Kennedy Space Center

Annual Report

2023

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration
Cover:

At 12:40 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s 

Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission 

splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 

25.5 day mission to the Moon. 

Photo credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Back Cover:

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket with 

the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop 

the mobile launcher at Launch 39B at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Photo credit: NASA/Eric Bordelon

COVER PHOTOS

BACKGROUND

An American bald eagle is perched high in a 

tree above its nest at NASA’s Kennedy Space 

Center in Florida on April 10, 2023. Below 

is its baby eagle, looking up from the nest 

located off of Kennedy Parkway, about two 

miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building. 

The adult eagle is part of a mated pair that 

recently built a new home in this tree after 

storms badly damaged their original nest 

located about 50 yards away. That nest was 

built in 1973 and had been used by eagles 

almost every year since 1975. Kennedy 

currently is home to approximately 20 

nesting pairs of bald eagles.

Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Guests watch the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket 

carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, 

Nov. 16, 2022, from Operations and Support Building II at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

4 Center Director’s Message

5 Vision, Mission, and Core Competencies

6 Significant Events

12 Center Planning and Development

14 Commercial Crew Program

18 Launch Services Program

22 Artemis

30 Exploration Research and Technology

34 Engineering

38 Spaceport Integration and Services

44 Safety and Mission Assurance

46 Center Engagement & Business

Integration Services

50 Business Report
4

CENTER DIRECTOR WELCOME

It’s the end of another fiscal year at America’s premier spaceport and 

an exciting time to look back at all we have accomplished at NASA’s Kennedy 

Space Center in Florida. The following pages will give you a deeper insight 

into the programs and organizations that are igniting space exploration and 

discovery for all. 

For decades, Kennedy Space Center has been synonymous with space 

exploration. We launched missions that first sent humans to the Moon, enabled 

the assembly and long-term use of the International Space Station, and offered 

revolutionary insight into Earth, our neighboring planets, and our solar system. 

As we step into the Artemis era, Kennedy is once again playing a pivotal role. 

We face a world of possibilities that await humankind as we return to the Moon 

and set our sights on Mars. 

Kennedy proudly remains the agency’s main launch site as well as the 

world’s premier spaceport. Working with more than 90 commercial partners 

and engaging in nearly 250 partnership agreements, our mission is to provide continuous access to space using the same creativity 

and innovation that have become the hallmark of our agency. 

The regular cadence of launches from the Space Coast is a testament to the success of our transformation from a governmentonly facility to the world’s leading spaceport. But our work isn’t finished. We are looking ahead to a future with a robust space 

economy in low Earth orbit - as well as on and around the Moon. Kennedy is positioning itself to continue providing the highest level 

of support to this growing demand.

This report details 12 months of dedication and determination, and behind each of these accomplishments are the people of 

Kennedy who embrace the ambitious goals ahead of us and lend their passion and perseverance to the NASA mission. They are the 

reason Kennedy has ranked among the Best Places to Work in Federal Government for five years in a row, proving that this center 

truly has the best of the best. Together, we are launching humanity’s future.

Embrace the Challenge.

Janet Petro

Igniting space 

exploration

and discovery 

for all.

VISION

Provide continuous access 

to space from Earth’s premier 

spaceport through creativity 

and innovation.

MISSION

Launching 

Humanity’s Future
6 7

TOP 20 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

NOVEMBER 

CRS-26 Marks 2022’s Final Dragon Launch

Several thousand pounds of research, crew supplies, and hardware 

were delivered to crew members aboard the International Space Station 

following the 2:20 p.m. EST launch of NASA’s SpaceX 26th commercial 

resupply mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 26. 

OCTOBER 2022

Crew-5 Launches from 

Kennedy

NASA astronauts Nicole Aunapu 

Mann and Josh Cassada, along 

with JAXA (Japan Aerospace 

Exploration Agency) astronaut 

Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos 

cosmonaut Anna Kikina blasted 

off from Kennedy Space Center on 

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to 

the International Space Station at 

12 p.m. EDT on Oct. 5.

NOVEMBER 

NASA’s Moon Rocket 

Roars off the Pad 

NASA’s Space Launch 

System rocket, carrying the 

uncrewed Orion spacecraft, 

lifted off from Launch 

Complex 39B in Florida at 

1:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 16. 

Artemis I’s primary goal 

was to test the integrated 

systems before crewed 

missions by launching and 

operating the spacecraft in 

a deep space environment.

DECEMBER 

SWOT Journeys to 

Study Earth’s Oceans

At 3:46 a.m. PST on Dec. 

16, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 

rocket blasted off from 

Vandenberg Space Force 

Base’s Space Launch 

Complex-4 East in 

California, carrying the 

first satellite to survey 

nearly all water on 

Earth’s surface. SWOT 

(Surface Water and Ocean 

Topography) marks the 

101st primary mission for 

NASA’s Launch Services 

Program.

DECEMBER 

Orion Splashdown Concludes Historic Artemis I Mission 

NASA’s Orion spacecraft successfully completed a parachute-assisted 

splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the Baja California peninsula of Mexico 

at 12:40 p.m. EST on Dec. 11 as the final major milestone of the Artemis 

I mission. Orion’s record-breaking journey covered more than 1.4 million 

miles on a path around the Moon, the farthest a spacecraft designed to carry 

humans has traveled from our home planet. 

OCTOBER 

Crew-4 Splashes Down off Florida Coast 

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft 

safely splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, on 

Oct. 14, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission 

to the International Space Station. The international crew of four 

spent 170 days in orbit.

NOVEMBER 

Artemis Arrives at LC 39B for Historic Mission

At approximately 8:30 a.m. EDT on Nov. 4, NASA’s Space Launch System 

rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission arrived at Launch 

Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida 

after a nearly nine-hour journey atop the mobile launcher 

from the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building.

NOVEMBER 

JPSS-2 off to Study Weather 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s JPSS-2 

(Joint Polar Satellite System-2) satellite, with NASA’s LOFTID 

(Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator) 

technology demonstration on board, lifted off from Space Launch 

Complex-3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 

1:49 a.m. PST on Nov. 10. The launch was powered by a United 

Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket’s RD-180 engine.
8 9

TOP 20 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

FEBRUARY 

New Orion Test Article 

Makes a Splash 

NASA’s Landing and Recovery team 

completed a rigorous round of testing 

on the new mock-up of the agency’s 

Orion spacecraft. This test article will 

be used to train NASA, Navy, and other 

Department of Defense personnel to 

retrieve astronauts from the Pacific 

Ocean after splashing down on 

Artemis Moon missions.

JANUARY 2023

Day of Remembrance Marks 20th Anniversary of Columbia Tragedy 

NASA senior management and guests paid tribute to the crew members of space shuttle 

Columbia, as well as other astronauts who have perished in the line of duty, at the Kennedy 

Space Center Visitor Complex during the agency’s Annual Day of Remembrance.

FEBRUARY 

‘Famous’ Eagles Build New Nest at Kennedy 

When storms badly damaged their original nest near Kennedy Parkway, a well-known pair 

of American bald eagles built a new home nearby at the Florida spaceport, providing a 

magnificent view of the majestic birds in their natural habitat.

MAY 

Astronauts Complete Second All-Private Mission

A crew of four completed a successful Axiom Mission 2, the 

second all-private astronaut mission to the International Space 

Station. Axiom Space private astronauts Peggy Whitson, John 

Shoffner, Ali Alqarni, and Rayyanah Barnawi spent 10 days on 

the orbiting laboratory after lifting off at 5:37 p.m. EDT on May 

21 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

FEBRUARY 

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Preflight

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s 

Dragon spacecraft on top is seen at sunset 

on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as 

preparations continue for the Crew-6 mission, 

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023.

MARCH 

Crew-5 Back on Earth After 157 Days in Space 

NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, JAXA (Japan 

Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and 

Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina splashed down safely aboard 

the SpaceX Dragon Endurance in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of 

Tampa, Florida, at 9:02 p.m. EST March 11, after 157 days in space.

MARCH

CRS-27 Launches to 

the Space Station

At 8:30 p.m. EDT March 14, 

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket 

rumbled off the pad at 

Launch Complex 39A, starting 

Dragon’s two-day journey 

to the International Space 

Station to deliver new science 

investigations, supplies, and 

equipment for Expedition 

68 and 69 crews aboard the 

orbiting laboratory.

JANUARY 

Facilities, Spacecraft Prepped 

for Artemis II Mission 

Teams with Exploration Ground Systems began upgrading 

and modifying facilities at Kennedy to support Artemis II, 

paving the way for human exploration to the Moon and Mars. 

Artemis II will be the first crewed flight of the agency’s Space 

Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. 
10

TOP 20 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

Framed by wildflowers, a tricolored heron wades in a waterway at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space 

Center in Florida on May 19, 2023. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife 

Refuge. More than 330 native and migratory bird species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home. 

Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

Guests at the Banana Creek viewing site are seen as they wait for 

the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion 

spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, ahead of 

the Nov. 16, 1:47 a.m. EST launch. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber

AUGUST 

Crew-7 Carries International 

Crew to Space Station 

A Dragon spacecraft named Endurance launched 

atop a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying NASA astronaut 

Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut Andreas 

Mogensen, JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, 

and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov 

to the International Space Station on NASA’s 

SpaceX Crew-7 mission. Liftoff occurred at 3:27 

a.m. EDT on Aug. 26.

SEPTEMBER 

Crew-6 Returns to Earth 

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody 

Hoburg, along with UAE astronaut Sultan 

Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey 

Fedyaev splashed down safely in SpaceX’s 

Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, in the 

Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, 

Florida, at 12:17 a.m. EDT on Sept. 24, after 

186 days in space.

JULY 

Artemis Crews Get New Ride to the Pad

Teams from manufacturer Canoo Technologies Inc. of Torrance, California, delivered three specially 

designed, fully electric, environmentally friendly crew transportation vehicles to Kennedy on July 11. 

The vehicles will take Artemis crews on the final Earth-bound leg of their journey to the Moon before 

boarding their rocket and spacecraft.

JUNE

Solar Arrays Delivered 

on CRS-28

Several thousand pounds 

of important research, crew 

supplies, and hardware, 

including new solar arrays, were 

delivered to the space station 

following the June 5 launch 

of SpaceX’s 28th commercial 

resupply services mission for 

NASA from Kennedy’s Launch 

Complex 39A.
KENNEDY

SPACE

CENTER

MERRITT

ISLAND

NASA Parkway

CCAFS

NASA Causeway

Shuttle Landing Facility

TITUSVILLE

Gate 4

Gate 2

Gate 3

SR 406

SR 402

SR 407 SR 405

SR 3

SR 3

Merritt Island

National Wildlife Refuge

Visitor Information Center

National Park Service 

Playalinda Beach

LC-39B

KSC 

Industrial 

Area

VAB

Indian River Banana River

TITUSVILLE

MERRITT

ISLAND Cape Canaveral 

Space Force Station

KENNEDY

SPACE

CENTER

Indian River Bridge

Banana River Bridge

Launch and Landing Facility

North

LAUNCH VEHICLE MANUFACTURING

Kennedy Space Center executed an Enhanced Use 

Lease with Space Florida, which enabled expansion 

of Blue Origin’s launch vehicle manufacturing 

operations near Kennedy’s Exploration Park.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Kennedy Space Center 

executed an Enhanced Use 

Lease with Florida Power 

and Light for a new power 

substation. The substation 

will provide electricity to 

new facilities planned for 

development at the Launch 

and Landing Facility currently 

leased by Space Florida. 

