Space News
CBS News Space Page is Moving!
07/29/2015 11:32 PM
By WILLIAM HARWOOD
CBS News
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are in the process of moving stories on this page to the CBS News Sci-Tech page. This site will be taken down in the next few weeks. We appreciate your patience!
CBS News
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are in the process of moving stories on this page to the CBS News Sci-Tech page. This site will be taken down in the next few weeks. We appreciate your patience!
Cause of Russian Progress failure still TBD
05/27/2015 10:51 PM
Four weeks after a Progress space station supply ship spun out of control in a launch mishap, Russian engineers have not yet revealed what might have gone wrong, casting a cloud of uncertainty over downstream flights of unpiloted cargo ships as well as Soyuz crew ferry craft.
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NASA selects instruments for Europa mission
05/26/2015 04:45 PM
Taking a major step toward an eventual robotic mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa, NASA has selected nine sophisticated instruments for a solar-powered spacecraft designed to find out whether the hidden realm could support life of some sort, agency officials said Tuesday.
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SpaceX cargo ship returns to Earth
05/21/2015 02:25 PM
A SpaceX cargo capsule loaded with 3,100 pounds of research samples, no-longer-needed equipment and trash returned to Earth Thursday after a month-long stay at the International Space Station. Read More...
X-37B spaceplane launched on secret mission
05/20/2015 10:13 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket thundered away from Cape Canaveral Wednesday, boosting an unpiloted military spaceplane into orbit for a secret mission. Read More...
Air Force set to launch spaceplane on mostly secret mission
05/19/2015 01:35 PM
An Air Force X-37B spaceplane, a mini shuttle making the program's fourth flight, is poised for launch Wednesday on a mostly classified mission featuring an unusual hitchhiker: a small publicly-funded satellite built to test the feasibility of using solar sails for propulsion. Read More...
Brightman steps down from station flight
05/13/2015 03:45 PM
Soprano and would-be space tourist Sarah Brightman, who was in training for a flight to the International Space Station this fall aboard a Russian Soyuz ferry craft, will not be chasing her dream aloft after all, the singer's website and Facebook page revealed Wednesday.
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Russia delays upcoming ISS flights in wake of Progress failure
05/12/2015 04:33 PM
Russia is delaying the return to Earth of three space station crew members by about a month in the wake of the April 18 failure of a Russian Progress supply ship. Launch of three fresh crew members also will be delayed, from May 26 to late July.
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SpaceX stages emergency escape system test
05/06/2015 10:15 AM
Simulating a launch pad emergency, an unmanned SpaceX Dragon capsule was blasted away from Cape Canaveral Wednesday, shooting to an altitude of several thousand feet before arcing over for an offshore splashdown in a dramatic emergency escape system test.
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SpaceX gears up for pad abort test
05/05/2015 12:24 PM
SpaceX is readying an unmanned Dragon capsule for a simulated launch pad abort Wednesday, a short, high-speed flight to demonstrate an innovative rocket-powered escape system designed to quickly pull a crew to safety in the event of an impending booster failure. Read More...
Messenger probe, out of gas, crashes into Mercury
04/30/2015 05:01 PM
NASA's hardy Messenger spacecraft, out of fuel at the end of a remarkably successful 11-year mission, ended its life with a bang Thursday, smashing into the hellish surface of Mercury at some 8,750 miles per hour and blasting out a new crater in the process.
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Blue Origin launches sub-orbital New Shepard test flight
04/30/2015 03:19 AM
Blue Origin, a rocket engine and spacecraft development company owned by Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos, carried out an unpiloted maiden test flight of the company's New Shepard sub-orbital launch vehicle Wednesday, the company revealed early Thursday.
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New Horizons detects possible polar cap on Pluto
04/29/2015 05:30 PM
New photos and animations of Pluto and its large moon Charon taken by the fast-approaching New Horizons probe are revealing distinct surface features for the first time, including a bright area that could be a snowy polar cap, mission managers said Wednesday.
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Russian abandon efforts to salvage wayward cargo ship
04/29/2015 12:04 PM
Russian flight controllers have given up attempting to salvage a Progress cargo ship loaded with 3 tons of supplies and equipment intended for the International Space Station. Instead, the spacecraft likely will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up within the next two weeks. Read More...
Progress cargo ship spins out of control after launch
04/28/2015 10:34 AM
A Russian Progress supply ship loaded with more than 3 tons of supplies and equipment bound for the International Space Station apparently spun out of control shortly after reaching orbit Tuesday, putting the resupply mission in jeopardy. Read More...
SpaceX launches comsat for Turkmenistan
04/27/2015 08:50 PM
After waiting for a break in cloudy weather, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off and boosted a powerful communications satellite into orbit Monday, the first relay station built for the government of Turkmenistan.
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Astronomers hopeful Hubble will make it to 2020 -- or beyond
04/23/2015 11:41 AM
A quarter of a century since its launch in April 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope is operating in near flawless fashion, and engineers are optimistic the observatory will remain on the forefront of astronomy at least through 2020 -- its 30th anniversary -- if not beyond.
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NASA unveils 25th anniversary Hubble photo
04/23/2015 11:20 AM
A dramatic new photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope to mark the observatory's 25th anniversary shows a cluster of hot young stars shining in the heart of a nursery-like nebula some 20,000 light years from Earth. Read More...
Hubble repairs turned disaster into triumph
04/22/2015 10:45 AM
Repairing the Hubble Space Telescope’s famously flawed vision required ingenuity and perseverance. But in the end, the herculean effort paid off, lifting Hubble from the ashes of failure to the pinnacle of scientific success. Read More...
Hubble Space Telescope marks 25 years in orbit
04/20/2015 01:20 PM
Twenty-five years after launch, the Hubble Space Telescope remains at the forefront of modern astronomy, an unrivaled discovery machine and cultural icon with rock star status in the world of Big Science. Read More...
Station crew captures Dragon cargo ship
04/17/2015 12:14 PM
A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship loaded with more than two tons of equipment and supplies rendezvoused with the International Space Station early Friday and was captured by Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, using the lab's robot arm, to wrap up a smooth three-day rendezvous.
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SpaceX launches ISS cargo flight; booster landing try fails
04/14/2015 10:06 PM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosted a Dragon cargo ship into orbit Tuesday on a three-day flight to the International Space Station, but an attempt to land the booster’s first stage on an off-shore barge was not successful. Read More...
ULA unveils 'Vulcan' rocket system
04/14/2015 10:37 AM
United Launch Alliance unveiled a new rocket system Monday that eventually will replace the company's workhorse Delta and Atlas boosters, ending reliance on Russian-built engines.
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SpaceX ISS cargo flight grounded by bad weather
04/13/2015 04:40 PM
Electrically active anvil clouds approaching the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Monday forced SpaceX to order a 24-hour delay for launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo ship bound for the International Space Station.
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Bllue Origin plans New Shepard test flights later this year
04/07/2015 12:13 AM
Blue Origin, the historically secretive rocket company owned by Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos, has completed development of a new hydrogen-fueled engine and plans to begin unmanned test flights of its reusable New Shepard sub-orbital spacecraft later this year. Read More...
Kelly, Kornienko settle in for marathon mission
03/30/2015 04:15 PM
Settling in aboard the International Space Station for a marathon 342-day stay in orbit, astronaut Scott Kelly says he's taking life in space "one day at a time," adding he plans to work at a slightly slower pace to maintain an even keel. Read More...
NASA has high hopes for one-year station mission
03/28/2015 12:16 AM
A workhorse Soyuz booster thundered to life and climbed into a dark Kazakh sky Friday, carrying NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko on a four-orbit voyage to the International Space Station to kick off a marathon 342-day mission, the longest flight ever attempted by an American.
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Kelly, Kornienko braced for launch on yearlong mission
03/26/2015 01:43 PM
Shuttle veteran Scott Kelly first heard about NASA's plans to send an astronaut to the International Space Station for nearly a full year shortly after he completed his third space flight in 2011, a 159-day stay aboard the orbital lab complex.
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NASA opts to grab a boulder, not the entire asteroid
03/25/2015 05:32 PM
After an extended review, NASA has opted to forego capturing a small asteroid as an interim step on the road to sending astronauts to Mars. Instead, the agency will focus on robotically plucking a sizable boulder from the surface of an asteroid and returning it to the vicinity of the moon. Read More...
Delta 4 boosts GPS navsat into orbit
03/25/2015 03:05 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket thundered away from Cape Canaveral Wednesday, boosting the ninth in a series of upgraded Global Positioning System navigation satellites into orbit.
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Atlas 5 launches satellites to study magnetic fields
03/12/2015 11:50 PM
NASA launched four satellites in a $1.1 billion mission to study the high-speed interactions between Earth's magnetic field and the sun's to learn more about the mechanisms responsible for the titanic energy discharges that drive auroras and play havoc with satellite navigation, communications and power grids.
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Lockheed Martin unveils Jupiter cargo ship for ISS, exploration
03/12/2015 08:24 PM
Taking space station resupply to new heights, Lockheed Martin unveiled plans for an innovative modular spacecraft Thursday that could be used to deliver cargo to the lab complex or serve as a small habitat for NASA astronauts making deep space voyages aboard the agency's Orion capsules.
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HST confirms sub-surface ocean on Ganymede
03/12/2015 03:05 PM
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, monitoring subtle shifts in auroras flickering around Jupiter's moon Ganymede, has confirmed the presence of a deep salt-water ocean 95 miles below the icy crust of the solar system's largest moon, scientists said Thursday.
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Station trio returns to Earth after 167 days aloft
03/11/2015 01:21 PM
Three space station fliers -- the outgoing NASA commander and two Russian cosmonauts -- undocked and returned to Earth Wednesday, ending a 167-day stay in space with a nail-biting communications blackout that left the crew out of contact with Russian flight controllers during much of the trip home.
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Orbital ATK test fires SLS booster
03/11/2015 12:44 PM
Locked down in a massive test stand, an upgraded five-segment solid-fuel booster thundered to life in Utah Wednesday in a spectacular test firing, generating 3.6 million pounds of thrust during a two-minute "burn" that generated a 5,000-degree torrent of flame and a towering plume of exhaust visible for miles around.
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Dawn slips into orbit around Ceres
03/06/2015 01:41 PM
NASA's Dawn spacecraft slipped into orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres Friday, setting the stage for unprecedented close-range observations of the largest body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, an enigmatic world featuring heavily cratered terrain, smooth plains and mysterious bright spots.
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Engineers troubleshoot glitch with Mars rover
03/04/2015 12:33 PM
Engineers are running tests to pinpoint an apparent short circuit somewhere in the complex electronics aboard NASA's Curiosity Mars rover that triggered fault protection software and interrupted robot arm science operations last week, officials said Wednesday.
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Dawn closes in on dwarf-planet Ceres
03/02/2015 04:25 PM
NASA's Dawn spacecraft is closing in on the dwarf planet Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, beaming back increasingly sharp pictures revealing a heavily cratered world with unexpected -- and so far, mystifying -- spots of light that may be reflections off exposed ice or some other material.
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SpaceX successfully launches two all-electric comsats
03/01/2015 11:30 PM
By the light of the waxing moon, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roared to life Sunday night and boosted a pair of Boeing-built communications satellites into orbit, the first commercial relay stations featuring all-electric propulsion to save weight and dramatically lower launch costs.
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Virts, Wilmore install antennas, wiring for commercial crew ships
03/01/2015 01:35 PM
Astronauts Terry Virts and space station commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore ventured back outside Sunday for their third spacewalk in eight days to complete initial preparations for upcoming dockings by Boeing and SpaceX crew capsules.
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Astronauts cleared for Sunday spacewalk
02/27/2015 01:34 PM
International Space Station managers Friday cleared astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Terry Virts to proceed with a third spacewalk Sunday after concluding a small amount of water in Virts' space helmet after an EVA Wednesday was an understood condition.
