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Space Center News

06 Feb 2024

Marine Towing of Tampa Acquires Seabulk Towing Assets from Bisso

(Photo: Marine Towing of Tampa)

Marine Towing of Tampa announced it is expanding its ship assist services to Florida's east coast following a deal with E.N. Bisso & Son to acquire towing assets formerly owned by SEACOR Holdings' Seabulk arm.In September 2023, SEACOR divested its U.S. harbor towing operations, selling to Bisso 12 tugs across ports in Florida and Alabama.Under a recently executed asset purchase agreement with Bisso, Marine Towing of Tampa acquired the Port Canaveral operations and assets from the SEACOR-Bisso deal and will operate them in Canaveral under a newly formed affiliate…

20 Apr 2023

OSV to be Converted for Human Space Flight Launches

(Image: Space Perspective)

Space tourism company Space Perspective is converting an offshore support vessel (OSV) to function as the world’s first "marine spaceport". The Florida-based company in November 2022 announced it had acquired the 292-foot-long vessel from Edison Chouest Offshore as the first in its planned global fleet of converted spaceport vessels to support the mobile launch of its balloon-driven passenger spacecraft.The 2003-built Jones Act vessel C Challenger has been renamed Voyager and is currently being converted by Conrad Shipyard following preparatory work by Gulf Ship.

11 Nov 2022

Divers Find Challenger Space Shuttle Wreckage Off Florida Coast

Underwater explorer and marine biologist Mike Barnette and wreck diver Jimmy Gadomski explore a twenty-foot segment of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger, the team discovered in the waters off the coast of Florida, U.S., during the filming a History Channel documentary called "The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters", in this handout picture taken May, 2022. (Photo: The HISTORY® Channel)

Divers from a documentary crew looking for the wreckage of a World War Two aircraft off the coast of Florida found a 20-foot section of the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded and broke apart shortly after its launch in 1986, NASA said on Thursday.The divers contacted NASA after spotting a large, clearly modern object mostly covered in sand at the bottom of the ocean and bearing the shuttle's distinctive tiles, the space agency said in a written statement."This discovery gives us an opportunity to pause once again…

17 Oct 2022

Maritime Autonomy Operational Seminar Launched

(Photo: Sea Machines)

A new seminar is the first maritime autonomy training program to allow the federal workforce to train on state-of-the-art, commercial, off-the-shelf autonomous technologies.Sea Machines Robotics’ in partnership with The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise in Gulfport, Miss. has developed the Maritime Autonomy Operational Seminar through USM's Center of Higher Learning at the John C. Stennis Space Center.Participants plan missions that transform USM's R/V Ken Barbor…

26 Jan 2022

Getting to the Bottom of the Navies' Mine Warfare Challenges

The General Dynamics Mission Systems Bluefin Robotics Knifefish UUV detects, classifies and identifies volume, proud and buried mines in high-clutter underwater environments, and is a critical element of the LCS Mine Countermeasure (MCM) mission package. Knifefish’s job is to detect, avoid and identify mine threats, reducing the risk to personnel by operating in the minefield as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the minefield boundaries. Knifefish also gathers environmental d

To find the mine warfare challenge with the highest degree of difficulty, start at the bottom.Lurking unseen below the surface, naval mines pose a serious problem. They’re cheap, relatively easy to deploy and can inflict heavy damage against even the most sophisticated warships. They can be hard to detect and difficult to counter. What you can’t see can hurt you. And the most difficult mines to find and eliminate are bottom and buried mines. Navies have developed ships to hunt for mines in the water column so they can be avoided or destroyed…

23 Dec 2021

Inmarsat Launches I-6 F1, Latest Tech Communication Satellite

I-6 F1 launch at JAXA Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. Photo courtesy Inmarsat/Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

With a rapid evolution of communication connectitivity need, Inmarsat launched I-6 F1, the first of seven new Inmarsat satellites to be launched by 2024, a key piece of the satcom giant's platform to deliver enhanced ELERA (L-band) and Global Xpress (Ka-band) for Indo-Pacific.Inmarsat confirmed the successful launch of its first Inmarsat-6 satellite (I-6 F1) by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) from the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.The Inmarsat-6s (I-6) are Inmarsat’s first ever hybrid L- and Ka-band satellites…

15 Feb 2021

Subsea Defense: Navy Deepens Commitment to Underwater Vehicles

Senior Chief Mineman Abraham Garcia (left) and Aerographer's Mate 1st Class Joshua Gaskill, members of the Knifefish Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) test team, man tending lines during crane operations as part of an operational test conducted by members from Operational Test and Evaluation Force (OPTEVFOR). Knifefish is a medium-class mine countermeasure UUV designed for deployment off the Littoral Combat Ship. OPTEVFOR is the Navy’s sole test and evaluation organization for surface, air, and un

The U.S. Navy uses unmanned and robotic underwater vehicles for a multitude of functions, including environmental sensing, mine hunting, and salvage. The Navy plans to evolve an unmanned systems operating concept that is platform agnostic and capable of operating in highly complex contested environments with minimal operator interaction.The most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future. The 2018 document states that UxS will operate in every domain…

14 Jul 2020

USMI’s Family Recipe

Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen conduct a Maritime External Air Transportation System training evolution in Moses Lake, Wash. (U.S. Army photo by Christopher Prows)

Barry Dreyfus Jr., CEO of United States Marine Inc. (USMI), doesn’t keep the recipe to his company’s success a secret. In fact, it’s displayed plainly for all to see on the homepage of USMI’s website: family, integrity and quality. These have been cornerstones of the 36-year-old firm, today regarded as one of the nation’s premier military small craft builders.Headquartered in Gulfport, Miss., with a maintenance/repair facility in Chesapeake, Va., USMI is a fully integrated manufacturer of military, patrol and special warfare boats available in lengths from 21 feet to 90 feet.

