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Seth Kurkowski

SethKurk

Managing Editor at Space Explored

Seth Kurkowski covers launches and general space news for Space Explored. He has been following launches from Florida since 2018.

Seth’s first launch was SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Demo in February of 2018 and has been hooked on them ever since.

He also helped start Space Coast Launch Ambassadors, an outreach group advocating for space exploration while helping the general public enjoy rocket launches from the Space Coast.

Seth co-hosts the Space Explored weekly podcast as well as the Rapid Unscheduled Discussions podcast both of which you can listen to here on SpaceExplored.com

Email tips, pitches, typos, and feedback to kurk@spaceexplored.com.

Follow: Twitter @SethKurk + Instagram @sethkurk.

Connect with Seth Kurkowski

Starship Flight 12 inches closer to launch with booster and ship static fires

SpaceX static fires Booster 19 ahead of Starship Flight 12

In what is likely the biggest week in Starship development since the last flight of its full rocket, SpaceX completed two static fires of its next-generation Starship rocket down in Starbase, Texas. Both tests are major steps forward in getting both the booster and upper stage, called the ship, ready for Starship flight 12.

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Artemis 2’s launch in photos, closer than any human can get

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On April 1, 2026, NASA launched its biggest mission in recent years. With that, photos of the Artemis 2 mission have taken the internet by storm as the general public have found interest in the historic mission. Our team of photographers, along with other media outlets, were able to place photos closer to view the launch closer than any human can witness the launch, here are our favorites.

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America will now not return to the Moon until 2028

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On Thursday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced changes to the Artemis mission profiles that will lead to at least a one-year delay in returning humans to the lunar surface. However, the agency believes these changes will strengthen the program overall, allowing for faster launch turnarounds and better testing of flight hardware before it’s needed for surface ops.

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Blue Origin pauses New Shepard flights for work on lunar projects

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In a statement today, Blue Origin announced it was pausing all New Shepard launches for at least two years in order to shift its priorities to its lunar programs in support of national initiatives. This comes as the company has made multiple moves to bolster itself as a new player in national defense and civil space.

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SpaceX Crew-11 successfully returns home after crew medical evacuation

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Early Thursday morning, the crew of SpaceX Crew-11 safely splashed down off the coast of California. The crew completed their long-duration mission on the International Space Station but had it cut short by a handful of weeks due to a crew medical concern, warranting an early return.

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NASA’s Artemis 2 rocket will sport decals to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary

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NASA’s Artemis 2 mission is getting closer and closer, being just over a month away, and that means the rocket is getting ready for launch. The Space Launch System received some special decal work for its launch in February; “America 250” can be seen in a recent NASA picture on both the rocket’s boosters.

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