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Astronauts carry out second EVA to rig station for modifications
02/25/2015 10:47 AM
Astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Terry Virts carried out the second of three spacewalks to help ready the lab complex for dockings by commercial crew capsules. Back inside the station's airlock, Virts reported a small amount of water in his space helmet, but officials said he was never in any danger.
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Spacewalkers install cable for new docking adapters
02/21/2015 02:46 PM
Astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Terry Virts floated outside the International Space Station Saturday and installed wiring needed for two new docking mechanisms that will be attached later this year for use by Boeing and SpaceX crew capsules.
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ULA, Boeing break ground on LC-41 crew access tower
02/20/2015 05:30 PM
Boeing, United Launch Alliance, NASA and the Air Force broke ground Friday for construction of a 20-story-tall launch pad crew access tower that will be used by astronauts taking off atop ULA Atlas 5 rockets aboard Boeing's commercially developed CST-100 ferry craft starting in 2017.
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Spacewalks kick off major station modifications
02/19/2015 04:09 PM
NASA space station managers decided Thursday to delay the first two of three planned spacewalks by one day to give flight controllers and engineers a chance to catch their collective breath after exhaustive troubleshooting to verify the health of critical internal spacesuit components.
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Progress supply ship docks with space station
02/17/2015 12:44 PM
Six hours after launch from Kazakhstan Tuesday, a Russian Progress supply ship loaded with 3.1 tons of supplies and propellant completed a problem-free automated rendezvous with the International Space Station, gliding to a smooth docking 257 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. Read More...
Third time's the charm for DSCOVR
02/11/2015 10:51 PM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket finally climbed into space Wednesday, boosting a space weather sentinel onto a million-mile trajectory to provide early warning of potentially dangerous solar storms.
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High winds ground Falcon 9; Dragon splashes down on schedule
02/10/2015 08:07 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a space weather satellite was scrubbed Tuesday by high winds aloft, but the company pressed ahead with recovery of a returning space station cargo ship. Read More...
DSCOVR launch scrubbed by Air Force radar problem
02/08/2015 06:44 PM
Launch of a satellite dreamed up 17 years ago by Al Gore to provide continuous views of Earth via the internet and now repurposed to serve as a space weather station was scrubbed Sunday by a radar glitch. Read More...
NASA unveils FY 2016 budget
02/02/2015 10:36 PM
The Obama administration's fiscal 2016 budget includes $18.5 billion for NASA -- a half-billion-dollar increase -- that continues development of a new mega-rocket and capsule for deep space exploration and significantly boosts funding for commercial spacecraft to ferry crews to and from the space station. Read More...
NASA launches climate research satellite
01/31/2015 10:49 AM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket boosted an innovative NASA satellite into orbit Saturday, kicking off a three-year, $916 million mission to measure the moisture, frozen and liquid, in the top few inches of Earth's soil.
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SMAP launch scrubbed by high winds aloft
01/29/2015 09:43 AM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket carrying a NASA climate research satellite was grounded Thursday by high winds above the Vandenberg Air Force Base launch site northwest of Los Angeles.
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NASA readies SMAP for launch to monitor soil moisture
01/28/2015 03:39 PM
A NASA satellite is poised for launch Thursday to measure the amount of water in the top 2 inches of soil around the world to help scientists understand its effects on weather, its role in climate change and to better predict and respond to natural disasters. Read More...
NASA expects mixed crews aboard Soyuz, U.S. ferry ships
01/27/2015 03:29 PM
NASA hopes to begin launching U.S. and partner astronauts to the space station aboard Boeing and SpaceX ferry craft in the 2017 timeframe, but agency managers expect to continue sending crew members up aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
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SpaceX, Boeing on track for 2017 piloted test flights
01/26/2015 04:18 PM
NASA expects to spend some $5 billion on commercial spacecraft to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station, ending reliance on the Russians for crew ferry flights and eventually lowering the average cost per seat to around $58 million. Read More...
Atlas 5 boosts Navy comsat into space
01/20/2015 09:31 PM
An Atlas 5 rocket carrying a 15,000-pound Navy communications satellite streaked into space Tuesday, carrying the third of five relay stations planned for a $5 billion global network designed to handle high-speed mobile phone traffic. Read More...
Computer glitch briefly triggers fears of ISS ammonia leak
01/14/2015 07:15 PM
Concern about a possible ammonia coolant leak early Wednesday prompted astronauts aboard the International Space Station to briefly evacuate the U.S. segment of the complex and join three cosmonauts in the Russian portion of the outpost. Read More...
SpaceX launches fifth station resupply flight
01/10/2015 12:30 PM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully boosted a space station cargo ship into orbit Saturday but an unprecedented attempt to land the rocket's first stage on a barge stationed off the coast of Florida was not successful. Read More...
SpaceX station resupply flight grounded by steering problem
01/06/2015 07:00 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo ship bound for the International Space Station was called off Tuesday because of apparent problems with the second stage engine steering system.
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SpaceX preps Dragon, Falcon 9 for station resupply flight
01/05/2015 06:45 PM
SpaceX engineers made final preparations Monday for the planned Tuesday launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo ship loaded with more than 5,200 pounds of supplies, equipment and science gear bound for the International Space Station. Read More...
ISS astronaut enjoy holidays, reflect on busy year ahead
12/30/2014 11:08 AM
Taking time off for the holidays, the crew of the International Space Station is preparing for a busy start to the new year, with the arrival of a SpaceX cargo ship next week and three U.S. spacewalks in February.
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Kelly, Kornienko eager for launch on one-year mission
12/18/2014 04:00 PM
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are gearing up for launch March 27 to kick off a record one-year stay aboard the International Space Station, an orbital marathon crucial for planning future flights beyond Earth. Read More...
ESA optimistic Philae lander will wake up as comet nears sun
12/17/2014 02:30 PM
The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft is beaming back high-resolution photos of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko this week that engineers hope will reveal the location of the Philae lander.
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SpaceX readies barge for Falcon 9 landing try
12/16/2014 11:05 PM
SpaceX is gearing up to launch a Dragon cargo ship atop a Falcon 9 rocket Friday for the company's fifth operational space station resupply mission. And if all goes well, the Falcon 9's first stage will attempt to land on an off-shore barge. Read More...
Mars rover detects methane spike
12/16/2014 06:45 PM
Carefully analyzing data collected by NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, scientists discovered a sudden, unexpected spike in methane levels in the martian atmosphere over a two-month period one year ago, researchers announced Tuesday.
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Atlas 5 lifts NRO satellite into space
12/12/2014 11:30 PM
A powerful United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket thundered away from a California launch pad Friday, boosting a classified National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite into space.
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NASA's Orion capsule completes smooth test flight
12/05/2014 03:47 PM
A Delta 4 rocket boosted NASA’s Orion deep space exploration vehicle to an altitude of 3,600 miles Friday, setting up a dramatic re-entry and a successful splashdown to close out a milestone test flight. Read More...
Delta 4/Orion launch delayed by wind, valve problems
12/04/2014 02:15 PM
Launch of a powerful Delta 4 rocket carrying NASA's new Orion deep space exploration craft was called off Thursday because of high winds and trouble with sluggish propellant valves. Read More...
Engineers make final preparations for Orion launch
12/03/2014 05:00 PM
Engineers made final preparations Wednesday for the maiden launch of NASA's new Orion deep space exploration craft early Thursday on a long-awaited test flight. Read More...
Japan launches Hayabusa2 asteroid mission
12/02/2014 11:40 PM
An H-2A rocket blasted off from Japan's picturesque Tanegashima Space Center late Tuesday, boosting an innovative science probe into space for a six-year mission to rendezvous with an asteroid and bring soil samples back to Earth. Read More...
NASA poised to launch first Orion test flight
12/02/2014 10:10 PM
NASA is gearing up for a milestone unmanned test flight Thursday, the first launch of the agency's Orion deep space exploration spacecraft intended to one day carry astronauts on missions beyond low-Earth orbit and, eventually, Mars.
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Soyuz rockets into orbit, carries three to space station
11/24/2014 01:17 AM
Braving near-zero temperatures, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a crew of three vaulted into orbit Sunday and docked with the International Space Station six hours later. (UPDATED) Read More...
Philae comet lander loses power, drops off line
11/14/2014 08:36 PM
Trapped in rough, forbidding terrain with its solar panels draped in shadow, the Philae comet lander raced the clock Friday to carry out high-priority science operations, including an attempt to drill into the surface of the nucleus, before exhausting its batteries. Read More...
Philae comet lander bounced into shadows, raising battery fears
11/13/2014 04:30 PM
When the Philae spacecraft landed on a comet Wednesday, the anchors needed to hold it down in the feeble gravity failed to fire and the lander bounced back into space, soaring more than a half mile before hitting the ground more than a half mile away. Read More...
Rosetta comet lander touches down; status uncertain
11/12/2014 12:59 PM
The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe released a small lander early Wednesday that descended to touchdown on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, but it was not immediately clear whether the spacecraft was stable in the feeble gravity. Read More...
Rosetta poised to release comet lander in historic first
11/11/2014 09:57 PM
The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe, flying in close formation with a slowly tumbling comet, was on track to release a small lander Wednesday that will attempt an unprecedented touchdown on the boulder-strewn, debris-spewing nucleus. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-13M carries three station fliers back to Earth
11/09/2014 11:57 PM
A veteran cosmonaut, a German volcanologist and a Navy test pilot-turned-astronaut whose mastery of social media earned him -- and NASA -- a global following, undocked from the International Space Station and returned to Earth Sunday after 165 days aloft.
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Comet's brush with Mars generates 'mind-blowing' meteor shower
11/07/2014 04:14 PM
Comet Siding Spring's close flyby of Mars last month dumped several tons of primordial dust into the thin martian atmosphere, likely creating a brief but spectacular meteor shower with thousands of shooting stars had any astronauts been there to see it. Read More...
Orbital accelerates plan to re-engine Antares in wake of failure
11/05/2014 12:16 PM
Orbital Sciences is accelerating development of a replacement engine for its Antares rocket in the wake of a spectacular Oct. 28 launch disaster that apparently was triggered by the failure of a Russian-built first-stage engine.
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NTSB provides timeline of SS2 mishap
11/04/2014 02:21 AM
Just 13 seconds after Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo began a rocket-powered test flight last Friday -- and just five seconds after its innovative aero-braking system was inadvertently deployed at supersonic speeds -- the spaceplane apparently broke up. Read More...
Station astronaut says commercial space 'next breakthrough'
11/03/2014 12:02 PM
Space station astronaut Reid Wiseman, preparing to return to Earth this weekend after 165 days in orbit, said Monday commercial spaceflight represents the "next breakthrough" in aerospace technology.
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NTSB says SS2 'feather' braking system deployed early
11/03/2014 01:35 AM
Investigators looking into the fatal crash of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane said Sunday twin tail booms that rotate away from the fuselage to increase drag during atmospheric re-entry deployed earlier than expected during a fatal test flight Friday. Read More...
Branson vows to press ahead with commercial spaceflight
11/01/2014 02:28 PM
Richard Branson, the charismatic leader of Virgin Galactic and a driving force in the push to commercialize space travel, vowed Saturday to find out what caused the fatal crash of his company's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane Friday. Read More...
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashes during test flight
10/31/2014 09:35 PM
Virgin Galactic's futuristic SpaceShipTwo rocket plane, built to carry adventurous tourists on sub-orbital spaceflights, suffered a catastrophic failure Friday during a rocket-powered test flight high above the Mojave Desert, killing one pilot and injuring another.
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Orbital Sciences assesses Antares failure
10/29/2014 04:47 PM
A day after an explosion that destroyed an Orbital Sciences Antares rocket carrying a space station cargo ship, company officials said Wednesday they hope to zero in on the likely cause of the mishap within a week or so. Read More...
