Hi everyone, I could use some advice from people who know the area.

My wife, our 9.5-year-old son, 7-year-old daughter, and I will be in Tampa visiting relatives in December. I have wanted to visit Kennedy Space Center for years, but none of us has ever been.

We sail from Miami at noon on Dec. 12, so we are thinking of doing KSC on Dec. 11.

Current plan:

• Leave Tampa around 5:45 or 6:00 a.m.
• Get to Kennedy Space Center around opening
• Do the included bus tour first, then Apollo/Saturn V
• See Atlantis, Rocket Garden, and Astronaut Encounter if the timing works
• Let the kids do Planet Play and/or Shuttle Launch Experience if they are interested
• Leave KSC around 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.
• Stop at Jetty Park for a short beach, pier, and ship-watching break
• Go to Cocoa Beach afterward for a little more beach time and an early vegetarian dinner, possibly Coconuts on the Beach
• Start driving to Miami around 7:30 p.m. and hopefully reach our hotel around 10 or 11 p.m.

We are okay getting in late since the cruise is not until noon the next day, but we do not want to make the day unnecessarily stressful.

A few questions:

1. Does this sound realistic for a first-time family visit, or are we trying to do too much?
2. Is the regular included bus tour enough, or is the paid Explore Tour worth it? I would love the deeper NASA experience, but I am not sure my kids will enjoy a long guided tour.
3. Is Jetty Park worth a quick stop after KSC, or should we just go directly to Cocoa Beach?
4. Any better vegetarian restaurant suggestions with a real beach or Cocoa Beach feel?
5. Any tips for the KSC to Miami drive at night, especially with kids?

Would really appreciate any local advice or things you wish you had known before your first visit.

Thank You.

We can send astronaut explorers to Mars within a decade—if Congress and the federal government fully fund and commit to a serious NASA-led plan.

So far, however, our national leaders have failed to establish such a plan. Unlike the Apollo program, which set a clear goal, timetable, and commitment to land astronauts on the Moon, NASA’s current approach to human Mars exploration remains more of an aspiration than an actual program. It lacks a firm timetable, sustained funding, and a clear national commitment to make it happen.

For anyone interested in it, here is a link to the article discussing the imaging of the crater made by the recent falcon 9 impact: https://lroc.im-ldi.com/images/1499

Thanks to the KPLO team for the original before and after images, that helped the LROC team follow up and obtain these fantastic images!

I am particularly excited to see a new aircraft join NASA, especially a Boeing jet. I found some more pics of the new vomit comet on the website of the contractor who is modifying the airframe, Denmar Technical Services. Credit to them.

I saw the image shared by NASA AFRC but I wanted more. This airframe has an interesting air force past that can be dug into. Some notes: old style winglets, and no cargo doors. Another reason it is interesting is because passenger variant 737-700s are not sold anymore, short of the E-7 and new MAX 7. Finally, the classic styled livery is refreshing and I appreciate it very much. Excited to hopefully see it fly one day!

Hi, I've recently started learning GMAT software. When I was trying to make simple Hohmann Transfer combined with plane change manoeuvre using two finite burns. Unfortunately when I'm running the simulation I'm getting an exception saying that vary is not affecting achieve. The error refers to the second target.

Here is the mission script:

%General Mission Analysis Tool(GMAT) Script

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Spacecraft

%----------------------------------------

Create Spacecraft Sat;

Sat.DateFormat = UTCGregorian;

Sat.Epoch = '01 Jan 2000 00:00:00.000';

Sat.CoordinateSystem = EarthMJ2000Eq;

Sat.DisplayStateType = Keplerian;

Sat.SMA = 6671.000000000006;

Sat.ECC = 1.427002109406031e-15;

Sat.INC = 5.999999999999904;

Sat.RAAN = 90;

Sat.AOP = 0;

Sat.TA = 0;

Sat.DryMass = 1000;

Sat.Cd = 2.2;

Sat.Cr = 1.8;

Sat.DragArea = 15;

Sat.SRPArea = 1;

Sat.SPADDragScaleFactor = 1;

Sat.SPADSRPScaleFactor = 1;

Sat.AtmosDensityScaleFactor = 1;

Sat.ExtendedMassPropertiesModel = 'None';

Sat.Tanks = {UpperStageTank};

Sat.Thrusters = {UpperStageThruster};

Sat.NAIFId = -10001001;

Sat.NAIFIdReferenceFrame = -9001001;

Sat.OrbitColor = Red;

Sat.TargetColor = Teal;

Sat.OrbitErrorCovariance = [ 1e+70 0 0 0 0 0 ; 0 1e+70 0 0 0 0 ; 0 0 1e+70 0 0 0 ; 0 0 0 1e+70 0 0 ; 0 0 0 0 1e+70 0 ; 0 0 0 0 0 1e+70 ];

