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.
CAPE CANAVERAL — Space shuttle Discovery was returned to Launch Pad 39A on Feb. 1 in preparation for a targeted Feb. 24 launch of the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, the final planned flight for this orbiter. Launch was delayed after cracks were discovered in the shuttle’s fuel tank following a Nov. 5 launch attempt that was scrubbed due to an unrelated hydrogen leak.
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors will continue work on the U.S. Air Force’s proposed Space Fence program, a ground-based S-band radar system to track objects in orbit, under a pair of follow-up contracts announced Jan. 26.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — With the space shuttle program shutting down this year, NASA on Jan. 24 issued official notification that Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch pads, payload processing facilities, runways and other amenities will be available for use by commercial companies and non-federal entities.
