POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A major highway project was celebrated in Polk County Wednesday, as Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new interchange at I-4 and County Road 557.
What You Need To Know
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new interchange at I-4 and County Road 557 on Wednesday
The interchange is meant to ease traffic congestion on that stretch of highway
A wildlife underpass was included in the design, connecting conservation lands on either side of I-4 for the first time in 50 years
“This project is a great example of how we can bring congestion relief and show the rest of the world, show the nation,” said FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue.
Environmentalists say it will also positively impact more than just drivers. A wildlife underpass was included in the design, connecting conservation lands on either side of I-4 for the first time in 50 years.
The F-Stop Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on wildlife conservation, uses cameras to monitor the underpass and hopes it will allow for the return of the Florida black bear and even the endangered panther to the region. F-Stop has more than 150 cameras around the state.
Video from the organization’s other locations across Florida shows just how successful the wildlife crossings can be, capturing images of migrating black bears and even endangered panthers, a population that has dwindled down to less than 240 statewide.
For conservationists like F-Stop’s chief content creator Max Freund, it’s the potential use of the wildlife underpass that could have the most meaningful impact.
“When we check the cameras, it’s excitement,” said Freund. “We never know what we are going to get.”
A burn ban is now in effect for all of Manatee County due to the continued dry and hot weather
Officials said the ban includes items containing any “explosive compound,” sparklers, any item or product using or containing any amount of pyrotechnic composition, flares, open burning and campfires
For some residents, burn bans aren’t an issue, but for others, like ranchers, they rely on burning to run a business
The burn ban will be in effect through June 10, unless extended
Officials said the ban includes items containing any “explosive compound,” sparklers, any item or product using or containing any amount of pyrotechnic composition, flares, open burning and campfires.
Due to the continued hot and dry weather, the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners voted this morning to impose a ban on all outdoor burning and the use and discharge of fireworks and sparklers in the county, now through June 10: https://t.co/c4xXQgTskdpic.twitter.com/eGnW6h5akc
— Manatee County Government (@ManateeGov) June 3, 2024
“We’ve been in discussion with the Fire Chief’s Association, as well as the Department of Forestry, in regard to the current drought conditions throughout the county,” said Manatee County Director of Public Safety Jodie Fiske in a statement. “It is recommended that we declare a burn ban within Manatee County.”
The following uses will be allowed:
Outdoor cookers or grills if they are always attended by a responsible adult while the unit is in use
Any agricultural, silvicultural or land-clearing burn that has been authorized by the Florida Forest Service and it has been determined that there will be sufficient fire suppression equipment and personnel on site
Properly permitted public fireworks displays with adequate fire suppression equipment and personnel on site
Flares discharged over the Gulf of Mexico
There are also burn bans in effect for Pasco and Polk counties.
Officials with the Florida Forest Service said so far, they have seen 26 active fired they are mitigating in the last week, with the largest one at 1,700 acres.
“This is higher than it has been in past years,” said Florida Forest Service official Patrick Mahoney. “In past years, it’s been wet since the hurricane came through. We’ve had several wet summers, wet falls, wet springs, so the fire activity’s been really low. But right now, we haven’t had the rain, so fire danger is up. We’re starting to go into a drought.”
For some residents, burn bans are not a big deal, but for others, like ranchers, they rely on burning to run a business.
Being a rancher is all Jim Strickland knows.
“We’ve been in the cattle business — The Stricklands — since 1860,” he said.
He’s raising more than a thousand head of cattle throughout 17,000 acres. He just acquired his eighth ranch located in Myakka called “Lost Girl Prairie.”
Because it’s new land with invasive species, Strickland wants to do a controlled burn. He said the area hasn’t burned in about 10 years.
Although there is a burn ban for Manatee County, the Florida Forest Service said Strickland could still send in a request for a prescribed burn, but for him to get approved, it all depends on the weather and resources. So, Strickland has halted the plans to burn the acres of land.
“Our cattle can’t get into this area,” Strickland said. “What we would like to do is put fire in here and knock down all these invasive species and bring this back to something that’s more conducive for our ducks, alligator, our deer and our cattle.”
Strickland said he’s fine waiting until the ban is lifted because he knows how serious wildfires can be, like the one that recently happened in Bowling Green.
“I’ve been burning woods for close to 55 years. Again, back to when it was an art, not a science. And now it’s a combination. Now it’s a combination. It’s both. I’ve seen really bad wildfires. I have seen a lot of lightning strikes. I’ve seen homes burned. I’ve seen the damage that’s done,” he said.
The burn ban will be in effect through June 10, unless extended.
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — Many space fans will be waiting to see if the third launch attempt of Boeing’s maiden crewed flight of its Starliner spacecraft will be a success on Wednesday.
What You Need To Know
The next available launch chance is Wednesday, June 5
It will take off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
Learn about the previous launch attempts
Discover more about the Starliner and its crew members
Countdown to launch
With an instantaneous launch at 10:52 a.m. ET, Starliner and United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket are now set to send NASA astronauts Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams to the International Space Station.
They will be leaving Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and are expected to arrive at the ISS at around 12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 06, NASA public affairs specialist Steven Siceloff stated to Spectrum News.
If successful, this will be Starliner’s first launch with people onboard.
A timeline of Starliner launch attempts
Before Wednesday’s launch attempt, the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission has seen many delays, from an issue with a valve on the Atlas V rocket to a persistent helium leak on the Starliner. And NASA confirmed on Friday, May 24, that the Starliner will be launched with the helium leak because officials feel it is stable and manageable.
Previous Starliner coverage
Knowing about their ride: Info on the Starliner and Atlas V rocket
Boeing’s Starliner is designed to fit up to seven people, but for NASA missions, only four to five crew members will be on board.
For this mission, the space capsule will be heading into space thanks to United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket.
Boeing stated that its Starliner is conceived for up to 10 missions and each one is made for a specific assignment.
The spacecraft has only performed two missions, both uncrewed. The first Orbital Flight Test in December 2019, which did launch as planned but there was a glitch in the mission-elapsed timer that caused the spacecraft to go into an orbital insertion burn at the wrong time, which wasted a lot of fuel.
So, while it reached a stable orbit, it could not meet up the ISS.
The first Orbital Flight Test’s Starliner is the same one used for his maiden crewed mission. And it was christen Calypso after Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s oceanography vessel, RV Calypso, stated NASA.
After the stage separation, the Atlas V booster will fall into the ocean. Unlike SpaceX rockets, Atlas rockets do not land.
The Atlas V rocket, with the Starliner on top, stands at 171 feet (52 meters) tall. It is a bit smaller than a stacked SpaceX Falcon rocket at 229.6 feet (70 meters).
