News Archive / Author: Scott Johnson

Scott earned both a Bachelor's Degree in public administration, and a law degree, from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He currently practices law in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood. Scott first remembers visiting Marshall Space Flight Center in 1978 to get an up-close look at the first orbiter, Enterprise, which had been transported to Huntsville for dynamic testing. More recently, in 2006, he participated in an effort at the United States Space and Rocket Center (USSRC) to restore the long-neglected Skylab 1-G Trainer. This led to a volunteer position, with the USSRC curator, where he worked for several years maintaining exhibits and archival material, including flown space hardware. Scott attended the STS - 110, 116 and 135 shuttle launches, along with Ares I-X, Atlas V MSL and Delta IV NROL-15 launches. More recently, he covered the Atlas V SBIRS GEO-2 and MAVEN launches, along with the Antares ORB-1, SpaceX CRS-3, and Orion EFT-1 launches.

Articles By Scott Johnson

• The People of Artemis: Jose Perez Morales

  June 26th, 2022

  At the first rollout of NASA's Space Launch System rocket, Spaceflight Insider spoke with several people involved with the program -- The People of Artemis.

• The people of Artemis: Brad McCain

  May 12th, 2022

  Brad McCain is the vice president and deputy general manager for the Test and Operations Support Contract at Jacobs, the prime contractor for NASA's EGS.

• The People of Artemis: Chris Cianciola, NASA Space Launch System deputy manager

  April 23rd, 2022

  During the rollout of NASA's Artemis 1 Space Launch System moon rocket, Spaceflight Insider had the opportunity to speak with the SLS deputy manager.

• The People of Artemis: Jeremy Parsons, NASA Exploration Ground Systems Deputy Manager

  April 2nd, 2022

  During the rollout of NASA's Artemis 1 SLS rocket, Spaceflight Insider spoke with Exploration Ground Systems Deputy Program Manager Jeremy Parsons.

• Artemis 1 rolls to pad; Next up: Wet dress rehearsal

  March 26th, 2022

  NASA's Artemis 1 Space Launch System rocket is now at the pad for an early-April wet dress rehearsal, in anticipation of a summer 2022 launch.

• SLS Program Manager provides update on Artemis I

  March 11th, 2022

  NASA is working toward a March 17 rollout of its Artemis 1 Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly building in Florida for an early-April wet dress rehearsal at nearby Launch Complex 39B in anticipation of a summer 2022 launch.

• Our spaceflight heritage: A conversation with Fred Haise

  December 24th, 2021

  Spaceflight Insider spoke with Fred Haise after a ceremony commemorating the 2020 designation of the A-1 Test Stand after the Apollo 13 astronaut.

• Artemis I Space Launch System Rollout Delayed to January

  December 12th, 2021

  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and SLS Program Manager John Honeycutt provide an update on Artemis 1 rollout, and RS-25 engine controller issue.

• NASA leadership visits Marshall Space Flight Center

  December 6th, 2021

  NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited the Marshall Space Flight Center for an update on the center's contribution to the nation's space program.

• SLS Artemis 1 core stage nearing completion

  July 7th, 2019

  NEW ORLEANS, La. - The core stage (CS-1) for the first flight (Artemis 1 (formerly Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1)) of NASA's next super-heavy lift launch vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS), is nearing completion at the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans.

• Acting Administrator talks FY2019 NASA budget at Marshall

  February 14th, 2018

  HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- On Monday, February 12, the Trump administration released its 2019 fiscal year (FY19) budget request. NASA, via a presentation by its Acting Administrator, Robert Lightfoot, at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) highlighted NASA portions of the request.

• RS-25 engine flight controller completes 500-second test

  August 10th, 2017

  On Wednesday, August 9, NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne conducted a 500-second test of an RS-25 developmental engine at the agency's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The test was used to validate the fourth upgraded engine controller required for the first flight of the Space Launch System.

• Super Guppy transports SLS test hardware from Marshall

  July 14th, 2017

  HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — NASA's Super Guppy aircraft made an appearance in Huntsville earlier this week at the Redstone Arsenal airfield, adjacent to the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The aircraft was in town to retrieve the MSFC-manufactured Space Launch System Orion Stage Adapter structural test article and transport the hardware to Lockheed Martin's facilities in Colorado.

• SLS structural test article arrives at Marshall

  May 17th, 2017

  HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — On May 15, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) core stage engine section structural test article (STA) arrived at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. The STA will soon be placed in a test stand located in MSFC's Building 4619 and subjected to extreme loads to certify the section for flight.

• Space Launch System (SLS) upper stage testing begins

  May 8th, 2017

  HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A series of structural qualification tests on the SLS Integrated Spacecraft and Payload Element – a test version of the SLS upper / "in-space" section – is underway at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The tests began on Feb. 22 and are expected to be completed by mid-May.