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, Fla. — NASA managers this week plan to request new launch dates for the final two shuttle flights to accommodate preparations on space station equipment slated to fly on the STS-133 mission, originally targeted for September. If approved, NASA would postpone until Oct. 29 the launch of shuttle Discovery on STS-133, which includes installation of the modified Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo cargo carrier for long-duration flight on the station and delivery of spare parts for several key station systems.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Following the successful debut flight of its Falcon 9 launcher, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has won a hotly contested contract to put the next-generation Iridium communications satellites into orbit. The $492 million contract, announced June 16, covers an unspecified number of launches for Iridium Communications Inc., which recently announced a $1 billion contract with Thales Alenia Space to build the Iridium NEXT network, which is expected to number 72 spacecraft.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) is girding for a second major hurdle this summer in its quest to deliver cargo and crew to the International Space Station (ISS), following the successful debut flight of its Falcon 9 rocket.