Understanding the mission
After the liftoff, it will be a more than 24-hour journey for Wilmore and Williams to reach the International Space Station, where Calypso will dock on the space station’s Harmony module.
If all goes according to plan, it should dock autonomously at 12:15 p.m., Thursday, June 6, according to Siceloff.
The mission has many objectives, but one of the main ones is to prove the Starliner’s ability to launch and land.
“The CFT crew is focused on testing Starliner systems in detail throughout their stay on ISS. For a flight test like this, they will not be tasked with research work on the station itself. They are qualified to do so, but for this mission, the flight testing elements have priority,” according to Siceloff in an earlier interview.
The pair will assess the spacecraft, its displays, and cargo transfer systems; and will even go inside Starliner and close the hatch to show it can be used as a “safe haven” in case there is an emergency, NASA explained.
During the first launch effort, former NASA astronaut and former Boeing CST-100 Starliner Director of Crew and Mission Systems Christopher J. Ferguson explained to Spectrum News what Wilmore and Williams will experience as the Starliner launches.
🚀@Boeing’s former #Starliner Director and @NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson was explaining to me what Cmdr. #Wilmore and pilot #Williams will experience during liftoff and what went into this maiden launch.
“The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation on space station missions, which will allow for additional research time,” NASA stated.
“In 2014, Boeing was awarded up to $4.2 billion by NASA to build, test and fly the Starliner. The contract includes six service missions, as well as an uncrewed and a crewed flight test to the ISS,” Boeing stated in a 51-page document.
Both Wilmore and Williams will be at the ISS as part-time Expedition 71 members for about a week or before they return to Earth in the Starliner, NASA officials stated.
(ISS expeditions are missions that can last about six months.)
The Starliner will have a “hard landing” in the American Southwest as its parachutes will slow it down to 4 mph before touching soil again. The exact location has not yet been disclosed.
Introducing the crew
Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are seen in this 2022 photo. They will be the first astronauts to crew Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. (NASA/Robert Markowitz)
When it comes to space travel, the Starliner crew are pros. Wilmore, the commander of the Crew Flight Test mission, became a NASA astronaut in July 2000.
The retired Navy veteran has been on the Atlantis shuttle mission STS-129 in 2009 and two ISS Expedition missions: 41 and 42 between 2014 and 2015.
Williams will be the pilot for this first voyage of the crewed mission. The Ohio native was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1998 and has been on two ISS missions: Expeditions 14 and 15 in 2006 and 2007. And then 32 and 33 in 2012.
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says a 21-year-old man who disappeared last month is believed to be dead.
Ethan Fussell was reported missing on May 13.
On Monday, Sheriff Grady Judd said recent evidence led investigators to elevate the incident from a missing persons case to a murder investigation.
What You Need To Know
Ethan Fussell was reported missing on May 13
Sheriff Grady Judd said recent evidence led investigators to elevate the incident from a missing persons case to a murder investigation
Suspects Adonai Rivera and Talon Page in custody; search for Fussell’s body ongoing
Two men are in custody in the case, 21-year-old Adonai Rivera and 25-year-old Talon Page. They are both facing charges of accessory and tampering with evidence.
Fussell was last seen at Page’s Driggers Road home, a place investigators said is known for drug activity.
Judd called Fussell “a good kid” with no history of arrests who may have just fell in with the wrong crowd.
Investigators searched the home and found traces of blood and a piece of carpet removed.
“We found evidence at Driggers Road where we served a search warrant,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “Where they were trying to clean up the crime scene – there was a significant amount of blood there.”
The suspects in custody are not currently charged with murder but Judd said more charges and arrests are expected.
Authorities are still working to locate Fussell’s body.
Ethan Fussell was reported missing on May 13. On Monday, Sheriff Grady Judd said recent evidence led investigators to elevate the incident from a missing persons case to a murder investigation. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — A day after scrubbing the maiden crewed launch attempt of Boeing’s Starliner, NASA announced on Sunday the mission has a confirmed new liftoff date.
What You Need To Know
The next available launch chance is Wednesday, June 5; backup Thursday, June 6
In latest press conference, NASA officials explain to Spectrum News why they will fly the Starliner with the helium leak
The 45th Weather Squadron is giving a 90% chance of good conditions for launch, with the only concerns being the cumulus cloud rule.
The second launch attempt scrubbed
Minutes before launch of the crewed Starliner spacecraft on Saturday, June 1, Boeing and NASA scrubbed the mission, with an official from the U.S. space agency stating a computer put a hold. The hold happened at 3 minutes, 50 seconds before the instantaneous liftoff at 12:25 p.m. ET.
“NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) scrubbed today’s launch opportunity due to the computer ground launch sequencer not loading into the correct operational configuration after proceeding into terminal count,” stated NASA.
On Sunday, the U.S. space agency stated United Launch Alliance’s team discovered the cause.
“The ULA team identified an issue with a single ground power supply within one of the three redundant chassis that provides power to a subset of computer cards controlling various system functions, including the card responsible for the stable replenishment topping valves for the Centaur upper stage,” according to NASA.
The Centaur upper stage is part of ULA’s Atlas V rocket. The chassis are needed to enter the terminal phase of the launch countdown to make sure the crew is safe.
Early Saturday afternoon, NASA stated the next launch attempt would be Sunday, June 02, at 12:03 p.m. ET. But come Saturday evening, NASA stated the mission team wanted more time to assess the ground support equipment issue and the “next available launch opportunities are Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6,” it stated.
.@NASA, @BoeingSpace, and @ulalaunch are forgoing a Crew Flight Test launch attempt on June 2 to give the team additional time to assess a ground support equipment issue.
ULA will assess the ground support equipment overnight, and NASA will provide an update June 2 on next steps… pic.twitter.com/BlBddwk63o
— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) June 1, 2024
NASA stated the focus for the launch team is to make sure the ULA Atlas V rocket is in a good configuration as well as Starliner, which is christened Calypso.
For the second time in less than a month, NASA astronauts Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams found themselves hoping to be sent to the International Space Station, only to be removed from Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A number of things were going against this mission, but for Saturday’s attempt, the launch team had to troubleshoot a problem with the topping the Atlas’ Centaur’s cryogenic tanks with fuel. Eventually, a workaround was found.
This is a different issue that what originally scrubbed the mission on Monday, May 6. (Scroll down below for more details.)
Before that, the wind conditions gave some a wary eye.
The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 90% chance of good launch conditions, with the only concerns being ground winds and the cumulus cloud rule.
Mark Burger of the squadron explained to Spectrum News what Saturday’s liftoff conditions were like for both the launch day and for Sunday, one of the backup attempts.
