Artemis launch delayed until March.
NASA's last major test of the Artemis II moon rocket did not go as hoped. The test ran into the early hours today and ended with a hydrogen leak in the rocket. As a result the launch, originally scheduled for no earlier than this weekend, was pushed back to early March. During the test yesterday afternoon, teams discovered a hydrogen leak within the rocket's core stage during fueling. Fueling was able to resume but then the team experienced multiple delays during the Orion spacecraft's final preparations.
In other space news, it was not a good day for SpaceX yesterday either. A Falcon 9 rocket launched from California experienced a malfunction in the second stage. The payloads were successfully deployed, but the second stage malfunctioned as it prepared for a de-orbit burn. Three upcoming SpaceX launches from the Cape are now in question, until an investigation is complete.
Brevard schools says “no ICE protests allowed.”
Demonstrations calling to “Abolish ICE” took place nationwide over the weekend, including a rally in Cocoa where hundreds gathered to protest immigration enforcement policies. Protesting is a constitutionally protected right, but there are laws and guidelines people should know. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us more.
The First Amendment guarantees the right to protest and engage in peaceful assembly, though those rights are not unlimited. Governments may impose reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of demonstrations.
Courts have generally upheld the public’s right to record law enforcement officers performing official duties in public. According to ACLU guidelines, police cannot confiscate or demand to view photos or video without a warrant, and they may never delete data.
Additionally, Florida’s Halo Law, which took effect January 1, 2025, creates a 25-foot buffer zone around first responders.
Brevard Public Schools officials warned students against participating in on-campus protests. The warning followed a social media post advertising a student walkout against ICE violence this Friday. School leaders stated that disruptions to learning during the school day will not be tolerated.
Florida says no petition group made the ballot in 2026.
Florida officials say that no petition group gathered enough signatures to get their amendment on the ballot this year. But Smart & Safe Florida, the recreational marijuana group, disagrees. The group believes it will meet the signature requirement once all submitted petitions are counted. Florida's Secretary of State announced that the group failed to meet the nearly 881,000 verified signature threshold by the February 1 deadline. Smart & Safe says that announcement is premature.
Brevard principal avoids conviction.
A Cocoa Beach elementary school principal pleaded no contest yesterday to misdemeanor charges related to a house party. As part of a plea deal, a felony charge was dropped and Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan will serve two years of probation. The party included under-age drinking and marijuana use. Hill-Brodigan maintains her innocence and told Florida Today she is “relieved but frustrated.”
Secretary of War comes to town.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth came to Merritt Island yesterday. He gave a speech to Blue Origin workers, saying “We will unleash American space dominance,” and “dominate the ultimate high ground.” Hegseth visited Brevard County as part of his monthlong "Arsenal of Freedom Tour.”
