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  • Falcon 9 issue may push back Crew-12 launch

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — An issue with a Falcon 9 rocket during a launch in California may push back the Crew-12 mission.

    What You Need To Know

    • An issue with the Falcon 9 rocket during re-entry has forced SpaceX to hold off on launches until the cause has been resolved

    During SpaceX’s Starlink 17-32 mission on Monday morning, an issue came up with the company’s Falcon 9 rocket after it took off from Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

    “During today’s launch, the second stage experienced an off-nominal condition during preparation for the deorbit burn. The vehicle then performed as designed to successfully passivate the stage,” SpaceX stated.

    The rocket was able to send up the 25 Starlink communication satellites to low-Earth orbit, the Texas-based company stated.

    However, the issue has forced SpaceX to hold off on future launches.

    “Teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and corrective actions before returning to flight,” SpaceX stated.

    NASA has not yet stated how this will impact its Crew-12 flight to the International Space Station, as the U.S. space agency has contracted SpaceX to send astronauts to and from the space station.

    “The next mission to the orbital outpost, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12, is targeted to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, no earlier than Feb. 11,” NASA stated in a blog post on Monday.

    The mission will see NASA’s Cmdr. Jessica Meir, pilot Jack Hathaway, and mission specialists Sophie Adenot of European Space Agency and Andrey Fedyaev of Roscosmos spending months on the floating laboratory.

    The Crew-11 mission was cut short due to a medical issue.

    Spectrum News reached out to both NASA and SpaceX for comment, with only NASA stating it will send out a statement later Tuesday.

    The FAA has not issued a statement about the Falcon 9 issue.

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA to review Artemis II test data as it eyes March launch

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — During a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, NASA officials said that due to a liquid hydrogen leak and other issues, they will be postponing the crewed Artemis II launch to the moon to no earlier than March.

    What You Need To Know

    • The liquid hydrogen leak and the bitter cold weather impacted many aspects of the test, NASA stated
    • The wet dress rehearsal is a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket; catch any issues and problems before launch

    NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya called the prelaunch test — called the wet dress rehearsal — a “critical milestone.”

    “The wet dress rehearsal we had last night was a critical milestone on the way to Artemis II. That was the reason we went to the pad was to do this test. It allowed our teams to test all the systems required in the in the all up configuration. I think it’s clear based on what we saw in real time, we’re now targeting no earlier than March for Artemis II launch,” he said on Tuesday afternoon.

    NASA officials said they will go over all the data and determine how the leaks and issues happened, how to fix them and then determine when the next wet dress rehearsal will be.

    During the 49-hour wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis II’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion capsule that started at 8:13 p.m. ET, Jan. 31, NASA encountered a number of issues.

    As NASA was pumping more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket on Monday, engineers discovered a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface that is used to route the fuel into the SLS’s core stage.

    A full Moon shines over NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, as it sits atop the mobile launcher in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. (NASA/Sam Lott)

    This caused the engineers to spend hours troubleshooting the problem, with one solution being to stop the flow of liquid hydrogen and allow the interface to warm up so the seals could reset, then re-adjust the flow of the propellant, NASA explained.

    “Teams have stopped the flow of liquid hydrogen through the tail service mast umbilical interface into the core stage after leak concentrations exceeded allowable limits,” the U.S. space agency stated.

    That section — interface of the tail service mast umbilical — was the same section where a leak was found during the Artemis I mission.

    During the press conference, Artemis II Mission Management Team Chairman John Honeycutt said the team of engineers took a pretty aggressive approach to do testing on the valves and seals and how much they can tolerate, calling the interface where the leak was found “complex.”

    “And when you’re dealing with high hydrogen, it’s a small molecule. It’s highly energetic. And we like it for that reason. And we do the best we can. And actually, this one (the leak) caught us off guard. And the initial things that we were seeing and the technical team felt like we either had some sort of misalignment or, or some sort of deformation or, or debris on the seal,” he said.

    Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II launch director, said that some of the lessons learned during Artemis I were used for this upcoming mission, with some positive results.

    “We did make some changes, … but we did make some changes to several of the hydrogen components. I talked about the replenish valve. We had a leak there. We did a design mod. It worked great. We also made some changes. If you remember, from Artemis I, we also had changes in what I would call the back of the plate in the purge can and in the debris plate, we changed the flex hose design that comes into the back of that plate,” she explained.

    She said that due to the modifications, the teams did not see any liquid hydrogen leaks where improvements have been made.

    With the leaks postponing launches, Spectrum News asked if NASA would consider replacing the SLS rocket and Orion capsule with Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lunar lander for the Artemis III mission, slated for 2027.

    “So we are, of course, heavily partnered with Blue Origin and SpaceX and other, you know, super heavy lift launch vehicle providers that are integral to our architecture. So, we’re going to continue to partner with them and share learnings and implement and get them into our to our mission plans. So that’s certainly true. Changing commodity on SLS or changing the design that in that severe way is will probably disable the production significantly. And, you know, make a change. You expect the change. As discussed earlier, it’s hard enough for us to get into a flight-like configuration in a lot of these tests. And so now putting a big design square wave into it, I’m not sure would have the value that we’d expect. What we really want to do is let industry innovate on their own machines. And then when they’re ready to support our missions, we’ll cut them into the architecture and use them as we need to,” Kshatriya answered.

    In October 2025, then NASA acting Administrator Sean Duffy said NASA is considering Blue Origin and other companies to handle the task of returning humans to the moon’s surface because SpaceX’s Starship was behind schedule.

    Engineers were able to fill all the tanks, both in the core stage and the interim cryogenic propulsion stage.