Mark Burger of the 45th Weather Squadron was explaining to me the liftoff conditions for @BoeingSpace’s #Starliner mission for today and the backup launch tomorrow.
Before the Saturday, June 2 launch attempt, the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission has seen several delays, from an issue with a valve on the Atlas V rocket to a persistent helium leak on the Starliner. In fact, NASA stated on Friday, May 24, that the Starliner will be launched with the helium leak, saying it was stable and manageable.
The first launch attempt was set for Monday, May 6. However, minutes before the lift off, officials scrubbed it because they discovered an issue with a pressure regulation valve on a liquid oxygen tank on the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage.
Both Starliner and the rocket were rolled back to Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41 to repair the issue. The pair has since been rolled back to the pad.
Boeing hoped for a second launch attempt on Friday, May 17, at 6:16 p.m. ET. However, a small helium leak that was discovered in the Starliner’s service module put an end to that attempt. The cause of the leak is from a faulty seal.
The small helium leak also dashed the hopes of two more attempts: One for Tuesday, May 21, at 4:43 p.m. ET and the second one on Saturday, May 25, at 3:09 p.m. ET.
On Friday, May 24, NASA confirmed with Spectrum News that it will allow Starliner to launch with a helium leak.
On Wednesday, May 29, both the private company and the U.S. space agency announced that the Starliner mission is still on for the weekend.
“NASA and Boeing teams polled ‘go’ to proceed with plans to launch the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station at 12:25 p.m. EDT Saturday, June 1. During a Delta-Agency Flight Test Readiness Review Wednesday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, leaders from NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) verified launch readiness, including all systems, facilities, and teams supporting the test flight,” Boeing stated.
During a press conference on Friday, May 31, NASA officials once again assured that the Starliner is safe to flight, despite it losing helium.
Answering a question posed by Spectrum News as to why both NASA and Boeing do not roll the stacked vehicle back into the hanger and remove the space capsule to fix the leak, space agency officials said they have been thorough with reviewing the situation and the data they have collected.
“First of all, we’ve looked really hard at what our options were for this particular flange and the fact that this flange has a fuel line that goes into the flange, an oxygenizer line and helium line all going into the flange makes it problematic to work on. It makes it almost unsafe to work on,” answered Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
He said the broken seal is leaking a half a pound a day and because the tank can hold 50 pounds of helium, they feel they can manage the small leak and within the margin of safety for spaceflight.
“Sometimes for spaceflight, we plan for contingencies and design the vehicle to have margin and in our case, we have margin in the helium tank,” Stich said. “… We really think we can manage this leak both by looking at it before we launch and then if it got bigger in flight, we can manage it. In fact, we can handle it as I said on Friday a leak 100 times worse than this.”
Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president and program manager of its commercial crew program, echoed what Stich said, adding that they asked themselves, “Is it safe or not? And it is safe and that’s why we determined to go fly with what we have.”
Learn about Starliner and Atlas V rocket
While the Starliner can fit up to seven crew members, for NASA missions it will carry between four to five people.
Each 16.5-foot (5 meter) tall Starliner is designed for up to 10 launch missions and they are made for each assignment, stated Boeing.
The Starliner spacecraft only has two missions under its wide belt: The first Orbital Flight Test in December 2019, which did launch as planned but there was a glitch in the mission-elapsed timer that caused the spacecraft to go into an orbital insertion burn at the wrong time, which wasted a lot of fuel.
So, while it achieved a stable orbit, it could not meet up with the space station.
The Starliner in the first Orbital Flight Test will be the same one used for this maiden crewed mission. And it is named Calypso after Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s oceanography vessel, RV Calypso, stated NASA.
After the stage separation, the Atlas V booster will fall into the ocean. Unlike SpaceX rockets, Atlas rockets do not land.
The Atlas V rocket, with the Starliner on top, stands at 171 feet (52 meters) tall. It is a bit smaller than a stacked SpaceX Falcon rocket at 229.6 feet (70 meters).
Understanding the mission
After the launch, the Starliner duo will have a more than 24-hour journey to the International Space Station, where Calypso will dock on the space station’s Harmony module, Steven Siceloff, a NASA public affairs specialist, explained to Spectrum News on Wednesday, May 29.
If all goes according to plan, it should dock autonomously at 1:50 p.m., Sunday, stated NASA.
One of the main objectives of the mission is to demonstrate the Starliner’s ability to launch and land. This will be the first time that the Starliner spacecraft will have a journey to the ISS with people onboard.
“The CFT crew is focused on testing Starliner systems in detail throughout their stay on ISS. For a flight test like this, they will not be tasked with research work on the station itself. They are qualified to do so, but for this mission, the flight testing elements have priority,” according to Siceloff.
The pair will assess the spacecraft, its displays, and cargo transfer systems; and will even go inside Starliner and close the hatch to show it can be used as a “safe haven” in case there is an emergency, NASA explained.
During the first launch attempt, former NASA astronaut and former Boeing CST-100 Starliner Director of Crew and Mission Systems Christopher J. Ferguson explained to Spectrum News what Wilmore and Williams will experience as the Starliner launches.
🚀@Boeing’s former #Starliner Director and @NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson was explaining to me what Cmdr. #Wilmore and pilot #Williams will experience during liftoff and what went into this maiden launch.
“The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation on space station missions, which will allow for additional research time,” NASA stated.
“In 2014, Boeing was awarded up to $4.2 billion by NASA to build, test and fly the Starliner. The contract includes six service missions, as well as an uncrewed and a crewed flight test to the ISS,” Boeing stated in a 51-page document.
Both Wilmore and Williams will be at the ISS as part-time Expedition 71 members for about eight days before they climb back onboard the Starliner and return to Earth, NASA officials stated.
“Overall, they will be in space … but the exact duration depends on mission conditions and testing of Starliner systems while at the station,” Siceloffstated.
(ISS expeditions are missions that can last about six months.)
During the Saturday, June 01, launch attempt, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara shared with Spectrum News why she wanted to go into space and the importance of the commercial crew program.
.@Jon_Shaban and I got a chance to interview @NASA astronaut @lunarloral ahead of @BoeingSpace’s #Starliner. She tells use why she wanted to be an astronaut and the importance of the ISS and the new way we get to space.
The Starliner will have a “hard landing” in the American Southwest. Its parachutes will slow it down to 4 mph before touching the earth again. The exact location has not yet been disclosed.
Meeting the crew
Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are seen in this 2022 photo. They will be the first astronauts to crew Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. (NASA/Robert Markowitz)
When it comes to space travel, the Starliner crew are pros. Wilmore, the commander of the Crew Flight Test mission, became a NASA astronaut in July 2000.
