NASA MAX POWER Air Show at Kennedy Space Center: Moon Base Update

NASA is hosting its first-ever aerospace expo and air show, MAX POWER, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida from November 6 to 8, 2026. The weekend mixes jet flyovers and public exhibits with real news: NASA will hold a Moon Base news conference on Saturday evening, and the Artemis III astronauts will meet the public.

What is MAX POWER?

NASA calls MAX POWER “America’s newest aerospace expo and air show.” It is held on and near Kennedy Space Center, and it caps the agency’s recent Inspiration Tour, which included flyovers by NASA’s aircraft fleet.

NASA and partner companies will show new aircraft, autonomous vehicles and technologies. NASA will display its X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft, which first flew faster than sound in June 2026, and partners will show Moon rovers and spacecraft.

Friday, November 6, is a media preview day. The public event runs on Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8, with gates opening at 9 a.m. ET each day. Visitors can meet NASA leaders, astronauts, engineers and scientists. Ticket and entry details are on the MAX POWER website. The F-5 jets in the flyovers belong to NASA’s Freedom 250 F-5 team, according to the agency. For anyone who cannot travel to Florida, NASA plans to stream the Moon Base news conference on several platforms, and accredited media can also take part virtually.

What is happening on Saturday, November 7?

Key NASA events (all times Eastern):

• 10:00 a.m.: media briefing on NASA’s nuclear work with Cynthia Simmons, director of the Space Reactors Division.
• 11:30 a.m.: opening remarks by Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson.
• 11:58 a.m. and 1:31 p.m.: F-5 and MiG-29 flyovers featuring Administrator Jared Isaacman.
• 12:45 p.m.: Meet the Astronauts with the Artemis III crew: commander Randy Bresnik, ESA pilot Luca Parmitano and mission specialist Frank Rubio, plus backup crew member Bob Hines.
• 2:00 p.m.: a talk on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope by senior project scientist Julie McEnery.
• 5:00 p.m.: the Moon Base news conference.

What is the Moon Base news conference?

The headline event is a news conference on NASA’s Moon Base programme, which the agency describes as humanity’s first outpost for long-term lunar exploration, near the Moon’s south pole. Speakers will be:

• Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator
• Carlos García-Galán, manager of the Moon Base Program
• Nicky Fox, associate administrator for Science
• Dayna Ise, acting director of the Moon Base Utility and Infrastructure Office

NASA has not said in advance what it will announce. The conference will stream online, with viewing details at nasa.gov/live.

What is happening on Sunday, November 8?

• 9:00 a.m.: an X-59 briefing with Laurie Grindle of NASA’s Aeronautics division, Quesst mission manager Peter Coen and test pilot Jim “Clue” Less.
• 10:00 a.m.: a student challenge announcement with Isaacman and García-Galán at the Rocket Garden.
• 12:45 p.m.: a session on the United States Space Academy with Matt Anderson, and Meet the Astronauts with SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway.
• 11:58 a.m. and 1:31 p.m.: repeat flyovers with Isaacman.

Why it matters

MAX POWER is part public celebration, part showcase for NASA’s plans. Bringing the Artemis III crew, the X-59 and a Moon Base update to one stage tells the public where NASA is heading: back to the Moon to stay, and toward quieter supersonic flight on Earth. It also comes during a busy period at the agency, which recently finished upgrading the International Space Station’s solar power, as we reported in our story on the final IROSA solar array spacewalk. It also said farewell to the Swift observatory this week.

What happens next

PFM Today will cover the Moon Base announcements after the November 7 news conference. NASA’s full and latest schedule is at nasa.gov/maxpower. All times may change.