NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said he\u2019ll definitely be flying in a new air show announced Friday coming to Kennedy Space Center this fall.<\/p>\n
But he\u2019s most excited about the astronauts that are expected to take part in the Max Power event set to welcome guests to the former shuttle landing facility on Nov. 7 and 8.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to have astronauts here from the Apollo era and the Artemis era sharing their experiences with the interested public,\u201d Isaacman said speaking to a crowd alongside elected officials from a hangar at the landing site in front of a pair of T-38 aircraft that had been flown in by NASA astronauts for the event.<\/p>\n
He noted there would be astronauts from this year\u2019s Artemis II flight as well as those set to fly on next year\u2019s Artemis III mission. Not too many Apollo astronauts are still with us, but both moonwalkers Charlie Duke from Apollo 16 and Harrison Schmitt, from Apollo 17, have made their way to NASA events in recent years.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TOS-L-USAF_thunderbirds_3723f2b-2-4.jpg\")
A trio of F-16 Fighting Falcons aircraft from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron fly in formation over Orlando Sanford International Airport during their show-site aerial survey and arrival maneuvers in 2023. (Joe Burbank\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
The headliner for the show will be the Air Force Thunderbirds, though Isaacman said he wasn\u2019t playing favorites between them and the Navy Blue Angels.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am going to say I am equally excited, supportive of both the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels as America\u2019s premier demonstration teams,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m new to politics, but I\u2019m a quick learner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Isaacman, a billionaire who made his fortune after founding a credit card processing company, was able to curry his fortune to pursue of love of aircraft. He founded Lakeland-based company Draken, which helps train fighter pilots. He also has flown with his own Black Diamond Jet Team, a civilian aerobatic display team.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s going to be really exciting, and yes, I will certainly be flying in Max Power,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Isaacman also said he was excited for what he promised would be \u201ca showcase of technology that\u2019s going to make its way to the lunar surface in the years ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
That will include display models of the lunar rovers and landers that have won NASA contracts, but plenty of non-space NASA items as well.<\/p>\n
Laurie Grindle, Director of NASA\u2019s Aeronautics Division within the Research and Technology Mission Directorate, detailed some of the NASA offerings.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA\u2019s research fleet includes aircraft that operate anywhere from just above the ground all the way up to the upper edge of the atmosphere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Some of NASA\u2019s F-15s and F\/A-18s will be on hand in a \u201cFreedom 250\u201d overlay.<\/p>\n
![\"NASA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TOS-L-KSC-Air-Show-01.jpg\")
NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Deniz Burnham inspect one of twof T-38 jets that were on display in front of the XLV Hangar at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. The duo were on hand for an event announcing the Max Power air show coming to KSC on Nov. 7-8. (Richard Tribou\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
They were joined by other NASA officials, including KSC Director Brian Hughes, NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Deniz Burnham, and elected officials including U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody and U.S. Reps Mike Haridopolos, Darren Soto, Byron Donalds and Cory Mills.<\/p>\n
The air show will take place Nov. 7-8 at the former shuttle landing facility, which is now leased by Space Florida. It\u2019s not a free show, though.<\/p>\n
Details and links to partner sites for tickets are at nasa.gov\/maxpower<\/a>. The air show itself, run by the Air Dot Show organization, will sell package tickets for a price yet to be determined that will include parking at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and a bus over to shuttle landing site.<\/p>\n It\u2019s already offering VIP packages for as low as $189, \u201cramp boxes\u201d for $49, preferred seating along the flight path for the aerobatic performances for $69. Details are at air.show\/kennedyspacecenter<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TOS-L-KSC-Air-Show-03.jpg\")
A pair of T-38 jets sit in front of the XLV Hangar at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. They were flown into Florida by NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Deniz Burnham, who were on hand for an event announcing the Max Power air show coming to KSC on Nov. 7-8. (Richard Tribou\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n