Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-18

Engineers are assessing spacewalk repair options to free a stuck bolt and complete the installation of a power distribution box aboard the space station that derailed a spacewalk Thursday.
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NASA launches twin radiation belt satellites (UPDATED)

An Atlas 5 rocket boosted a pair of heavily shielded satellites into space early Thursday, kicking off a $686 million mission to map out the structure and behavior of the Van Allen radiation belts. Read More...

Two station astronauts set for NASA spacewalk

Space station astronauts Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide are set for a spacewalk Thursday to replace a power switching unit and install power cables needed for a future Russian module. Read More...

Mars rover beams back spectacular photos of Mount Sharp

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has beamed back stunning photos of the foothills of Mount Sharp, showing a rugged landscape marked by towering hills and gaping canyons reminiscent of the American Southwest. Read More...

Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, dies at 82

Neil Alden Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon and an enduring icon of the the space age for taking "one giant leap for mankind," died Saturday after complications from cardiovascular surgery. Read More...

Remembering Apollo, in Armstrong's words

On the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, moonwalker Neil Armstrong, who passed away Saturday at the age of 82, recalled the engineering triumph that won the Cold War space race. Read More...

Stormy weather delays Atlas launch; rollback ordered (UPDATED)

A second attempt to launch an Atlas 5 rocket carrying a pair of NASA satellites was called off early Saturday because of nearby thunderstorms. Faced with a dismal forecast, NASA delayed a third try to Aug. 30. Read More...

NASA radiation belt mission delayed 24 hours (UPDATED)

Launch of an Atlas 5 rocket carrying two NASA satellites to study the Van Allen radiation belts was rescheduled for Saturday after engineers resolved an issue with tracking equipment. Read More...

Twin satellites poised for radiation belt mission

Two heavily shielded satellites set for launch early Friday will fly in tandem through Earth's energetic Van Allen radiation belts to probe their structure and how they are affected by solar storms. Read More...

Curiosity takes a spin on Mars

In a major milestone, the Curiosity Mars rover took its first baby steps Wednesday, rolling about 15 feet forward, turning and then backing up to prove the $2.5 billion science lab is, in fact, ready to rove. Read More...

After steering test, Mars rover set for initial test drive

With a broken wind sensor the only problem of any note aboard the Curiosity Mars rover, engineers planned to uplink commands overnight for an initial test drive. Read More...

Curiosity rover flexes robot arm for first time

The Curiosity Mars rover flexed its 7-foot-long robot arm for the first time Monday, moving it through a commanded series of steps to verify the basic operation of the complex appendage.
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NASA plans mission to study hidden interior of Mars

NASA plans to launch a relatively low-cost Mars lander in 2016 that will make a rocket-powered descent to the surface to study the hidden interior of the red planet. Read More...

Cosmonauts walk in space to move crane, deploy satellite (UPDATED)

Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-31. Read More...

Rover successfully test fires laser at target rock

The Curiosity rover successfully test fired a powerful laser at a nearby rock Sunday, blasting it with rapid-fire million-watt pulses to vaporize the outer layers for spectroscopic analysis. Read More...

Tentative travel plans for Mars rover unveiled

The Curiosity rover likely will spend the rest of the year working near its landing site in Gale Crater before it heads for the rugged foothills of Mount Sharp, just four-and-a-half miles, but many months, away. Read More...

Rover descent video mashup gives viewers ringisde seat

Intriguing video combines low-resolution descent video from the Curiosity Mars rover with mission control audio and a timeline of major entry, descent and landing events to give viewers a ringside seat. Read More...

Curiosity's software successfully updated; mobility tests on tap

Engineers successfully updated the Curiosity rover's computer software and plan initial tests of the mobile science lab's ability to drive across the martian terrain within the next week or so, officials said Tuesday.
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Obama congratulates Mars rover team

President Obama congratulated the Mars Science Laboratory team Monday for the successful landing of the Curiosity rover, joking that engineers should let him know ASAP if the spacecraft spots any martians. Read More...

Rover's first high-res color frames provide stunning view of Mars

Portions of the Curiosity rover's first high-resolution color panorama were unveiled Saturday, providing stunning vistas of the mountain-like walls of Gale Crater in the hazy distance. Read More...

Slow but rugged, Curiosity computer up to challenge at Mars

The electronic brain controlling NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has far less horsepower than the microchips found in a modern smart phone. But it has one big advantage: it's virtually impervious to high-energy radiation. Read More...

Curiosity prepped for software load, snaps color panorama

In a complex bit of electronic brain surgery, engineers are gearing up to flush landing software from the Curiosity rover's central computer and replace it with programming optimized for surface operations. Read More...

Small test rocket veers out of control, crashes at KSC

A small vertical-takeoff-and-landing rocket being used to test advanced technologies veered off course an instant after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center Thursday, crashed and exploded. There were no injuries.
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Curiosity's camera mast erected as checkout continues

The Curiosity Mars rover, stepping through a complex post-landing checklist in near flawless fashion, has raised its main camera mast and beamed down razor-sharp navigation camera views of its surroundings. Read More...

Curiosity health checks good; MRO snaps descent photo

The Curiosity Mars rover survived its nail-biting plunge to a pinpoint landing on the floor of Gale Crater in remarkably good shape, engineers said Monday as tests and checkout proceeded. (UPDATED) Read More...

Mars rover lands in Gale Crater, kicking off $2.5 billion mission

In an unparalleled technological triumph, a one-ton nuclear-powered rover the size of a small car was lowered to the surface of Mars late Sunday to kick off an unprecedented $2.5 billion mission. Read More...

Curiosity on track for high-stakes descent to Mars

The Mars Science Laboratory rover closed in on its target Saturday, steadily accelerating under the increasing tug of the red planet's gravity as it streaked toward a high-stakes descent to the surface overnight Sunday. Read More...

Boeing, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada win manned spacecraft contracts

NASA announced contracts Friday totaling up to $900 million to be divvied up between three companies -- SpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada -- to continue development of commercial manned spacecraft. Read More...

Russian supply ship docks with station after four-orbit chase

A Russian Progress cargo ship loaded with three tons of fuel, hardware and supplies, glided to an automated docking with the International Space Station Wednesday evening after an abbreviated four-orbit rendezvous.
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