NASA speeds up Artemis program.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman provided a new blueprint for the Artemis moon missions last Friday. Speaking at Kennedy Space Center, Isaacman outlined what he saw as the problems with the current SLS rocket timeline:
“Launching a rocket as complex as SLS every three years is not a path to success. We’ve got a lot of really talented people working on Artemis and whether they’ll want to stick around for another three years is a question mark.”
Isaacman is proposing to stepping up the launch cadence from three years to every year or less. To meet that goal, changes to the SLS rocket will be minimized, and additional NASA civilian workers will be brought on. Isaacman also changed the goal of the Artemis III mission:
“Instead of going directly to a lunar landing we will endeavor to rendezvous in low-earth-orbit with one or both of our lunar landers.”
The proposed schedule moves the first lunar landing to earlier in 2028, while Trump is still in office.
Space Force halts ULA Vulcan missions.
The Space Force has stopped flying national security missions on ULA Vulcan rockets. The halt comes after a problem with the solid rocket booster on the February 12 Vulcan launch. The delay complicates ULA’s push to increase the number of launches of the Vulcan.
Illegal slot machines busted in Brevard.
Up to 17 illegal gambling operations were busted in Brevard County recently. According to the sheriff’s office some of the slot machines confiscated were rigged and designed to never pay out. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was in Titusville last Friday and said 40 unlawful gambling locations were targeted in Brevard and three other counties, with over 500 machines seized by authorities.
Palm Bay settles with councilman Langevin.
The Palm Bay City Council voted to settle a lawsuit filed by Councilman Chandler Langevin. Langevin sued the city after being censured for social media posts about immigrants from India. The proposed settlement includes a $55,000 payment to Langevin's attorney, with neither side admitting wrongdoing.
Florida has over 100 measles cases.
Florida ranks third in the number of confirmed measles cases across the country, according to new data published by the CDC. The Sunshine State had 107 cases of the measles as of last Friday. The CDC says the best way to avoid measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. As the number of measles cases in Florida increases, the DeSantis administration has pushed to eliminate vaccine mandates for school-aged children.
Florida Supreme Court blocks challenge to redistricting plan.
Two Florida voters asked that courts block a special session on congressional redistricting. But on Friday the Florida Supreme Court rejected the petition, clearing the way for Gov. DeSantis to potentially redraw the state’s congressional districts. President Trump has called on GOP-led states to redraw their districts ahead of the midterm elections to prevent Democrats from taking the U.S. House.
Army Corp project would destroy Florida reef.
A project to widen the a shipping channel could wipe out one of Florida’s last thriving coral reefs. The Army Corps of Engineers is planning to deepen the channel leading into Port Everglades, and scientists say the project would blast through the reef line and dredge up sediment that could smother acres of surrounding reef. Port officials say the project is necessary to make room for a new generation of the massive container ships and fuel tankers. The project is reaching the end of a drawn-out environmental review. NOAA is on the verge of finalizing a key environmental opinion that would pave the way for the project’s approval.