Atlas 5 boosts GPS navsat into space
10/29/2014 02:08 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Wednesday and boosted a $245 million Air Force navigation satellite into space, a welcome development after another rocket, also powered by Russian first-stage engines, exploded Tuesday. Read More...
Russian Progress supply ship takes off for station
10/29/2014 10:22 AM
Nine hours after a spectacular launch failure that destroyed a U.S. supply ship bound for the International Space Station, a Russian Progress cargo ship blasted off from Kazakhstan and successfully docked with the lab complex six hours later Read More...
Antares rocket explodes, destroys station cargo ship
10/28/2014 11:25 PM
An Orbital Sciences Antares rocket exploded seconds after launch from the Virginia coast Tuesday, erupting in a spectacular fireball and destroying an uncrewed Cygnus cargo ship in a disheartening failure for NASA's commercial space station resupply program.
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Russians stage smooth spacewalk
10/22/2014 01:25 PM
Two cosmonauts ventured outside the International Space Station Wednesday, jettisoning three no-longer-needed components and carrying out a photo survey of the Russian segment of the lab complex in the year's seventh and final ISS spacewalk. Read More...
Comet Siding Spring's Mars flyby a boon to science
10/19/2014 12:30 AM
The red planet's brush with Comet Siding Spring Sunday was a close encounter of the best kind for science, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study a pristine remnant of the solar system's birth 4.6 billion years ago. Read More...
X-37B spaceplane ends secret mission with smooth landing
10/17/2014 02:20 PM
An unpiloted Air Force spaceplane glided back to Earth Friday after a record stay in orbit, closing out a clandestine military mission with a computer-controlled landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
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Spacewalkers repair station electrical system
10/15/2014 03:42 PM
Astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry "Butch" Wilmore floated outside the International Space Station Wednesday and, after a bit of trouble with a balky bolt, replaced a broken voltage regulator to restore the lab's electrical grid to normal operation.
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MAVEN healthy, collects initial science data
10/14/2014 04:00 PM
Initial data from NASA's MAVEN Mars orbiter demonstrates the orbiter's ability to study the red planet's upper atmosphere with the precision required to help map out its structure and evolution.
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NASA clears Boeing, SpaceX to resume commercial crew work
10/09/2014 09:53 PM
Rescinding a work stoppage in the wake of a bid protest by losing competitor Sierra Nevada, NASA has told Boeing and SpaceX to resume work on commercial crew spacecraft to avoid possible delays ferrying astronauts to and from the space station. Read More...
Mars spacecraft poised for dramatic comet flyby
10/09/2014 09:42 PM
An international fleet of five Mars orbiters and two rovers will have ringside seats when a mountain-size comet streaks by on Oct. 19, passing within a scant 87,000 miles of the red planet at a blistering 126,000 mph, NASA scientists said Thursday.
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Air Force takes over 2 shuttle processing facilities
10/08/2014 05:25 PM
Boeing is modifying the Kennedy Space Center's remaining two orbiter processing facilities to service the secret X-37B spaceplane for the Air Force, NASA announced Wednesday.
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NuStar discoveres brilliant 'mighty mouse' pulsar
10/08/2014 04:16 PM
A NASA space telescope studying X-ray emissions from a nearby galaxy has discovered the brightest pulsar ever detected, the fast-spinning remnant of a collapsed star that shines so intensely it was initially mistaken for a massive black hole.
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Rookie astronauts chalk up smooth spacewalk
10/07/2014 03:02 PM
Astronauts Reid Wiseman and Alexander Gerst carried out a smooth six-hour 13-minute spacewalk Tuesday, moving a pump module to long-term storage and installing backup power gear for the space station's robot arm transporter. Read More...
Station spacewalks prelude to major changes
10/06/2014 01:28 PM
Two U.S. spacewalks this week and next will the stage for a complex series of eight to 10 NASA EVAs and module relocations next year that are needed to prepare the station for dockings by Boeing and SpaceX commercial crew ferry craft.
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NASA announces second round of commercial cargo contracts
09/26/2014 12:45 PM
In the wake of new contracts for commercial space taxis, NASA Friday announced a new competition for a second round of contracts to build and launch unpiloted spacecraft to deliver cargo and supplies to the International Space Station.
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Soyuz ferry craft blasts off, docks with space station
09/26/2014 02:00 AM
A Soyuz ferry craft carrying a crew of three docked with the International Space Station late Thursday. While one of the Soyuz capsule's two solar arrays did not deploy after launch, the crew had no problems completing a four-orbit rendezvous. Read More...
SpaceX cargo ship attached to space station
09/23/2014 09:31 AM
Two days after launch from Cape Canaveral, a SpaceX Dragon cargo ship loaded with 2.5 tons of equipment and supplies pulled up to the International Space Station early Tuesday and was captured by the lab's robot arm to complete a smooth rendezvous.
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MAVEN spacecraft brakes into orbit around Mars
09/22/2014 01:19 AM
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft braked into orbit around Mars Sunday, a major milestone for a $671 million mission find out how much of the martian atmosphere leaked away in the distant past.
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SpaceX station resupply mission takes off
09/21/2014 04:21 AM
Running a day late because of stormy weather, a SpaceX cargo ship packed with more than 5,100 pounds of equipment and supplies blasted off early Sunday on a two-day flight to the International Space Station.
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SpaceX station resupply flight scrubbed by weather
09/20/2014 02:00 AM
Thick clouds and rain over central Florida early Saturday forced SpaceX to order a 24-hour delay for launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon supply ship bound for the International Space Station.
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SpaceX readies cargo ship for flight to space station
09/19/2014 02:41 PM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands poised to launch a Dragon cargo ship on a two-day flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
NASA IG questions space station cost projections
09/18/2014 06:47 PM
NASA cost estimates for operating the International Space Station through 2024 are "overly optimistic," the agency's inspector general reported Thursday, adding that the price of new U.S.-built space taxis likely will be higher than currently projected.
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Atlas 5 boosts classified satellite to space
09/16/2014 08:25 PM
After waiting out bad weather, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off Tuesday and boosted a classified satellite into space, putting on a brief but spectacular show as it streak away through low clouds. Read More...
Boeing, SpaceX share contracts to build commercial space taxis
09/16/2014 07:00 PM
Aerospace giant Boeing and newcomer SpaceX will share $6.8 billion in NASA contracts to build commercial space taxis to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Read More...
Curiosity reaches Mount Sharp; NASA defends science plan
09/11/2014 04:00 PM
Responding to criticism from a review panel that questioned the science agenda of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, senior managers Thursday defended the $2.5 billion mission, saying the spacecraft had more than achieved its primary science goals. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-12M lands in Kazakhstan
09/10/2014 11:18 PM
Two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut strapped into a Soyuz ferry craft, undocked from the International Space Station and plunged back to Earth Wednesday, settling to a jarring rocket-assisted landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 169-day mission.
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SpaceX launches AsiaSat 6 relay station
09/07/2014 02:08 AM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered to life and vaulted into space early Sunday, boosting a commercial communications satellite into orbit for the Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Read More...
NASA commits to $7 billion SLS development
08/27/2014 06:13 PM
NASA managers have formally approved development of the Space Launch System -- SLS -- heavy-lift rocket, the most powerful booster ever attempted and a key element in the agency's long-range plans to send astronauts into deep space. Read More...
SpaceX delays AsiaSat 6 launch for additional troubleshooting
08/26/2014 11:25 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the AsiaSat 6 communications satellite is on hold pending additional work to make sure the booster is not susceptible to even extremely unlikely malfunctions in the wake of a failure that destroyed an experimental rocket .
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New Horizons probe on track for 2015 Pluto flyby
08/25/2014 04:09 PM
Eight years outbound from Earth, NASA's New Horizons probe passed the orbit of Neptune Monday, in good health and on course for a high-speed dash past enigmatic Pluto and its large moon Charon next summer.
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Russians launched Peruvian nanosat during spacewalk
08/18/2014 03:25 PM
Space station cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev began a planned six-hour and 15-minute spacewalk Monday, launching a small Peruvian science satellite before pressing ahead with experiment swap outs and maintenance. Read More...
Atlas 5 boosts WorldView-3 remote sensing satellite to orbit
08/13/2014 03:30 PM
An Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from California and streaked into orbit Wednesday carrying the most powerful remote sensing satellite ever built for the commercial market, a spacecraft capable of zooming in on a baseball field and detecting home plate from 400 miles. Read More...
Final ESA cargo ship docks at space station
08/12/2014 10:30 AM
The European Space Agency's fifth and final space station cargo ship glided to a smooth automated docking Tuesday after a flawless rendezvous, bringing 7.2 tons of supplies and equipment to the lab complex. Read More...
Rosetta matches orbits with comet in historic first
08/06/2014 09:17 AM
After a 10-year, 3.7-billion-mile chase, Europe's Rosetta spacecraft finally caught up with its target Wednesday, firing its main engine to precisely match orbits with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Read More...
ESA's Rosetta probe closes in on comet for historic rendezvous
08/05/2014 05:32 AM
After a 10-year space odyssey highlighted by four velocity-boosting planetary flybys and a pair of asteroid encounters, Europe's $1.7 billion Rosetta spacecraft finally reaches its target Wednesday, matching orbits with an oddball comet in a historic rendezvous. Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 launches AsiaSat 8 relay station
08/05/2014 05:11 AM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosted a powerful communications satellite into orbit early Tuesday after a sky-lighting liftoff from Cape Canaveral, the first of two commercial relay stations the company plans to launch this month.
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Rosetta's comet coming into focus
08/02/2014 02:24 PM
The European Space Agency's $1.7 billion Rosetta probe, closing in on a comet for a historic rendezvous Wednesday, is sending back sharper and sharper views of its quarry, revealing an intriguing relic of the solar system's birth featuring two distinct lobes. Read More...
Atlas 5 boosts GPS navsat into orbit
08/01/2014 11:52 PM
Lighting up the night sky, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted a $245 million Global Positioning System navigation satellites into orbit Friday night, the seventh of 12 upgraded navigation beacons joining a globe-spanning constellation.
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NASA selects instruments for Mars 2020 rover
07/31/2014 06:23 PM
NASA's next Mars rover will feature state-of-the-art science and technology instruments, including a device to cache rock and soil samples for possible return to Earth and another to extract oxygen from the martian atmosphere, officials said Thursday. Read More...
New techniques, healthy instruments keep Hubble on frontier
07/31/2014 09:56 AM
A quarter of the century after launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope is still pushing the frontiers of observational astronomy, thanks to the sensitivity of its instruments, the ultra precise way the observatory can be controlled and ingenious new techniques.
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Hubble Space Telescope in good shape 5 years after final servicing
07/31/2014 09:51 AM
Five years after a final shuttle servicing mission, the Hubble Space Telescope's instruments are operating in near-flawless fashion and while one of its six stabilizing gyros has failed, engineers are optimistic the observatory will operate through the end of the decade. Read More...
Ariane 5 boosts last ATV cargo ship into orbit
07/29/2014 09:31 PM
The fifth and final launch of the European Space Agency's fifth and final station-bound ATV cargo ship marks the end of an era as the agency shifts its focus to providing power and propulsion for NASA's Orion deep space exploration vehicle. (UPDATED) Read More...
Delta 4 rocket finally takes off on oft-delayed military mission
07/29/2014 07:59 AM
Running five days late because of stormy weather and trouble with ground equipment, a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket finally thundered to life and climbed away from Cape Canaveral Monday, boosting three military satellites into orbit. (UPDATED)
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Progress cargo ship blasts off, docks with space station
07/23/2014 11:56 PM
A Russian Progress cargo ship loaded with 2.8 tons of supplies and equipment blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday and docked with the International Space Station after a problem-free rendezvous. Read More...