SPACE LIFE SCIENCE RESEARCH

Kennedy Space Center developed a new research agreement 

with Winston Salem State University (WSSU), a historically Black 

College and University, for collaboration on plant life sciences. 

The agreement focuses on growing crops in simulated lunar 

and Martian regolith and publishing data in a publicly accessible 

database to further plant life science. This is an expansion of a 

longstanding successful partnership with WSSU.

VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING HIGH BAY AVAILABILITY

Kennedy Space Center published an announcement seeking proposals from 

U.S. commercial launch providers interested in using the Vehicle Assembly 

Building High Bay 1 for launch operations, including ground operations, 

prelaunch integration, checkout, and spacecraft or payload testing. NASA 

selected a proposal and is working with the selectee to coordinate shared 

use and requirements for facility modifications.

INDIAN RIVER BRIDGE OPENING

The major roadway that serves as the primary entrance and exit 

to Kennedy Space Center for employees and visitors received 

a major upgrade in June 2023. Through an agreement with 

Kennedy Space Center, the Florida Department of Transportation 

opened the first of two new high-rise bridges connecting 

Kennedy and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to the 

mainland via State Road 405/NASA Causeway in Titusville. The 

new high-rises are designed to support the space efforts of NASA 

and its commercial partners. Construction on the second highrise bridge is underway and scheduled for completion in 2026.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

Kennedy Space Center’s Notice of Availability remains 

open for undeveloped land identified in the Master Plan 

to support activities in launch operations, assembly, 

testing and processing, renewable energy, research 

and development, support services, and vertical launch 

and landing. The announcement is part of Kennedy’s 

multiuser spaceport objectives and is based on 

effectively using land suitable for new development. 

This notice is open through June 1, 2024. Interested 

parties can respond anytime during the open period.

KSC MASTER PLAN 

Kennedy’s updated Master Plan will build off the center’s 

2021 Future Development Concept that identified projects 

to support the immediate success of NASA programs 

while enabling the agency’s long-term future missions. 

While the concept consists of larger-scale strategies to 

support NASA and commercial partner operations over 

the next 20 years, the updated Master Plan will provide 

a more detailed regulatory framework that can serve 

as a blueprint to continue the center’s evolution as 

Earth’s premier spaceport. Area Development Plans are 

currently being created for the Vehicle Assembly Building, 

Exploration Launch, and Central Campus/Processing 

Districts. The Master Plan update is expected to be 

complete in December 2024.

SMALL CLASS LAUNCH 

VEHICLE OPERATIONS

In support of the expanding small-class launch 

vehicle industry, Kennedy Space Center released a 

Request For Information (RFI) for Launch Complex 

48 to identify potential launch site operators and 

launch vehicle providers interested in using this 

capability. Results from the RFI will be used to 

develop the long-term strategy for small class 

vehicle launch processing operations.

98 ACTIVE PARTNERS 

243 AGREEMENTS AND COUNTING
14 15

COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM

SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts pause 

for a photograph after arriving at 

Kennedy Space Center’s Launch 

and Landing Facility in Florida 

on Feb. 21, 2023. From left are 

Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey 

Fedyaev, UAE (United Arab Emirates) 

astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and NASA 

astronauts Warren “Woody” Hoburg 

and Stephen Bowen. Photo Credit: 

NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 crew in 

training at SpaceX in Hawthorne, 

California, before their mission to the 

International Space Station. Photo 

Credit: SpaceX

Fiscal year 2023 saw the successful continuation of NASA’s Commercial Crew 

Program (CCP) delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective human space transportation to 

and from the International Space Station from America's premier spaceport. 

With its Boeing and SpaceX commercial partners, NASA completed three longduration crew missions and continued preparations for a crewed flight test that anchors 

the program’s commitment to maximize station utilization and supports the agency as 

it prepares for a human presence on the Moon and beyond, leveraging the station as a 

critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration 

spaceflight. 

CCP will continue to manage the Commercial Crew Transportation Capabilities 

(CCtCap) contracts, including providing technical oversight and managing modifications 

and upgrades to both crew transportation systems and potentially certifying new launch 

vehicles or spacecraft to other low Earth orbit destinations in the future.

SpaceX maintained a steady cadence of crewed missions to the space station and 

achieved several firsts. At the end of the fiscal year, the company had launched seven 

crewed rotational missions for NASA and continued to see more reused components on 

Dragon certified by Commercial Crew. 

Launching on Oct. 5, 2022, Crew-5 became the first flight to carry a Roscosmos 

cosmonaut for CCP and led to NASA astronaut Nicole Mann becoming the first Native 

American woman to fly to space. Mann also was the first female commander of a 

commercial crew mission. After spending 170 days in space, Crew-4 – the first to fly 

on a fourth-flight booster – undocked from the space station and splashed down off the 

coast of Jacksonville, Florida on Oct. 14.

Another first for CCP was the launch of an UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut 

on Crew-6, bringing the total number of international partners launched on a SpaceX 

crewed flight to four, among JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), ESA (European 

Space Agency), Roscosmos, and UAE. 

Launched on March 2, 2023, Crew-6 was the fourth flight for SpaceX’s Endeavour 

spacecraft – previously supporting the Demo-2, Crew-2, and Axiom Mission-1 flights 

to and from the space station. After a brief handover with the Crew-6 crew, Crew-5 

undocked from the space station and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast 

of Tampa, Florida on March 11, bringing an end to their 157 days in space.

The Crew-7 launch on Aug. 26, 2023, marked the first commercial crew flight 

with three international partners, and it was the first time a non-NASA astronaut piloted 

a flight for CCP. The crew launched to the space station in SpaceX’s Dragon Endurance 

spacecraft, which previously supported the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions. Crew-7 also 

was the first commercial crew flight to have a Falcon 9 booster return to Landing Zone 

1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) for recovery – a change in recovery 

procedures following the Axiom Mission-2 launch.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is 

launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station 

with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace 

Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut 

Anna Kikina onboard, Oct. 5, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 is 

photographed inside the crew 

suit-up room in the Neil A. 

Armstrong Operations and 

Checkout Building at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida 

ahead of the agency’s SpaceX 

Crew-5 launch on Oct. 5, 2022. 

Photo Credit: NASA/ Kim Shiflett

CREW-5

CREW-6

CREW-7
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with 

the company's Dragon spacecraft 

on top is seen at sunset on the 

launch pad at Launch Complex 

39A as preparations continue for 

the Crew-6 mission at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

16

SpaceX inaugurated operations from its firing room at Hangar 

X during Crew-7, a first for a commercial partner in this era of joint 

spaceflight operations. Located on Kennedy Space Center property 

and designed to control launches from both Launch Complex 39A 

and Space Launch Complex 40 on CCSFS, Hangar X is meant to see 

more activities with each mission.

NASA and Boeing teams continue preparations for Starliner’s first 

crewed flight. The crew for Boeing’s Crew Flight Test (CFT) completed 

various training milestones in fall 2022 and spring 2023, including 

a full start-to-finish integrated mission dress rehearsal in Boeing’s 

avionics and software integration lab. Teams also completed a ground 

test of the parachute system and conducted successful software test 

runs that simulated the Starliner’s manual back up mode in missionlike environments. 

The Starliner team expects to have the CFT spacecraft ready in 

March 2024, pending resolution of technical issues identified during 

the agency’s certification process to guarantee the system meets 

crew safety requirements. In parallel, joint NASA and Boeing teams 

continue working on the Starliner-1 vehicle to ensure the spacecraft 

is ready for a post-certification flight following the completion and 

review of data from CFT.

CCP’s Suborbital Crew (SubC) office continues its work to enable 

NASA researchers and hardware developers to fly aboard commercial 

suborbital spaceflights. Team members from across the agency are 

participating in the safety case assessment of potential partners 

Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. In parallel, SubC is working with 

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate to select potential human-tended 

suborbital payloads. This work, expected to be completed next fiscal 

year, will provide researchers and hardware developers a steppingstone 

to one day conduct research on the space station. 

Bottom: Boeing's CST-100 Starliner crew ship approaches the 

International Space Station on the company's Orbital Flight Test-2 

mission before automatically docking to the Harmony module's 

forward port. Photo Credit: NASA

Middle: From left, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Suni Williams, and 

Barry “Butch” Wilmore, Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) backup spacecraft 

test pilot, pilot, and commander, respectively, exit the Astronaut Crew 

Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a crew 

validation test on Oct. 18, 2022. Photo Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Top: Inside the SpaceX horizontal processing facility at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with 

Dragon spacecraft Endeavour attached are ready for rollout to Launch 

Complex 39A on Feb. 22, 2023, for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission. 

Photo Credit: SpaceX
18 19

LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM

NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP), based at Kennedy Space Center 

in Florida, unites scientific and robotic spacecraft customers’ needs with the 

appropriate rocket, managing the process to ensure the spacecraft is placed in 

orbit around the Earth or powered to destinations throughout the solar system. 

LSP works closely with established launch providers and fosters emerging 

providers to ensure NASA has the appropriate mix of launch capabilities that can 

support any agency payload. 

LSP serves in a consulting role for many other important programs, 

providing advisory expertise to NASA’s Artemis program, the Human Landing 

System, HALO (habitation and logistics outpost) and the Power and Propulsion 

Element, Commercial Crew Program missions and Commercial Resupply Services 

(CRS) missions in support of the International Space Station.

In fiscal year 2023, LSP supported two primary missions, coordinated the 

launch of 12 CubeSats, and certified another rocket for NASA launches.

On Nov. 10, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Joint 

Polar Satellite System-2 and NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable 

Decelerator lifted off from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Space Force 

Base on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket. This launch marked the 

100th primary mission for the Launch Services Program.

On Nov. 26, four CubeSats selected by the agency’s CSLI (CubeSat Launch 

Initiative) launched on NASA SpaceX’s 26th Commercial Resupply Services 

mission to the International Space Station as ELaNa (Educational Launch of 

Nanosatellites) 49. The CubeSats were petitSat, developed by NASA’s Goddard 

Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; SPORT (Scintillation Prediction 

Observations Research Task), developed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight 

Center in Huntsville, Alabama; MARIO (Measurement of Actuator Response In 

Orbit), from the University of Michigan; and Thomas Jefferson High School for 

Science and Technology’s TJREVERB (Thomas Jefferson Research and Education 

Vehicle for Evaluating Radio Broadcasts).

