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 Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is retargeting the launch of its next Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry an operational Dragon capsule, from Oct. 23 to early November. The flight is the first of up to three launches planned under SpaceX’s $278 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract with NASA. The company also has contracts worth $1.6 billion for 12 cargo delivery runs to the International Space Station.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Space Shuttle Discovery was rolled out to the launch pad Sept. 20 for its 39th and final flight, with nine days of contingency time to meet a targeted Nov. 1 liftoff and no commitment by the U.S. government for a successor vehicle to carry people into orbit.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has completed a year-long mapping mission to scout landing spots for future robotic probes and piloted spacecraft and begun a new two-year science initiative to learn more about the Moon’s history and evolution.