Armstrong honored on 45th anniversary of moon landing
07/21/2014 02:15 PM
Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins joined NASA dignitaries and Neil Armstrong's family Monday to rename the iconic Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center in honor of the first man to walk on the moon.
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45 years later, Apollo 11 landing still riveting
07/18/2014 10:42 PM
Forty-five years after Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong and astronaut Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon and became the first humans to visit another world, the sheer drama of their descent to the cratered surface still reads like an improbable thriller. Read More...
Cygnus cargo ship berthed at station
07/16/2014 09:12 AM
A Cygnus cargo ship loaded with more than 1.5 tons of supplies and equipment was plucked out of open space by the International Space Station's robot arm early Wednesday and pulled in for berthing to wrap up a three-day rendezvous.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 boosts Orbcomm data sats to orbit
07/14/2014 01:48 PM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosted six lightweight Orbcomm data relay satellites into space Monday in a commercial launch marking the 10th apparent success in a row for the California rocket builder. (UPDATED)
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Antares rocket boosts commercial Cygnus cargo ship into orbit
07/13/2014 03:27 PM
An Orbital Sciences Antares rocket carrying a Cygnus cargo capsule thundered away from the Virginia coast Sunday and streaked into orbit, kicking off a three-day flight to deliver more than 1.5 tons of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.
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Antares rocket readied for launch on station resupply flight
07/12/2014 07:09 PM
After a string of delays cause by stormy weather, conflicts with other flights and an engine test failure, Orbital Sciences Corp. is readying an Antares rocket for launch Sunday to carry 1.7 tons of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. Read More...
NASA finalizes $2.8B SLS contract with Boeing
07/03/2014 04:28 PM
NASA has finalized a $2.8 billion contract with Boeing for development of avionics systems and the 20-story-tall first stage of the agency's planned Space Launch System rocket, a gargantuan booster intended to propel astronauts on missions to deep space targets. Read More...
Government seeks dismissal of SpaceX contract challenge
07/02/2014 05:12 PM
The U.S. government has filed a motion with the Court of Federal Claims to dismiss a key element in a lawsuit by SpaceX challenging a sole-source multi-rocket contract awarded to United Launch Alliance last December. Read More...
Delta 2 boosts NASA environmental satellite into orbit
07/02/2014 09:27 AM
A workhorse Delta 2 rocket roared to life and climbed away from California coast early Wednesday, boosting an environmental research satellite into orbit on a $468 million mission to precisely measure global carbon dioxide levels, a key factor in climate change. (UPDATED)
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OCO-2 launch scrubbed by launch pad glitch
07/01/2014 09:48 PM
An attempt to launch an environmental research satellite atop a Delta 2 rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif, Tuesday was derailed just 45 seconds before the planned liftoff by a glitch in the pad's sound-suppression water system. Read More...
NASA preps environmental satellite for launch
06/30/2014 10:58 PM
Getting a second chance after a 2009 launch failure, environmental researchers are eagerly awaiting launch early Tuesday of a $468 million mission designed to precisely measure carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere.
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Mars entry test vehicle, parachute recovered; engineers elated
06/29/2014 02:42 PM
Despite the failure of a huge supersonic parachute to fully inflate during a test flight at the edge of space Saturday, engineers said Sunday they were elated with the otherwise near-flawless performance of a research craft built to study improved aerobraking for Mars landers. Read More...
NASA launches 'flying saucer' for tests of Mars entry technology
06/28/2014 05:54 PM
A huge high-altitude balloon took off from Hawaii Saturday, gracefully lifting a 3.5-ton flying saucer-shaped Mars research vehicle on a ride to the edge of space for a dramatic rocket-powered test of an inflatable doughnut-like braking system and a huge supersonic parachute. Read More...
Third SpaceX launch try scrubbed, flight delayed to early July
06/23/2014 03:05 PM
A third attempt to launch a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying six ORBCOMM data relay satellites was called off Sunday because of an unspecified technical problem. The company announced Monday a fourth launch try would be delayed to early July. (UPDATED) Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 grounded by weather (UPDATED)
06/21/2014 11:27 PM
Running a day late because of a technical glitch, bad weather Saturday forced SpaceX to call off a second attempt to launch a Falcon 9 rocket on a commercial mission to deploy six Orbcomm data relay satellites.
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SpaceX/Orbcomm launch delayed
06/20/2014 07:09 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying six Orbcomm commercial data relay satellites was delayed Friday for at least 24 hours because of telemetry indicating a possible pressurization problem in the rocket's second stage. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-38
06/19/2014 05:44 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-38 (antenna installation; experiment relocation) Read More...
ULA details engine initiative, unveils ads to counter 'misinformation'
06/19/2014 01:15 PM
United Launch Alliance, criticized by competitor SpaceX for high costs and use of Russian rocket engines, ratcheted up its counter offensive Wednesday, detailing a new initiative to explore U.S. engine replacement options and unveiling new ads to counter 'misinformation.' (UPDATED) Read More...
NRC says humans flight to Mars possible, but more money needed
06/04/2014 01:21 PM
Without a substantial increase in funding, sustained political support and extensive international participation, the United States will not be able to send humans to Mars before the middle of the century and possibly not even then, according to a National Research Council report. Read More...
SpaceX unveils futuristic crew ferry craft
05/30/2014 01:58 AM
With a showman's flair for the dramatic, rocket designer Elon Musk unveiled a futuristic space capsule Thursday, a sleek reusable ferry craft that could carry astronauts to the International Space Station and bring them home to a pinpoint, rocket-powered landing.
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Soyuz TMA-13M rockets into orbit, docks with space station
05/29/2014 12:49 AM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a three-man crew blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday and docked with the International Space Station after a four-orbit rendezvous to boost the lab's crew back to six. (UPDATED) Read More...
Soyuz poised for launch to station
05/27/2014 01:36 PM
A veteran Russian cosmonaut, a U.S. Navy test pilot-turned-astronaut and a German volcanologist are set for a six-hour flight to the International Space Station Wednesday to boost the lab's crew back to six and kick off a busy summer of research and multiple EVAs. Read More...
Atlas 5 lifts off with classified NRO satellite
05/22/2014 09:51 AM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket roared to life and climbed away through a cloudless sky Thursday, kicking off a classified mission to boost a National Reconnaissance Office satellite into orbit.
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Delta 4 boosts GPS navsat into orbit
05/16/2014 08:47 PM
Running a day late because of bad weather, a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket carrying a $245 million Global Positioning System satellite vaulted smoothly into space Friday in an ongoing push to modernize the globe-spanning navigation system for military and civilian users alike.
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Soyuz TMA-11M lands in Kazakhstan
05/13/2014 10:55 PM
A Japanese astronaut, a veteran Russian cosmonaut and a NASA flight engineer strapped into a Soyuz ferry craft, undocked from the International Space Station and fell back to Earth Tuesday to close out a 188-day stay in orbit. Read More...
Rogozin threatens engine restrictions, ISS lifetime extension
05/13/2014 08:17 PM
Russian-built RD-180 engines that power the first stage of United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 rocket will no longer be sold for use in U.S. military missions, Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's deputy prime minister for space and defense, said Tuesday.
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Court lifts unjunction barring payments for Russian engine
05/08/2014 07:07 PM
A federal judge Thursday lifted an injunction barring United Launch Alliance from buying Russian engines for the company's Atlas 5 rocket, concluding such transactions do not violate U.S. sanctions imposed in the wake of Russia's actions in Ukraine.
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SpaceX wins temporary injunction on ULA-Russian engine buys
05/01/2014 02:40 PM
The U.S. Court of Federal Appeals has issued a temporary injunction barring United Launch Alliance from purchasing Russian engines and hardware for its venerable Atlas 5 rocket following a complaint by SpaceX alleging such sales violate U.S. sanctions. Read More...
ULA defends 27-rocket 'block buy' contract
04/29/2014 02:44 PM
Responding to complaints from SpaceX, United Launch Alliance said it won a sole-source military launch contract because it was the only company that fully met Pentagon requirements.
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SpaceX challenges Air Force launch contracts
04/25/2014 06:39 PM
SpaceX founder and chief designer Elon Musk said Friday his company is filing a lawsuit to protest what he said were unjustified, sole-source Air Force launch contracts. Read More...
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-26
04/23/2014 11:43 AM
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-26 (MDM EXT-2 replacement). Read More...
Dragon cargo ship attached to space station
04/20/2014 09:02 AM
Wrapping up a smooth two-day rendezvous, a SpaceX Dragon cargo ship was successfully attached to the International Space Station early Sunday, bringing nearly 5,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the lab complex.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 boost Dragon/CRS-3 into orbit (UPDATED)
04/18/2014 06:20 PM
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosted a Dragon cargo capsule into orbit Friday, the first step in a two-day rendezvous with the International Space Station, the company's third commercial resupply mission.
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Kepler finds Earth-size planet in 'goldilocks' zone
04/17/2014 04:46 PM
Scientists analyzing data from the planet-hunting Kepler space telescope have chalked up another first, finding an Earth-size world orbiting in the habitable zone of its parent star, researchers announced Thursday.
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SpaceX aims for second launch try Friday
04/16/2014 11:11 PM
SpaceX is pressing ahead for another attempt Friday to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a commercial cargo craft bound for the International Space Station, setting up an Easter Sunday rendezvous and berthing.
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SpaceX Dragon cargo flight to station scrubbed (UPDATED)
04/14/2014 04:20 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon cargo capsule bound for the International Space Station was scrubbed Monday because of an apparent first stage helium leak, delaying the flight until Friday at the earliest.
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NASA studies glitch with backup ISS computer (UPDATED)
04/12/2014 04:05 PM
SpaceX engineers are pressing ahead with work to prepare a Falcon 9 rocket for launch Monday to boost a space station cargo ship into orbit. But a final decision will depend on troubleshooting to resolve problems with a failed computer unit aboard the lab complex. Read More...
Progress supply ship docks with space station (UPDATED)
04/09/2014 12:44 PM
A Russian Progress supply ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment bound for the International Space Station blasted off and streaked into space Wednesday, docking with the International Space Station six hours later. Read More...
Space station exempt from ban on NASA-Russia contact
04/02/2014 08:55 PM
NASA has been told to suspend contact with Russian government officials because of Russia's "ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," according to an agency memo circulated Wednesday. The International Space Station is exempt.
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Soyuz TMA-12M docks with space station
03/27/2014 11:28 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut glided to a smooth linkup with the International Space Station Thursday, two days after a technical snag blocked a fast-track rendezvous and docking shortly after launch Tuesday.
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Soyuz on track for revised two-day station rendezvous
03/26/2014 12:13 PM
After a glitch interrupted a planned four-orbit rendezvous with the International Space Station Tuesday, the Soyuz TMA-12M crew pressed ahead Wednesday with a two-day rendezvous. Read More...
Soyuz sets off after station; rendezvous snag delays docking
03/25/2014 10:13 PM
Two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut rocketed smoothly into space aboard a Soyuz ferry craft Tuesday, but the crew ran into problems executing a required rendezvous rocket firing, delaying docking with the International Space Station until Thursday at the earliest.
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SpaceX delays Falcon 9/Dragon launch to station
03/13/2014 05:52 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station has been delayed to no earlier than March 30 because of what sources described as apparent contamination that could pose problems for station-bound research hardware. Read More...
Soyuz crew lands in Kazakhstan (UPDATED)
03/11/2014 12:31 AM
Despite strained relations over Russian actions in Ukraine, superpower cooperation in space continued unabated Monday with two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut departing the International Space Station for a fiery plunge back to Earth late Monday. (UPDATED) Read More...
Musk argues for competition in military launch contracts
03/05/2014 09:27 PM
In an ongoing debate over sky rocketing military launch costs, SpaceX founder Elon Musk told lawmakers Wednesday that allowing his company to launch high-priority military payloads would save taxpayers billions of dollars. Read More...