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the Joint Polar Satellite System-2 

civilian polar-orbiting weather satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration and NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator 

lifts off from Space Launch Complex-3 on Nov. 10, 2022. Photo credit: United 

Launch Alliance

Technicians move the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Joint 

Polar Satellite System-2, stacked atop NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an 

Inflatable Decelerator secondary payload, into the first half of the United Launch 

Alliance Atlas V payload fairing inside the Astrotech Space Operations facility at 

Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Oct. 12, 2022. Photo credit: USSF 

30th Space Wing/Steve L. Ge

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket 

with the Surface Water 

and Ocean Topography 

spacecraft onboard is 

seen Dec. 14, 2022, as 

preparations for launch 

continue at Space Launch 

Complex 4E at Vandenberg 

Space Force Base in 

California. Photo credit: 

NASA/Keegan Barber

After two and a half years of assessments and analysis, LSP completed 

certification of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy as a Category 3 rocket, determining it to 

be a low-risk vehicle for NASA missions. The Falcon Heavy will use three core 

boosters to produce over five million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Falcon Heavy is a 

heavy class launch vehicle that expands performance capabilities in the LSP fleet. 

On Dec. 15, the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite 

launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base 

in California. This is the first satellite mission that will observe nearly all water 

on Earth’s surface. 

NASA selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the Sentinel-6B 

mission targeted to launch in 2025. Sentinel-6B will continue the long-term global 

sea level data record begun in 1992 by Topex/Poseidon followed by Jason 1, 2, 3, 

and Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich. The mission is a partnership between NASA, the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ESA (European Space Agency), 

and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites.

In February 2023, NASA selected Blue Origin LLC to provide launch services 

for the agency’s EscaPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics 

Explorers) mission under the VADR (Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and 

Inside the SpaceX facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, a crane 

lifts the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite onto the payload 

adapter on Dec. 5, 2022. Photo credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Steven Gerl
20

Above: The Falcon Heavy rocket that will launch NASA's Psyche mission in the hangar at Launch Complex 39A 

at Kennedy Space Center in Florida before it rolled out to the pad for a static fire test as part of preparations for 

the journey to a metal-rich asteroid. Photo credit: SpaceX

Technicians connected NASA’s Psyche spacecraft to 

the payload attach fitting inside the clean room at 

Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida 

on Sept. 20, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

A scene from the 

wet dress rehearsal 

for Rocket Lab’s 

Electron rocket at 

Launch Complex 1 in 

Māhia, New Zealand 

on April 28, 2023. 

NASA’s TROPICS 

(Time-Resolved 

Observations of 

Precipitation structure 

and storm Intensity 

with a Constellation of 

Smallsats) CubeSats 

are secured in the 

payload fairing. Photo 

credit: Rocket Lab, USA

Rideshare) contract. EscaPADE will launch on Blue 

Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral 

Space Force Station in late 2024. 

On March 15, NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative 

(CSLI) sent two CubeSats to the International Space 

Station on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-27 mission. Included 

in ELaNa 50 was ARKSAT-1 from the University 

of Arkansas, and LightCube from Arizona State 

University, Tempe, with cooperation from Vega Space 

Systems and Mexico’s CETYS Universidad. 

Transporter 7, a commercial dedicated rideshare 

flight, launched to space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 

rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base on April 

15. Aboard were CSLI’s ELaNa 40 and ELaNa 47 

missions: Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment, 

a CubeSat from the University of Colorado Boulder; 

and Low-Latitude Ionosphere/Thermosphere 

Enhancements in Density, which consisted of two 

CubeSats developed by The Aerospace Corporation, 

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, and 

the University of New Hampshire. 

NASA’s TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations 

of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a 

Constellation of Smallsats) mission is a constellation 

of four identical CubeSats designed to study tropical 

cyclones, some of the most powerful and destructive 

weather events on Earth. On May 8, the first pair of 

the CubeSats launched from M hia, New Zealand, 

on Rocket Lab’s “Rocket Like a Hurricane” Electron 

rocket. The final two CubeSats lifted off May 25 on 

Rocket Lab’s “Coming to A Storm Near You.” The 

mission will help scientists understand the factors 

driving tropical cyclone intensification and improve 

forecasting models. TROPICS marked the first VADR 

mission to launch. 

In June, the Psyche spacecraft team returned 

to Florida to begin final preparations for launch. 

Scheduled to launch in October 2023 on a SpaceX 

Falcon Heavy rocket, Psyche will study a unique 

metal asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and 

Jupiter. After escaping Earth’s gravity, the Psyche 

spacecraft will use solar electric propulsion to 

complete its six-year journey to asteroid Psyche. 

NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana gives remarks during the Day of 

Remembrance on Jan. 26, 2023, at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in 

Florida. The event honored the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger 

and Columbia, as well as other astronauts who lost their lives in the pursuit of 

spaceflight. 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Columbia tragedy.

Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Fiscal year 2023 brought the world together as audiences witnessed the 

uncrewed Artemis I launch of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and 

Orion spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center. After a 25.5-day-long journey 

around the Moon, the spacecraft returned to Earth, where recovery teams from 

Exploration Ground Systems, alongside members of the Defense Department, 

retrieved Orion from the Pacific Ocean and safely returned it to Kennedy. 

In the spring, Guinness World Records named the crawler-transporter 2, the 

vehicle that carries the Artemis Moon rockets to the launch pad, as the recordholder for the heaviest self-powered vehicle. This summer, the crawler carried 

mobile launcher 1, the structure used to assemble and launch SLS, to Launch 

Pad 39B for a series of tests ahead of the Artemis II mission. 

Following the Artemis I launch, mobile launcher 1 returned to its park site 

location, where it underwent repairs, upgrades, and 

modifications to prepare for crewed Artemis missions. 

Teams also tested the crew access arm, the entry and 

exit point on the mobile launcher astronauts use to 

access the spacecraft. 

In late summer, the mobile launcher returned to 

the launch pad to ensure its systems were certified to 

support crewed missions. This included the addition of 

the emergency egress life safety system. The system 

provides astronauts and closeout crews the ability to 

safely exit the mobile launcher or Orion in the unlikely 

event of an emergency during launch countdown. If 

astronauts and pad personnel need to evacuate, they 

will proceed to the emergency egress baskets, which 

are suspended from a catenary system, and travel 

down to emergency vehicles located at the base of the 

launch pad. The baskets, similar to gondola cars at ski 

lifts, will be installed on the mobile launcher and tested 

by the end of 2023. 

Teams also continue making modifications to 

the existing pad infrastructure to ensure it’s ready to 

support crewed missions. Over the summer, the pad 

portion of the crew emergency escape system was 

completed ahead of testing with the mobile launcher in 

the fall. Additional work at the pad includes completion 

of the new liquid hydrogen tank, which will allow less 

time between launch attempts. Teams plan to test 

the new tank near the end of 2023. Teams also are 

upgrading the environmental control system, which 

provides air supply, thermal control, and pressurization 

to SLS and Orion, and will test the upgraded system 

during the ground system’s testing. 

NASA received a new fleet of environmentally 

friendly crew transportation vehicles for the Artemis 

ARTEMIS

NASA’s Space Launch System 

rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft 

launches on the Artemis I flight test, 

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from 

Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls 

Guinness World Records officially designated NASA’s Crawler 

Transporter 2 as the heaviest self-powered vehicle, weighing 

approximately 6.65 million pounds, during a March 29, 2023, 

ceremony at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 

Photo credit: NASA/Isaac Watson 

Teams with Exploration Ground Systems at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida 

continue to work the upgrades and repairs on mobile launcher 1 and Launch Pad 

39B on June 13, 2023, ahead of the first critical ground testing for Artemis II. 

Construction is nearly complete on the additional 1.4-million-gallon liquid hydrogen 

sphere used for propellant loading. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

After splashing down at 12:40 p.m. EST on Dec. 11, 2022, U.S. Navy 

divers help recover the Orion Spacecraft for the Artemis I mission. 

Photo credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel
24 25

Teams with Bechtel National, Inc. begin constructing Mobile Launcher 2 for NASA's future 

Artemis missions starting with Artemis IV in August 2023 at the agency's Kennedy Space 

Center in Florida. Mobile Launcher 2 will serve as the launch and integration platform for 

the more powerful SLS Block 1B version, which introduces the exploration upper stage. 

Photo credit: Bechtel

astronauts, delivered this summer. The vehicles are customized 

to accommodate unique specifications, and a creative team 

that included the Artemis launch director and representatives 

from NASA’s Astronaut Office chose many aspects of the design 

– from the interior and exterior markings to the color of the 

vehicles to the wheel wells. 

The launch team also is preparing for liftoff of Artemis II 

and have started conducting launch countdown simulations. The 

addition of astronauts adds extra steps to the nearly two-day 

countdown, including the addition of the “AstroComm” loop, 

which is the line the launch team will use to communicate with 

the crew when they’re inside Orion. 

In August, the Artemis II crew, NASA astronauts 

Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission 

Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency 

astronaut Jeremy Hansen, visited the Orion spacecraft that 

will take them on a 10-day journey around the Moon. Artemis 

II isn’t the only Orion spacecraft in assembly; processing the 

spacecraft for Artemis III and IV is also well underway. 

Also in August, teams started constructing Mobile 

Launcher 2, which will be used for missions starting with 

Artemis IV that will use a more powerful version of SLS – Block 

1B – that includes the exploration upper stage. 

Once Orion is on its return from the Moon, NASA’s 

Landing and Recovery team will be ready to retrieve the crew 

and the spacecraft after a safe splashdown in the Pacific 

Ocean, as practiced during the successful completion of the 

first recovery test for the crewed Artemis II mission.

Throughout the rest of FY23, the team will continue 

receiving the rocket hardware needed for Artemis II and beyond. 

Once all the components of the Artemis Moon rocket are at 

Kennedy, engineers and technicians will begin integrating the 

rocket and spacecraft for the Artemis II mission. 

Top: With the Vehicle Assembly Building in the background, the 

three specially designed, fully electric, environmentally friendly 

crew transportation vehicles for Artemis missions arrived at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 11, 2023. 

Photo credit: NASA/Isaac Watson 

Middle: Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA Artemis launch 

director, leads the first launch simulation for the Artemis II 

mission inside Firing Room at the Launch Control Center at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 20, 2023. 