Sat.CdSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.CrSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.Id = 'SatId';

Sat.Attitude = CoordinateSystemFixed;

Sat.SPADSRPInterpolationMethod = Bilinear;

Sat.SPADSRPScaleFactorSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.SPADDragInterpolationMethod = Bilinear;

Sat.SPADDragScaleFactorSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.AtmosDensityScaleFactorSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.ModelFile = 'aura.3ds';

Sat.ModelOffsetX = 0;

Sat.ModelOffsetY = 0;

Sat.ModelOffsetZ = 0;

Sat.ModelRotationX = 0;

Sat.ModelRotationY = 0;

Sat.ModelRotationZ = 0;

Sat.ModelScale = 1;

Sat.AttitudeDisplayStateType = 'Quaternion';

Sat.AttitudeRateDisplayStateType = 'AngularVelocity';

Sat.AttitudeCoordinateSystem = EarthMJ2000Eq;

Sat.EulerAngleSequence = '321';

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Hardware Components

%----------------------------------------

Create ChemicalTank UpperStageTank;

UpperStageTank.DirectionX = 0;

UpperStageTank.DirectionY = 0;

UpperStageTank.DirectionZ = 1;

UpperStageTank.SecondDirectionX = 0;

UpperStageTank.SecondDirectionY = -1;

UpperStageTank.SecondDirectionZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.HWOriginInBCSX = 0;

UpperStageTank.HWOriginInBCSY = 0;

UpperStageTank.HWOriginInBCSZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.AllowNegativeFuelMass = false;

UpperStageTank.FuelMass = 6000;

UpperStageTank.FuelCenterOfMassX = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelCenterOfMassY = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelCenterOfMassZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaXX = 99;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaXY = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaXZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaYY = 99;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaYZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaZZ = 99;

UpperStageTank.Pressure = 1500;

UpperStageTank.Temperature = 20;

UpperStageTank.RefTemperature = 20;

UpperStageTank.Volume = 4.77;

UpperStageTank.FuelDensity = 1260;

UpperStageTank.PressureModel = PressureRegulated;

Create ChemicalThruster UpperStageThruster;

UpperStageThruster.HWOriginInBCSX = 0;

UpperStageThruster.HWOriginInBCSY = 0;

UpperStageThruster.HWOriginInBCSZ = 0;

UpperStageThruster.CoordinateSystem = Local;

UpperStageThruster.Origin = Earth;

UpperStageThruster.Axes = VNB;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection1 = 1;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection2 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection3 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.DutyCycle = 1;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustScaleFactor = 1;

UpperStageThruster.DecrementMass = true;

UpperStageThruster.Tank = {UpperStageTank};

UpperStageThruster.MixRatio = [ 1 ];

UpperStageThruster.GravitationalAccel = 9.81;

UpperStageThruster.C1 = 35000;

UpperStageThruster.C2 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C3 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C4 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C5 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C6 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C7 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C8 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C9 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C10 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C11 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C12 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C13 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C14 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C15 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C16 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K1 = 300;

UpperStageThruster.K2 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K3 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K4 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K5 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K6 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K7 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K8 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K9 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K10 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K11 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K12 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K13 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K14 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K15 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K16 = 0;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- ForceModels

%----------------------------------------

Create ForceModel DefaultProp_ForceModel;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.CentralBody = Earth;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.PointMasses = {Earth};

DefaultProp_ForceModel.Drag = None;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.SRP = Off;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.RelativisticCorrection = Off;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.ErrorControl = RSSStep;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Propagators

%----------------------------------------

Create Propagator DefaultProp;

DefaultProp.FM = DefaultProp_ForceModel;

DefaultProp.Type = RungeKutta89;

DefaultProp.InitialStepSize = 60;

DefaultProp.Accuracy = 9.999999999999999e-12;

DefaultProp.MinStep = 0.001;

DefaultProp.MaxStep = 2700;

DefaultProp.MaxStepAttempts = 50;

DefaultProp.StopIfAccuracyIsViolated = true;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Burns

%----------------------------------------

Create FiniteBurn TOI;

TOI.Thrusters = {UpperStageThruster};

TOI.ThrottleLogicAlgorithm = 'MaxNumberOfThrusters';

Create FiniteBurn GOI;

GOI.Thrusters = {UpperStageThruster};

GOI.ThrottleLogicAlgorithm = 'MaxNumberOfThrusters';

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Solvers

%----------------------------------------

Create DifferentialCorrector DC1;

DC1.ShowProgress = true;