The retired Navy veteran has been on the Atlantis shuttle mission STS-129 in 2009 and two ISS Expedition missions: 41 and 42 between 2014 and 2015.
Williams will be the pilot for this first voyage of the crewed mission. The Ohio native was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1998 and has been on two ISS missions: Expeditions 14 and 15 in 2006 and 2007. And then 32 and 33 in 2012.
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — JROTC programs are in high schools across the country representing our military branches.
What You Need To Know
There are 10 Coast Guard specific JROTC programs in the country
Seven additional Coast Guard JROTC programs are set to open in the upcoming school year
All of the our military branches are represented in JROTC programs
However, only 10 represent the Coast Guard, one of which is in Tampa Bay.
Students like Claire Lafave, a soon-to-be junior at Pinellas Park High School, is a member of the program.
“I want to go into the United States Coast Guard as a Bosman’s mate,” she said,
Lafave will be the company commander in the school’s JROTC program during the upcoming school year.
Lafave said a military career has always been in the back of her mind, but after discovering her school has one of the few Coast Guard JROTC programs in the country, her dream was born.
From jumping through tires and crawling through pipes to vaulting over walls, the training is intense.
“I was really shy when I got here,” she said. “So, definitely growing as a leader and meeting all of them and encouraging them, it’s definitely brought me out of my shell.”
Master Chief and one of the teachers for the Pinellas Park JROTC, Michael Collis, said they were the fourth Coast Guard-specific program created in 2021.
Now, there are 10 nationwide, with 7 more openings at the start of the next school year, including one in Orlando.
“Just making better citizens and teaching leadership and giving leadership opportunities for young high schoolers to have and just prepare them for the real world,” he said.
Lafave said it’s the guidance Collis and other teachers have given her that’s pushed and motivated her.
However, she doesn’t do this just for them: her classmates push her just as much.
“I want people to see me as someone they can trust, as almost like family,” Lafave said. “That’s what we build here. I know when I’m nervous or something, I have people who are going to back me up.”
LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland veteran is using his influence online to speak out against cyber bullying. Known only as ‘The Great Londini,’ one person’s influence has turned into an online movement against bullying online.
What You Need To Know
Known only as ‘The Great Londini,’ one person’s influence has turned into an online movement against bullying online
After just a few days of deep-diving on social media, he says he noticed how big a problem online bullying is spurring him on to start his own videos to help make a change
With millions of followers across numerous social media platforms, he said it’s not so much about the number of followers as it is about his message
A movement that is looking to change the aspect on the digital landscape.
Sitting behind his keyboard and desk monitors is a man who goes by the name, ‘Leo.’ But he’s probably better known by his online name — ‘The Great Londini.’
“My mission is to get information out to parents and kids about the perils of online,” said Leo.
His mission has become an online movement, speaking out against cyber bullying.
“I had a friend who lost their child, who was autistic, and he was being bullied online,” Leo said. “He’d asked me if I could do anything as far as find out who this was, because obviously, it dramatically affected their life.”
That request created a spark of what ‘The Great Londini’ is today. After just a few days of deep-diving on social media, he says he noticed how big a problem online bullying is spurring him on to start his own videos to help make a change.
“I know for a fact that I’m drinking from the ocean with a straw, I know that,” said Leo. “But to me, it doesn’t matter if I can help one person, and I know that I have with the responses that I’ve got, I don’t know if I’m ever going to make a big enough change to actually change the trajectory of bullying as a whole. I’m going to try. I’m going to keep putting information out there to educate. It may work or it may not. All I know is I’m not going to sit back and not try.”
He’s racked up millions of followers across numerous social media platforms. But for Leo, it’s not so much about the number of followers as it is about his message.
“It could be videos, comments, stickers or pictures. You can pick your content type and so it’s a larger variety of hate,” he said.
And his next path may be going beyond the cell phone screen.
“I want to start a nationwide campaign,” Leo said. “So the answer is, I know it’s helped. Maybe not global impacting, but I’m not going to stop until it does.”
Helping make the internet a more inclusive and safe space for everyone.
If you or someone you know is a victim of cyber bullying, you can find some helpful resources online.
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — After dealing with a number of delays, Boeing is ready to launch the maiden crewed Starliner flight with two NASA astronauts onboard, even though the spacecraft has a helium leak.
Countdown to launch
Sitting on top of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, Boeing’s Starliner will take flight on Saturday, June 1, at 12:25 p.m. ET from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
(Boeing built the Starliner and United Launch Alliance — a joint business venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin — built the Atlas V rocket.)
NASA astronauts Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams will be heading to the International Space Station while sitting in Starliner, which is christened Calypso.
The 45th Weather Squadron has given a 90% chance of good launch conditions, with the only concerns being ground winds and the cumulus cloud rule.
Mark Burger of the squadron explained to Spectrum News what the liftoff conditions are like for both the launch day and for Sunday, one of the backup attempts.
Mark Burger of the 45th Weather Squadron was explaining to me the liftoff conditions for @BoeingSpace’s #Starliner mission for today and the backup launch tomorrow.
If the Starliner does not go up, the next attempts are set for the following dates, according to NASA: Sunday, June 2, Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6. No launch times have been given.
Getting off the ground: A timeline
The Boeing Crew Flight Test mission has seen several delays, from an issue with a valve on the Atlas V rocket to a persistent helium leak on the Starliner. In fact, NASA stated on Friday, May 24, that the Starliner will be launched with the helium leak, saying it was stable and manageable.
The first launch attempt was set for Monday, May 6. However, minutes before the lift off, officials scrubbed it because they discovered an issue with a pressure regulation valve on a liquid oxygen tank on the Atlas V rocket’s Centaur upper stage.
Both Starliner and the rocket were rolled back to Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41 to repair the issue. The pair has since been rolled back to the pad.
Boeing hoped for a second launch attempt on Friday, May 17, at 6:16 p.m. ET. However, a small helium leak that was discovered in the Starliner’s service module put an end to that attempt. The cause of the leak is from a faulty seal.
The small helium leak also dashed the hopes of two more attempts: One for Tuesday, May 21, at 4:43 p.m. ET and the second one on Saturday, May 25, at 3:09 p.m. ET.
On Friday, May 24, NASA confirmed with Spectrum News that it will allow Starliner to launch with a helium leak.
On Wednesday, May 29, both the private company and the U.S. space agency announced that the Starliner mission is still on for the weekend.
“NASA and Boeing teams polled ‘go’ to proceed with plans to launch the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station at 12:25 p.m. EDT Saturday, June 1. During a Delta-Agency Flight Test Readiness Review Wednesday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, leaders from NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) verified launch readiness, including all systems, facilities, and teams supporting the test flight,” Boeing stated.