    The wet dress rehearsal allowed NASA to load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket, conduct a simulated launch countdown, and practice removing propellant from the uncrewed rocket.

    However, NASA reported another issue during the simulated countdown.

    “Engineers conducted a first run at terminal countdown operations during the test, counting down to approximately 5 minutes left in the countdown, before the ground launch sequencer automatically stopped the countdown due to a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate,” the agency stated.

    The leak was not the only cause of concern. On the Orion capsule — which will take NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen to a flyby mission to the moon — a valve associated with the spacecraft’s hatch pressurization needed retorquing, which took longer than planned.

    The valve had been replaced before the wet dress rehearsal started.

    NASA also stated that the bitterly cold weather that has swept through Florida recently had a hand in plaguing the test. Several cameras and other equipment were impacted by the cold, as well as audio communications dropping out for the ground teams.

    All of these issues have forced NASA to look at March for the historic launch.

    “With March as the potential launch window, teams will fully review data from the test, mitigate each issue, and return to testing ahead of setting an official target launch date,” NASA stated.

    The crew has been released from quarantine, where they have been since Jan. 21 in Houston.

    Delays are not uncommon for the Artemis mission, with the first one seeing several of them — liquid hydrogen leaks being one of the main causes.

    In fact, Artemis II was supposed to launch in 2025.

    [ad_2] Anthony Leone
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  • Tampa mother concerned with charter school bus stop safety

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    TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa mother has safety concerns about the location of the bus stop her kids walk to.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Tampa parent is concerned about her kids walking to the bus stop on Clewis Avenue

    • The stop was moved this school year away from the neighborhood 

    • IDEA Hope says they reviewed the stop location and found it safe 


    Watching cars speed down Clewis Avenue is always a concern for Jessica Bradford, especially when thinking of her 8-and 10-year-old children walking on it.

    There are no sidewalks there — and she says drivers often speed on the straightaway.

    “There are ditches on both sides. So really, there’s nowhere else to walk but on the road. There are also no streetlights, so it’s completely dark at 6:30 a.m. when you have tons of kids walking to this one bus stop,” Bradford said.

    Bradford’s kids attend IDEA Hope, a charter school that is not affiliated with Hillsborough County Schools. Bradford says the bus stop was moved from her neighborhood to the Stop & Save Food Store this school year, which means her kids now walk further along Clewis Avenue.

    “My kids used to wait for the bus no problem. Now they must walk on this very dangerous road with no sidewalks,” Bradford said.

    Clewis Avenue is a two-lane, north-south road between MLK Boulevard and Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa. As of now, there are no plans for sidewalks there.

    Bradford says she tried getting the school to change the stop back to where it was.

    In a statement, IDEA Hope told Spectrum Bay News 9:

    “IDEA Hope is aware of a parent who is concerned about an assigned bus stop location. Our transportation team has carefully reviewed the approved stop, including walking the route directly, and found no safety concerns for any students. We are in close communication with the parent and will continue working to ensure a safe and consistent transportation experience for all students.”

    Bradford hopes the school will consider moving the stop, not just for her kids but for others who walk along Clewis Avenue as well.

    “I love how my kids get education there. They absolutely love it. This is the first issue I’ve ever had. And I’ve had to take it this far because safety of my kids is my number 1 priority,” Bradford said.

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    Tim Wronka

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  • NASA says it detected leak on Artemis II moon rocket during testing

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Monday afternoon, NASA stated that its teams detected a leak on its Artemis II moon rocket during the wet dress rehearsal.

    In an update, NASA stated that its teams have been able to fill the Space Launch System rocket’s core stage.

    What You Need To Know

    • The leak exceeded allowable limits, NASA stated
    • The wet dress rehearsal of the Orion capsule and the SLS rocket has teams loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket, conducting a launch countdown and practicing safely removing the fuel from the rocket

    “Teams have stopped the flow of liquid hydrogen through the tail service mast umbilical interface into the core stage after leak concentrations exceeded allowable limits,” the U.S. space agency stated.

    NASA stated that by stopping the flow of fuel, it lets engineers conduct troubleshooting processes that were first developed during Artemis I in 2022.

    During three separate occurrences, NASA detected liquid hydrogen leaks on the Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis I mission.

    “Liquid oxygen continues to flow into the core stage, and liquid hydrogen continues to flow into the upper stage,” NASA stated about the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal.

    In a new update, NASA stated that fixing the leak has “proved unsuccessful”.

    “After teams temporarily resumed fast fill of liquid hydrogen operations into the core stage, initial steps to correct the leak proved unsuccessful. The leak rate at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical continues to exceed the allowable limits. Liquid hydrogen filling operations on both the core stage and upper stage are paused as the team meets to determines next steps,” NASA explained.

    It was stated during the live feed that at 3:48 p.m. ET that the core stage liquid hydrogen fast fill has resumed.

    In a 4:41 p.m. ET update, NASA stated, “NASA teams have completed filling the core stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with liquid hydrogen and transitioned to topping mode. … Engineers continue to watch the leak at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical, but the liquid hydrogen concentration in the umbilical remains within acceptable limits.”

    During one of the launch attempts of Artemis I, that there was a leak at that same section. 

    In another update early in the evening, the U.S. space agency confirmed that the rocket has been filled with fuel, but the teams are keeping an eye on the leak.

    “Engineers continue to monitor liquid hydrogen concentration levels in the tail service mast umbilical, where a leak was previously detected. Levels are currently stable,” NASA stated.

    The wet dress rehearsal of the Orion capsule and the SLS rocket has teams loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket, conducting a launch countdown and practicing safely removing the fuel from the rocket.