NASA unveils FY 2015 budget; commercial space funding urged
03/04/2014 06:03 PM
The Obama administration's $17.5 billion budget request for NASA in fiscal 2015 will maintain American leadership on the high frontier, agency Administrator Charles Bolden said Tuesday, urging Congress to fully fund development of commercial manned spacecraft. Read More...
Japan launches $1.2 billion weather research satellite
02/27/2014 02:12 PM
A Japanese H-2A rocket boosted a sophisticated weather research satellite into orbit Thursday, the centerpiece of a $1.2 billion international mission to study global precipitation in a bid to improve climate models, forecasting and understanding of the water cycle. Read More...
Kepler data reveals 715 newly found planets
02/26/2014 05:29 PM
A statistical analysis of data collected by NASA's Kepler space telescope has confirmed the discovery of 715 newly-found planets orbiting 305 stars, pushing to total number of known planets beyond Earth's solar system to nearly 1,700, researchers announced Wednesday.
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NASA vows to correct problems that led to dangerous EVA leak
02/26/2014 05:11 PM
A misunderstanding of how water behaves in a spacesuit operating in weightlessness, combined with institutional complacency and a perceived pressure to avoid delays, resulted in a frightening water leak during a 2013 spacewalk, a mishap board concluded. Read More...
ULA Delta 4 boosts GPS navsat into space
02/20/2014 10:19 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket thundered to life and climbed into space Thursday evening, boosting an upgraded Global Positioning System navigation satellite into orbit.
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NuSTAR sheds light on supernova mechanisms
02/19/2014 03:42 PM
A space-based X-ray telescope has detected the glow of radioactive titanium created in the catastrophic death throes of a distant star, shedding new light on the mechanisms that may be responsible for destroying massive suns. Read More...
Progress supply ship docks with space station
02/05/2014 05:56 PM
An unmanned Progress supply ship loaded with 2.8 tons of equipment and supplies rocketed into orbit Wednesday, chased down the International Space Station and glided to a smooth automated docking after a four-orbit rendezvous.
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Cameras re-installed in Russian spacewalk
01/27/2014 09:56 PM
Cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy re-installed two commercial cameras on the hull of the International Space Station Monday. Despite apparent signs of trouble with one camera, officials with Vancouver-based UrtheCast called the work a success. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-37A
01/27/2014 03:22 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-37A (UrtheCast camera installation; 2nd attempt) Read More...
ULA Atlas 5 launches NASA communications satellite
01/23/2014 11:34 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted a new NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite into orbit Thursday, the second in a $715 million upgrade of the agency's globe-spanning communications network.
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Opportunity Mars rover marks 10 years on the red planet
01/23/2014 06:06 PM
NASA's solar-powered Opportunity Mars rover, designed to operate for just 90 days on the red planet's cold, dust-shrouded surface, celebrates 10 years of exploration Friday, enduring a few age-related aches and pains but still making valuable observations. Read More...
ESA's Rosetta comet probe wakes up from 2.5-year hibernation
01/20/2014 02:31 PM
After hibernating for 31 months, the European Space Agency's Rosetta probe woke itself up and phoned home Monday, a major milestone in a $1.7 billion attempt to orbit a comet and place a lander on its icy surface. Read More...
Cygnus cargo ship berthed at space station
01/12/2014 09:51 AM
A commercial cargo ship loaded with nearly 1.5 tons of supplies and equipment was captured by the International Space Station's robot arm early Sunday and attached to a docking port, wrapping up a complex but problem-free two-and-a-half-day rendezvous.
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Orbital Sciences Antares rocket blasts off on station cargo flight
01/09/2014 01:38 PM
Delayed one day by cold weather and another day by concern about space radiation, an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket carrying a commercially developed cargo ship blasted off Thursday and set off after the International Space Station.
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Station cargo mission delayed one day by space weather
01/08/2014 07:04 PM
Launch of an Orbital Sciences Antares rocket carrying a Cygnus cargo ship bound for the International Space Station was scrubbed Wednesday because of high space radiation levels after a solar flare. Based on a detailed analysis, the flight was retargeted for Thursday.
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Space station gets go ahead for operations through at least 2024
01/08/2014 04:57 PM
The Obama administration has given NASA the go-ahead to operate the International Space Station through at least 2024, the agency says, allowing government and private-sector researchers to count on at least another decade of operations. Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 boosts commercial relay station into orbit
01/06/2014 07:01 PM
An upgraded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosted a commercial communications satellite into orbit Monday, kicking off the new year with the company's second commercial success in a row. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-37
12/27/2013 09:28 AM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-37 (UrtheCast camera installation; experiments) Read More...
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-25
12/24/2013 11:39 PM
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-25 (loop A ammonia pump module replacement). Read More...
Astronauts prep for second coolant repair spacewalk
12/23/2013 02:03 PM
Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins prepared their spacesuits Monday for a Christmas Eve spacewalk, their second in four days to complete an urgent cooling system repair job aboard the International Space Station's main power truss.
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Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-24
12/21/2013 07:29 PM
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-24 (loop A ammonia pump module removal). Read More...
NASA confident spacesuits ready for cooling system repair work
12/18/2013 05:56 PM
Engineers are confident the spacesuits that will be used for two and possibly three excursions to repair the space station's coolant system are in good shape and that no problems with water leakage are expected. Read More...
NASA orders spacewalks to fix station coolant loop
12/17/2013 01:43 PM
After an exhaustive effort to come up with a fix for a balky valve in a space station coolant loop, NASA managers decided Tuesday to resolve the problem with two and possibly three spacewalks to replace a refrigerator-size ammonia pump module. Read More...
China's Chang'e-3 spacecraft lands on moon (UPDATED)
12/14/2013 04:50 PM
A Chinese spacecraft, carrying a suite of instruments and a small rover named Yutu, or "Jade Rabbit," settled to an on-target touchdown on the moon Saturday, the first such lunar landing in 37 years and a major achievement for the Chinese space program. Read More...
Station cargo flight delayed amid coolant system troubleshooting
12/14/2013 03:18 PM
NASA managers decided to delay launch of an Orbital Sciences Corp. space station cargo ship by at least one day amid ongoing work to come up with a fix for a balky valve in a cooling system that has forced the station crew to power down non-critical systems.
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ISS managers mull coolant system repair options
12/12/2013 02:43 PM
Engineers are running tests to figure out what is affecting the operation of a critical valve inside a coolant pump aboard the International Space Station that has forced flight controllers to shut down non-essential systems, curtailing science operations. Read More...
Engineers troubleshoot station cooling problem
12/11/2013 07:50 PM
A valve in a coolant system pump module aboard the International Space Station apparently malfunctioned Wednesday, triggering cooling problems in one external ammonia loop and prompting flight controllers to power down non-essential equipment. Read More...
Curiosity findings prompt new search strategy for organics
12/09/2013 05:05 PM
Studying an ancient lakebed on Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover team is now looking for areas where erosion may have uncovered pristine layers in which organic compounds -- and possibly remnant traces of life -- might still be found, scientists said Monday.
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Atlas 5 rocket carrying NRO spysat blasts off
12/06/2013 01:49 AM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket roared to life and climbed away from its California launch pad overnight Thursday, kicking off a classified mission to boost a National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite into orbit.
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Comet ISON's demise a boon to science
12/05/2013 12:01 PM
During the final hours of its one and only trip into the inner solar system, Comet ISON almost certainly disintegrated in the hellish glare and crushing grip of the sun, leaving a cloud of debris -- and a treasure trove of data -- in its wake. Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 launches first commercial comsat
12/03/2013 06:35 PM
SpaceX sucessfully launched an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket carrying an SES communications satellite Tuesday, the opening salvo in a closely watched bid to win a share of the commercial launch market with low-cost assembly-line boosters.
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SpaceX retargets commercial comsat launch
12/02/2013 12:41 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a commercial communications satellite is now targeted for Tuesday evening, company officials said Monday, giving engineers more time to review data in the wake of a Thanksgiving Day launch abort .
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China launches Chang'e-3 lunar lander
12/01/2013 01:46 PM
A powerful Long March 3B rocket boosted China's first lunar lander into space Sunday, an unmanned mothership that will descend to the surface in mid December and deploy a rover named Yutu, or "Jade Rabbit," for independent scientific observations. Read More...
Russian Progress cargo ship docks with space station
11/29/2013 05:57 PM
Space station commander Oleg Kotov took over manual control of an approaching Progress supply ship Friday after an undisclosed problem and deftly guided the craft in for a smooth docking at the International Space Station's aft port. Read More...
Comet ISON lives up to reputation for surprises (UPDATED)
11/28/2013 10:08 PM
After a multi-million-year plunge from the frozen fringes of the solar system, Comet ISON may have broken apart and evaporated in the fierce heat and crushing gravity of the sun before or during a close flyby Thursday, scientist say. Or maybe not. (UPDATED) Read More...
SpaceX launch on hold after launch abort
11/28/2013 07:37 PM
Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's first commercial communications satellite payload is on hold pending a data review and engine inspections after two launch tries Thursday, including a dramatic engine start and shut down. Read More...
Comet ISON closes in on the sun
11/27/2013 04:28 PM
Astronomers around the world are closely monitoring Comet ISON's plunge through the inner solar system and awaiting data from a fleet of space telescopes to find out whether the enigmatic chunk of ice will survive a blistering Thanksgiving Day flyby of the sun.
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SpaceX launch delayed by technical snags
11/25/2013 08:28 PM
Launch of an upgraded SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a commercial communications satellite was delayed Monday by unexplained technical snags late in the countdown. Launch was retargeted for Thursday. Read More...
SpaceX poised for high-stakes comsat launch
11/24/2013 10:25 PM
SpaceX, the upstart rocket company owned by tech maverick Elon Musk, faces what might be its biggest challenge Monday with the launch of a costly commercial communications satellite aboard an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket. Read More...
JFK's legacy: A race worth winning
11/21/2013 12:38 PM
President John F. Kennedy's decision to commit the United States to landing a man on the moon within a single decade, with only rudimentary ideas about how to do it and almost no space experience, was by today's standards an unimaginably daring gamble. Read More...
JFK's legacy: Setting America on course for the moon
11/21/2013 12:33 PM
In May 1961, John F. Kennedy, a charismatic young president with bold dreams for a re-energized America, stood in the eye of a perfect geopolitical storm when he decided to set the nation on course to the moon. Read More...
Rover engineers troubleshoot possible 'soft short'
11/20/2013 10:10 PM
Science observations by the Curiosity Mars rover are on hold pending tests to pin down the cause of an unexpected voltage change that was detected last Sunday, NASA said in a status report Wednesday. Read More...
International Space Station hits 15-year mark
11/20/2013 02:31 PM
Fifteen years ago, a Russian Proton rocket carrying the first module of what would become the International Space Station roared to life and climbed into orbit, kicking off one of the most complex -- and expensive -- engineering projects ever attempted. Read More...
MAVEN orbiter launched on 10-month flight to Mars
11/18/2013 04:52 PM
A new NASA Mars probe began a 10-month voyage to the red planet Monday, blasting off on a $671 million mission to study the martian atmosphere and the cause of a dramatic case of climate change.
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NASA Mars orbiter cleared for launch
11/15/2013 04:30 PM
NASA's next Mars probe is poised for launch Monday, weather permitting, to kick off a $671 million mission to find out why a good portion of the red planet's atmosphere leaked away ages ago in an extreme case of climate change.
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Stunning Cassini mosaic shows Earth, Mars and Venus
11/12/2013 11:55 AM
A spectacular panorama of the ringed planet Saturn, captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft as it flew through the planet's shadow July 19, was unveiled Tuesday, showing Earth and its two sister planets, Mars and Venus as star-like points of light. Read More...
