Tracking Launches: Views from a NASA Pilot
From Small Steps, Giant Leaps by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
April 29, 2026 · 17 min · Episode 172
About this episode
Shannon Gregory discusses the role of NASA pilots in supporting crewed launches and recovery operations.
NASA pilots play a critical role in launch and recovery operations. Shannon Gregory, chief of flight operations at Kennedy Space Center, shares how his team supports crewed launches from the air, capturing real-time imagery, and staying ready for the unexpected.
People in this episode
Guest: Shannon Gregory
Topics covered
- NASA
- launch operations
- flight operations
- crewed launches
- real-time imagery
Keywords
- NASA
- pilots
- launch
- recovery
- imagery
- Kennedy Space Center
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: NASA
Places: Kennedy Space Center
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