    Once the Artemis II stacked rocket is ready for launch, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission.

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    Anthony Leone

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  • St. Pete mayor to review 5 Gas Plant development proposals

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mayor Kenneth Welch on Tuesday will see all the proposals for developing the 86-acre historic Gas Plant District.


    Ark Ellison Horus and Kettler was the first group to file a proposal, and since then, more have come in. They are from DPZ CoDesign, the Pinellas County Housing Authority, Freedom Communities Company and the International Democratic Uhuru Movement.

    Welch said his team will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all the proposals and select a winner.

    “We’ll have a public forum where the developers will present to our community,” Welch told Spectrum News. “We’ll have the community benefits process as well, and then I will select one of those developers.”

    When asked if the process could take a few months, he said, “Oh, definitely.”

    Council member Brandi Gabbard is trying to pump the brakes on the process. She has a proposed resolution which the Council will vote on at its Thursday meeting. It requests that the administration pause any action to select a developer until some comprehensive planning has been completed.

    Another council member, Deborah Figgs-Sanders, says the city has been planning forever, and it’s time for action.

    “At this point, let’s get some things done,” she said. “Let’s choose the best organization to actually do it, but more importantly, let’s keep moving.”

    Steve Diasio, the CEO and founder of the School of Creativity and Innovation, held a Gas Plant District design workshop for the community last November. He liked Gabbard’s proposal to slow the proposal down, saying he doesn’t want to see the property undersold.

    “Having this proposal to stop the process, for me, is good for business, good for evaluating the property and doing due diligence that needs to happen,” he said.

    Welch says the city has planned for more than a decade and that it’s time to move forward.

    “Planning first is great, but planning perpetually is not something we should do,” Welch said. “When I ran for office, folks didn’t want to see continued planning. They want to see impact from a 40-year promise when the land was taken for economic inclusion at that site.”

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Looking back at the Artemis I mission

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — As all eyes are on the crewed Artemis II that will see the return of humans to the moon, it pays to look back at the challenges Artemis I had to overcome, such as liquid hydrogen leaks and two hurricanes.

    What You Need To Know

    • In 2022, NASA attempted to launch the uncrewed Artemis I mission many times, with either mechanical problems or Mother Nature getting in the way
    • Don Platt, director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, explains what happened to the heat shield during the Orion’s re-entry
    • NASA explained that first Artemis I was a test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule

    The crewed Artemis II will have NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen go to the moon for a flyby mission.

    But back in 2022, NASA attempted to launch the uncrewed Artemis I mission from Launch Pad 39B many times, with either mechanical problems or Mother Nature getting in the way.

    See the previous attempts right below.

    From the moment Artemis I launched the Space Launch System rocket and how Orion orbited the moon and returned in a splashdown, all looked OK. Except NASA engineers noticed that something was not right with the capsule’s heat shield.

    When Artemis I was re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at 25,000 mph (40,234 kph), a material called Avcoat that was on the heat shield did not work as designed.

    The Avcoat material is designed to protect a spacecraft from extreme temperatures by burning away as it heats up, instead of sending that heat to the capsule itself.

    And the temperatures the Orion experienced during re-entry was 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).

    Instead of burning away during re-entry, the Avcoat broke up into chunks.

    Don Platt, director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, explained what NASA saw.

    “Now what they saw with the Artemis I mission was that the erosion rate or how much of the material disappeared, as that got heated up and and went through the upper reaches of the atmosphere, was up more than they thought it would be. And, so of course, the problem with that is that, well, is there enough margin and why is it heating up more than we anticipated that it would? So that, of course, they had to go back to the drawing board then …,” he explained to Spectrum News.

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P5GNMXtHyU[/embed]

    NASA stated it has resolved the problem, but the issue with the heat shield was the reason why the Artemis II and III missions were pushed.

    Artemis II was supposed to be launched in 2025, and Artemis III was going to take off in 2025, but it was pushed back to 2026, with the current launch date being mid-2027.

    Platt said NASA used that time to improve on the heat shield.

    “NASA has spent time doing additional testing, beefing up the heat shield a little bit in places where it might need it. And, of course, they’ve had a couple of years to go through all of that and, make sure they are indeed ready to go now,” he said.

    Spectrum News reached out to NASA for comment and has not yet heard back.

    However, during a 2024 press conference, engineers and experts were able to re-create the conditions that the heat shield experienced during re-entry and developed a new method to be applied to the heat shield, said Amit Kshatriya, the deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars Program Office within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate.

    Officials highlighted that had there been a crew inside the Orion during Artemis I, they would have been safe and comfortable during re-entry, even with the heat shield issue.

    NASA had previously stated that the purpose of the Artemis I was to iron out any issues that came up and that they were generally very pleased with how the mission went.

    And even though those issues have been ironed out, NASA is currently conducting a wet dress rehearsal on the Artemis II before sending up the four astronauts who will be the first humans to go back to the moon in more than 50 years.

    [ad_2] Anthony Leone
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  • Farm owner speaks on importance of conserving land

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    HARDEE COUNTY, Fla. — With more people calling Florida their home comes increased development, but one state program is working to preserve agricultural land as growth continues.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program was established in 2001, designed to protect important agricultural lands through land conservation easements
    • Over 500 applications were submitted to the program in 2025
    • Farmer Ned Hancock applied to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program about a year ago to protect his family’s land for generations to come
    • The interest in the program has increased by 90% since 2023


    Over 500 applications were submitted to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program statewide in 2025.

    In a quiet corner of Hardee County sits land that’s been in Ned Hancock’s family since 1855.

