NASA hosted its first air show and aerospace expo at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on November 7 and 8, 2026. The MAX POWER aerospace exhibition brought thousands of visitors, combining an air show, technology displays, astronaut appearances, and announcements tied to the agency’s future lunar exploration plans. The multi-day event, held from November 4-8, was organized as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations and marked the culmination of NASA’s Inspiration Tour.
NASA welcomed President Donald Trump to the event, which brought together the agency’s partners, industry leaders, astronauts, engineers and members of the public. Hosted across three park locations at Kennedy Space Center’s historic Shuttle Landing Facility, MAX POWER featured aircraft, lunar rovers, autonomous vehicles and emerging aerospace technologies. The flying program included the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, alongside NASA research aircraft and military demonstrations.
(Image credit: Aaron Haase)
T-38s, F-5s, and an ER-2 took part in four flyovers during the event, several of which were piloted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. Isaacman also completed a skydive as part of the program, and his MiG-29 appearance was a separate tactical demonstration. The exhibition included appearances by astronauts and subject matter experts, who participated in moderated discussions and presentations covering NASA’s current programs and future exploration objectives. “It was a great week at NASA Kennedy, where we were joined by the President and federal, state, international, and industry leaders,” said Isaacman. “During our nation’s 250th birthday, the year of Artemis II’s voyage around the Moon, we were thrilled to invite the public out to see the rockets, the landers, the rovers, and the technology that will return astronauts to the lunar surface and build the base, not to mention witness a wonderful airshow that included NASA research aircraft and was headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.”
One of the major announcements at MAX POWER concerned NASA’s plans for a future lunar outpost. Agency leadership announced awards, task orders, and selections involving 12 companies working on different aspects of Moon Base development. The announcements covered transportation, technology and science initiatives, including further development of PROMISE, NASA’s nuclear-powered lunar rover.
NASA also launched a $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge, inviting students to develop solutions and technologies that could support the planned lunar outpost. The competition is intended to help participants build skills relevant to careers in the space industry while contributing ideas for future lunar operations. The agency also opened applications for its next astronaut candidate class, with submissions accepted through December 3. The selected candidates could support future Artemis and low Earth orbit missions, including work toward establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon.
The Artemis III crew also appeared during the event. NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas, alongside European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, discussed their upcoming mission, currently planned for 2027. The crew is expected to fly aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, launched by the Space Launch System, to test docking and rendezvous capabilities with lunar lander test articles developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. The mission will help prepare for a crewed lunar landing planned for 2028.
Another highlight was the unveiling of NASA’s newest experimental aircraft, the X-70 Fractal. The agency said the X-plane will explore maneuverability and flight-control technologies that could influence the future of crewed flight. The X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft, however, did not fly during MAX POWER and was not present at the event. It remained in Daytona Beach, while personnel associated with the program spoke at the exhibition on both days.
Beyond the air show and technology displays, NASA and its partners announced plans for a larger aerospace gathering at Kennedy Space Center. CAPEWEEK: The Great American Aerospace and Technology Expo is scheduled to make its debut from March 27 to April 2, 2028, at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The annual event is expected to expand significantly over time, with organizers anticipating that it could eventually attract upwards of 500,000 people. “It was an educational and inspirational event, with a student Moon Base science challenge, a call for more NASA astronauts, and the unveiling of a new X-plane,” said Isaacman. “All credit goes to the NASA workforce and our partners, doing the work each day to bring the NASA missions to reality, and events like this so successful. So much so that we are doing it again, only bigger. CAPEWEEK begins in 2028.”
MAX POWER brought NASA’s aeronautics and space programs together in a public-facing exhibition, giving visitors an opportunity to see the aircraft and technologies involved in the agency’s ongoing research and lunar ambitions. With CAPEWEEK now planned as a recurring event, NASA and its partners are looking to build on the exhibition with a larger aerospace gathering in 2028. For more information, click on this link: www.nasa.gov.