During a press conference on Friday, May 31, NASA officials once again assured that the Starliner is safe to flight, despite it losing helium.
Answering a question posed by Spectrum News as to why both NASA and Boeing do not roll the stacked vehicle back into the hanger and remove the space capsule to fix the leak, space agency officials said they have been thorough with reviewing the situation and the data they have collected.
“First of all, we’ve looked really hard at what our options were for this particular flange and the fact that this flange has a fuel line that goes into the flange, an oxygenizer line and helium line all going into the flange makes it problematic to work on. It makes it almost unsafe to work on,” answered Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
He said the broken seal is leaking a half a pound a day and because the tank can hold 50 pounds of helium, they feel they can manage the small leak and within the margin of safety for spaceflight.
“Sometimes for spaceflight, we plan for contingencies and design the vehicle to have margin and in our case, we have margin in the helium tank,” Stich said. “… We really think we can manage this leak both by looking at it before we launch and then if it got bigger in flight, we can manage it. In fact, we can handle it as I said on Friday a leak 100 times worse than this.”
Mark Nappi, Boeing’s vice president and program manager of its commercial crew program, echoed what Stich said, adding that they asked themselves, “Is it safe or not? And it is safe and that’s why we determined to go fly with what we have.”
Learn about Starliner and Atlas V rocket
While the Starliner can fit up to seven crew members, for NASA missions it will carry between four to five people.
Each 16.5-foot (5 meter) tall Starliner is designed for up to 10 launch missions and they are made for each assignment, stated Boeing.
The Starliner spacecraft only has two missions under its wide belt: The first Orbital Flight Test in December 2019, which did launch as planned but there was a glitch in the mission-elapsed timer that caused the spacecraft to go into an orbital insertion burn at the wrong time, which wasted a lot of fuel.
So, while it achieved a stable orbit, it could not meet up with the space station.
The Starliner in the first Orbital Flight Test will be the same one used for this maiden crewed mission. And it is named Calypso after Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s oceanography vessel, RV Calypso, stated NASA.
After the stage separation, the Atlas V booster will fall into the ocean. Unlike SpaceX rockets, Atlas rockets do not land.
The Atlas V rocket, with the Starliner on top, stands at 171 feet (52 meters) tall. It is a bit smaller than a stacked SpaceX Falcon rocket at 229.6 feet (70 meters).
Understanding the mission
After the launch, the Starliner duo will have a more than 24-hour journey to the International Space Station, where Calypso will dock on the space station’s Harmony module, Steven Siceloff, a NASA public affairs specialist, explained to Spectrum News on Wednesday, May 29.
If all goes according to plan, it should dock autonomously at 1:50 p.m., Sunday, stated NASA.
One of the main objectives of the mission is to demonstrate the Starliner’s ability to launch and land. This will be the first time that the Starliner spacecraft will have a journey to the ISS with people onboard.
“The CFT crew is focused on testing Starliner systems in detail throughout their stay on ISS. For a flight test like this, they will not be tasked with research work on the station itself. They are qualified to do so, but for this mission, the flight testing elements have priority,” according to Siceloff.
The pair will assess the spacecraft, its displays, and cargo transfer systems; and will even go inside Starliner and close the hatch to show it can be used as a “safe haven” in case there is an emergency, NASA explained.
During the first launch attempt, former NASA astronaut and former Boeing CST-100 Starliner Director of Crew and Mission Systems Christopher J. Ferguson explained to Spectrum News what Wilmore and Williams will experience as the Starliner launches.
🚀@Boeing’s former #Starliner Director and @NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson was explaining to me what Cmdr. #Wilmore and pilot #Williams will experience during liftoff and what went into this maiden launch.
“The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation on space station missions, which will allow for additional research time,” NASA stated.
“In 2014, Boeing was awarded up to $4.2 billion by NASA to build, test and fly the Starliner. The contract includes six service missions, as well as an uncrewed and a crewed flight test to the ISS,” Boeing stated in a 51-page document.
Both Wilmore and Williams will be at the ISS as part-time Expedition 71 members for about eight days before they climb back onboard the Starliner and return to Earth, NASA officials stated.
“Overall, they will be in space … but the exact duration depends on mission conditions and testing of Starliner systems while at the station,” he stated.
(ISS expeditions are missions that can last about six months.)
The Starliner will have a “hard landing” in the American Southwest. Its parachutes will slow it down to 4 mph before touching the earth again. The exact location has not yet been disclosed.
Meeting the crew
Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are seen in this 2022 photo. They will be the first astronauts to crew Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. (NASA/Robert Markowitz)
When it comes to space travel, the Starliner crew are pros. Wilmore, the commander of the Crew Flight Test mission, became a NASA astronaut in July 2000.
The retired Navy veteran has been on the Atlantis shuttle mission STS-129 in 2009 and two ISS Expedition missions: 41 and 42 between 2014 and 2015.
Williams will be the pilot for this first voyage of the crewed mission. The Ohio native was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1998 and has been on two ISS missions: Expeditions 14 and 15 in 2006 and 2007. And then 32 and 33 in 2012.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The City of St. Petersburg and Hines Development Group have released more renderings of what they envision for the Historic Gas Plant redevelopment project.
City officials released new images of what the completed project, long with a new ballpark, would look like.
The Rays-Hines development team seeks to revive the community by demolishing Tropicana Field and building a new stadium.
The plan also includes more than 5,000 residential units, 600 of them for seniors and over 1,200 would be affordable and workforce housing.
Plans also include 750,000 square-feet for retail space, including spots for small businesses, a grocery store, and a 4,000 to 6,000-seat entertainment venue.
That’s in addition to the office, conference and meeting space and 750 hotel rooms.
The project, totaling 86-acres and ultimately costing $6.5 billion, is anchored by a proposed 30,000-seat new ballpark for the Rays.
Redevelopment talks at City Hall are set to resume June 13. A final vote on the stadium and Gas Plant agreements is set for July 11.
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — SpaceX is preparing for a Memorial Day Starlink launch.
What You Need To Know
SpaceX will send off Starlink 6-60 mission at 11:30 a.m. ET
It will take place at Space Launch Complex 40
The Falcon 9 rocket will send up Starlink 6-60 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX.
The launch window will open at 11:30 a.m. ET, which is at the close of the launch window.
The launch was originally set to happen at 7:30 a.m. ET and then it was moved to 10:20 a.m. ET and finally at 10:56 a.m. ET; SpaceX did not state why it was pushed back.
The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 95% to 90% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only concerns being the cumulus cloud rule.