    “Outside of their love of God and their love of their family, nothing meant more to them than this land,” said Hancock.

    Though his family didn’t originally farm the property, Hancock knew he wanted to put it to use.

    He started in the citrus industry and later expanded into cattle. Today, the family owns over 3,500 acres, known as Charlie Creek Marsh.

    Hancock said the land isn’t just part of his history — it’s his livelihood.

    “Every agricultural endeavor has its challenges and its ups and downs, so we’re hoping that the next 20 years make up for the last 20 years,” he said.

    That’s why Hancock applied to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program about a year ago.

    The program protects rural land through permanent agricultural land conservation easements, even as surrounding areas grow. 

    About three miles of Hancock’s family property is now part of the program, a decision he said benefits not just his farm, but the community as well.

    “For generations now, it’s going to be just like this,” he said. “It’s going to be cleaning up our water, clearing up our air, creating wildlife corridors.”

    According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, interest in conservation programs has increased by over 90% since 2023.

    “Our agricultural landscapes are what’s left of green space in our state. It’s what much of our wildlife is utilizing to continue to thrive in a rapidly growing state,” said Conservation Florida President and CEO Traci Deen.

    Since the program started in 2001, officials said over 200,000 acres of working agricultural land have been preserved.

    For Hancock, it’s about protecting the future so farmers like him can preserve their way of life for generations to come.

    “I hope 150 years from now, some of my descendants are saying, ‘Man, I’m glad they did this,’” he said.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • PHOTOS: Cold weather brings flurries, ice to Tampa Bay

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    BY

    Spectrum News Staff

    Tampa


    PUBLISHED 2:15 PM ET Feb. 01, 2026
    PUBLISHED 2:15 PM EST Feb. 01, 2026

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • ‘Rare arctic outbreak’ causes NASA to delay Artemis II fueling test

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — The “rare arctic” chill that has been sweeping Florida has caused NASA to push back its wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis II moon rocket, the U.S. space agency stated on Friday morning.

    What You Need To Know

    • It means the new date for the wet dress rehearsal will be early next week
    • The new earliest launch date is now Sunday, Feb. 8, but that is tentative

    “Over the past several days, engineers have been closely monitoring conditions as cold weather and winds move through Florida. Managers have assessed hardware capabilities against the projected forecast given the rare arctic outbreak affecting the state and decided to change the timeline. Teams and preparations at the launch pad remain ready for the wet dress rehearsal,” NASA stated.

    This means that the original wet dress rehearsal has been changed from Saturday, Jan. 31, to Monday, Feb. 2.

    This also means that the earliest launch date to send four humans to the moon will not be Friday, Feb. 6, but now no earlier than Sunday, Feb. 8.

    Scroll down to see the launch attempt dates for Artemis II.

    However, the new launch date is tentative and based on how the wet dress rehearsal turns out. The rehearsal is to test the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion capsule.

    The U.S. space agency explained what the testing of the Artemis II rocket will be like.

    “The upcoming wet dress rehearsal is a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket. During the rehearsal, teams demonstrate the ability to load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket, conduct a launch countdown, and practice safely removing propellant from the rocket without astronauts inside the spacecraft,” stated NASA.

    Once the test is complete and if all goes well (include Mother Nature playing nice), then the Artemis II will see four people — NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen — go to the moon for a flyby mission.

    The quartet has been in quarantine in Houston since Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.

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    Anthony Leone

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  • 29th Annual Kumquat Festival in Dade City postponed due to high wind forecast

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    DADE CITY, Fla. — The 29th Annual Kumquat Festival in Dade City has been postponed due to high winds forecasted for Saturday, officials with the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce announced on Friday morning.

    Officials issued the following statement:

    “Due to high winds forecasted for tomorrow and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our vendors, volunteers, sponsors, and attendees, the 29th Annual Kumquat Festival will be postponed. A new event date will be announced this afternoon.”

    The kumquat festival is a popular event celebrated every year, typically on the same date as Tampa’s Gasparilla pirate fest, where attendees can celebrate the “little gold gem of the citrus industry” with treats inspired by the unique fruit along with a children’s activity area, classic car show, craft kumquat beer and wine, and activities for all ages.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Weather prompts Gasparilla invasion route change, parade on as scheduled

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The Gasparilla pirate invasion will look a little different Saturday, due to the expected cold temperatures and high winds.


    Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla announced the Jose Gasparilla II is changing its route for the invasion that takes place on the Hillsborough River. The Gasparilla Flotilla will now take off from Port Tampa Bay and head directly to the Tampa Convention Center. This is much shorter than the typical route that runs from Ballast Point Park to the convention center.

    Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, which leads the invasion, issued this statement:

    “Due to weather conditions and out of an abundance of caution, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, has established a contingency plan for the Gasparilla Invasion scheduled for Saturday.

    The safety and security of the Tampa community remains our highest priority and continues to guide all decision-making. As part of this plan, the Jose Gasparilla II will sail from Port Tampa Bay to the Tampa Convention Center. In addition, our maritime experts strongly encourage captains of local vessels to closely monitor weather conditions and exercise sound judgment when making boating decisions on Saturday morning.

    With confidence, we affirm that the invasion of Tampa will move forward as custom dictates, and Mayor Jane Castor is advised to stand ready to relinquish the key to the city at 1 PM.”


    Local law enforcement is asking boaters who plan to take part in the flotilla to do so with caution.

    After the invasion wraps up, all eyes turn to Bayshore Boulevard for the Parade of Pirates. Community groups and pirate krewes will laugh, sing, dance and throw tens of thousands of strings of beads to those watching from the sidewalk.

