NASA’s MAX POWER aerospace expo: Check out these exciting events on November 7-8

This weekend, NASA is hosting MAX POWER—a two-day aerospace exposition of American air and space innovation—on November 7–8 at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event, organized to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, will feature a range of exciting shows spanning tech demonstrations, immersive space exhibits, and aircraft flyovers. NASA, along with its external collaborators, will provide these demonstrations to the public through three unique park experiences: an Air Dot Show involving military aircraft and flyovers by NASA, the Department of War, and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds; a technology exhibit by U.P. Summit; and behind-the-gates bus tours of the agency's Kennedy Space Center.

You can check out the detailed schedule of the events, starting at 9 a.m. EST on November 7–8, on NASA's website. Among the many demonstrations, the key highlights would be NASA's quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft and a conference providing updates on its Moon Base program, along with Moon rovers and spacecraft displayed by NASA's partners. Folks will also get a chance to meet members of the Artemis III crew and those of SpaceX's Crew-12.

"For 250 years, America has advanced by building what did not exist, flying higher, moving faster, and reaching toward the near-impossible. There is no better place to celebrate that spirit than at NASA Kennedy, America's gateway to the stars and the place where so many of our nation's greatest achievements began," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman had said in a statement this August. The upcoming aerospace expo also marks the culmination of the agency's recent Inspiration Tour, which commenced on September 13 and involved several flyovers to showcase NASA's aircraft fleet.

Details of key events

Air Dot Show

This show will be held on November 7 and 8 at Kennedy Space Center's Launch and Landing Facility, previously called the Shuttle Landing Facility. Visitors will be allowed inside the gates at 9 a.m., and viewers can catch the show between 1 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. The main attraction of the show will, of course, be the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. The agency will also showcase its quiet supersonic X-59 aircraft. Unlike conventional supersonic aircraft, which generate loud sonic booms, X-59 is designed to produce a much quieter sound signature.

Astronaut meet and greet

Three members of the Artemis III crew—Commander Randy Bresnik, Pilot Luca Parmitano, and Mission Specialist Franco Rubio—will be meeting visitors at the Air Dot Show Main Stage at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday. Backup crew member Bob Hines will also be present at the event. At the same time the next day, the venue will host astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, who were part of SpaceX's Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station and returned to Earth only last month.

Moon talk

Suzanne Bell, Lead, NASA's Behavioral Health and Performance Lab, will be at the Journey to Mars Theater at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Saturday from 1-1:30 p.m., delivering a presentation titled "How is NASA Preparing Astronauts to Live and Work on the Moon?" This will be followed by NASA's Moon Base Program Manager Carlos García-Galán's presentation: "Moon Base: Humanity's First Deep Space Outpost." It's scheduled from 1:30 to 2 p.m. at the UP. Summit Hangar Main Stage. There are, of course, plenty more talks worth attending.

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