If the launch is scrubbed, the next try will be Tuesday, May 28, at 7:30 a.m. ET, SpaceX stated.
Going up
This will be the 10th mission for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1078. The nine missions it has launched are quite impressive:
National Police Week recognizes officers who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty
Police Officer Antonio Pici served eight years in the Minnesota National Guard himself before becoming a police officer
Bay Pines VA held events throughout the week in honor of police week including a dodgeball game and coffee with a cop
For officer Antonio Pici, making a difference in someone’s day is why he’s a police officer at Bay Pines Veterans Affairs.
He said it’s the interactions he has with veterans at the hospital that make his job special.
“Sometimes it leads to a quick general conversation and other times it can turn into them needing an ear just to listen to,” he said.
Both on foot and in his police cruiser, Pici travels across campus checking for unattended bags, anything out of place, and making sure both the staff and veterans at the hospital are safe.
It’s not a coincidence Pici works with veterans. He served eight years in the Minnesota National Guard himself before becoming a police officer.
He sees police week as a time to honor officers who’ve lost their lives and celebrate the connection he has with both his fellow officers and veterans he’s served with.
“It’s a very rewarding career, but it also has its dangers. It’s also a way for us to remember those of our friends and colleagues that we have lost in the line of duty,” he said.
Finishing up his rounds, Pici stops by the national cemetery on campus.
He said the heroes buried serve as a reminder to him about why he does what he does.
“Every single veteran that walks through those doors and through this VA and hospital I consider my brothers and sisters,” Pici said.
Bay Pines held events throughout the week in honor of National Police Week, including a dodgeball game and coffee with a cop.
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — Madeira Beach recently started a $3.8 million project to restore most of the groins on the city’s two mile long stretch of beach to preserve the valuable white powdery sand for visitors.
What You Need To Know
Madeira Beach City Manager Robin Gomez said 22 of 37 beach groins need to be restored
The groins preserve the city’s two-mile long stretch of beach
The project began on May 6 at 155th Avenue and will work its way south
The beach groin restoration project is expected to be completed by February
“So, (we’re) making sure that the groins continue to do their job and will keep the sand here,” said Robin Gomez, city manager. “It’ll keep it from being eroded out into the Gulf.”
Gomez said 22 of the city’s 37 beach groins need to be restored. The last time any work on the groins took place was in 2013. A contractor began the current beach groin improvement project on May 6.
“The majority of the groins are actually buried under the sand. So, they will be uncovered and the casting will be removed,” said Gomez. “They will pour cement and then cover the cement to clean up and further strengthen the groin.”
St. Pete Beach Public Works Dir. Mike Clarke said he’ll take aggressive action to mitigate flooding in the Don CeSar neighborhood after more than a dozen residents complained about the lack of response. @BN9https://t.co/buVWR8olaDpic.twitter.com/DK1I2GMEeW
The beach groins look like a seawall, which extends out into the Gulf of Mexico. The length of each groin is 200 feet, but only the last 50 feet is visible. The groins have been spaced about 300 feet apart.
The restoration project began at 155th Avenue and will work its way south.
“The beach will remain open. The parking lots will remain open,” said Gomez. “There will be times where folks will have to walk around the barricades.”
Beach groins trap and hold the sand in place which preserves the beach. Gomez said the nearly $4 million project, which half the cost is matched by a state grant, will be worth every penny, because the sand draws millions of victors every year to Madeira Beach.
“This is our economy. This is what drives the few million people to visit,” he said. “It has driven literally tens of thousands of people to invest.”
Gomez pointed out that because of the groins, the city doesn’t need any bed tax money from Pinellas County for beach restoration and it makes the entire beach renourishment simpler.
“This does make it easier,” he said. “We don’t have to deal with the Army Corps and their requirements.”
The city has been using beach groins since 1948. Gomez said the Madeira Beach forefathers deserve a lot of credit.
“Over 70 years ago, several individuals had that idea,” he said. “Let’s see how we can keep the sand and we’re just continuing with that into the future.”
Gomez said the beach groins have a 15 year lifespan. The contractor will work around sea turtle nests which will be monitored daily by staff from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, according to Gomez.
“They will mark and identify,” he said. “We provide the contractor the go ahead to begin the work.”
The beach groin restoration project is expected to wrap up in February.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A nonprofit organization called “Preserve the ‘Burg” in St. Petersburg recently conducted a study on the economic impact of historic properties in the city.
According to Place Economics, homes located in St. Petersburg’s historic districts have experienced higher rates of increase in value compared to the rest of the city.
What You Need To Know
A nonprofit organization called “Preserve the Burg” in St. Petersburg recently conducted a study on the economic impact of historic properties in the city
According to Place Economics, homes located in St. Petersburg’s historic districts have experienced higher rates of increase in value compared to the rest of the city
Historic district home value rates increased at 119.3% per square foot compared to 85.2% for other St. Petersburg homes
Preserve the ‘Burg Executive Director Manny Leto says between 2010 to 2020, jobs on Central Avenue grew by more than 50% compared to the city’s 17% job growth during the same time
Historic district home value rates increased at 119.3% per square foot compared to 85.2% for other St. Petersburg homes.
Alec Smith is a specialist architect in historic preservation and renovation. This type of work requires compliance with building codes that are specifically designed for historic properties.
“These are just kind of some snippets of a project we were working on for a new accessory dwelling unit behind a historic home,” he said while sharing his sketches.
He draws up his designs in his office, which is situated in his historic home that he renovated.
“It’s over 100 years old. We are located in Historic Kenwood,” said Smith. “Our home has more than quadrupled in value since owning it in the last 12 years.”
Alec is not the only homeowner benefitting from his investment.
A study by Place Economics says home property values in St. Pete’s historic districts have increased at a higher rate than the rest of the city.
Preserve the ‘Burg Executive Director Manny Leto says between 2010 to 2020, jobs on Central Avenue grew by more than 50% compared to the city’s 17% job growth during the same time.
Leto says the study also looked at how historic buildings can help with affordable housing.
“When we’re talking about affordable housing, we often talk about new, but another component of affordability is keeping your existing stock,” said Leto.
Principal Donovan Rypkema of Place Economics argues that the idea that additional regulations for historic preservation harm property values is disproven by the study.
“The other side, however, is of all the city-level studies we’ve done. St Petersburg has the lowest share of them under the protection of the local preservation order,” said Rypkema. “That means most of the historic resources here have no protection at all. They’re at risk of being torn down tomorrow.”
He explains that the study provides evidence that can be used for advocacy and policy decisions. Meanwhile, Smith supports preserving old structures that give character to the evolving community.