    One of those is the Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge, which will be celebrating its 15th anniversary.

    Members of the krewe say that since it formed in 2011, the group has raised more than $400,000 for a number of Tampa Bay-area charities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and Shriners Children’s Hospital.

    “That’s kind of what brought us together — philanthropy. Helping in our local community,” Krewe leader Howie Taylor said.

    The Krewe of Blackbeard’s Revenge was named after one of its founders, Bobby “Blackbeard” Schatzberg, who was affectionately called “Shatzie.” Schatzberg died in 2021 and his krewe decided to keep his memory alive by bringing a cardboard cutout of him to every Gasparilla parade.

    “It means a lot to me when people say, ‘Look, it’s Blackbeard!’ Then they want to take a picture with him,” Krewe co-founder Darrell Haun explained.

    Haun said each member of his krewe pays for their own beads that they then throw into the audience on Gasparilla. He says each year, krewe members pay hundreds of dollars a piece for just beads alone.

    While the cold weather may not seem as fun for those watching, Haun said he’s looking on the bright side: Colder weather means he and his krewe can wear some of their most traditional clothing, something they haven’t had the chance to do in years.

    “We have jackets between $200 to $400 and we haven’t been able to wear them for probably five or six years,” he said. “So, it’s actually going to be kinda cool to actually wear our full garb.”

    The city of Tampa says to receive 2026 Gasparilla updates, safety tips and traffic alerts, text GASPARILLA to 888-777.

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    Angie Angers

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  • SpaceX hits milestone after launching more than 11,000 Starlink satellites

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — It was a chilly morning for anyone who stayed up late to watch SpaceX launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station very early Friday morning.

    With Friday morning’s launch of the Starlink 6-101 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, more than 11,000 Starlink satellites are now in orbit around the Earth

    What You Need To Know

    • More than 11,000 Starlink satellites have been launched since 2019

    Going up

    This is only the fifth mission for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster and all four of its missions have been Starlink launches.

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket will land on the droneship Just Read the Instructions that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    The 29 satellites from the Starlink company, owned by SpaceX, will be heading to low-Earth orbit to join the thousands already there.

    Once deployed and in their orbit, they will provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    And we do mean thousands. Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been recording Starlink satellites and their launches.

    And according to his records, there have been 11,034 Starlink satellites that have been launched since the very first batch in 2019.

    But not all of them are fully operational. Or at all. Some are no longer in working order because of age, technical mishaps, or being directed to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 9,573 are in orbit
    • 8,297 are in operational orbit

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    Anthony Leone

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  • FAA recommends 44 launches per year for SpaceX’s Starship

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — SpaceX passed another milestone in its effort to bring its Super Heavy Starship rocket to the Space Coast.

    What You Need To Know

    • The report recommended that SpaceX could pursue up to 44 launches per year from Kennedy Space Center
    • This also includes 88 landings, 44 for Starship and 44 for the Super Heavy rocket booster
    • Super Heavy is the rocket booster part of the vehicle; the spacecraft is called Starship

    On Friday, the FAA released a 444-page “Record of Decision” on a final environmental impact statement.

    The report recommended that SpaceX could pursue up to 44 launches per year from Kennedy Space Center. This also includes 88 landings, 44 for Starship and 44 for the Super Heavy rocket booster.

    The agency previously released an environmental impact statement to allow up to 76 launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

    SpaceX would still need to complete mitigation work and get approval for a launch license from the FAA before those launches could begin.

    Some residents have voiced concerns about beach access or noise related to the launches.

    The agency acknowledged impacts on commercial flights, in particular, international flights, due to the need for ground stops and re-routing.

    The FAA also considered that launches could cost the National Parks Service revenue due to required closures of parts of the Canaveral National Seashore.

    And that sonic booms could expose some Brevard County residents to noise during late-night operations, but still stuck with the recommendations to approve.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Blue Origin puts a pause on New Shepard launches to focus on the moon

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    NATIONWIDE— Space will not be a destination for paying customers for a while, at least not through Blue Origin.

    What You Need To Know

    • Blue Origin stated it wants to focus on its “lunar capabilities”
    • NASA has tapped Blue Origin and other companies for the Artemis III mission

    The company announced Friday that it would pause its reusable New Shepard rocket flights for at least two years.

    Those are the ones that sent passengers, including Katy Perry, Gayle King, Jeff Bezos, Michael Strahan, and William Shatner, above the Kármán line to experience weightlessness.

    The majority of the passengers have not been celebrities who went beyond the line to the edge of space, at 62 miles/100 kilometers above the planet’s surface.

    Blue Origin had run more than a dozen of those flights, with the most recent one having lifted off just over a week ago, on Jan. 22.

    The company stated it will shift resources to accelerate its “lunar capabilities.”

    “Blue Origin today announced it will pause its New Shepard flights and shift resources to further accelerate development of the company’s human lunar capabilities. The decision reflects Blue Origin’s commitment to the nation’s goal of returning to the Moon and establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence,” stated Brett Griffin, director of Blue Origin’s public relations.

    In October 2025, then NASA acting Administrator Sean Duffy said the U.S. space agency is considering Blue Origin and other companies to handle the task of returning humans to the moon’s surface because SpaceX’s Starship was behind schedule.

    “Now, SpaceX had the contract for Artemis III. By the way, I love SpaceX and it’s an amazing company, but the problem is, they are behind. They pushed their timelines out and we are in a race against China. The president and I want to get to the moon in this president’s term. So, I’m going to open up the contract and I’m going let other space companies compete with SpaceX, like Blue Origin. Whatever one gets us there first to the moon, we are going to take. If SpaceX is behind and Blue Origin can do it before them, good on Blue Origin,” he wrote on X at the time.