Soyuz returns to Earth with three station fliers and Olympic torch
11/10/2013 10:29 PM
Three station fliers strapped into their Soyuz TMA-09M ferry craft and plunged back to Earth Sunday, settling to a jarring rocket-assisted landing on the frigid steppe of Kazakhstan to close out a 166-day stay in space. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA 36
11/09/2013 03:38 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian spacewalk No. 36. Read More...
Cosmonauts set for Olympic torch spacewalk
11/08/2013 01:23 PM
Two Russian cosmonauts plan to carry an unlighted Olympic torch outside the International Space Station Saturday, staging a symbolic spacewalk relay as part of the build up to the 2014 Winter Games. Read More...
Soyuz, with Olympic torch and crew of three, docks with space station
11/07/2013 12:44 PM
A Soyuz rocket carrying a crew of three and an Olympic torch heralding the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, streaked into orbit Wednesday and docked with the International Space Station early Thursday. Read More...
Kepler finds Earth-size planets commonplace
11/04/2013 05:09 PM
Data collected by NASA's Kepler space telescope indicates one in five sun-like stars likely hosts an Earth-size planet in the habitable zone where life as it is known on Earth can, in theory, exist, scientists say. Read More...
Sierra Nevada investigates Dream Chaser landing mishap
10/29/2013 11:29 AM
A landing gear malfunction that caused a small commercial spacecraft to skid off the runway after its first unmanned flight Saturday caused relatively minor damage, an official with builder Sierra Nevada said. Read More...
Scott Carpenter, Mercury 7 astronaut, dies at 88
10/10/2013 06:04 PM
Malcolm Scott Carpenter, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts who was forced to take manual control of his Aurora 7 capsule in a frightening re-entry, died early Thursday. He was 88.
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Juno probe in safe mode, but managers optimistic about recovery
10/10/2013 05:37 PM
NASA's Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft went into "safe mode" just 10 minutes after a gravity-assist flyby of Earth Wednesday, but managers said Thursday they are back in touch and the spacecraft appears healthy.
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Jupiter-bound Juno races toward Earth flyby
10/09/2013 11:12 AM
Returning to its starting point after a loop out beyond the orbit of Mars, NASA's Juno probe raced toward Earth Wednesday for a velocity-boosting flyby, using the planet's gravity to fling the craft on to Jupiter.
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NASA shuts down in funding impasse
10/01/2013 11:34 AM
With the federal government in partial shutdown, NASA is implementing drastic, across-the-board furloughs that will severely curtail ongoing research and development.
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SpaceX launches upgraded Falcon 9 rocket
09/29/2013 12:37 PM
In a dramatic California test flight, SpaceX launched an upgraded, more powerful version of its Falcon 9 rocket Sunday -- a booster the company hopes will someday carry astronauts to the space station. Read More...
Cygnus cargo ship completes rendezvous, station capture
09/29/2013 08:40 AM
A commercial cargo ship making its maiden flight was successfully captured by the International Space Station's robot arm early Sunday in a major milestone for NASA.
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Soyuz takes off with three bound for space station
09/25/2013 10:57 PM
A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut blasted off from Kazakhstan Wednesday, climbed into orbit and docked with the International Space Station after a six-hour rendezvous. Read More...
Commercial cargo ship aborts initial approach to station
09/22/2013 05:49 AM
An Orbital Sciences Corp. Cygnus cargo ship making its maiden flight to the International Space Station aborted its initial approach to the lab complex early Sunday because of suspect navigation data.
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Orbital Sciences launches Cygnus cargo ship on maiden flight
09/18/2013 01:37 PM
In a critical test flight for NASA's space station program, an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket blasted off Wednesday, lofting a Cygnus cargo ship on its maiden flight to the international lab complex. Read More...
Atlas 5 rocket boosts military comsat into orbit
09/18/2013 05:05 AM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted a $900 million military communications satellite into space early Wednesday, the third in a series of high-speed, jam-resistant relay stations.
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Orbital Sciences preps Cygnus cargo ship for station flight
09/17/2013 07:08 PM
In a major milestone for NASA, Orbital Sciences Corp. is readying an Antares rocket for launch Wednesday to boost an unmanned Cygnus cargo ship on a maiden flight to the International Space Station.
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In historic first, Voyager 1 sails into interstellar space
09/12/2013 10:23 PM
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, 36 years and 12 billion miles from Earth, has crossed the boundary between the sun's influence and interstellar space, becoming humanity's first true starship, scientists said Thursday.
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Soyuz TMA-08M brings three station fliers safely back to Earth
09/10/2013 11:43 PM
Closing out a 166-day stay in orbit, two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut rode a Russian Soyuz spacecraft back to Earth Tuesday, settling to a jarring rocket-assisted touchdown on the steppe of Kazakhstan.
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NASA launches moon probe to study thin lunar atmosphere
09/07/2013 12:26 AM
Lighting up the night sky with a trail of fiery exhaust, an Orbital Sciences Minotaur 5 rocket blazed away from the Virginia coast late Friday, boosting a small NASA probe on a trajectory toward the moon. Read More...
NASA preps innovative probe for launch on moon mission
09/06/2013 09:39 PM
An innovative spacecraft perched atop a five-stage booster is poised for launch from the Virginia coast late Friday on a mission to study the moon's ultra-thin atmosphere look for signs of suspended moon dust. Read More...
Delta 4-Heavy boosts NRO spysat into space
08/28/2013 03:16 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy, the most powerful rocket in the U.S. inventory, thundered away from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Wednesday on a classified National Reconnaissance Office mission. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-35
08/22/2013 07:57 AM
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin staged a five-hour 58-minute spacewalk Thursday to mount a camera aiming platform on the space station and to tighten loose antenna covers. Read More...
C. Gordon Fullerton, legendary aviator-astronaut, dies
08/21/2013 08:11 PM
Former shuttle commander C. Gordon Fullerton, a legendary aviator who flew two space missions, died Wednesday after a long illness. He was 76. Read More...
NASA introduces new astronaut class
08/20/2013 01:27 PM
NASA introduced eight new astronaut candidates to the public Tuesday, four men and four women who initially will focus on space station operations. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-34
08/16/2013 06:23 PM
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin set a new Russian EVA record Friday, spending seven hours and 29 minutes outside the International Space Station to lay cables for a new lab module. Read More...
NASA studies alternative missions for crippled Kepler
08/15/2013 05:56 PM
Engineers have concluded NASA's Kepler space telescope will no longer be able to search for Earth-size planets because of trouble with the spacecraft's gyroscopic stabilization system.
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Japanese HTV cargo ship attached to space station
08/09/2013 12:36 PM
A Japanese cargo ship loaded with nearly 4 tons of science gear, supplies and spare parts was attached to the International Space Station Friday after a near-flawless rendezvous.
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Delta 4 lofts WGS military comsat into orbit
08/07/2013 09:14 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket carrying the latest in an international fleet of military communications satellites climbed into orbit Wednesday after a picture-perfect Florida launch. Read More...
Curiosity Mars rover marks one year on red planet
08/06/2013 01:15 PM
One year after a nail-biting descent to the surface of Mars, NASA's $2.5 billion Curiosity rover, fresh from confirming the red planet was habitable in the distant past, is making its way to the base of Mount Sharp. Read More...
Japanese cargo ship launched on station resupply flight
08/03/2013 04:10 PM
An unmanned Japanese cargo ship loaded with nearly 4 tons of science gear, spare parts and supplies rocketed away from Japan Saturday, kicking off a six-day flight to the International Space Station.
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Cassini captures stunning images of Saturn, rings and distant Earth
07/22/2013 09:14 PM
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has beamed back spectacular pictures of Saturn, its rings and distant Earth, a "pale blue dot" nearly a billion miles away, as the robot passed behind the ringed planet last Friday.
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Atlas 5 boosts heavyweight Navy comsat into orbit
07/19/2013 09:24 AM
A heavyweight Navy communications satellites was boosted into space by a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket Friday, the second in a series of five relay stations in a globe-spanning $5 billion network.
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Cassini poised to take photo of 'pale blue dot'
07/18/2013 11:55 PM
NASA's Cassini spacecraft is poised to snap a dramatic portrait of Earth Friday, capturing a mosaic showing humanity's home in space as a pinprick of light just to one side of Saturn's spectacular rings.
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Proton crash likely caused by incorrect sensor installation
07/18/2013 11:33 PM
The dramatic failure of a heavy-lift Russian Proton rocket seconds after launch July 2 may have been caused by incorrectly installed guidance sensors in the booster's first stage, Russian officials say. Read More...
Parmitano praised for 'grace under pressure' in aborted spacewalk
07/16/2013 06:35 PM
A dangerous leak resulting in a large blob of water sloshing inside Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano's space helmet forced NASA to abort a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk Tuesday.
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Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-23 (spacewalk terminated)
07/16/2013 10:10 AM
Astronauts Christopher Cassidy and Luca Parmitano cut short a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk Tuesday because of an unusual, and potentially dangerous buildup of water in Parmitano's helmet. Read More...
2020 Mars rover to search for evidence of past life
07/09/2013 05:35 PM
A team of scientists studying possible mission scenarios for a planned 2020 Mars mission modeled on NASA's Curiosity rover has recommended a spacecraft designed to look for traces of past life. Read More...
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-22
07/09/2013 02:26 PM
Astronauts Christopher Cassidy and Luca Parmitano staged a successful six-hour seven-minute spacewalk Tuesday, the first of two planned over seven days to work through a backlog of space station tasks. Read More...
Russian Proton rocket failure prompts investigation
07/02/2013 11:59 AM
The Russian prime minister ordered an investigation into the failure of a Proton rocket that veered wildly out of control seconds after liftoff and crashed back to Earth, destroying three navigation satellites. Read More...
Shuttle Atlantis centerpiece of spectacular display
06/28/2013 05:17 PM
The space shuttle Atlantis, the last of NASA's winged orbiters to fly in space, goes on public display at the Kennedy Space Center visitors complex Saturday, the centerpiece of a spectacular $100 million facility.
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Pegasus rocket carries sun-study satellite into orbit
06/27/2013 11:12 PM
A winged Pegasus rocket lifted a compact solar observatory into orbit around Earth's poles Thursday to study the mysterious mechanisms that heat up the sun's outer atmosphere to extreme temperatures. Read More...
Shenzhou 10 returns to Earth; crew in good spirits (UPDATED)
06/25/2013 10:19 PM
After 15 days in space and two dockings with a prototype space station module, the Shenzhou 10 spacecraft brought three astronauts back to Earth Tuesday to close out China's fifth manned mission.
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Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-33
06/24/2013 04:40 PM
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin staged a successful six-hour 34-minute spacewalk Monday, making preparations for installation of a new Russian laboratory module later this year. Read More...
Armstrong honored by crewmates, JSC co-workers
06/20/2013 03:24 PM
Neil Armstrong's crewmates and co-workers at the Johnson Space Center shared memories of the "reluctant hero" during a memorial service Thursday. Read More...
Draft House bill would cut NASA funding by $1 billion
06/19/2013 04:10 PM
A draft House NASA authorization bill would eliminate funding for the Obama administration's proposed asteroid retrieval mission and cut overall agency spending by about $1 billion, lawmakers said Wednesday.
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European cargo ship docks with space station
06/15/2013 10:40 AM
An unmanned European Space Agency cargo ship loaded with 7.3 tons of supplies, spare parts and science gear docked with the International Space Station early Saturday. Read More...
China launches 5th manned space mission
06/11/2013 06:13 AM
A Shenzhou spacecraft carrying a crew of three, including China's second female astronaut, streaked into orbit Tuesday and set off after a prototype space station module for a planned two-week mission.
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Ariane 5 boosts European cargo ship on course to station
06/05/2013 06:56 PM
A powerful Ariane 5 rocket vaulted away from its South American launch pad Wednesday, lofting an unmanned European Space Agency cargo ship on a flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Curiosity poised to begin trek to Mount Sharp
06/05/2013 04:42 PM
Ten months after landing, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is poised to begin the long trek to Mount Sharp, a towering mound of layered rock that is expected to shed new light on the planet's history and habitability.