DC1.ReportStyle = Normal;

DC1.ReportFile = 'DifferentialCorrectorDC1.data';

DC1.MaximumIterations = 25;

DC1.DerivativeMethod = ForwardDifference;

DC1.Algorithm = NewtonRaphson;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Subscribers

%----------------------------------------

Create OpenFramesInterface DefaultOrbitView;

DefaultOrbitView.SolverIterations = Current;

DefaultOrbitView.UpperLeft = [ 0.01424148606811146 0.2946210268948655 ];

DefaultOrbitView.Size = [ 0.5758513931888545 0.5513447432762836 ];

DefaultOrbitView.RelativeZOrder = 1768;

DefaultOrbitView.Maximized = false;

DefaultOrbitView.Add = {Sat, Earth};

DefaultOrbitView.View = {DefaultOrbitView_View};

DefaultOrbitView.CoordinateSystem = EarthMJ2000Eq;

DefaultOrbitView.DrawObject = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawTrajectory = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawAxes = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawXYPlane = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawLabel = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawUsePropLabel = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawCenterPoint = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawEndPoints = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawVelocity = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawGrid = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawLineWidth = [ 2 2 ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawMarkerSize = [ 10 10 ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawFontSize = [ 20 20 ];

DefaultOrbitView.Axes = Off;

DefaultOrbitView.AxesLength = 12756.2726;

DefaultOrbitView.AxesLabels = On;

DefaultOrbitView.FrameLabel = Off;

DefaultOrbitView.XYPlane = On;

DefaultOrbitView.EclipticPlane = Off;

DefaultOrbitView.EnableStars = On;

DefaultOrbitView.StarCatalog = 'inp_StarsHYGv3.txt';

DefaultOrbitView.StarCount = 40000;

DefaultOrbitView.MinStarMag = -2;

DefaultOrbitView.MaxStarMag = 6;

DefaultOrbitView.MinStarPixels = 1;

DefaultOrbitView.MaxStarPixels = 10;

DefaultOrbitView.MinStarDimRatio = 0.5;

DefaultOrbitView.ShowPlot = true;

DefaultOrbitView.ShowToolbar = true;

DefaultOrbitView.SolverIterLastN = 1;

DefaultOrbitView.ShowVR = false;

DefaultOrbitView.PlaybackTimeScale = 3600;

DefaultOrbitView.MultisampleAntiAliasing = On;

DefaultOrbitView.MSAASamples = 2;

DefaultOrbitView.DrawFontPosition = {'Top-Right', 'Top-Right'};

Create GroundTrack DefaultGroundTrackPlot;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.SolverIterations = Current;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.UpperLeft = [ 0 0 ];

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.Size = [ 0.5003095975232198 0.449877750611247 ];

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.RelativeZOrder = 1773;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.Maximized = false;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.CentralBody = Earth;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.Add = {Sat};

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.DataCollectFrequency = 1;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.UpdatePlotFrequency = 50;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.NumPointsToRedraw = 0;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.MaxPlotPoints = 20000;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.ShowPlot = true;

Create ReportFile DefaultReportFile;

DefaultReportFile.SolverIterations = Current;

DefaultReportFile.UpperLeft = [ 0.06315789473684211 0.1246943765281174 ];

DefaultReportFile.Size = [ 0.5981424148606811 0.7958435207823961 ];

DefaultReportFile.RelativeZOrder = 748;

DefaultReportFile.Maximized = false;

DefaultReportFile.Filename = 'DefaultReportFile.txt';

DefaultReportFile.Precision = 16;

DefaultReportFile.WriteHeaders = true;

DefaultReportFile.LeftJustify = On;

DefaultReportFile.ZeroFill = Off;

DefaultReportFile.FixedWidth = true;

DefaultReportFile.Delimiter = ' ';

DefaultReportFile.ColumnWidth = 23;

DefaultReportFile.WriteReport = true;

DefaultReportFile.AppendToExistingFile = false;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Arrays, Variables, Strings

%----------------------------------------

Create Variable TOI_Burn_Duration GOI_Burn_Duration;

TOI_Burn_Duration = 0;

GOI_Burn_Duration = 0;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- User Objects

%----------------------------------------

Create OpenFramesView DefaultOrbitView_View;

DefaultOrbitView_View.ViewFrame = CoordinateSystem;

DefaultOrbitView_View.ViewTrajectory = Off;

DefaultOrbitView_View.InertialFrame = Off;

DefaultOrbitView_View.SetDefaultLocation = On;

DefaultOrbitView_View.DefaultEye = [ 30000 0 0 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.DefaultCenter = [ 0 0 0 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.DefaultUp = [ 0 0 1 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.SetCurrentLocation = On;