28 Jun 2018

Nippon Foundation Addresses Global Ocean Threats

Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, Nippon Foundation. Copyright: Nippon Foundation

Nippon Foundation is a philanthropic organization active globally with a simple mission, social innovation. While its activities today cross many activities and borders, when founded in 1962 its efforts focused largely on the maritime and shipping fields. Last month in Houston we spoke with Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa, focused specifically on Nippon Foundation’s activities in and around the world’s oceans.(all images copyright and courtesy Nippon Foundation)Please explain the most important activities today for the Nippon Foundation…

24 Jan 2018

NASA, US Navy Practice Spacecraft Recovery at Sea

A mock-up capsule designed to simulate the Orion crew module that will splash down in the Pacific Ocean following Exploration Mission-1 planned for Dec. 2019. In the background: USS Anchorage is supporting NASA's Underway Recovery Test. (U.S. Navy photo by Abe McNatt)

A joint team of NASA and U.S. Navy personnel are testing new equipment and practicing procedures for recovering astronauts that have splashed down in the ocean upon returning from space travel. NASA’s deep space exploration systems will send a crew through space at 25,000 miles per hour, travelling some 40,000 miles beyond the Moon before coming back home. When returning to Earth, the Orion spacecraft will slow to a mere 300 mph as it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, eventually slowing to 20 mph before it safely splashing down in the Pacific.

16 May 2017

Inmarsat Launches Fourth Global Xpress Satellite

Photo: Inmarsat

Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications, has confirmed the successful launch of the fourth, high-speed broadband communications satellite in its transformational Global Xpress (GX) constellation. Inmarsat GX is the world’s first globally available, broadband connectivity service and was created to enable communities across the world to benefit from the emerging digital society. Inmarsat-5 F4 (I-5 F4) was launched by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 rocket at 00:21 (BST) / 19:21 (ET) from the historic launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

07 Oct 2016

Hurricane Matthew batters Florida, Haiti Death Toll Rises

Storm's eye nears Cape Canaveral. The first major hurricane threatening a direct hit on the United States in more than 10 years lashed Florida on Friday with heavy rains and winds after killing at least 339 people in Haiti on its destructive march north through the Caribbean. Hurricane Matthew packed gusts of 100 miles per hour (160 kph) as it tracked north-northwest along Florida's east coast, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory. The storm's eye was 25 miles (40 km) east of Cape Canaveral, home to the nation's chief space launch site. "We are seriously ground zero here in Cape Canaveral -- hunkered down, lights flickering, winds are crazy," said resident Sandy Wilk on Twitter.

04 Oct 2016

Test Bed for Autonomous Shipping Opens in Norway

Trondheimsfjord  (Photo: Kongsberg Maritime

An extensive area of the Trondheimsfjord in Northern Norway was designated as an official test bed for autonomous shipping by the Norwegian Coastal Authority (NCA), during a special event in Trondheim, Norway on Friday, September 30th 2016. As potentially the first coastal area in the world officially dedicated to the development of technology for autonomous ships, the new test bed is set to become a vital facility for the future of shipping. Norwegian maritime technology company…

09 Jun 2016

US Navy's New Oceanographic Vessel Sets Sail

Ed Gent, Naval Oceanographic Office engineer, greets Rear Adm. Timothy Gallaudet, commander of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy, as Gallaudet boards USNS Maury (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Navy's newest oceanographic survey vessel, USNS Maury (T-AGS 66), recently completed its maiden voyage from Pascagoula, Miss., where it was constructed at VT Halter Marine, to Port Everglades near Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. In Maury's first days at sea, the civilian survey detachment from the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) aboard performed initial testing of routine over-the-side operations as well as testing equipment unique to the ship, including underwater cameras which will be used for autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) launch and recovery in the future.

26 Apr 2016

El Faro’s Voyage Data Recorder Located

Voyage data recorder next to El Faro mast on ocean floor (Photo: NTSB)

The voyage data recorder (VDR) belonging to sunken cargo ship El Faro was found early Tuesday morning in 15,000 feet of water, about 41 miles northeast of Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bahamas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced. A specialist team comprised of investigators and scientists from the NTSB, the U.S. Coast Guard, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Tote Services, the owner and operator of El Faro, located the VDR using remotely operated undersea search equipment. Video footage showing El Faro's VDR is available here. At about 1 a.m.

