A Day at NASA's Max Power Event: SLS Assembly Tour, Airshow Flights, and Aircraft Display

I spent the first full day of NASA's Max Power event on site, touring the Vehicle Assembly Building to check the progress of the SLS rocket stack, meeting people working on NASA projects, and watching the airshow. The schedule left almost no gaps between activities, which led to an unusual transfer between aircraft rides and a parachute return to Kennedy Space Center. Here is what the day covered.

■ Site Tour and SLS Progress
- Walkthrough of the vehicle assembly building and the current state of SLS stacking
- Conversations with NASA staff working on various projects

■ Airshow and Aircraft Flights
- Jared Isaacman flying an F-5 and returning in a MiG-29
- A parachute landing back at Kennedy Space Center and the schedule reasons behind it
- Practical considerations of landing zones discussed on site

■ Aircraft on Display
- The Thunderbirds team present at the event
- NASA aircraft brought in, including the T-38, F-15, and F-18

This is suited to viewers interested in NASA operations, launch vehicle assembly, and military aviation aircraft. It offers a first-hand look at an event that is not normally open to the public, with concrete details on the day's flights and the aircraft on display.