    During a September 2025 media tour of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket facility in Florida, Spectrum News asked U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, who is the chairman of the U.S. Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, if NASA had any backup plans if Starship was behind schedule.

    He only said that the only focus at that time was Artemis II, which will see four astronauts flyby the moon in NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

    Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander is set to have an uncrewed launch to land on the moon sometime in 2026, and the Blue Moon Mark 2 lunar lander will be taking humans back to the moon’s surface for the Artemis V mission.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Anthony Leone

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  • How to keep your pets safe during cold spells

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    WISCONSIN — As temperatures continue to plummet, it’s important to keep your pets warm, dry and safe.

    The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals released these safety tips on its website ahead of the cold spell:

    If you’re too cold, so is your pet

    If left outside in the cold, pets can freeze, become disoriented, get lost, get hurt or even killed. Pets should be kept inside, where it’s warm and safe.

    ASPCA also said pets should not be left in the car alone. In cold weather, cars can act like refrigerator, keeping cold air inside. This could freeze your pet, lead to health problems or kill them.

    Make sure to wash and dry your pet’s feet and tummy after a walk or outdoor time

    On walks, pets can step in ice, salt or other chemicals that could hurt their feet and paw pads. ASPCA recommended bringing a dry, clean towel on long walks if you need to clean off irritated paws.

    ”Don’t forget to check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes,” ASPCA said.

    Rub petroleum jelly into your pet’s paw pads before you head out the door

    This helps protect them from salt and chemicals. Booties are another great option to protect paws outside.

    (Pixabay)

    Keep your home humidified and your pet dry

    Towel drying your pet as soon as they head inside will help keep their skin healthy, avoiding flakes or itchiness.

    ”Repeatedly going into the cold and then coming back to a warm home can cause this skin reaction in pets,” ASPCA said. “Again, paying close attention to their feet and in-between their toes will help prevent and treat skin irritation in the winter.”

    Do not shave your pets down in the winter

    A dog’s coat is like, well, a coat. The longer it is, the more warmth they’ll have.

    If you have a long-haired dog, feel free to trim them down to avoid things getting caught in their fur or hair, such as ice balls, salt crystals or de-icing chemicals. Those can all dry out their skin.

    If you have a short-haired pet, bundle them up in a coat, sweater or turtleneck.

    Skip baths if possible during cold spells

    Too many baths could get rid of oils in your pet’s skin, increasing the odds of their skin getting dry or flaky. During the winter, opt for moisturizing shampoo. Ask your vet if they have any recommendations.

    (AP Photo)

    Clean antifreeze spills

    Antifreeze can kill your pet.

    ”Additionally, cold weather chemicals like ice melts can be dangerous when ingested, so always be mindful and keep chemicals up and out of paws’ reach,” ASPCA said.

    Feed your pets more

    ASPCA said pets burn extra energy throughout the winter in order to stay warm. The extra calories and plenty of water are needed when it’s chilly.

    Make sure they’re cozy at night

    Your pet should be sleeping off the floor and away from any drafts. Consider adding a blanket to their bed to keep them extra toasty.

    (Christopher Miller)

    Stay together, and on a leash, when you’re outside

    Don’t let your dog off leash during a snowstorm, onto snow or on ice.

    ”Dogs can lose their scent in the snow and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure your dog always wears an ID tag,” ASPCA said.

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    Aly Prouty

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  • SpaceX hits milestone with more than 11,000 Starlink launches

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — You might want to grab a light coat if you plan on staying up late to watch SpaceX launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites very early Friday morning.

    And more than 11,000 Starlink satellites have been launched. 

    What You Need To Know

    • More than 11,000 Starlink satellites have been launched since 2019

    The Falcon 9 rocket will send up Starlink 6-101 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX.

    The launch window will open at 11 p.m. ET, Thursday, and remain open until 3 a.m. ET, Friday, which means SpaceX has during that time period to send up its Falcon 9.

    Currently, the liftoff time is 12:51 a.m ET, Friday. It was set for a Friday launch at 11:01 p.m. ET and then 11:24 p.m. ET. No word on why the liftoff time was pushed back.

    The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 95% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only concern being the thick cloud layers rule.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    Going up

    This is only the fifth mission for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster and all four of its missions have been Starlink launches.

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket will land on the droneship Just Read the Instructions that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    The 29 satellites from the Starlink company, owned by SpaceX, will be heading to low-Earth orbit to join the thousands already there.

    Once deployed and in their orbit, they will provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    And we do mean thousands. Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been recording Starlink satellites and their launches.

    And according to his records, there have been 11,034 Starlink satellites that have been launched since the very first batch in 2019.

    But not all of them are fully operational. Or at all. Some are no longer in working order because of age, technical mishaps, or being directed to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 9,573 are in orbit
    • 8,297 are in operational orbit

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    Anthony Leone

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  • Florida gov candidates spar; Ingoglia takes on St. Pete

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    Rep. Byron Donalds and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner spar on X over school choice legislation, and Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia asserts that St. Pete over spent $49 million over six years.


    Florida Republican governor candidates spar over school choice legislation

    When it comes to school choice, Florida law provides universal choice education scholarships to cover almost $9,000 in private school vouchers. The legislation that created the voucher program became a flash point today in the governor’s race.

    It started with a social media post by Rep. Byron Donalds, who is running for governor.

