Irene Klotz is Senior Space Editor for Aviation Week, based in Cape Canaveral. Before joining Aviation Week in 2017, Irene spent 25 years as a wire service reporter covering human and robotic spaceflight, commercial space, astronomy, science and technology for Reuters and United Press International. She also worked with Discovery Communications, Discovery News and was a founding member of Space.com.
Irene cut her teeth on the space beat at Florida Today newspaper, a business writer enchanted by the colorful entrepreneurs who wanted access to Air Force launch facilities and assets after commercial payloads were taken off the space shuttles following the 1986 Challenger accident. Commercial space remains the focus of her work, along with a keen interest in the search for life beyond Earth.
A graduate of Northwestern University, Irene is the 2014 recipient of the Harry Kolcum Memorial News and Communications Award, named in honor of the late Aviation Week managing editor and Cape Canaveral senior editor who was among Irene’s earliest mentors.
A United Space Alliance engineer who died March 14 at Kennedy Space Center after falling from the 215-ft. level of Launch Pad 39A committed suicide, the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s Office says. Investigators determined that James Vanover, 53, of Titusville, Fla., had been depressed and believed he was going blind. A note in his wallet to his wife and children said he did not want to be a burden to them, the report says. “A review of his clinical charts reveals distorted vision, dryness, pain/soreness and tired eyes,” the report says.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Preparations for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-134 mission, the next-to-last flight in the shuttle program, remain on schedule for a launch attempt at 3:47 p.m. EDT April 29. Workers here completed the load of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for the ship’s Power Reactant Storage and Distribution (PRSD) system and began installing the first of 10 mid-deck science experiments on April 28.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA managers on April 27 cleared Endeavour for a launch attempt at 3:47 p.m. EDT April 29 on STS-134, the last mission for the orbiter designated OV-105, with one flight to follow before the shuttle program ends. “Endeavour’s in great shape. We had an easy call to say that we’re ready to go. We’re looking forward to Friday’s launch,” says Mike Moses, launch integration manager. The weather outlook for the flight is good, with just a 20% chance that crosswinds would violate launch constraints.