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Rover data comfirm dangers of space radiation
05/30/2013 02:02 PM
Future manned missions to Mars will require internal shielding and advanced propulsion systems to shorten transit times, minimizing exposure to caner-causing space radiation, scientists said Thursday. Read More...
Hubble stays relevant on astronomy's high frontier
05/30/2013 01:16 PM
Despite steady advances in ground-based astronomy, the Hubble Space Telescope remains an icon of world-class science, more productive today than at any point in its history, scientists say. Read More...
Soyuz rocket blasts off, carries three to space station (UPDATED)
05/29/2013 01:02 AM
A Soyuz rocket blasted off Tuesday and thundered into orbit carrying a veteran cosmonaut, a NASA shuttle veteran and a rookie Italian test pilot on a fast-track flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Soyuz prepped for launch to space station (mission preview)
05/27/2013 01:08 PM
Engineers prepped a Soyuz spacecraft for launch Tuesday to ferry three crew members -- a veteran Russian cosmonaut, an Italian test pilot and an American shuttle veteran -- to the International Space Station. Read More...
Delta 4 boosts military comsat into orbit
05/24/2013 09:12 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket vaulted away from Cape Canaveral Friday and lofted a $342 million military communications satellite into orbit after a picture-perfect climb to space.
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Atlas 5 boosts GPS navsat into space
05/15/2013 09:24 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted a new Global Positioning System satellite into space Wednesday, the latest in a series of upgraded navigation beacons with improved accuracy and longevity.
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Kepler space telescope sidelined by reaction wheel problem
05/15/2013 05:46 PM
NASA's $600 million Kepler Space Telescope, a leading player in the hunt for Earth-like planets orbiting sun-like stars, has been sidelined by problems with stabilizing gyroscopic reaction wheels. Read More...
Station trio undocks, returns to Earth
05/13/2013 11:18 PM
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three outgoing space station crew members undocked Monday, on track for landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 146-day mission. Read More...
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-21
05/11/2013 05:47 PM
Astronauts Thomas Marshburn and Christopher Cassidy carried out a five-hour 30-minute spacewalk Saturday to remove and replace a suspect coolant pump assembly on the space station's power truss. Read More...
ISS managers hopeful pump replacement will resolve coolant leak
05/10/2013 06:28 PM
NASA managers are hopeful the replacement of a pump module during an impromptu spacewalk Saturday will eliminate an ammonia coolant leak aboard the International Space Station, officials said Friday.
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NASA troubleshoots ammonia coolant leak; spacewalk on tap
05/10/2013 05:02 PM
Pending final approval, space station astronauts are gearing up for an unscheduled spacewalk Saturday to look for the source of an ammonia coolant leak on the far left end of the lab's solar power truss. Read More...
Progress docks with station; jammed antenna no problem
04/26/2013 09:12 AM
A Russian cargo ship hobbled by a jammed navigation antenna glided into its port on the International Space Station early Friday, completing a dramatic automated rendezvous. Read More...
Progress cargo ship takes off for station; antenna issue assessed
04/24/2013 12:01 PM
Russian flight controllers are troubleshooting a problem with a navigation antenna on an unmanned Progress supply ship launched Wednesday on a two-day flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Orbital Sciences launches Antares rocket on successful test flight
04/21/2013 07:16 PM
A commercially developed rocket blasted off from the Virginia coast and streaked into space Sunday, chalking up a picture-perfect maiden flight that sets the stage for space station cargo flights later this year. Read More...
Antares launch delayed by high winds
04/20/2013 07:23 PM
For the second time in four days, the maiden flight of a powerful new rocket designed to boost space station cargo ships into orbit was called off Saturday, this time because high upper-level winds, officials said.
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Russian EVA-32
04/19/2013 05:34 PM
Cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Roman Romanenko staged a six-hour 38-minute spacewalk Friday, accomplishing their primary objectives but dropping an experiment panel overboard. Read More...
Antares launch delayed to Saturday to avoid bad weather
04/18/2013 06:18 PM
Running two days late, Orbital Sciences managers decided Thursday to delay the maiden flight of the company's new Antares rocket one more day to Saturday because of expected bad weather. Read More...
Kepler closing in on Earth-like exoplanets
04/18/2013 04:44 PM
NASA's Kepler space telescope has discovered the smallest worlds yet found orbiting in or near the habitable zones of two distant suns, researchers report.
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Antares launch delayed 48 hours by last-minute glitch
04/17/2013 08:55 PM
The maiden flight of a new rocket designed to loft space station cargo ships into orbit was called off 12 minutes before liftoff Wednesday when an umbilical unexpectedly pulled away from the second stage. Read More...
Orbital Sciences Antares rocket cleared for maiden flight
04/16/2013 05:14 PM
Orbital Sciences Corp. made final preparations Tuesday for the first flight of its Antares rocket, a commercially-built booster designed to launch cargo ships to the International Space Station. Read More...
NASA mulls asteroid capture mission, eventual manned visits
04/05/2013 09:03 PM
NASA is working on plans to robotically capture and tow a small asteroid back to Earth's vicinity by the end of the decade, setting the stage for manned visits in the early 2020s, officials say. Read More...
Initial AMS data consistent with dark matter, but not yet proof
04/03/2013 05:15 PM
A $2 billion cosmic ray detector attached to the International Space Station has detected positrons that could be the result of dark matter interactions, but scientists say more observations are needed to be sure.
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Soyuz TMA-08M docks with station after four-orbit rendezvous
03/29/2013 12:58 AM
A veteran Russian commander, a rookie cosmonaut and a Navy SEAL-turned-astronaut blasted off Thursday and docked with the International Space Station less than six hours later. (UPDATED) Read More...
SpaceX cargo ship returns to Earth
03/26/2013 02:00 PM
A commercial cargo capsule plunged back to Earth Tuesday, wrapping up a month-long space station resupply mission with an on-target splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Read More...
Atlas 5 boosts missile early warning satellite into space
03/19/2013 05:03 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted a missile early warning satellite into space Tuesday, the second in a new generation of infrared surveillance stations.
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Soyuz TMA-06M brings three station fliers back to Earth
03/15/2013 11:55 AM
Running a day late, three space station crewmen strapped into their Soyuz ferry craft and dropped out of orbit Friday, plunging to a touchdown on the fog-shrouded Kazakh steppe to close out a 144-day mission.
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Dismal weather prompts 24-hour delay for Soyuz landing
03/14/2013 05:48 PM
Dismal weather in Kazakhstan forced Russian flight controllers to order a one-day landing delay for two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut who are closing out a nearly five-month stay in space. Read More...
Mars rover confirms habitable environment in distant past
03/12/2013 05:11 PM
Analyzing samples drilled from the interior of a sedimentary rock, the Curiosity Mars rover has detected traces of the chemicals and compounds necessary for a habitable environment in the distant past. Read More...
Curiosity computer swap, troubleshooting, continues
03/04/2013 03:50 PM
Work to switch operations to a backup flight computer aboard the Curiosity Mars rover is continuing amid analysis to figure out how to fix memory corruption discovered last week in the rover's active computer. Read More...
Dragon cargo ship captured, berthed at station (UPDATED)
03/03/2013 08:51 AM
After a flawless rendezvous, a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule was captured by the International Space Station's robot arm early Sunday, bringing more than a ton of supplies and equipment to the outpost. Read More...
Dragon cargo ship cleared for Sunday capture (UPDATED)
03/02/2013 06:39 PM
With its propulsion system working flawlessly, a SpaceX cargo ship loaded with supplies and equipment was cleared by NASA Saturday to press ahead for a day-late capture by the lab complex early Sunday.
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SpaceX restores Dragon thrusters (UPDATED)
03/01/2013 05:03 PM
A SpaceX cargo ship bound for the International Space Station thundered into orbit Friday, but trouble with maneuvering thrusters triggered extensive analysis and a delayed rendezvous. Read More...
Engineers assess Curiosity computer glitch (UPDATED)
02/28/2013 11:58 PM
Space radiation may be to blame for corrupted memory used by the Curiosity Mars rover's flight computer, resulting in software glitches that interrupted the flow of science data Wednesday. Read More...
SpaceX set for second Dragon resupply mission
02/28/2013 05:13 PM
SpaceX readied a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship for launch Friday to deliver more than 2,300 pounds of science gear, spare parts and crew supplies to the International Space Station. Read More...
X-ray telescopes measure black hole rotation, space distortion
02/27/2013 11:12 PM
An innovative NASA X-ray telescope working in concert with a European Space Agency satellite has measured the rotation of a supermassive black hole lurking at the heart of a distant galaxy. Read More...
Space advocates propose manned Mars flyby mission
02/27/2013 05:00 PM
A wealthy space tourist announced plans Wednesday to launch a high-risk manned flight to Mars in 2018, sending a man and a woman on a bare-bones 501-day round-trip flyby.
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Curiosity delivers first drill sample
02/20/2013 02:57 PM
The Curiosity rover's power drill has successfully collected its first subsurface sample, about a tablespoon of powdered rock that will be fed into the spacecraft's on-board laboratory instruments for detailed analysis. Read More...
Kepler spies smallest exoplanet yet
02/20/2013 02:12 PM
NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered a solar system 210 light years from Earth with the smallest planet yet found orbiting another sun-like star. Read More...
Space station comm glitch assessed
02/19/2013 01:08 PM
A procedural issue during a software update aboard the International Space Station Tuesday briefly knocked the lab's satellite communications system out of action, but the problem was quickly resolved.
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Astronomers eagerly await asteroid flyby
02/14/2013 11:59 AM
An asteroid a half a football field across is expected to safely pass within just 17,200 miles of Earth on Friday, a record close encounter that will carry it well inside the orbits of communications satellites. Read More...
Russian supply ship takes off on station resupply flight
02/11/2013 03:43 PM
A Russian supply ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment blasted off Monday and flew a fast-track trajectory to docking with the International Space Station just six hours later. (UPDATED)
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NASA launches Earth observation satellite
02/11/2013 03:08 PM
An Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from California Monday and boosted a new Earth-watching Landsat into its planned polar orbit to kick off an $885 million mission to monitor the planet and its resources. (UPDATED) Read More...
In major milestone, Curiosity drills into Mars rock
02/09/2013 02:19 PM
In a long-awaited milestone, the Curiosity Mars rover successfully drilled into a martian rock, prompting NASA science chief John Grunsfeld to declare the nuclear-powered robot fully operational. Read More...
Study indicates Earth-like planets likely commonplace
02/06/2013 02:11 PM
A new study indicates some 60 percent of the galaxy's most ubiquitous stars likely host planets smaller than Neptune and about 6 percent host Earth-size worlds orbiting in the so-called "Goldilocks" zone. Read More...
NASA honors fallen astronauts
02/01/2013 02:12 PM
In an emotional memorial, the widow of the shuttle Columbia's commander recalled their last meeting the day before launch and the devastation the families felt when they learned their loved ones had perished.
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Remembering Columbia
01/31/2013 12:48 PM
Recalling the 2003 Columbia disaster. An essay by William Harwood. Read More...
Atlas 5 boosts NASA comsat into space
01/30/2013 10:42 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket rumbled to life and blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Wednesday evening, boosting a powerful NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite into orbit. Read More...
Sierra Nevada welcomes Lockheed Martin to Dream Chaser project
01/30/2013 02:49 PM
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. is joining Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser commercial manned spacecraft program to help with flight certification and composites manufacturing, officials say. Read More...
Opportunity Mars rover moves into 10th year of operations
01/24/2013 11:44 AM
NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, with a design life of just 90 days, moves into its 10th year of operations, exploring the rim of Endeavour Crater. Principal Investigator Steve Squyres discusses the mission. Read More...