Photo credit: Kim Shiflett 

Bottom: Artemis II crew members, shown inside the Neil 

Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy 

Space Center in Florida, check out their Orion crew module on 

Aug. 8, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett 

Above: The Orion spacecraft for NASA’s crewed Artemis II (right), Artemis III (left), and Artemis IV (center) missions are stationed next to each other inside the high bay of 

the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 22, 2023. Each capsule is in a different stage of production as 

technicians and engineers prepare the spacecraft to carry astronauts to and around the Moon on their upcoming flights. Photo credit: NASA/Marie Reed 
Naval helicopter pilots from Helicopter 

Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 

“Wildcards” fly over the Orion Crew 

Module Test Article (CMTA) with 

American flags after completing 

flight operations during an Artemis 

II mission simulation during NASA’s 

Underway Recovery Test 10 (URT-10) 

off the coast of San Diego. Photo 

credit: NASA/Kenny Allen 
28 29

DEEP SPACE LOGISTICS

The Gateway Program based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 

Houston, Texas, is building a small, human-tended space station orbiting 

the Moon that will provide extensive capabilities to support NASA’s Artemis 

campaign. Built with international and commercial partnerships, Gateway’s 

capabilities for supporting sustained exploration and research in deep 

space include docking ports for a variety of visiting spacecraft, space 

for crew to live and work, and onboard science investigations to study 

heliophysics, human health, and life sciences, among other areas. Gateway 

will be a critical platform for developing technology and capabilities to 

support Moon and Mars exploration in the coming years.

Deep Space Logistics (DSL) is the Kennedy Space Center’s focal point 

for all Gateway activities that include leading the commercial supply chain 

in deep space by procuring services for transporting cargo, equipment, and 

consumables to enable exploration and scientific discoveries of the Moon 

and Mars. 

The project oversees requirements definition and decomposition in 

preparation for DSL’s first mission; modeling and analysis to successfully 

enable Gateway and DSL spacecraft integration; concept development 

to prepare for the expansion of our science and technology customer 

base; and fostering new technologies that drive efficiencies and improve 

operational optimization for deep space cargo shipments.

DSL’s work also encompasses collaborating with NASA’s international 

partners — the Canadian Space Agency on the delivery of the Gateway 

External Robotic System, as well as with the Japan Aerospace Exploration 

Agency on investigating enhancements to its HTV-X 

cargo resupply spacecraft for use in the Gateway 

architecture. 

The team also engages extensively with academia, 

private industry, and small business via NASA’s 

innovation research grant program, in conjunction with 

STEM outreach, to help solve next-generation deep 

space logistics challenges, support lunar research, and 

inspire the next generation of space scientists, engineers, 

and explorers. 

Right: DSL's women engineers during social 

media filing in support of International Women 

in Engineering Day Photo credit: NASA

Jenny Lyons, DSL’s deputy manager, giving the keynote at the Society of Women 

Engineers Space Coast annual awards dinner. Photo credit: Society of Women Engineers 

Left: DSL reaches across 

the Agency to support other 

Artemis programs in a variety 

of roles, such as analysis and 

testing. Photo credit: NASA

Right: DSL in discussions with 

a Small Business Innovation 

Research grant awardee 

regarding 3D printing to 

develop future technologies to 

improve supplies fabrication 

and sustainability in deep 

space. Photo credit: NASA

Artist illustration 

of Gateway, 

including the 

logistics module 

at lower left.
30 31

EXPLORATION RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

The EDS technology will play a key role in mitigating dust by removing it 

from spacecraft and equipment used in space exploration.

2023 marked the 10th anniversary of Swamp Works – a space 

devoted to innovation and collaboration across Kennedy’s research 

facilities. Swamp Works includes areas such as granular mechanics 

and regolith operations; electrostatics and surface physics; robotics 

integration, checkout, and assembly; and advanced manufacturing. The 

technologies being developed at Swamp Works, as well as other labs 

across ER&T, are a major part of NASA’s exploration objectives. 

As part of NASA’s mission to engage, educate, and inspire the 

public, ER&T provided 40 interns from 26 colleges, universities, and 

institutes with meaningful, hands-on experiences spanning multiple areas 

of research, such as in-situ resource utilization and space crop growth. 

As a result of the innovative research conducted under ER&T, 

56 new technology reports were submitted, three provisional and two 

nonprovisional patent applications were filed, and one nonprovisional 

patent was issued this fiscal year. Overall, Kennedy’s research and 

technology efforts span 10 states through a variety of mechanisms, 

including licenses, Space Act Agreements, grants, and Small Business 

Innovative Research/Small Business Technology Transfer contracts.

The technological advancements enabled by the ER&T team at 

Kennedy will help provide the capabilities needed for living on and 

exploring the surfaces of the Moon, and one day, Mars. 

Above: Technicians prepare the Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar 

Operations (MSOLO) for NASA’s Volatile Investigating Polar Exploration 

Rover (VIPER) mission for packing inside a laboratory in the Space Station 

Processing Facility on Feb. 21, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Left: Scientists package up part of NASA’s Biological Experiment-1 

(BioExpt-1) for official handover to the Orion team for Artemis I inside 

the Space Station Processing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space 

Center in Florida. BioExpt-1 is a space biology pathfinder, which will 

carry plant seeds, algae, yeast, and fungi science payloads for biology 

research beyond low-Earth orbit aboard the Orion capsule on the 

Artemis I mission. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

Throughout fiscal year 2023, Kennedy’s Exploration Research and 

Technology (ER&T) Programs provided the International Space Station with ground 

operations, logistics, and maintenance support. The team also continued pushing 

the boundaries of research and technology development, working with a wide 

array of customers and stakeholders across NASA and industry to help meet the 

agency’s needs. In addition, the team supported various Moon to Mars activities.

Several activities took place in the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF). 

Ground processing crews prepared payloads bound for the orbiting laboratory 

for three commercial resupply missions, ranging from air in the Nitrogen Oxygen 

Recharge System and spare parts for the space station with orbital replacement 

units, to various experiments. The team assisted with the quick return of science 

from the orbital outpost, allowing researchers using the SSPF labs to analyze 

data quickly with minimal loss of microgravity effects. Additionally, ER&T worked 

closely with the Space Launch System team, using the SSPF to simultaneously 

manufacture multiple elements in preparation for future Artemis missions. 

ER&T teams also led the task to deliver a Multipurpose Logistics Module 

(MPLM) to Axiom Space to be utilized for further commercialization of space. This 

activity cleared the way for Northrop Grumman to enter into an agreement with the 

International Space Station program to process the company’s 20th, 21st, and 22nd 

commercial resupply missions in the SSPF, targeted to launch starting in late 2023.

Additionally, the team worked on multiple biological research projects 

during ground operations and aboard the space station. In the spring, the Veg-05 

experiment – a project to grow Red Robin tomatoes in the Vegetable Production 

System (Veggie) – concluded. The goal was to study crop growth, nutrient 

composition, microbial food safety, flavor, and psychological benefits for the crew 

aboard station while examining how light quality affects these key factors. This 

experiment marked the first time NASA hardware was used to grow multiple 

tomato plants in space. 

The ER&T team prepared and delivered the Biological Experiment-01 

(BioExpt-01) payload for the Artemis I mission. The BioExpt-01 payload included 

four science experiments designed to assess radiation effects on a variety of 

organisms (plant seeds, algae, fungi, and yeast). Researchers then conducted 

ground controls to compare the Earth-based studies to those performed in 

space to learn how NASA can help protect crew health and develop nutritious, 

sustainable crops for deep-space missions.

Teams also were busy preparing for upcoming lunar missions. 

Researchers finished testing two Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar 

Operations units destined to launch on NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar 

Exploration Rover and Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 missions. 

Another team prepared two Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS) instruments. 

To celebrate its 10-year anniversary, the Swamp Works team poses for a group photograph inside the Granular Mechanics and 

Regolith Operations Laboratory at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 21, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
32

Plaques bearing the names of this year’s 

Chroniclers honorees, Robert E. Granath, Red 

Huber, and Mark Kramer, are in view in the 

far right panel, during a ceremony on May 1, 

2023 at the NASA News Center at the agency’s 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Inside of the 

Electrostatics and 

Surface Physics 

Laboratory, an 

electrodynamic dust 

shield (EDS) is in view 

on Jan. 18, 2023. 

The dust shield is one 

of the payloads that 

will fly aboard Firefly 

Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 

lunar lander as part of 

NASA’s Commercial 

Lunar Payload Services 

(CLPS) initiative. Photo 

credit: NASA/Cory Huston

The Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System team from Kennedy Space Center 

perform final inspections on the flight tanks at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility 

in Virginia in preparation to turn over to Northrop Grumman. Photo credit: 

NASA/Jessica Langley

Pictured are Red Robin tomato plants growing in the International Space Station’s 

Vegetable Production System, known as Veggie, as part of the VEG-05 investigation on 

Feb. 5, 2023. The experiment returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply 

spacecraft on April 15. Photo credit: NASA
34 35

ENGINEERING

Support teams work around 

the SpaceX Crew Dragon 

Freedom spacecraft shortly 

after it landed with NASA 

astronauts Kjell Lindgren, 

Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, 

and ESA (European Space 

Agency) astronaut Samantha 

Cristoforetti aboard in the 

Atlantic Ocean off the coast of 

Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, 

Oct. 14, 2022. Photo credit: 

NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Starliner team works to finalize the mate of the crew module and new service 

module for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Photo credit: Boeing/John Grant

Artemis I launch team members are at their consoles in Launch Control Center 

Firing Room 1 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during countdown and 

liftoff of the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft from Launch 

Complex 39B on Nov. 16, 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Below: NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission was successfully recovered 

inside the well deck of the USS Portland on Dec. 11, 2022, off the coast of Baja 

California. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Launch Services Program 

Engineers successfully supported the launch of scientific 

and technological missions from Vandenberg Space Force Base, 

including NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) mission 

with the LOFTID (Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable 

Decelerator) secondary payload on the final United Launch Alliance 

Atlas V to launch from Vandenberg and NASA’s SWOT (Surface 

Water and Ocean Topography) mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9. 

Engineering played a critical role in troubleshooting and resolving 

time-critical issues leading to the successful launch of both 

missions.

Commercial Crew Program 

Kennedy engineers supported operations for NASA’s SpaceX 

Crew-4 landing, Crew-5 launch and landing, Crew-6 launch and 

landing, and Crew-7 launch. Additionally, engineering teams 

are supporting Boeing’s upcoming Crewed Flight Test mission. 

Engineering also had the opportunity to observe and participate in 

the SpaceX Axiom-2 private astronaut mission. Multi-center working 

opportunities enable Kennedy engineers to successfully evaluate 

the flight worthiness of future suborbital launch vehicle prospects 

to determine how these vehicles will best support the Commercial 

Crew Program and potentially take NASA to future commercial low 

Earth orbit destinations.

