This coming weekend, November 7th and 8th, brings the Salute to America in Space, the air show portion of NASA’s MAX POWER aerospace expo. For the first time in years, the public can drive inside Kennedy Space Center and park on the runway where space shuttles once landed, and where NASA astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center when they are in final flight preparations.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds headline the show, which is produced by Air Dot Show, the same company behind the Cocoa Beach air show. The event is part of NASA’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
One Event, Three Tickets
MAX POWER is split into three separately ticketed “parks,” and that is the most important thing to know before you buy. A ticket to one does not get you into the others.
| Park | What’s There | Location | Hours | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salute to America in Space (Air Show) | U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, military and NASA flight demonstrations and aircraft on static display | Shuttle Landing Facility, now Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility. Enter through the North Gate, not the Visitor Complex. | Sat. and Sun.: Gates 9 a.m.; flying 1 to 4:30 p.m. | Air Dot Show Advance purchase only |
| Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex | Exhibits, NASA speakers and behind-the-gates bus tours, including the Apollo/Saturn V Center | Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island | Fri., Nov. 6 (preview): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat. and Sun.: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
KSC Visitor Complex |
| UP.Summit | Technology expo with drones, autonomous vehicles and future aircraft | Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island | Sat. and Sun.: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | UP.Summit |
Each park requires its own ticket. Shuttles run between select venues for guests holding a ticket to their next park; details are in the MAX POWER app.
Shuttles will run between select venues for guests holding a ticket to their next stop. Schedules, maps and pickup points are in the MAX POWER app at maxpower.kennedyspacecenter.com.
Airshow Times
Gates open at 9 a.m. both days. Flight Line Club VIP and chalet areas open at 10 a.m.
Flying runs from 1 p.m. to about 4:30 p.m. Organizers say all major acts will perform both days, but the order of each day’s show will not be released in advance.
Tickets and Prices
Air show tickets must be bought online or by phone before you arrive. There are no gate sales. All prices below are starting per-person rates and do not include fees and tax.
| Ticket | Starting Price | What You Get | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Admission | $52.25 | Sold only as group packages; price based on a group of six or more. Bring your own chairs. | Sunday sold out |
| Ramp Boxes | $59.50 | Private runway viewing area for four or six people | Fewer than 90 left for Saturday as of Oct. 31 |
| Preferred Seating | $89 | Reserved seats on the flight line | Fewer than 70 left for Saturday as of Oct. 31 |
| Flight Line Club VIP | $199 | Shade tents, catered lunch, drinks and VIP parking | Saturday sold out |
| Private and Box Chalets | $275 | Reserved box for eight or private chalet for 50 or more, with catered food and beverages | Saturday sold out |
Prices are per person, before fees and tax. Tickets must be bought in advance at air.show or by calling 321-300-1162; there are no gate sales.
Children 5 and under get into General Admission free. In Preferred Seating and the Flight Line Club, children 2 and under are free as lap infants. There are no military or veteran discounts because all sales are advance-only.
The box office can be reached at 321-300-1162.
Who’s Flying
| Performer | Flown By | What It Is |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Headliner | U.S. Air Force | Six-jet F-16 Fighting Falcon demonstration squadron |
| NASA Freedom 250 Aerial Team | NASA | Formation flight of NASA jets marking America’s 250th |
| F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo | U.S. Navy | Carrier-based strike fighter demonstration |
| C-17 Globemaster III Demo Team | U.S. Air Force | Heavy airlifter showing short-field and tactical maneuvers |
| F-104 Starfighter | Civilian | Cold War-era supersonic interceptor |
| MiG-29 Demo | Civilian | Soviet-designed fighter owned by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman |
| Golden Knights | U.S. Army | Parachute demonstration team |
| F-15D Eagle | NASA | Two-seat fighter used for flight research |
| Boeing 777 | NASA | Wide-body airliner used for airborne science |
| HH-65 Dolphin | U.S. Coast Guard | Search-and-rescue helicopter |
| C-27 Spartan | U.S. Coast Guard | Twin-turboprop patrol and transport aircraft |
| Rooster Aerobatics | Civilian | Aerobatic biplane routine |
Flying runs 1 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Organizers say all major acts perform both days, but each day’s running order will not be released in advance. Lineup subject to change.
Ground displays announced so far include NASA’s ER-2 high-altitude research plane, a NASA F/A-18B Hornet, the Space Exploration Vehicle rover and an RS-25 rocket engine.
NASA astronauts will hold a Q&A on the air show main stage at 12:45 p.m. both days. On Saturday at 11:15 a.m., NASA’s Peter Coen and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ Ron Fehlen will talk about the X-59 quiet supersonic jet. Sunday at 3 p.m., NASA research pilots will take the stage.
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