“I think, you know, with a little bit of love, these homes can last for another hundred years easily because of the quality of materials that were put in them originally,” he said. “You know, those materials don’t exist anymore. We cut down all the forests to build these beautiful homes, but we should take advantage of the old-growth lumber that is built into these homes to keep it to maintain them.”
Smith says when dealing with historic homes, it’s a guaranteed investment in a solid foundation.
Discussions about preserving historic communities will continue at the Pinellas Historic Preservation Summit on May 17.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The push to bring more electric vehicles to Florida is impacting local school districts.
The state’s Department of Environmental Protection is partnering with several counties to purchase electric buses.
What You Need To Know
Manatee County Schools on March 18 began driving their four electric buses
Two of the buses have a range of 130 miles with two batteries, and the other two have a 200-mile range with three batteries
Jamie Warrington says the district paid about $385,000 per bus, with 70% of the cost covered by the grant. The standard diesel school bus currently costs about $155,000, and new electric buses have gone up this year to about $450,000 each, he said
One of the drivers is Susie DuDeVoire, has been a bus driver for Manatee County Schools for 23 years.
“I do it for the kids. They need somebody every day to listen to them, to be nice to them,” she said.
Over the years, she’s experienced many changes that now include an electric bus.
“Very different. It’s quiet. See, let me turn off the AC for you. I can hear them buckle their seatbelt,” she said.
The Director of Transportation for Manatee Schools, Jamie Warrington, says the grant covered 70 percent of the cost. He says the district actually paid about $385,000 per bus, with 70% of the cost covered by the grant.
The standard diesel school bus currently costs about $155,000, and new electric buses have gone up this year to about $450,000 each, he said.
“The school district has always done what we can to try to be more green to combat the emissions issues the country is experiencing,” Warrington.
When DuDeVoire heard the news, she said she was happy about the new addition.
“I was excited, a little excited, something new,” DuDeVoire said.
She’s been driving her bus since March 18 and already has some favorite additions.
“I love this braking system. It brakes when I take the foot off the gas and puts energy onto the battery,” she said.
The school district hopes these buses help the environment and save money.
“We are collecting the data,” said Warrington.
He says it will take three to four months of collecting data before he can determine if the new buses are more cost-effective.
“There are electrical costs associated with it. We aren’t exactly sure how that’s going to play out. FP&L has been working with us. There will be a dashboard to check on the progress and see how much electricity it’s costing to fully charge that bus after routes, as well as overnight,” he said.
He says two of the buses have a range of 130 miles with two batteries, and the other two have a 200-mile range with three batteries. Each bus driver can only stick to their daily school pick-up and drop-off routes that were similar to when the drivers would travel in their gas buses. He says this way it will have consistent data every day.
“The goal is always to keep the money in the classroom where it belongs with the students, so I’m really hopeful and excited that when we are able to get to the point of the comparison, that the data will speak for itself,” he explained.
After her morning and afternoon routes, DuDeVoire charges the bus. Her bus has three batteries and a 200-mile range. It takes four to six hours to fully charge.
This environmentally-friendly bus might change the future of the district – but for DuDeVoire, the goal is the same.
“To get kids safely to and from school,” she said.
If the data shows it’s saving the district money, Warrington said he hopes to add more to the fleet.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Thursday marks 44 years since the collapse of the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
A 608-foot freighter struck hit the bridge during a thunderstorm on the morning of May 9, 1980, causing more than 1,200 feet of the bridge to fall into the bay.
Seven vehicles and a greyhound bus fell 150 feet into the waters below, killing 35 people.
After the disaster, new protection measures were installed around the supports that hold the bridge up to protect it from similar tragedies in the future.
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The Pasco County School Board is holding a workshop to discuss tightening cell phone rules for students.
New rules were approved last year for this school year.
What You Need To Know
Pasco Schools holding workshop to discuss tightening cell phone rules for students
Proposed changes: Middle school students can’t use their phones at all unless a teacher allows them to and high school students would only be able to use their phones during lunch
Currently, both middle and high school students can use their phones during lunch and when given permission by a teacher, and high schoolers can also use them in between classes.
The proposed changes would make it so middle school students can’t use their phones at all unless a teacher allows them to and high school students would only be able to use their phones during lunch.
There aren’t any proposed changes for elementary school students who can’t have cell phones out during the school day.
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — NASA and Boeing announced their decision to scrub the maiden launch of the company’s Starliner spacecraft nearly two hours before liftoff due to an issue with an oxygen relief valve.
“NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are targeting no earlier than Friday, May 10, for launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station, pending resolution of the technical issue that prevented the May 6 launch attempt.
The delay allows teams to complete data analysis on a pressure regulation valve on the liquid oxygen tank of the Atlas V rocket ‘s Centaur upper stage and determine whether it is necessary to replace the valve.”
What You Need To Know
The new launch time has not been announced yet
United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket will take off from Launch Complex-41
This will be the first time that Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will have a journey to the ISS with people onboard
Find out why the Starliner spacecraft is named Calypso; this will be the second mission for the craft
ULA Launch Director Tom Heter III made the decision that the launch operations would not continue. During a live feed, NASA stated that there was an issue with an oxygen relief valuve. Depending on the severity of the issue, the next launch attempt could be Tuesday, May 07, or later, stated NASA.
“Today’s #Starliner launch is scrubbed as teams evaluate an oxygen relief valve on the Centaur Stage on the Atlas V. Our astronauts have exited Starliner and will return to crew quarters,” NASA stated on X, formerlly known as Twitter.
Scroll down to the graphic to see where the Centaur stage is on the stacked rocket.
NASA astronauts Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams had just gotten into the Starliner spacecraft when the announcement was made at around 8:34 p.m. ET. They were ready to be sent to the International Space Station.
The Crew Space Transportation (CST) 100 Starliner spacecraft named Calypso, while sitting on top of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, will take off from Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, according to NASA.
The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 95% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only worries being the cumulus cloud rule.
About Starliner and Atlas V rocket
While the Starliner can fit up to seven crew members, for NASA missions it will carry between four to five people.
Each 16.5-foot (5 meter) tall Starliner is designed for up to 10 launch missions and they are made for each assignment, stated Boeing.
The Starliner spacecraft only has two missions under its wide belt: The first Orbital Flight Test in December 2019, which launched well but there was a glitch in the mission-elapsed timer that caused the spacecraft to go into an orbital insertion burn at the wrong time and used too much fuel.
This meant that while it was in a stable orbit, it could not make a rendezvous with the space station.
In fact, the Starliner in the first Orbital Flight Test will be the same one used for this maiden crewed mission. And it is named Calypso after Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s oceanography vessel, RV Calypso, stated NASA.