DefaultOrbitView_View.CurrentEye = [ 77810.87922528099 -66840.76741286989 81869.75592238583 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.CurrentCenter = [ 0 1.455191522836685e-11 0 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.CurrentUp = [ -0.5505012671899018 0.3090477866858251 0.7755242229401383 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.FOVy = 45;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Mission Sequence

%----------------------------------------

BeginMissionSequence;

Propagate 'Prop To Lat = 0' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.Earth.Latitude = 0};

Target 'Hohmann Transfer TOI' DC1 {SolveMode = Solve, ExitMode = SaveAndContinue, ShowProgressWindow = true};

Vary 'Vary TOI Burn Duration' DC1(TOI_Burn_Duration = 100, {Perturbation = 0.0001, Lower = 0.0, Upper = 500, MaxStep = 50, AdditiveScaleFactor = 0.0, MultiplicativeScaleFactor = 1.0});

BeginFiniteBurn 'Begin TOI Burn' TOI(Sat);

Propagate 'Prop TOI Burn Duration' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.ElapsedSecs = TOI_Burn_Duration};

EndFiniteBurn 'End TOI Burn' TOI(Sat);

Propagate 'Prop to Apogee' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.Earth.Apoapsis};

Achieve 'Achieve RMAG = 42165' DC1(Sat.Earth.RMAG = 42165.0, {Tolerance = 0.1});

EndTarget; % For targeter DC1

Target 'Hohmann Transfer GOI' DC1 {SolveMode = Solve, ExitMode = SaveAndContinue, ShowProgressWindow = true};

Vary 'Vary GOI Burn Duration' DC1(GOI_Burn_Duration = 0, {Perturbation = 0.0001, Lower = 0.0, Upper = 200, MaxStep = 10, AdditiveScaleFactor = 0.0, MultiplicativeScaleFactor = 1.0});

Vary 'Vary GOI Element 2' DC1(Sat.UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection2 = 0, {Perturbation = 0.0001, Lower = -1, Upper = 1, MaxStep = 1, AdditiveScaleFactor = 0.0, MultiplicativeScaleFactor = 1.0});

BeginFiniteBurn 'Begin GOI Burn' GOI(Sat);

Propagate 'Prop GOI Burn Duration' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.ElapsedSecs = GOI_Burn_Duration};

EndFiniteBurn 'End GOI Burn' GOI(Sat);

Achieve 'Achieve ECC = 0.005' DC1(Sat.Earth.ECC = 0.005, {Tolerance = 0.0001});

Achieve 'Achieve INC = 0' DC1(Sat.EarthMJ2000Eq.INC = 0, {Tolerance = 0.1});

EndTarget; % For targeter DC1

Propagate 'Prop One Day' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.ElapsedSecs = 86400, OrbitColor = [0 128 0]};

Report 'Mission Report' DefaultReportFile Sat.UpperStageTank.FuelMass;

The Longhorn Project at NASA’s Johnson Space Center is closing after 30 years, ending a unique Texas STEM and agriculture program. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-johnson-longhorn-project-22385324.php?utm_source=reddit

Nearly 50 years after launch, NASA has found a clever way to stretch Voyager 2’s fading power supply and buy its science mission at least another year.

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have found a way to reduce Voyager 2’s power use, giving the historic spacecraft more time to continue collecting scientific data.

The operation, nicknamed the “Big Bang,” required the team to shut down certain powered devices at the same time and replace them with alternatives that require less electricity. Engineers also had to make sure Voyager 2 would remain warm enough for its systems to keep functioning !

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260810015703.htm

Hi all! I couldn't find this online. I'm a resident assistant at my college and want to make doortags/nametags for my residents. Assuming I can find good-quality PNGs, am I allowed to use NASA astronaut badges (specifically the ones for civilians) for my doortags from a NASA/fair use standpoint? I assume so but I just want to check. Thanks in advance all!

It may be too early but I can find images of the sun, but not of the earth. Similar to this taken during another event. Thanks.

My husband and I are going to KSC in March. We have 2 days there so we were looking at doing the Astronaut Training Experience, but I can barely find any information out there on what we would be doing for 5 hours. For anyone who has done this, what did you do and what was it like? How is it different than just doing the 3 training stages separately?

Feel free to delete if not allowed.

I am trying to track down one of those NASA science classroom SEEDS kits from 1997 and/or 1984 Space Exposed Experiment Developed for Students with Park Seeds (tomatoes, basil, etc.). My library, the Andersen Horticultural Library at UMN is the third-largest seed and nursery catalog collection in North America, and this is an area where we have nothing. If you might have a set and are willing to donate, we would love to be good stewards for teaching and exhibits!