come from a point in the constellation Perseus. Photo credit: NASA/JPL

2017 Perseid Meteor Shower: When To Watch

The best way to see the Perseids is to go outside between midnight and dawn on the morning of Aug. 12th.

TOP PHOTO: An outburst of Perseid meteors lights up the sky in August 2009 in this time-lapse image. Stargazers expect a similar outburst during the 2017 Perseid meteor shower, which will be visible overnight on Aug. 11 and 12. Photo Credits: NASA/JPL

Full Moon Tonight, Monday, August 7, 2017

2017-08-07T08:37:00.000-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - There will be a Full Moon tonight on Monday, August 7, 2017. August's full moon will have a 99.7% illumination.

Nightwatchers will be able to see tonight's Full Moon beginning with a moonrise over the Atlantic Ocean on Florida's east coast around 8:12 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (with a few minutes deviation depending on your exact location.) The moonset will occur around 7:30 a.m. on the following morning.

For those planning a stroll along the beach to watch the Full Moon, the Full Moon brings along with it a 4'0" high tide that will occur around 8:37 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with a few minutes of variation depending on your exact location.

Why is a Full Moon in August called a Sturgeon Moon?

These moon names are associated with seasonal occurrences that happen in August. Native American tribes that fished for sturgeon in the U.S. Great Lakes gave the August full moon this name.

Full Moon Tonight, Sunday, July 9, 2017

2017-07-09T02:11:00.002-04:00

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida -- There will be a Full Moon tonight on Sunday, July 9, 2017. Sunday's full moon will have a 99.9% illumination.

Nighwatchers will be able to see tonight's Full Moon beginning with a moonrise over the Atlantic Ocean on Florida's east coast around 8:48 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (with a few minutes deviation depending on your exact location.) The moonset will occur around 7:48 a.m. on the following morning of Monday, July 10, 2017.

For those planning a stroll along the beach to watch the Full Moon, the Full Moon brings along with it a 3'6" high tide that will occur around 9:03 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with a few minutes of variation depending on your exact location.

Why is a Full Moon in July called a Thunder Moon or Buck Moon?

These moon names are associated with seasonal occurrences that happen in July. Male deer, known as bucks, begin to sprout their antlers which is why it is called a Buck Moon. Thunder Moon gets its name from the summer thunderstorms that happen in July.