19 Mar 2016

BSEE, NASA to Examine Offshore Risks

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have announced a five-year agreement allowing BSEE to capitalize on the best risk management approaches from the aeronautics industry to inform stakeholders and further strengthen worker and environmental safety protections on the Outer Continental Shelf. “Both BSEE and NASA work in harsh and uncompromising environments, relying on cutting edge technology to go deeper and further than previously thought possible,” said BSEE Director Brian Salerno. •    assess failures and near miss occurrences using the resources and expertise of NASA's accredited failure analysis laboratory at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

20 Nov 2015

USDOT Designates Gulfport, MS as a Strategic Port

The Mississippi State Port Authority was notified by the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) that the Port of Gulfport has been designated as a Strategic Seaport by the Commander, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC). With this designation, America’s military will be able to utilize the Port of Gulfport for cargo and equipment shipments. This announcement adds to South    Mississippi’s extensive military installations and capabilities. This designation is an important step in the Port of Gulfport’s long-range strategy to become one of the country’s top-tier diversified ports. The Port’s revitalization efforts include the $570million restoration and expansion project…

13 Feb 2015

NASA Recognizes Conrad for Barge Conversion

Conrad Industries, Inc. has received the NASA Space Flight Awareness Supplier Award based on its performance with the conversion of the NASA Pegasus barge. The annual award honors outstanding performance by hardware, software or service suppliers who support NASA human space flight programs. Award recipients are chosen based on their production of high-quality products, excellent technical and cost performance and adherence to schedules. The Pegasus barge was built to replace NASA's aging Poseidon and Orion barges – both built in the 1940s to serve in World War II and converted in the 1960s for NASA's Apollo program. In 2002 it became the sole means of transport for the shuttle external tanks. Today, it's the only barge of its kind in NASA's inventory.

12 Mar 2015

New Lineup for NOAA Hydrographic Services Panel

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel advises NOAA on improving services for navigation and coastal resilience. (Credit: NOAA)

NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., has appointed six members to the Hydrographic Services Review Panel, a federal advisory committee that gives NOAA independent advice for improving a range of services and products that support navigation and coastal resilience. Capt. “Providing coastal communities, boaters, and the commercial maritime industry with timely, reliable, accurate, and authoritative information is essential as we strive to keep commerce flowing through our nation’s ports,” Sullivan said. Rear Admiral Ken Barbor (ret.), U.S. Lawson W. Capt. Gary A. Scott R.

22 Aug 2014

Mammoet Lifts Space Shuttle atop Carrier Aircraft

Mammoet lifts space shuttle replica Independence atop the original Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) NASA 905, a Boeing 747.

Last week, engineered heavy lifting and transport company Mammoet lifted a new attraction at the NASA Space Center Houston to a greater height. As thousands of onlookers watched, a 250-foot tall Mammoet crane lifted a 122-foot long space shuttle replica three stories high to its resting place atop the original Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) NASA 905, a Boeing 747. The Boeing, with its unique piggyback cargo, ultimately will become a destination for visitors from around the world. The delicate lift to the crown of the 63-foot 747 took about 40 minutes.

09 Jul 2015

Kongsberg Maritime Delivers Space-based AIS

Image: Kongsberg Maritime

On July 8 2015, ESA authorized the delivery of KONGSBERG’s fourth generation SAT-AIS Receiver flight models, to the Norwegian Space Center; for integration into the NORSAT-1 satellite. With this delivery, KONGSBERG further strengthens its position as a supplier of space-based infrastructure in the maritime domain. NORSAT-1 is scheduled for launch in Q1 2016 and will be Norway’s fourth AIS capable satellite to embed an AIS Receiver from Kongsberg Seatex AS. The delivery is in line with previous payload models provided by Kongsberg Seatex…

28 Jul 2015

Voyager IP Wins Irish Navy Satellite Contract

Left to right: Rory Fitzpatrick, ceo, National Space Center; Simon Coveney TD, Minister of Defense, Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Commodore Hugh Tully, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service and John Makarus, operations director, Voyager IP at the launch of the new satellite service (Photo: Voyager IP)

Voyager IP, the Irish marine telecoms solutions specialist, has partnered with the Irish National Space Center to win a €500,000 contract to manage the entire satellite communications service for the Irish Naval Fleet at home and abroad. Voyager IP will provide the satellite airtime, technical assistance for the onboard systems and a 24 hour helpdesk from its base in Wicklow, while the National Space Center will provide the satellite network infrastructure. Simon Coveney TD, the Irish Minister for Defense, Agriculture, Food and the Marine, officially launched the new service.

22 Nov 2014

Steven Palazzo Visits HII, Newport

Huntington Ingalls Industries today hosted Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., for a tour of the company's Newport News Shipbuilding division. Palazzo represents the fourth district of Mississippi, which includes Newport News' sister shipyard, Ingalls Shipbuilding. The visit provided an opportunity for Palazzo to see nuclear shipbuilding at Newport News and understand the value that Mississippi suppliers contribute to ship construction in Newport News. Palazzo's visit included a tour of aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), which is about 85 percent complete and scheduled for delivery in 2016. Shipbuilding suppliers in Mississippi contribute an average $3.6 million to Newport News' efforts each year.