Artemis 

The Engineering team certified all ground systems of the 

Artemis I mission required to process, operate, and launch NASA’s 

Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, as well as flight 

processing operations on both vehicles through launch countdown 

in the firing rooms and remotely. The Engineering launch team 

achieved 85 subsystem certifications and provided 12 launch 

system specialists on console to ensure the success of the final 

A crane lifts NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Joint Polar 

Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) satellite for transfer to an Aronson Table for processing inside the 

Astrotech Space Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Aug. 22, 

2022. Photo credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Steven Gerl

NASA Engineering at Kennedy Space Center provides engineering excellence in the design, development, and operations of launch 

vehicles, spacecraft, payloads, ground systems, and facilities. The team contributes to the Artemis missions through Exploration Ground 

Systems, Human Landing Systems, and Gateway Deep Space Logistics. Engineers are embedded in the Commercial Crew Program, Launch 

Services Program, and Exploration Research and Technology programs. Additionally, the team supports the International Space Station, as 

well as Center Engineering, Safety, and Operations. In the next five years, Kennedy Engineering will provide critical engineering leadership and 

support to more than 100 major milestones, 75 launches, and 15 different launch vehicle fleets, ensuring NASA’s mission success.
36 37

launch countdown for Artemis I. Engineering also supported the landing, recovery, 

and subsequent de-servicing of the crew module at Kennedy. Engineers continue 

to support the post-Artemis I launch debris and damage assessment and design 

action teams to prioritize repairs and launch-harden ground systems to alleviate 

turnaround time among Artemis II, Artemis III, and future missions while planning 

for forthcoming Artemis II mission stacking and integrated test efforts. Engineers 

are instrumental in the success of subsequent Artemis missions, mobile 

launcher 2, and the Block 1B mission configuration in support of the new crew 

configurations with NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture.

Laboratories, Development, and Testing 

The Engineering team contributed to the success of missions and projects 

spanning several agency programs and customers, as well as numerous external 

aerospace business partners. Engineers continued to certify Commercial Crew 

spacecraft and launch vehicles with a focus on reuse and provided 

critical production engineering and laboratory support. Additionally, 

engineers offered large-scale article testing, quick response failure 

analysis and troubleshooting, component qualification, and hardware/

software fabrication and development. Multi-disciplinary engineering 

expertise was provided during the Artemis I launch campaign and 

continued through post-flight image analysis and post-landing 

hardware inspections. Engineers continue to play a critical role in 

providing support to the International Space Station for the ground 

processing of cargo, payloads, and orbital replacement units.

Spaceport Support

The Construction of Facilities (COF) continues modernizing 

and enhancing the nation’s premier spaceport. In coordination 

with the Florida Department of Transportation and Space 

Florida, it completed the first of two bridge spans replacing 

the 60-year-old NASA Causeway drawbridge over the Indian 

River. Additionally, the team completed projects to construct 

the emergency egress life safety system at Launch Complex 

39B, modernize and upgrade the Converter Compressor Facility, 

and upgrade the Rotation, Processing, and Surge Facility’s fire 

protection systems. Kennedy continues repairing hurricanedamaged facilities, utilities, and shorelines caused by hurricanes 

Matthew, Ian, and Nicole. The team completed a centerwide water and wastewater 

upgrade project and began the replacement of the 1964 power system in the 

south wing of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. 

Human Landing System Program

Engineering provided insight into Human Landing System activities for 

SpaceX and Blue Origin/Lockheed Martin on behalf of the Lander Ground 

Operations Office. For SpaceX, the focus was on design, fabrication, and 

operations leading up to the first Orbital Flight Test (OFT-1) of Starship at Boca 

Chica, Texas in April 2023. The design modifications and re-construction of the 

Starbase pad following the flight test will directly apply to Kennedy’s Launch 

Complex 39A and surrounding infrastructure. For Blue Origin/Lockheed Martin, 

support ensured all contract deliverables technically met the contract. 

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility high 

bay at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 

technicians assist as a crane lowers a set of 

International Space Station Roll Out Solar Arrays 

(iROSA) onto a platform on March 23, 2023. 

Photo credit: NASA/Isaac Watson

A view from inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy 

Space Center in Florida on Dec. 9, 2022, as the mobile launcher, 

carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, arrives at the entrance to the 

transfer aisle, following the successful launch of the agency’s Space 

Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I 

flight test on Nov. 16, 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Inset image: A ribbon-cutting ceremony on 

the upgraded eastbound span of the Indian 

River Bridge is held on June 9, 2023, near 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Photo credit: NASA/John Smegelsky

Background image: In view is the upgraded 

eastbound span of the Indian River Bridge 

leading to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in 

Florida. Photo credit: NASA/John Smegelsky

Teams with Exploration Ground Systems at 

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida make 

upgrades and repairs on mobile launcher 1 

and Launch Pad 39B on June 13, 2023, 

ahead of the first critical ground 

testing for Artemis II. Photo credit: 

NASA/John Smegelsky
38 39

SPACEPORT INTEGRATION & SERVICES

The Heartbeat of Kennedy Space Center

Spaceport Integration and Services (SI) supports all government and 

Federal Aviation Administration-licensed launches from Kennedy Space Center 

and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. 

67 launches and 51 other major events, including static fire tests and wet 

dress rehearsals, occurred during fiscal year 2023. The Emergency Operations 

Center activated 90 times to support launch operations in FY 2023. 

SI also manages multiple large contracts to support the spaceport’s various 

missions, including a facilities operations and maintenance contract, and a 

medical, occupational health, industrial hygiene, and environmental services 

contract. In addition, SI oversees contracts for Kennedy’s propellants, gas 

distribution systems, and life support systems, as well as contracts to supply 

commodities vital to the success of Kennedy’s missions.

Other contracts run by SI at Kennedy include construction and design, 

custodial services, mail, recycling, roads and grounds, trash collection, and 

utilities. These contracts are key to ensuring the spaceport has the capacity and 

reliability to support all the needs of Kennedy’s mission partners, programs, and 

workforce.

In coordination with federal, state, and local government agencies, SI’s 

Medical and Environmental Services Division is responsible for environmental 

planning, permitting and compliance, remediation, and sustainability efforts 

within Kennedy, ensuring the health and safety of employees and visitors while 

protecting the wildlife and environment in and around the center. 

The following are some of SI’s most notable accomplishments during FY 2023.

Aerospace Medicine and Biomedical 

Team Awarded for Artemis Support

The Aerospace Medicine and Biomedical team received a 

Kennedy Space Center Silver Group Achievement Award in 2023 

for its preparation and support of the Artemis program as it took 

the first step in NASA’s plan to establish a permanent base on 

the Moon and send humans to Mars. Personnel were trained to 

handle various emergency scenarios that could have occurred 

during Artemis I’s successful launch in November 2022 and 

provided medical screening for Emergency Ground Systems 

personnel as well as support for all readiness reviews and wet 

dress rehearsals leading up to the launch.

Agreement Provides Faster Scrub Turnarounds for Artemis

The liquid hydrogen storage sphere at Launch Complex 39B contains only 

enough liquid hydrogen for a single Artemis launch attempt. If an Artemis 

launch is postponed or scrubbed for any reason, about 20% of the hydrogen 

will evaporate by the time it’s transferred back to the storage sphere from 

the SLS rocket. Logistical challenges prevent replenishing that much liquid 

hydrogen in a 24-hour period, so to ensure another launch attempt within 

48 hours of the initial scrub, NASA entered into an agreement with United 

Launch Alliance (ULA) to transfer liquid hydrogen from its storage tank at 

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to help make up for the 20% lost in the 

previous launch attempt. Future Artemis missions will not require this support 

from ULA once construction is complete for a second liquid hydrogen storage 

sphere (pictured) which can hold an additional 1.4 million gallons.

Expansion of Launch Complex 39A and Roberts Road

SpaceX looks to streamline its launch schedule by consolidating its operations at Kennedy, including 

a new launch site within the perimeter of Launch Complex 39A and an expansion of its Roberts 

Road manufacturing site. NASA has completed a Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the 

proposed Roberts Road Campus Expansion proposal, with the results released for public review 

and comment as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. The process enables interested 

persons and organizations to provide input on potentially affected resources, environmental issues, 

and the agency’s planned approach to the environmental analysis process.

Rainbirds Dampen Artemis’ 

Sound and Fury

Future Artemis missions will lift off on a mobile launcher outfitted with new 

safety features to protect the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from 

the intense sound and heat energy generated during launch. The Ignition 

Overpressure Protection and Sound Suppression systems on mobile 

launchers 1 and 2 now have next generation “rainbird” deck spray nozzles 

to optimize system performance.

The water flow from these “Rainbirds” protect our mobile launchers 

from the sound and heat generated during Artemis launches. Photo 

credit: NASA/Bill Chardavoyne

This sign marks the entrance to SpaceX’s Roberts Road location off State Road 3 at Kennedy 

Space Center. The company is undergoing a required federal environmental review for its 

request to extend the road and increase its facility size. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

This storage sphere 

near Launch Complex 

39B can hold up to 1.4 

million gallons of liquid 

hydrogen, a chemical 

used during Artemis 

launches to propel the 

Space Launch System 

rocket from Kennedy 

Space Center into space. 

Photo credit: NASA/Kim 

Shiflett

First responders and members of Kennedy’s Aerospace Medicine and Biomedical 

team train for emergency scenarios ahead of Artemis I’s successful launch in 

November 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Phillip Scarpa

Kennedy Patrol Helicopters 

Show Their Worth

In March 2020, the spaceport’s Flight Operations Group began 

training with Airbus EC-135 helicopters that replaced its aging fleet 

of UH-1 Huey helicopters. Besides improvements in speed, flight 

range, and image/video capture, these helicopters provide greater 

flexibility and enhanced capabilities for patrolling the spaceport 

and its more than 140,000 acres. The EC-135's are more than a 

security tool, though. With appropriate approvals, they were utilized 

for cargo and crew mission recovery efforts, as demonstrated during 

Crew-5’s splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico last March, and the 

asteroid Bennu samples gathered in Utah last September at the 

conclusion of the OSIRIS-REx mission.

Three Airbus EC-135 helicopters touch down at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. These new helicopters provide 

technological and safety advantages over the Hueys they replaced, including more lifting power, greater aerial stability and expanded medical 

capabilities. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
40 41

Indian River Lagoon Seagrass 

Restoration Project

Once home to the densest region of seagrass in the 

Indian River Lagoon system, Kennedy has recently 

become the focus of a pilot project for seagrass 

restoration efforts. Due to a series of algae blooms, 

the grass has been greatly reduced. This pilot is 

expected to aid in the recovery of seagrass, which 

provides a food source for manatees, turtles, and other 

herbivores. Seagrass also improves water quality and 

gives small fish a hiding place from predators.

Kennedy Saves Green While Going Green

To create greater energy efficiency and reduce energy costs across Kennedy, 

over 30,000 lights across the spaceport are being replaced under the Phase 

1 Utility Energy Services Contract. The $21.9 million project bundles a diverse 

mix of conservation measures designed to provide energy savings, resilience, 

efficiency, and security to critical NASA missions. Street and parking 

lights are included in the lighting upgrades, as are fixtures inside Kennedy 

facilities, including the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. 

A 2-megawatt solar power plant, over 70 new transformers, and new boilers, 

chillers, mechanical controls, and water fixtures will also be installed, all of 

which are projected to save approximately $1.4 million annually in energy 

and maintenance costs. Separate from the Phase I project, an electric utility 

rate analysis was performed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 

through an intermediary agreement with the United States Department of 

Energy’s Office of Science. NASA assessed the benefits and risks of that 

analysis, leading to an estimated annual savings of $940,000.

