Aviation and Spaceflight

COVID-era changes you’ll notice at DFW International Airport and some you won’t

Travelers flying out of Tyler Pounds Regional Airport or East Texas Regional Airport connect through Dallas Fort Worth International Airports, one of the busiest in the world. Passenger figures show people are taking to the skies again, nearing pre-pandemic levels. The latest available totals show 6,866,796 people traveled through DFW in the month of July,…

WATCH: Nighttime flight from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

DFW International Airport lights up the night sky like few other airports. Click here to see why.

WATCH: Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy 18th anniversary coverage

Click here to watch my reports from the ‘Remembering Columbia’ NASA Museum.

Hemphill museum to commemorate 18th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy

The Hemphill museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Space Shuttle Columbia will host its annual memorial service on Monday, the 18th anniversary of the tragedy that trust East Texas into international headlines. On the morning of February 1, 2003, the orbiter broke apart in the skies over East Texas, just minutes before Columbia’s…

East Texas NASA facility to play key role in football stadium-sized balloon mission to study stars

One of NASA’s next missions to study the origins of stars will feature a record-breaking telescope hoisted by a football stadium-sized balloon and the space agency is relying on an East Texas facility to make sure it gets off the ground. The Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths, or ASTHROS, is…

NASA shifts space agency to telework after workers test positive for COVID-19

NASA’s administrator has ordered the space agency’s employees and contractors to telework after a limited number of workers tested positive for COVID-19. “Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities,”…

Meet the Class: NASA’s newest astronauts could be assigned to Moon, Mars missions

NASA welcomed a new class of astronauts to its active roster Friday, marking the first time the space agency has held a public graduation ceremony. The class, selected in 2017, includes 11 NASA astronauts and two from the Canadian Space Agency. They join a corps of 35 others who are now eligible for assignment on…

Retired NASA astronaut reflects on two Shuttle missions, future of human spaceflight

Two visits to low Earth orbit have forever changed the outlook on life for former NASA astronaut Byron Lichtenberg. Even though he’s now retired form the space agency’s astronaut corps, he’s still using those experiences to inspire the next generation of aerospace professionals. As a professor at LeTourneau University, he’s currently working with students to…

WATCH: Great Texas Balloon Race attracts top pilots from around the U.S.

The annual Great Texas Balloon Race and its nighttime balloon glows draw crowds of thousands of people from across East Texas and beyond. Click here to watch highlights.

East Texas students to make radio call to NASA astronauts aboard space station

This month students from Huntington High School will have a rare opportunity to chat directly with the crew of the International Space Station. Seven students who have obtained their Amateur Radio or “ham” licenses from the Federal Communications Commission will participate in the event with astronauts in space. After submitting a proposal to Amateur Radio…

Review: Does American Airlines’ new Premium Economy cabin live up to the hype?

Long-haul flights on an economy-class budget may not be as miserable as they’ve become for many airline passengers. By the end of the year, all three U.S. legacy carriers will offer a premium economy experience on international flights. For a fraction of the cost of First or Business Class fares, travelers can expect enhanced seating…

My Instagram Top 10: Give me some Space

Among the hundreds of photos populating my Instagram feed are plenty featuring one of my biggest passions — human spaceflight.

A pioneer of spaceflight, Ellen Ochoa set to retire from NASA

After a 30-year career with NASA, Dr. Ellen Ochoa is retiring as director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston at the end of May. On Thursday, May 17, I had the great privilege of attending the retirement celebration for the administrator, engineer, and astronaut. Listening to former crew mates, NASA colleagues, and family friends…

WATCH: China’s defunct Tiangong 1 space station hurtles toward uncontrolled reentry

China’s first orbiting outpost, the Tiangong 1 space station, is hurtling toward an uncontrolled re-entry in the Earth’s atmosphere. Lane Luckie appeared on KLTV’s streaming newscast, East Texas Now, to explain what will happen over the next few days.

Commander’s widow shares journey of faith on 15th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy

This month marks 15 years since the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart over East Texas. The widow of the Columbia’s commander is sharing how that tragedy turned into a test of faith for her family. While enduring the loss of a spouse wasn’t easy, Evelyn Husband-Thompson says she has been able to find healing comfort…

WATCH: Spectacular time-lapse of Dallas, Texas flyover

Click here to watch a spectacular time-lapse of the city lights over Dallas, Texas.

WATCH: Wheels up from Tyler to Dallas, Texas

Click to watch a time lapse of the short flight between Tyler and Dallas, Texas.

WATCH: Light ’em up! 40th annual Great Texas Balloon Race

Founded in 1978, the Great Texas Balloon Race has become one of the premiere ballooning events in the world. Click here to watch highlights.

WATCH: Plane crashes near Tyler Pounds Regional Airport

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating a private plane that crashed near Tyler Pounds Regional Airport on July 13, 2017. Click here to watch live coverage.

Astronaut carries friends’ wedding rings to Space

This Summer a special couple will receive a wedding gift that’s truly out of this world. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who has been aboard the International Space Station since November, posted photo to social media of two wedding rings floating in micro gravity. The flight engineer from France tweeted that he carried in…

Police: Rocket debris washes ashore on Texas beach

Debris that washed ashore along the south Texas coast has been identified as part of a rocket, according to law enforcement. A police officer made the discovery last week while investigating a report of possible airplane or boat debris being found at a Brazoria County beach. The large rectangular object is believed to be debris…

Soccer ball recovered from Shuttle Challenger wreckage reaches space three decades later

A soccer ball that was to be carried to space by the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger has finally reached its destination, 31 years later. Prior to the January 28, 1986 launch, the ball was presented to NASA astronaut Ellison Onizuka by soccer players, including his daughter, from Clear Lake High School. Onizuka was one of…

WATCH: Flying around storms over northeast Texas

Click here to watch a time-lapse of my flights into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Tyler Pound Regional Airport.

WATCH: Wheels up over Missouri Ozarks

Click here to watch my flights between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Cape Air.

How to capture spectacular shots on your next flight

The romanticism of flying isn’t lost on commercial flights unless you willingly let it become routine. I fly several times a year and still find each opportunity to take to the skies an exciting adventure. Sure, I find myself reading, listening to music, working, and sleeping at times, but I’m intentional about dedicating a few…

WATCH: Wheels up from Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Click here to watch a time-lapse of a takeoff and landing from my recent flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to Dallas, Texas.

WATCH: Pre-launch interview with NASA astronaut Kate Rubins

Click here to watch my interview with NASA astronaut Kate Rubins before the launch of Expedition 48/49 to the International Space Station.

‘Virus hunter’ astronaut shares details of science mission to Space Station

In July, a self-proclaimed ‘virus hunter’ astronaut will launch aboard a Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station, embarking on a four month, science-intensive assignment to the orbiting laboratory. NASA’s Kate Rubins is counting down the days until the scheduled July 6 launch of Expedition 48/49, which will be the first spaceflight for the molecular…

WATCH: World War II era Consolidated B-24 Liberator flies over Tyler

Click here to watch a World War II era Consolidated B-24 Liberator fly over The Cascades Country Club in Tyler, Texas, on approach to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.

New spacecraft named after astronaut killed in E. Texas space shuttle tragedy

The next cargo spacecraft to launch to the International Space Station will bear the name of an American astronaut killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy over East Texas. An Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft bearing the name S.S. Rick Husband will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 22. Husband served as commander of…

Lane Luckie

Tag: Aviation and Spaceflight