After the stage separation, the Atlas V booster will fall into the ocean. Unlike SpaceX rockets, Atlas rockets do not land.
The Atlas V rocket, with the Starliner on top, stands at 171 feet (52 meters) tall. It is a bit smaller than a stacked SpaceX Falcon rocket at 229.6 feet (70 meters).
Understanding the mission
After the launch, the Starliner crew will have a more than 27-hour journey to the ISS, where Calypso will dock on the space station’s Harmony module autonomously, stated NASA.
“During its stay, the crew will evaluate the spacecraft, its displays, and cargo transfer systems. Wilmore and Williams will also go inside Starliner, close the hatch, and demonstrate the spacecraft can perform as a ‘safe haven’ in the case one is needed in the future,” NASA explained.
One of the main objectives of the mission is to demonstrate the Starliner’s ability to launch and land. This will be the first time that the Starliner spacecraft will have a journey to the ISS with people onboard.
Former NASA astronaut and former Boeing CST-100 Starliner Director of Crew and Mission Systems Christopher J. Ferguson was explaining to Spectrum News what Wilmore and Williams will experience as the Starliner launches.
🚀@Boeing’s former #Starliner Director and @NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson was explaining to me what Cmdr. #Wilmore and pilot #Williams will experience during liftoff and what went into this maiden launch.
Artemis II mission specialist Jermey Hansen shared his thoughts with Spectrum News about the Boeing mission and what it means for him to go into space for the first time. And his first mission is the Artemis II, where humans will return to orbit the moon.
#ArtemisII Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen was telling me what makes @BoeingSpace’s #Starliner mission special and his thoughts of going to space for the first time and not just the first time but also orbiting the #moon.
“The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation on space station missions, which will allow for additional research time,” NASA stated.
“In 2014, Boeing was awarded up to $4.2 billion by NASA to build, test and fly the Starliner. The contract includes six service missions, as well as an uncrewed and a crewed flight test to the ISS,” Boeing stated in a-page document.
Both Wilmore and Williams will be at the ISS as part time Expedition 71 members for about a week before they climb back onboard the Starliner and return to Earth.
(ISS expeditions are missions that can last about six months.)
The Starliner will have a “hard landing” in the American Southwest. Its parachutes will slow it down to 4 mph before touching the earth again. The exact location has not yet been disclosed.
Getting to know the crew
Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are seen in this 2022 photo. They will be the first astronauts to crew Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. (NASA/Robert Markowitz)
The crew for this mission is no strangers to being in space. Wilmore, the commander of the Crew Flight Test mission, became a NASA astronaut in July 2000.
The retired Navy veteran has been on the Atlantis shuttle mission STS-129 in 2009 and two ISS Expedition missions: 41 and 42 between 2014 and 2015.
Williams will be the pilot for this first voyage of the crewed mission. The Ohio native was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1998 and has been on two ISS missions: Expeditions 14 and 15 in 2006 and 2007. And then 32 and 33 in 2012.
TAMPA, Fla. — May 4th is known as Star Wars Day to many fans of the widely-popular franchise. “May the Fourth Be With You” is a play on words of the iconic phrase, “May the Force with you,” used throughout almost all of the continuities.
To celebrate the unofficial holiday, Tampa Bay has some events lined up on May 4.
Star Wars Day Celebration 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Tampa Theatre Fans can watch showings of three Star Wars movies: “A New Hope,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” and “Return of the Jedi.”
May the Fourth Be With You: Casual Bike Ride 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Trek Bicycle Tampa South Wear your favorite Star Wars gear and join in on casual bike ride from the Trek Bikes Tampa South shop to Davis Island and back. Refreshments will be provided mid-ride. Helmet and lights are required.
May the Fourth Be With You Water Plant Tour 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Reverse-Osmosis Water Treatment Plant #2 The event celebrates not only Star Wars Day, but also Drinking Water Week. Meet and interact with members of the Florida Garrison 501st Legion and learn all about the vital role water treatment plays in our daily lives. Jedi Masters from the Clearwater Public Library System will be on hand to assist young padawans with making light sabers that they can take home.
Star Wars Day 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Polk Theatre View showings of the classic Star Wars trilogy and join in on additional themed activities.
“Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace” will be shown on movie screens in most theaters this weekend to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary. View your local theater’s website for movie times.
Fans can also visit the official Star Wars website for more ways on participating in May the Fourth festivities.
TAMPA, Fla. — Seeing lots of people say “May the 4th be with you”? Wondering who this Grogu guy is?
From a lifelong Star Wars fan, the answers you seek are right here, young Padawans.
What You Need To Know
May 4th has become the day that Star Wars fans around the world have come to recognize as Star Wars Day
It’s, of course, a play on the classic Star Wars phrase, “May the Force be with you”
The first Star Wars film was released on May 25, 1977
May 4th has become the day that Star Wars fans around the world have come to recognize as Star Wars Day.
It’s, of course, a play on the classic Star Wars phrase, “May the Force be with you.”
“The Force” in Star Wars is what gives the Jedi their powers.
“It’s an energy field created by all living things,” as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi explained to Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars film, “A New Hope.”
That’s also the first time we heard, “May the Force be with you,” when the original Star Wars film was released on May 25, 1977.
Despite that being the actual anniversary of Star Wars, the play on words with May 4th has made this the day to celebrate.
According to the official Star Wars website, it was first referenced on May 4th, 1979, when a newspaper in the UK used the headline, “May the 4th Be With You, Maggie!” for the new prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.
But #MayThe4thBeWithYou has really taken off in recent years, thanks to fans sharing their love of Star Wars on social media. And there’s more Star Wars content than ever before, since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012. (Disney could fill the Death Star with everything they are producing.)
In fact, Disney now uses May 4 to release promotional materials or new content for its streaming service, Disney+. This year, the company is releasing Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, a series of animated episodes of stories from the ‘Dark Side.’
How to celebrate Star Wars Day, you ask? Master Yoda might ask it that way. Perhaps a movie marathon, making a Star Wars recipe, dressing up, or getting into a heated debate about what order to watch the movies in. (My recommendation: Release order is best!)
In addition, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace is back in theaters this weekend to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary.
As far as treats go, the official Disney Parks Blog released a May the 4th Foodie Guide where fans can enjoy delicious foods and beverages at the parks, including a Princess of Alderaan Shake complete with mini cinnamon buns in the shape of Princess Leia’s iconic hairstyle. You can also learn to make a “Bad Batch…of Cookies” with a recipe posted on the official Star Wars website.
It’s a big galaxy after all, so that decision is yours on how to celebrate.