New Helium Tankers Vital 

for Kennedy’s Launch Pace

The Propellants and Life Support Branch has 

acquired two new liquid helium tankers, which 

are now incorporated into the transportation 

fleet of the NASA helium contractor. Helium is 

primarily used as a pressurant and to purge gas 

during launches for all major launch providers, 

including NASA and its commercial partners. 

With launch numbers projected to increase 

rapidly in the future, the additional tankers will 

ensure the spaceport’s helium supply can keep 

up with the expected demand.

Office Spaces Reimagined for 

Better Workplace Collaboration

Kennedy Space Center is experimenting with new ways of using office 

space to take advantage of work strategies developed during the 

COVID-19 pandemic, including reworking an entire office area into 

a collaborative environment instead of using traditional cubicle and 

office concepts. Modified spaces include a project office area in the 

Space Station Processing Facility as well as a section of the Central 

Campus Headquarters cafeteria. Concepts such as hoteling and 

stand-alone collaboration furniture in open areas can make employee 

interactions more effective while using space more efficiently. 

A section of Kennedy’s Central Campus Headquarters cafeteria 

transformed into an employee collaboration area as part of the 

center’s new work strategy approach developed during COVID-19. 

Photo credit: NASA/Melissa Duffy

Additional helium tanker trucks like these will help Kennedy Space Center keep pace 

with the expected increase in launches from NASA and its commercial partners. 

Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Construction workers off-load new equipment for installation as 

part of Kennedy’s efforts to save money and create a more efficient, 

resilient and secure energy grid. Photo credit: NASA/Manuel Docurro

Members of the Florida 

Oceanographic Society 

prepare to plant seagrass in 

the Banana River at NASA’s 

Kennedy Space Center. 

Kennedy’s Environmental 

Management Branch is 

working to plant a minimum 

of 28,000 shoots of seagrass 

divided into 18 sites across 

three areas at the Florida 

spaceport as part of a 

pilot project for seagrass 

restoration efforts. Photo 

credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Go Live

Fifty-six additional electric vehicle charging stations have been installed by Florida 

Power & Light (FPL) at various parking lots near six Kennedy facilities, including 

the Central Campus Headquarters, the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout 

Building, and the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. Through an agreement made 

under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, FPL will operate and 

maintain the charging stations for government vehicles, as well as privately-owned 

vehicles, with payments processed through the ChargePoint app. This partnership 

enhances Kennedy’s electric vehicle charging capability, allowing the spaceport to 

replace 19 gas-powered vehicles with electric models.

These electric vehicle charging stations at Kennedy’s Central Campus Headquarters 

enhance the spaceport’s electric vehicle charging capability while providing 

employees opportunity to pay for charge-ups of their personal vehicles while they 

work. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Kennedy’s Sustainability Roadmap 

Executive Order 14057 – released in December 2021 by President Joe Biden 

– aims to create a sustainable climate and environmental culture throughout 

the federal workforce. Among its goals are to reduce the federal government’s 

greenhouse gas emissions, incorporate environmental stewardship value, and 

build employees’ skills and knowledge through engagement, education, and 

training. At Kennedy, those goals are being met through a multi-faceted approach, 

which includes a sustainability speaker series, hands-on team building activities 

designed to protect our local environment, and various outreach campaigns that 

connect NASA’s mission to ways employees can reduce their carbon footprint.

Wildflowers called Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel) are in view in a field at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2023. The center shares a boundary 

with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Along with wildflowers, Kennedy and the wildlife refuge are home to more than 300 native and migratory bird 

species, 65 amphibian and reptile species, and more than 1,000 different types of plants. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
42 43

Wilson Corners Groundwater 

Treatment System Installed

Volatile organic compounds in the groundwater at Wilson Corners, near 

Kennedy Parkway North and Beach Road, are being treated with a new air 

sparge system that went fully operational in April 2023. The Remediation 

Group oversaw the system installation, which includes over 300 air sparge 

wells, along with well-head connections, conveyance piping, manifold 

distribution trailers, and an air compressor trailer. The system was 

installed to remediate a seven-acre area with affected groundwater.

Over 2,000 Tons of Contaminated 

Soil Removed

Kennedy Space Center continues its robust environmental 

remediation program, identifying and cleaning up 

environmental contamination from actions that occurred 

before their environmental harm was known. More than 

2,441 tons of soil affected with metals, polychlorinated 

biphenyls, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were 

removed in FY 2023. The program also is actively treating 

65 acres of affected groundwater.

New Waste Tanker Truck Keeps Kennedy Clean

The NASA Environmental and Medical Contract (NEMCON) has a new vacuum 

tanker truck designed to enhance its waste management capabilities. The third 

addition to NEMCON’s tanker truck fleet is designed for light duty, efficiently 

picking up smaller volumes of waste while going into areas that the larger tankers 

cannot access. During a typical year at Kennedy, NEMCON gathers over 250,000 

gallons of industrial waste liquids for disposal, including over 6,000 gallons of 

used oil that is recycled or reused.

Tanker trucks like these help gather the over 250,000 gallons of industrial waste 

liquids generated during a typical year at Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: 

NASA/Edward L. Coyle

Cleanup crews use all kinds of equipment, including large 

construction machinery, to remove contaminated soils 

at Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: HydroGeoLogic/

Dustin Lupis

This air sparge system treats volatile organic compounds at Wilson 

Corners near Kennedy Parkway North and Beach Road. Photo credit: 

AECOM/Linnea King

KARS Park Mangrove Restoration Project

Shoreline resiliency and living shoreline projects are a key focus area for 

the spaceport. Due to damage caused by hurricanes and other storms, 

repairs were needed to approximately 3,500 feet of shoreline at the 

Kennedy Athletic, Recreation & Social (KARS) Park. Employees removed 

seedling mangroves from the damaged shoreline, placed them in pots, and 

put the pots in a watery area protected from wind, waves, and maintenance 

activities. Once the repairs are complete, those plants will be replanted on 

the same shoreline. This approach protects infrastructure, prevents erosion, 

and protects water quality in the Indian River Lagoon.

Launch Complex 34 Groundwater 

Treatment System Expansion

The hydraulic containment and air sparge system at historic 

Launch Complex 34 is now treating groundwater for volatile 

organic compounds over a larger area, thanks to infrastructure 

improvements completed in July 2023. Nearly 200 air sparge wells, 

well-head connections, conveyance piping, and manifold distribution 

trailers were installed over an eight-month stretch that began in 

October 2022, increasing the acreage treated from 26.8 to 38. 

As of September 29, 2023, the hydraulic containment system has 

effectively treated over 327 million gallons of groundwater and 

removed over 92,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds.

This building houses the hydraulic containment and air sparge 

system used for treating volatile organic compounds at historic 

Launch Complex 34. Photo credit: Tetra Tech/Dan Forester

Employees from Kennedy’s Environmental Management Branch removed 

over 100 mangrove seedlings from the shoreline and repotted them for 

protection during the final stages of a shoreline restoration project inside 

Kennedy Athletic, Recreation, and Social (KARS) Park. Photo credit: NASA/

Glenn Benson

Record Number of Sea Turtle Nests at Kennedy 

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral 

National Seashore biologists found over 13,000 sea turtle 

nests along Kennedy Space Center’s shoreline during the 

2023 nesting season, the most ever in a single year. That 

number includes over 8,500 green turtle nests (Chelonia 

mydas) and over 5,000 loggerhead nests (Caretta caretta) 

as well as 26 leatherback nests (Dermochelys coriacea) 

and 1 Kemp’s ridley nest (Lepidochelys kempii), the latter 

of which are one of the world’s most endangered sea 

turtle species. Kennedy’s nests usually make up 10% of 

all Florida sea turtle nests in any given year.

Baby sea turtles like these 

began their lives inside nests 

created by their mothers 

on Kennedy Space Center's 

beaches. Since 1983, more 

than 160,000 nests have 

been deposited along the 

Canaveral National Seashore, 

representing more than 16 

million eggs. Only 1 in 1,000 

baby sea turtles makes it to 

adulthood on average.
44 45

SAFETY AND MISSION ASSURANCE

safety, quality, and risk management for NASA's suborbital crew endeavors, 

defining pertinent approaches.

SMA conducted vital safety assessments and reviews for multiple 

partners seeking occupancy and operational activities within the Space 

Station Processing Facility. These partners included SLS for the core stage 

engine section, Northrop Grumman in support of Commercial Resupply 

missions, and Sierra Space for Dream Chaser processing. These reviews play 

a crucial role in establishing a safe environment for both personnel and the 

various programs and projects sharing the high bay space. In addition, the 

team supported the Human Landing System’s Safety Assessment Report to 

address integrated hazards between Orion and Starship for Artemis III. 

SMA focused their efforts on improving Multi-user Safety and 

Partnership Agreements. The team is clarifying which requirements and 

standards apply to contractors, partners, and civil servants. Improvements 

to partnership agreements include standardized hazard checklist and 

templated documents, mishap language, and guides for surveillance. 

The team collaborated with various stakeholders to clarify Kennedy's 

responsibilities for FAA-licensed launches and landings. New explosives 

safety initiatives resulted in the creation of site plans for the Launch Abort 

System Hangar, Solid Rocket Booster Rail Staging, and the propellant farm 

relocation. SMA worked to expand Kennedy's range safety capabilities, 

which includes enhancing the types and precision of analyses performed.

The persistent dedication and unwavering efforts of the Safety and Mission 

Assurance team have played a pivotal role in upholding the multifaceted nature of 

the spaceport. The core objective of SMA’s team remains steadfast: to enable safe 

and successful access to space, while pushing the boundaries and ensuring the 

safety of our workforce. 

Left: Technicians check the United Launch Alliance Atlas V payload fairing 

containing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 

Joint Polaar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) inside the Astrotech Space 

Operations facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) in California on 

Oct. 12, 2022. Photo credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Steve Gerlich This year stood out as a momentous one for NASA, Kennedy, and our SMA 

Directorate, marked by the completion of processing, successful launch, and safe 

landing of Artemis I. SMA played a crucial role in ensuring the mission's success.

SMA conducted over 50 technical assessments during launch vehicle 

processing, addressing topics including foreign object debris, noncompliant 

equipment, and contingency operations. The team performed in-depth fault 

tree and root-cause analyses for several high-profile anomalies, from which 

they developed troubleshooting and repair procedures and identified ground 

equipment for redesign such as the ground and flight umbilical connections. 

The quality assurance team performed 27,000 government mandatory critical 

inspections for Artemis I. 

During the Artemis I launch countdown, SMA provided expertise and risk 

assessment toward the repair of a ground valve during cryogenic loading, allowing 

repair operations by the “red crew” team. Without the successful ”red crew” 

operation, Artemis I could not have launched that day.

SMA played a vital role in the landing and recovery 

operations. The team helped develop the recovery 

procedures to ensure the safety of the team and the crew 

module, actively involved in all prelaunch training and 

testing of recovery operations with the U.S. Navy during 

the Underway Recovery Tests. 