    He was in Tallahassee where he used to serve as a lawmaker and took credit for passing school choice bills. But one of Donalds’ opponents in the Republican primary for governor, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, took issue with that.

    “Hey everybody. I’m actually back in Tallahassee and in my time at the state House.” Donalds said Wednesday on X. “We were arguing for universal choice and we got that passed during my time in the Florida House. It’s National School Choice Week, and we want to make sure that everybody understands that our number one mission is to make sure that every child, regardless of zip code, is getting the best education possible. So it’s actually kind of ironic that I’m back here in Tallahassee, kind of where it all began to a degree, where we argued for school choice here. Delivered universal school choice here. We want to see that same thing happen for every child in America. God bless you guys. Take it easy.”

    “Byron, you know that’s a lie. Let’s have an honest campaign with voters. So I wake up this morning to see Congressman Donalds on video, literally claiming that he was here in the Florida House when we passed Universal School Choice,” Renner said on X. “Byron, you know that’s a lie because I passed universal school choice in 2023. You were nowhere near Tallahassee. You passed the Hope scholarship HB one, which was political theater and barely moved the needle. That was not universal school choice. And you know it. I know you have a thin, thin record both in the House and in Congress, but do me a favor and don’t run on mine. Let’s have an honest campaign with voters. Let’s tell them about my experience and yours, my record and yours, and let them make a decision. Honestly.”

    Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia asserts that St. Pete government overspent $49 million over 6 years

    Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia held a press conference in St. Pete today, saying that the city has overtaxed and overspent more than $49 million over a 6-year period.

    Ingoglia said he reached that number by looking at the base budget plus inflation plus population, and says what should be an “acceptable budget growth.”

    He says the city has only added just over 11,500 to the population, and says that the budget for the city grew by $133 million.

    However, he did not get into specifics of exactly what the city overspent on.

    “This is the number that when we took their old budget, adjusted for inflation and population and compared it to what it actually was, that you are being overtaxed in our estimation $49 million dollars that’s a lot money for a relatively small budget,” Ingoglia said.

    The CFO said that his office has been auditing cities across the state and reports that it has found more than a billion dollars in overspending and overtaxing.

    St. Pete Mayor Kenneth T. Welch responded to the allegations in a statement.

    “Today, Florida’s CFO asserted statements about the City of St. Petersburg’s budget and said that any response or rebuttal from local government would just be a ‘spin.’ He made it clear that any clarification or correction would be local governments ‘justifying excessive and wasteful spending.’ We just received the report and while we work to verify his statements, the City of St. Petersburg remains transparent throughout our budget process. As we do every year, all year round, we encourage residents with questions about the City’s budget to review the documents posted on our website at www.stpete.org/budget,” Welch said.

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    Saundra Weathers, Spectrum News Staff

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  • How the lessons learned from the Challenger disaster apply to Artemis rockets

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    NATIONWIDE — As NASA prepares for the wet dress rehearsal of its Artemis II moon rocket and capsule, many are noticing similarities between the cold temperatures this week and how they played a part in the demise of the space shuttle Challenger and its crew 40 years ago.

    However, an expert at Florida Tech explains why the cold weather should not impact Artemis II.

    What You Need To Know

    • A lot of lessons were learned after the Challenger incident
    • Get more space coverage here  ▶

    • 🔻Scroll down to watch interviews with Don Platt, director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center🔻

    The Artemis II will see NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen do a flyby of the moon in the Orion spacecraft.

    However, the wet dress rehearsal of Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that is currently set for Saturday will see cold temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 Celsius).

    Forty years ago on Jan. 28, the space shuttle Challenger blew up 73 seconds after launch, killing its crew. The explosion took the lives of Michael J. Smith, Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka, S. Christa McAuliffe, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Judith A. Resnik.

    The explosion was caused when the O-rings failed at cold temperatures. The rings on the rocket create a seal to prevent exhaust gases from leaking.

    The O-rings were rated to be flown at 39 degrees Fahrenheit (3.9 Celsius) or higher. But when the launch happened at 11:38 a.m. ET, the temperature was at 36 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 Celsius).

    With the chilly temperatures that are currently sweeping through the Sunshine State, many are worried about Artemis II’s wet dress rehearsal for Saturday and the earliest launch attempt on Friday, Feb. 06.

    However, Don Platt, director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, shares how the lessons learned after the Challenger incident were already applied to other shuttle missions, which do impact Artemis II.

    “Well, even in the shuttle program itself, there was about a three-and-a-half-year delay or so, after the Challenger disaster, and so that time was spent reviewing the entire shuttle program, but specifically reviewing these these segment joints that I just talked about and redesigning how the O-rings, these rubber seal material segments fit into that joint. And they added additional redundancy, essentially another layer,” Platt said.

    He continued how these improvements are still being used.

    “Now, of course, you know, after these 40 years, NASA has spent a lot of time looking at ways to improve the joint and materials have, of course, come a long way since the 1980s as well. And so now the the feeling is that the SLS solid rocket booster joints are robust and will not be a major concern at temperatures even down into the 30s and 20s,” Platt shared.

    He explained that with crewed missions, where humans will be on board a spacecraft, extra caution takes place, especially during wet dress rehearsals.

    And this caution goes beyond the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule. It also includes other things.

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7XHOPa2x0U[/embed]

    “And all of the components that connect to the rocket to provide propellent into the rocket and to provide electrical power, to make sure that all the interfaces for when the astronauts take the elevator up into the top of the rocket, all of that stuff is working fine and everybody knows exactly what they’re doing,” he said, adding, “You don’t want to have some sort of thing pop up there when they’re actually ready to go and and ready to get into the vehicle and and fly to the moon.”

