Apollo, Artemis astronauts paired with Air Force Thunderbirds for Kennedy Space Center air show

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Aug 14, 2026

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said he’ll definitely be flying in a new air show announced Friday coming to Kennedy Space Center this fall.

But he’s 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.

“You’re going to have astronauts here from the Apollo era and the Artemis era sharing their experiences with the interested public,” 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.

He noted there would be astronauts from this year’s Artemis II flight as well as those set to fly on next year’s 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.

The headliner for the show will be the Air Force Thunderbirds, though Isaacman said he wasn’t playing favorites between them and the Navy Blue Angels.

“I am going to say I am equally excited, supportive of both the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels as America’s premier demonstration teams,” he said. “I’m new to politics, but I’m a quick learner.”

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.

“So it’s going to be really exciting, and yes, I will certainly be flying in Max Power,” he said.

Isaacman also said he was excited for what he promised would be “a showcase of technology that’s going to make its way to the lunar surface in the years ahead.”

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.

Laurie Grindle, Director of NASA’s Aeronautics Division within the Research and Technology Mission Directorate, detailed some of the NASA offerings.

“NASA’s research fleet includes aircraft that operate anywhere from just above the ground all the way up to the upper edge of the atmosphere,” she said.

Some of NASA’s F-15s and F/A-18s will be on hand in a “Freedom 250” overlay.

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.

The air show will take place Nov. 7-8 at the former shuttle landing facility, which is now leased by Space Florida. It’s not a free show, though.

Details and links to partner sites for tickets are at nasa.gov/maxpower. 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.

It’s already offering VIP packages for as low as $189, “ramp boxes” for $49, preferred seating along the flight path for the aerobatic performances for $69.

On top of the air show is a separate event that will set up at the shuttle landing facility called the Up Summit, which costs $53.50. While in the same general area as the air show, it’s not optimized for viewing, according to its event website.

It touts displays of flying cars, drones and space exploration technology, with companies including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space and Vast among those planning a presence.

On top of that, the KSC Visitor Center has its own normal ticket options, but at a “$17.76” discount off normal adult and child ticket prices. While it won’t have access to the air show, it will feature its own events including a parade featuring off-Earth rovers, astronauts, special characters and a marching band.

The big draw will be what Isaacman called “one hell of an air show.” The last time KSC hosted an air show was in 2008 when the Blue Angels came to town.

He said the show will feature other military aircraft, NASA spacecraft and other civilian performers.

Isaacman said he hopes the NASA showcase might be inspirational for the next generation.

“If we do this right, a child walking through Kennedy that weekend will see something that maybe changes the trajectory of his or her life,” Isaacman said. “They will put down maybe their phone and look up to the sky and decide that they want to become an engineer or a scientist, a pilot or an astronaut, and contribute to humanity’s absolute greatest adventure.”