Following the mission, SMA compiled and submitted 

lessons learned and continued to provide insight into 

design upgrades and construction activities of the 

spaceport’s launch systems and facilities, as Kennedy 

prepares for Artemis II.

SMA contributed to mission processing and 

launches of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography 

and Joint Polar Satellite System-2 missions. The team 

provided independent assessments of risks to mission 

success and ensured launch vehicle systems and integrated vehicles met NASA 

requirements. SMA also partnered with the U.S. Space Force to address ground 

safety compliance concerns shared among launch service providers to prevent 

redundant efforts and ensure a unified approach to resolving these issues. This 

joint initiative not only enhances the protection of personnel at Kennedy, but 

also reinforces mission assurance for NASA payloads before their launch with 

commercial providers.

SMA collaborated with the Commercial Crew Program to ensure the 

continued certification and operation of spacecraft and launch systems for 

crewed missions to the International Space Station. SMA's involvement 

encompassed SpaceX's Crew-4 landing, Crew-5 launch and landing, Crew-6 

launch and landing, and preparations for Boeing's Crew Flight Test mission. 

The activities ranged from monitoring spacecraft and launch vehicle production 

and refurbishment to evaluating hardware changes for potential effects on crew 

safety. The team identified measures to mitigate risks, conducted audits and 

assessments of commercial partners' adherence to standards, and enhanced 

surveillance strategies for flight hardware reuse. Additionally, the team assessed 

Safety is the cornerstone upon which NASA builds mission success. The Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directorate provides system safety 

and mission assurance, operations safety, institutional safety, and quality engineering and assurance leadership to Kennedy programs, projects, and the 

institution. The SMA team ensures Kennedy operations are performed in a safe manner and minimizes risk to the public, Kennedy personnel, hardware, 

and our facilities through the application of technical expertise and performance of risk assessments and fostering a strong safety and health culture.

SMA principles are interwoven into every facet of operations at our nation’s premier multi-user spaceport.

Members of the Artemis I launch team monitor data at the safety console inside 

Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy 

Space Center in Florida during a cryogenic propellant tanking demonstration on 

Sept. 21, 2022. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Below: NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission was successfully 

recovered inside the well deck of the USS Portland on Dec. 11, 2022 off the 

coast of Baja California. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
46 47

CENTER ENGAGEMENT & BUSINESS 

INTEGRATION SERVICES

Virtual Guest Operations 

The 12 Virtual Guest Program opportunities offered in FY 2023 

allowed members of the public to share virtually the excitement of NASA 

missions. Together these opportunities drew a total of 522,607 participants 

from around the world and granted access to curated mission-specific 

resources. Since its inception in 

May 2020, 1,061,591 people, 

representing all 50 U.S. states and 

173 countries, have registered for 

the program. More than 340,000 

people registered for the Artemis 

I virtual guest experience and 

enjoyed a custom virtual passport 

to commemorate the mission. In 

addition, the program’s invitation 

list grew 19%, furthering program 

exposure.

Media Attendance at Milestone Events

LAUNCHES

Date Mission Attending

Oct. 2022 NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 130

Nov. 2022 NASA's Artemis I 337

Nov. 2022 SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services 26 32

Nov. 2022 NOAA JPSS-2 – Vandenberg Space Force Base 25

Dec. 2022 NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) 25

March 2023 NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 61

March 2023 SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services 27 37

June 2023 SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services 28 38

Aug. 2023 NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 111

 MEDIA EVENTS 

Date Event Attending

Aug. 2023 Orion Media Day 51

Aug. 2023 Psyche Media Day 24

Office of Communication

Kennedy Space Center is sharing NASA’s story in many exciting, immersive 

ways. In fiscal year 2023, the team produced 10 live launch broadcasts, in 

addition to numerous press briefings and being part of the Artemis recovery 

broadcast. The most watched broadcast was the historic launch of Artemis I, 

which had a peak live viewership of about 1 million people around the world.

In addition to broadcasts, Kennedy interacts with the public by sharing 

feature stories, blog updates, and original content with more than 6.6 million 

followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. Kennedy also hosted eight 

NASA Social events, six in person and two virtually. The in-person NASA Socials 

received more than 3,000 applicants, with 350 influencers selected. The chosen 

digital content creators were treated to behind-the-scenes tours of Kennedy 

Space Center and spoke with many interesting space program employees. 

Overall, these influencers were able to generate content to both traditional and 

non-traditional NASA audiences, including a prime-time slot in NBC’s “Harlem 

Globetrotters: Play it Forward” TV series. Engagement Office

Guests at the Banana Creek viewing site watch the launch of NASA’s Space 

Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I flight test, 

Nov. 16, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: (NASA/

Keegan Barber)

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Nation

Date

Guest Operations 

Kennedy Space Center Guest Operations hosted more than 16,000 

guests, including 2,452 employee viewing guests, for the 10 launches that 

took place in Florida – including the Nov. 14 Artemis I launch attempt – and at 

Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Artemis II crew members, shown inside the 

Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout 

Building, stand in front of their Orion crew 

module on Aug. 8, 2023. This photo received 1 

million views on the social media platform X. 

Photo Credit: @NASAKennedy on X

NASA provided nearly five and a half hours of live coverage for the Artemis I 

launch, the agency’s uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket 

and Orion spacecraft for humanity’s return to the Moon.

NASA Social attendees pose for a picture with Snoopy at the Press Site 

countdown clock on Aug. 27, 2022. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber

NASA’s virtual passport program started in 2020 as a way for the 

public to commemorate its virtual engagement in NASA launches and 

milestones with the NASA Virtual Guest Program. Image credit: NASA
48 49

Outreach 

Kennedy’s Outreach programs directly engage the local community as well 

as NASA fans at conferences, sporting events, and other large gatherings. With 

an exposure of 617,037 and an impact of 87,006 in FY 2023, the Center Exhibits 

Program has once again proven its ability to captivate and engage NASA’s audiences. 

In FY 2022, our exposure stood at 346,000 and an impact of 34,885. The increase 

in both areas demonstrates the continuous evolution and expansion of the program's 

reach and influence and sets the stage for a successful FY 2024. 

To share the NASA story through digital media, the team manages Learn & 

Engage with NASA Studio (LENS), a studio offering services such as streaming, 

filming, editing, and creative development. LENS livestreamed 17 live and 12 hybrid 

events during the fiscal year, attracting 5,326 participants. Through its technical and 

on-air hosting support, the studio also played a key role in the success of the Artemis 

l Spanish broadcast, which drew over 370,000 viewers. 

NASA Kennedy’s Exploration Station Classroom is another effective outreach 

pathway. The classroom welcomed 5,076 youths representing 13 Florida counties, 

the United Kingdom, and Japan. The participants came from formal K-12 schools, 

homeschool groups, and informal groups. The classroom continues to be an access 

point for our local communities, and the team intends to continue services in FY24.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stands with 

NASA’s Artemis II crew in front of a model of the Orion Spacecraft. Rosenworcel and Julie 

Kearney, FCC appointed Chief of the Space Bureau (not pictured) visited Kennedy Space 

Center on August 8, 2023 to discuss policy matters.

Office of STEM Engagement 

• In fiscal year 2023, Kennedy hosted more than 108 OSTEM interns on-site, hybrid, and virtually. 

• NASA Days events reached 500-plus students at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and resulted in 14 student internships. Participating institutions 

and events included: Bethune-Cookman University, University of Central Florida, National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Week 

Conference, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Annual Convention, NSBE Regional Conference Virtual Career Fair, The Astronauts Memorial 

Foundation Career and Networking Event, and Women of Color Virtual Career Fair. 

• LUNABOTICS robotic mining competition engaged 601 students and faculty representing 49 teams from 26 states and Puerto Rico, with 24% of 

participating institutions being MSIs. 

• LUNABOTICS JUNIOR piloted four robotics-themed workshops with 87 underserved middle 

schoolers. Students completed a three-part mission using block coding to traverse robots 

across giant maps of the Moon’s south pole and push “blocks of ice” back to the Lunar 

outpost. This mission simulates future robotic Artemis missions like NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles 

Investigating Polar Exploration Rover), which will explore the Moon in search of ice and other 

potential resources. 

• NASA MINDS challenged 40 collegiate teams representing 14 states/territories to aid NASA in 

bridging technology gaps in support of future Artemis missions. 

• Next Gen STEM reached over 1,000 students through 10 Virtual Classroom Connections 

hosted across the country. One hundred twenty-three students came to Kennedy for two 

special events where they interviewed NASA experts, toured the Space Center, and wrote an 

article about their experience for the agency’s website. 

• Students to Launch hosted 48 underserved students from Texas for the launch of Artemis I, 

and another 48 students from a reservation in Montana for the launch of Crew-5. 

• Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ESPCoR) awarded $22.3 million in 

direct funding, including: 

✫ 16 research awards totaling $11.6M 

✫ 28 Rapid Infrastructure Development awards totaling $5.6M 

✫ 40 Rapid Response Research awards totaling $4M 

✫ 5 International Space Station Flight Opportunity awards totaling $500K 

✫ EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement totaling $600K

From left, University of Wisconsin, Madison team 

members Paul Lema, Elias Fox Baker, and team advisor 

and American Indian Science and Engineering Society 

Tribal Elder Bret Bennally Thompson are all smiles on 

their way to launch in April 2023 during the 14th First 

Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition at the 

Richard Bong State Recreational Area in Wisconsin. 

Photo credit: Steve Janiak/Wisconsin Space Grant 

Consortium 

Left: Children learn about the missions NASA has launched 

at Megacon Orlando. Photo credit: NASA

Center Events 

Completed 17 center events, including 12 in person, 8 hybrid, 

and one virtual, attended by 5,856 employees. An additional four online 

events generated 127,935 virtual participants. 

Astronauts often visit the center to thank the workforce for 

supporting their respective missions. Crew members from NASA’s SpaceX 

Crew-4 and Crew-5 missions were amongst the visitors this fiscal year. 

Employees attend “The Legacy of Sally Ride: The First American Woman 

in Space” event at KSC on June 15, 2023. Forty years ago, Ride made 

her trailblazing flight into space. A hero to millions, Ride was a steadfast 

advocate for inclusion in STEM (science, technology, engineering, 

mathematics) – especially for girls and young women. Photo credit: NASA

Chirag Parikh, at left, executive secretary of the National Space 

Council, and Johnathan Pellish, director of civil space policy for the 

National Space Council, attend discussions at the Spaceport Industry 

Summit on June 14, 2023, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

VIP Tours and Visits

Through the 369 VIP tours completed this fiscal year, over 7,882 guests were 

hosted at the center, including foreign delegations from Mexico, Canada, Israel, Poland, 

Japan, Denmark, Brazil, UAE, New Zealand, Ireland and Russia

Kennedy hosted influential personalities representing various space agencies and 

governmental bodies, including members of the White House, FAA, FCC, DoD and DoE 

underlining the center's significance in shaping the future of human spaceflight and 

international cooperation. 