    In many ways, the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022 was a wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II, Platt said. It was during this test flight of the Orion capsule that an issue with the heat shield was discovered.

    A material called Avcoat that was on the heat shield broke off in chunks during the re-entry phase of Artemis I.

    The Avcoat material is designed to protect a spacecraft from extreme temperatures by burning away as it heats up, instead of sending that heat to the capsule itself.

    However, during re-entry, it broke up into chunks instead of burning away. This issue pushed back the Artemis II and III missions, but NASA has stated it has resolved the problem.

    Platt shared how the Artemis missions will have a profound impact on people.

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9jmlwQzsK8[/embed]

    [ad_2] Anthony Leone
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  • Clearwater calls duck’s stay a ’bigger success than ever expected’

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — After nearly three weeks, the World’s Largest Duck has left the city of Clearwater and is moving on to her next destination.

    The city says Mama Duck’s stay brought in more than double the amount of people they usually see, with one of the biggest days being January 17 for the duck’s “birthday bash,” which brought in roughly 3,500 people.

    What You Need To Know

    • So far this year, the city has made $23,931 in parking revenue

    • People from 46 countries accessed the city’s website so far in 2026

    • Downtown restaurants report spike in business 

    • COST BREAKDOWN: World’s Largest Duck visits Clearwater


    “We’ve had more people come to this park than we have since we did our grand reopening in 2023,” said Leanne Bell with the city of Clearwater. “We’ve had people come as far as Denver from what we’ve heard. They’ve flown and made a vacation out of seeing this duck, which is exactly what we were aiming to do.”

    An analysis of the city’s preliminary parking revenue data revealed more than twice as many people visited Clearwater this January as compared to January 2025. So far this year, the city has made $23,931 in parking revenue, compared to $10,894 for the entire month of January last year.

    Bell said web traffic also saw a significant spike because the live stream of Mama Duck was available on the city’s website. He said they received clicks to their live stream from people in 46 countries on at least four continents.

    “This shows international impact and awareness of Clearwater and the destination at large,” said Bell, who added that downtown businesses reported an increase in sales in January, including some spots selling out their duck-themed specials.

    Craig Samborski, who started taking Mama Duck around the country in 2014, said this was the first time he’s had a 3-week stay in any one city. He says he was surprised by how many people would come by on the average weekday.

    “I was thinking…oh, like we’ll do 50-60 people a day but, its been much more than that,” he said.

    Mama Duck’s stay in Clearwater costs approximately $45,000.

    There were no concerts or shows at the BayCare Sound during the nearly three-week event. Bell says that signals most people visiting the Coachman Park area were visiting Mama Duck.

     

    [ad_2] Angie Angers
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  • NASA sets date for Artemis II fueling test

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — NASA has set the date when it will conduct a fueling test for its Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft that will take four people to the moon.

    What You Need To Know

    • Artemis II will see four astronauts flyby the moon
    • A wet dress rehearsal simulates the launch of the Artemis II moon rocket
    • If an issue is discovered, it may push back the launch

    The U.S. space agency is considering Saturday, Jan. 31, as the earliest date for its wet dress rehearsal, which will simulate the launch of the Artemis II moon rocket.

    “The upcoming wet dress rehearsal is a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket. During the rehearsal, teams demonstrate the ability to load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket, conduct a launch countdown, and practice safely removing propellant from the rocket without astronauts inside the spacecraft,” stated NASA in a blog.

    There will be several test runs of this simulated launch that will test the Artemis II team’s ability to put a hold on the launch and resume it.

    “The rehearsal will count down to a simulated launch at 9 p.m. EST, but could run to approximately 1 a.m. if needed. The first run will begin approximately 49 hours before launch when launch teams are called to their stations, to 1 minute 30 seconds before launch, followed by a planned three-minute hold and then countdown resumption to 33 seconds before launch — the point at which the rocket’s automatic launch sequencer will control the final seconds of the countdown,” explained NASA.

    If the team detects any issues or anomalies with either the rocket or capsule, the two craft will be rolled from their home on Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building for work. They were rolled to the launch pad on Saturday, Jan. 17.

    This would also push back the launch if they are rolled back. At the moment, NASA is aiming for a Friday, Feb. 06, launch.

     

    NASA also addressed the cold snap that has attacked the Sunshine State this week.

    “With cold weather sweeping the country and lower than normal temperatures expected in Florida Tuesday, Jan. 27, technicians are taking steps to ensure environmental control systems keeping Orion and SLS elements at the proper conditions are prepared for the cold,” the American space agency stated.

    NASA also revealed that the Artemis II emergency egress system (where baskets will take crew and launch pad personnel from the mobile launcher to the ground) did not work as expected, but has been resolved.

    “… the baskets used to transport the crew and other pad personnel from the mobile launcher in an emergency stopped short of the terminus area located inside the pad perimeter. Since then, the brakes of the system have been adjusted to ensure the baskets fully descend,” NASA commented.

    Artemis II will see four people — NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen — go to the moon for a flyby mission.

    The first Artemis I mission in 2022, where the uncrewed rocket and capsule were tested, saw a number of delays.

    It was originally expected to launch on Aug. 29, 2022, but a liquid hydrogen leak and temperature issues with the engine forced the first attempt to be scrubbed.

    A second attempt was scrubbed as a separate liquid hydrogen leak was discovered.

    After other issues and two hurricanes, NASA was not able to launch Artemis I until November of that year.

    It is not uncommon for rockets, even established ones like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, to be sent back for repairs or adjustments after testing has shown that issues were detected.

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    Anthony Leone

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