Lt. Gen. Steven Nordhaus’ visit to Kennedy, on July 19, 2023, centered around 

the critical theme of human spaceflight recovery missions. This visit underscored the 

importance of the center’s expertise in managing complex missions and ensuring the 

safety of astronauts. Lt. Gen. Nordhaus' engagement highlights the center's vital role in 

advancing space travel capabilities and emergency response strategies.

In addition, Kennedy hosted Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel 

of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Julie 

Kearney, the appointed Chief of the Space Bureau. They discussed 

providing support for the Crew-7 launch and deliberations on 

policy matters. This meeting demonstrated the collaborative nature 

of space missions, with regulatory bodies like the FCC playing 

an integral role in ensuring successful communications and 

coordination during missions.

The global aspect of space exploration and cooperation was 

further accentuated by visits from the Minister for Higher Education 

and Science of Denmark and Deputy Chief of Mission, Ambassador 

Stig P. Piras from the Embassy of Denmark in the United States. 

These connections promote knowledge sharing, collaborative 

projects, and the pooling of resources, enhancing the capabilities 

and reach of all parties.
50 51

WORKPLACE OVERVIEW DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Kennedy Space Center is the nation’s premier, multiuser spaceport. It is an integral part of the local 

economy, providing more than 13,000 jobs for civil servants, contractors, tenants, and construction crews. 

In Fiscal Year 2023, the total KSC population increased by close to 400 people.

The workforce includes people with diverse skills dedicated to supporting the nation’s space program 

and NASA’s exploration to destinations including the Moon, Mars, and beyond. To accomplish the agency’s 

various missions, these individuals fulfill a multitude of tasks.

Each year, the center takes a snapshot of its workforce. This picture includes all federal and contractor 

employees chartered to work for Kennedy. Personnel serving other organizations, such as Cape Canaveral 

Space Force Station, support the spaceport’s operations but are not reflected in these numbers.

The civil servant skill mix includes those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

positions, as well as those in professional administrative and clerical positions. All employees work together 

to explore the universe for the benefit of all mankind. 

Kennedy Space Center Workforce Profile

Civil Servants 1,982

NASA Pathways Interns 63

Total Civil Servants 2,045

Civil Servants Skill Mix

Scientific, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics 68%

Clerical and Professional Administrative 32%

On-site Contractor Employees 4,755

Off-site/Near-site Contractor Employees 92

(Excludes construction workers)

Total Contractor Employees 4,847

Total Construction Workers 687

Total Tenants 5,674

TOTAL KSC POPULATION 13,253

Civil Servants as of September 23, 2023

Contractors, Construction Workers and Tenants as of June, 30 2023*

*For those Contractors, Construction Workers and Tenants that are reportable.

Kennedy teams are committed to helping achieve

their organizations’ goals (97%)

Kennedy employees feel they are treated as a 

valued member of the team (93%)

Managers and supervisors are committed to a workplace 

representative of all segments of society (92%) 

Kennedy has an effective process for 

meeting accessibility needs (91%)

Supervisors demonstrate a commitment 

to workforce diversity (90%) 

AGE DEMOGRAPHICS at KSC

Boomers (born 1946 – 1964) 20%

Gen X (born 1965 – 1979) 38%

Millennials (born 1980 – 1996) 38%

Gen Z (born 1997 – 2012) 4%

• Average age: 46 years

• Most junior employee: 20 years

• Most senior employee: 77 years

NASA is fully committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) within our workforce and 

throughout our workplaces. We are dedicated as a federal agency to promoting an environment where employees 

receive fair and just treatment, fostering a respectful and inclusive culture for all, and ensuring employees can fully 

and independently access facilities, information and communication technology, programs, and services.

NASA’s prioritization of DEIA 

contributes to NASA’s ranking as the 

"Best Place to Work in the Federal 

Government" among large federal agencies for 11 

consecutive years. Based on data from the Federal 

Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), Kennedy is ranked 

FIRST among the agency’s centers.

Kennedy Space Center Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) with NASA Administrator Bill 

Nelson and Associate Administrator Bob Cabana. Photo Credit: NASA/Jessica Conner

NASA (KSC) Employees Believe*:

DID YOU KNOW?

*Source: 2023 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

Generational Measures at KSC

87

88

96

81

Engagement

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, 

and Accessibility Average

Performance Confidence

Job Satisfaction

See picture below. Please note that everything below “TOTAL KSC POPULATION” can be formatted as footnotes, as 

seen in last year’s report on page 25: https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ar_fy22_layout_508.pdf
52 53

BUDGET AUTHORITY INDUSTRY PARTNERS AT A GLANCE

Commercial Crew Program 704

Exploration Ground Systems 820

Launch Services/Science 323

Mission Services and Capabilities (MSaC) 232

Engineering, Safety and Operations (ESO) 119

Space Station 33

Other 379

Total KSC $2,609

Kennedy Space Center

FY 2023 Budget Authority ($ in Millions)

FY 2023 KSC 

Budget by Element 

($ in Millions)

$0 $500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500 $3,000 $3,500 $4,000

$2,074

$2,609

$2,218 FY2021

FY2022

FY2023

NASA/KSC Budget Authority Summary

FY 2021 through FY 2023 ($ in Millions)

Personnel Costs

$340 (13%)

Travel

$6 (0.2%)

Procurement

$2,263 (86.7%)

Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) participated in NASA’s goal of developing and operating orbital commercial 

Crew Transportation Systems. Under the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract for NASA’s Launch America initiative, SpaceX continued 

providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective crew transportation to and from the International Space Station on American spacecraft launched from the United 

States. Under the NASA Launch Services II (NLS II) contract, SpaceX provides complete launch services to the Launch Services Program (LSP). In addition, 

SpaceX is the contractor for the Deep Space Logistics Gateway Logistics Services (GLS) contract. In this role they will provide delivery of cargo, experiments, 

and other supplies to the Gateway.

Bechtel National Inc. is the prime contractor for the design and construction services for Exploration Ground Systems’ Mobile Launcher 2 (ML2). 

Bechtel is responsible for the design, construction, testing, and commissioning of the ML2. The ML2 is necessary to meet NASA’s goal of returning men and 

landing the first female astronaut on the Moon.

Jacobs Technology Inc., prime contractor for the Test and Operations Support Contract (TOSC), was responsible for the overall management and 

implementation of ground systems capabilities, flight hardware processing, and launch operations at Kennedy. Specific services provided by Jacobs Technology 

under TOSC include launch vehicle, spacecraft, and payload integration and processing; operations and development of associated processes for ground 

systems to support integration, processing and launch; servicing and testing of flight hardware; and launch of development and operational flights at Kennedy.

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI) provides bulk liquid helium (LHe) to Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The Government requires the 

delivery of bulk LHe and the lease of six helium pumps at KSC to support a range of activities at KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS). LHe 

is converted to gaseous helium (GHe) through a pressurization process using an APCI proprietary LHe pump. The high pressure GHe is in turn pumped into 

the KSC GHe pipeline and is distributed and utilized by nearly every customer at KSC and CCSFS. GHe is used as an inert purge gas for hydrogen systems 

and as a pressurizing agent for ground and flight fluid systems. Helium is also used for spacecraft and launch vehicle processing, launch operations, and as a 

cryogenic cooling agent.

PAE-SGT Partners LLC (PSP) performed institutional support services at Kennedy and NASA facilities at its neighboring Cape Canaveral Air Force 

Station under the Base Operations, Spaceport Services (BOSS) Contract. PSP provided mission-focused institutional f assigned facilities, systems, equipment 

and utilities; work management and spaceport integration functions; mission support and launch readiness management; project management and design 

engineering services; construction support services; and institutional logistics.

AI Solutions, Inc. provides integrated support services primarily to the Launch Services Program for NASA and NASA sponsored payloads in the areas 

of launch vehicle system engineering and mission analysis; launch site support engineering; safety and mission assurance, technical integration services; 

institutional services at Vandenberg Space Force Base; information technology; and engineering, operations, and maintenance of communications and 

telemetry system.

Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc. (ERC) provides laboratory services in support of multiple customers and projects at the 

agency’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Under the Laboratory Support Services and Operations (LASSO) II contract, support includes program management; 

laboratory maintenance and support; operational laboratory services; and professional and technical support for scientific research, engineering, test and 

evaluation in laboratory environments. ERC operates and maintains a diverse set of laboratories, developmental shops and test facilities that support programs 

and projects at the Florida spaceport, including Center Engineering, Safety, and Operations; Exploration Ground Systems; International Space Station; Launch 

Services Program; the Space Technology Mission Directorate; Science Mission Directorate; and the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 at Cape 

Canaveral Space Force Station.
54 55

Your Procurement Dollars at Work

Geographical Distribution by State

(Fiscal Year 2023 Obligations)

Top 25 KSC Business Contractors

for FY 2023

STATE TOTAL DOLLARS

ALABAMA 2,684,921

ARIZONA 10,000

CALIFORNIA 80,780,880

COLORADO 5,000

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 49,582

FLORIDA 1,234,806,071

GEORGIA 1,013,788

MARYLAND 9,304,071

MISSISSIPPI 95,971

NEW HAMPSHIRE 7,500

NEW MEXICO 209,696

NORTH CAROLINA 514,844

OHIO 12,499

TEXAS 1,282,068

VIRGINIA 339,824,899

TOTAL STATE OBLIGATIONS 1,670,601,792

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 860,583,692

BECHTEL NATIONAL, INC. 308,679,000

JACOBS TECHNOLOGY INC. 273,541,373

AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC. 148,448,132

PAE-SGT PARTNERS LLC 97,027,309

AI SOLUTIONS, INC. 48,641,347

ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND CONSULTING, INC. 36,420,005

CHENEGA GLOBAL PROTECTION, LLC 30,269,436

AMENTUM SERVICES, INC. 27,786,166

J.P. DONOVAN CONSTRUCTION, INC. 25,005,833

ROCKET LAB USA, INC. 22,855,500

HSG, LLC 22,492,690

ALEUT BUILDING COMPANY, LLC 21,572,354

BLUE ORIGIN FLORIDA, LLC 19,777,787

ASTROTECH SPACE OPERATIONS LLC 15,991,037

THE BOEING COMPANY 15,924,000

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY INC. 15,426,070

A. WEST ENTERPRISES, LLC 13,948,360

AIR LIQUIDE LARGE INDUSTRIES U.S. LP 13,463,810

ASRC FEDERAL DATA SOLUTIONS, LLC 12,174,907

UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC 10,903,485

ARES TECHNICAL SERVICES CORPORATION 10,151,260

WRIGHT BROS., LLC 9,282,803

SES CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL LLC 9,209,257

A-P-T RESEARCH, INC. 8,877,951

TOTAL 2,078,453,564

 Contractor Dollars
Two ospreys are perched in their nest atop a marshaling area sign in front of the Vehicle Assembly 

Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 7, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899

Public Affairs Directorate

www.nasa.gov

NP-2023-08-877-KSC