Company envisions asteroid mining
01/22/2013 05:13 PM
A second company has jumped into what the founders hope will be a lucrative emerging market, prospecting for raw materials among near-Earth asteroids using fleets of low-cost robotic spacecraft. Read More...
Bigelow inflatable module bound for space station
01/16/2013 03:26 PM
An inflatable module developed by a Las Vegas hotel entrepreneur will be attached to the International Space Station in 2015 for a two-year test run to evaluate the technology's performance in space. Read More...
Europe to build Orion service module
01/16/2013 02:36 PM
The European Space Agency will supply the service module that will power an initial unmanned test flight of NASA's Orion deep space exploration capsule in 2017, officials say.
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Mars rover finds more evidence of watery past
01/15/2013 04:35 PM
Taking their time with a surprising variety of scientific targets, scientists are gearing up to test the Curiosity Mars rover's powerful impact drill before beginning a year-long trek to Mount Sharp some six miles away. Read More...
Company test pilots to make first commercial spaceflights
01/09/2013 06:04 PM
The first American manned spacecraft to reach orbit in the wake of the shuttle's retirement will be crewed by company test pilots -- not NASA astronauts -- as early as mid 2015, company officials say.
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Soyuz TMA-07M docks with space station
12/21/2012 09:46 AM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft glided to a smooth holiday docking with the International Space Station Friday, bringing three fresh crew members to the lab complex after a two-day orbital chase.
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Soyuz and three-man crew blast off on flight to space station
12/19/2012 09:45 AM
Braving arctic temperatures, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft roared to life and streaked smoothly into orbit Wednesday, carrying a veteran three-man crew on a two-day flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Soyuz set for flight to space station
12/18/2012 05:54 PM
Looking forward to Christmas in orbit, a Russian cosmonaut, a Canadian shuttle veteran and a NASA physician-astronaut made final preparations for blastoff Wednesday aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. Read More...
As planned, moon probes crash into lunar cliff
12/17/2012 05:45 PM
Going out with a bang, two small NASA probes that flew in formation to precisely map the moon's gravity field crashed into a mile-high mountainside Monday, bringing a successful mission to an abrupt end.
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Successful moon mission set for kamikaze conclusion
12/16/2012 06:41 PM
Two washing machine-size science probes that have completed their mission to map the lunar gravity field will slam into a mile-high mountainside Monday, bringing a successful mission to a kamikaze conclusion.
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Air Force launches unmanned spaceplane on third flight
12/11/2012 06:18 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Tuesday, boosting an unmanned military spaceplane into orbit for the program's third classified mission. Read More...
Yearlong station flight challenging but doable, astronaut says
12/05/2012 02:03 PM
Spending a year in the cramped confines of the International Space Station will be challenging, but the two crewmen who plan to do just that in 2015-16 say they don't anticipate any major problems. Read More...
NASA announces new Mars rover
12/04/2012 09:46 PM
NASA announced plans Tuesday to build and launch a new rover to the red planet in 2020 based on the design of the agency's hugely successful Curiosity. Read More...
Voyager enters unexpected region near edge of interstellar space
12/03/2012 05:51 PM
NASA's aging Voyager 1 probe has crossed into an unexpected, exceedingly remote region of the solar system that may represent the spacecraft's final step before moving into the vast realm of interstellar space.
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Curiosity detects organics, but more tests needed for conclusive result
12/03/2012 03:50 PM
NASA's Curiosity rover has found traces of simple organic compounds in a martian soil sample, but more tests are needed to rule out the presence of any lingering earthly contaminants in the rover's science gear. Read More...
NASA spacecraft finds strong evidence for ice on Mercury
11/29/2012 05:21 PM
NASA's Messenger spacecraft has found strong evidence for vast ice deposits in ultra-cold, permanently shadowed craters near the poles of hellish Mercury, scientists said Thursday.
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Mars rover sparks curiosity, but NASA downplays speculation
11/28/2012 03:09 PM
NASA is downplaying widespread speculation that one of the Curiosity Mars rover's instruments, designed to look for organic compounds, has made a major discovery. A news conference is planned Monday. Read More...
Kelly, Kornienko named to yearlong station flight
11/26/2012 10:42 AM
Astronaut Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, both veterans of long-duration space flights, will spend a full year aboard the International Space Station in 2015-16, NASA said Monday. Read More...
Soyuz brings three station fliers back to Earth (UPDATED)
11/18/2012 09:14 PM
Three space station fliers strapped into their Soyuz ferry craft, undocked and plunged back to Earth Sunday, making a fiery descent to a frigid pre-dawn landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 127-day stay in space. Read More...
Mars rover gears up to move on after initial sample collection
11/15/2012 05:08 PM
Buffeted by ethereal whirlwinds and twisters, the Curiosity Mars rover is wrapping up initial soil analysis operations and preparing to move on in search of suitable targets for a compact rock drill. Read More...
Mars rover sniffs atmosphere, finds no clear signs of methane
11/02/2012 03:49 PM
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has not found any definitive evidence of methane in the thin air at the Gale Crater landing site, project scientists said Friday, but additional observations are planned.
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Shuttle Atlantis makes final journey
11/02/2012 10:51 AM
The shuttle Atlantis was hauled out of the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building for the final time Friday, the last of the iconic winged orbiters to make the transition to Earth-bound museum duty.
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Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-20 (P6 coolant radiator bypass)
11/01/2012 03:20 PM
Station commander Sunita Williams and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide successfully bypassed a suspect solar array radiator and extended a spare panel in a bid to pinpoint the source of a leak.
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Progress supply ship docks; space station maneuvers to avoid debris (UPDATED)
10/31/2012 08:19 PM
Amid spacewalk preparations, the Russians launched a Progress supply ship, monitored its automated docking with the space station and then adjusted the lab's orbit to avoid a piece of space debris. Read More...
SpaceX cargo capsule leaves station, returns to Earth (UPDATED)
10/28/2012 06:52 PM
In a major milestone for the space station program, a commercial cargo capsule loaded with experiment samples returned to Earth Sunday, plunging back through the atmosphere to a Pacific Ocean splashdown.
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Coolant leak prompts Nov. 1 station spacewalk
10/26/2012 06:37 PM
Space station commander Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide plan a Nov. 1 spacewalk to isolate a small, but growing leak in a solar array ammonia coolant loop. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-06M with three-man crew docks with space station
10/25/2012 12:08 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut glided to a smooth docking with the International Space Station Thursday, boosting the lab's crew back to six. Read More...
Russian Soyuz prepped for launch to space station
10/22/2012 03:17 PM
Facing a particularly intense first week in space, two cosmonauts and a NASA shuttle veteran geared up for launch early Tuesday aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft bound for flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Rover begins soil analysis; scientists ponder bright fragment
10/18/2012 05:10 PM
The Curiosity Mars rover is processing its first soil sample in an instrument designed to identify the minerals present in soil and rock samples. A small shiny fragment near the rover is thought to be naturally occurring. Read More...
SpaceX Dragon capsule attached to space station (UPDATED)
10/10/2012 11:57 AM
A commercial cargo capsule loaded with a half-ton of supplies and equipment was captured by the International Space Station's robot arm early Wednesday after a flawless final rendezvous.
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Singer Sarah Brightman announces plans to visit space station
10/10/2012 10:56 AM
Soprano Sarah Brightman, believed to be one of the world's wealthiest classical crossover performers, has bought a seat on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for a 10-day visit to the International Space Station. Read More...
SpaceX studies Falcon 9 engine failure
10/08/2012 09:32 PM
SpaceX engineers are reviewing telemetry to figure out what caused a dramatic first stage engine failure Sunday night during launch of a commercial cargo ship bound for the International Space Station. Read More...
SpaceX rocket boosts Dragon cargo ship into orbit (UPDATED)
10/07/2012 11:13 PM
An unmanned cargo capsule built by SpaceX under a $1.6 billion commercial contract with NASA was boosted into orbit Sunday on its first operational flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Despite low thrust, Delta 4 boosts GPS satellite into orbit (UPDATED)
10/05/2012 11:05 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket boosted a Global Positioning System satellite into space Thursday to replace a navigation station that has operated twice as long as expected. Read More...
Space station partners approve yearlong stay in 2015-16
10/05/2012 07:30 PM
An American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut will spend a full year aboard the International Space Station in 2015-16, twice as long as current crews, to collect medical data on long-duration spaceflight.
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Curiosity gets the scoop on Mars
10/04/2012 05:25 PM
The Mars Curiosity rover is pausing for a few weeks near fine-grained sand dunes to scoop up soil and run it through the vehicle's sample acquisition system to clean out lingering traces of Earth's environment.
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Mars rover finds ancient streambed frozen in conglomerate rock
09/27/2012 05:48 PM
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has found outcrops of conglomerate rocks made up of eroded gravels that scientists believe were transported across the floor of Gale Crater by a "vigorous" flow of water. Read More...
European cargo ship undocking aborted
09/25/2012 07:15 PM
Trouble with a control panel aboard the Russian Zvezda command module prevented the planned undocking of an unmanned European cargo ship from the International Space Station Tuesday. Read More...
Hubble 'extreme deep field' captures oldest galaxies yet seen
09/25/2012 05:39 PM
A two-million-second time exposure using cameras aboard the Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of proto galaxies as they appeared just 450 million years after the big bang. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour flies into retirement with final landing
09/21/2012 04:36 PM
Feeling the wind on its wings for the last time, the space shuttle Endeavour, bolted to the back of a NASA jumbo jet, closed out a three-day valedictory tour Friday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour makes final stop at Edwards AFB
09/20/2012 04:28 PM
The shuttle Endeavour, on its way to retirement in Los Angeles, flew from Houston to Edwards Air Force Base atop a 747 jumbo jet Thursday, dropping down for low passes over communities along the way.
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Curiosity poised for first 'hands-on' geology
09/19/2012 05:35 PM
The Curiosity Mars rover, more than halfway to its first scientific destination, is pausing for a few days to carry out its first hands-on geology, focusing on a pyramid-shaped rock known as 'Jake.' Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour heads for California (UPDATED)
09/19/2012 11:46 AM
Bolted to the back of a 747 jumbo jet, the space shuttle Endeavour took off on its final voyage Wednesday, a "bittersweet" valedictory tour on the way to museum duty in Los Angeles. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour set for final flight to LA museum
09/18/2012 03:39 PM
The shuttle Endeavour was prepped for takeoff Wednesday on a cross-country tour atop a 747 transport jet, giving the public one last chance to see the orbiter in flight before transfer to a Los Angeles museum. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-04M lands in Kazakhstan
09/16/2012 11:29 PM
Two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA flight engineer undocked from the International Space Station and fell back to Earth Sunday, making a pinpoint landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 125-day voyage. Read More...
Armstrong buried at sea
09/14/2012 04:45 PM
With his family looking on, Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, was buried at sea Friday. Read More...
Armstrong remembered as 'reluctant hero'
09/13/2012 01:06 PM
Neil Armstrong, the unassuming test pilot, family man and reluctant hero who will forever walk in history as the first man on the moon, was honored at the Washington National Cathedral Thursday. Read More...
Curiosity set to resume roving after robot arm tests
09/12/2012 08:43 PM
Engineers testing the Curiosity Mars rover are wrapping up a series of robot arm calibration and motion tests before resuming a slow trek toward a nearby rock formation this weekend. Read More...
Mars rover pauses for robot arm checkout
09/06/2012 04:56 PM
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, now about 270 feet from its landing site, is pausing for a week of robot arm tests and checkout before pressing on to Glenelg, an area where three types of rock come together.
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Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-19
09/05/2012 04:09 PM
Spacewalkers Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide successfully re-installed an electrical switching unit on the space station's solar array truss Wednesday, restoring lost power to the lab complex (UPDATED). Read More...
Second spacewalk planned to finish aborted electrical work (UPDATED)
09/04/2012 11:38 AM
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide will venture back outside the International Space Station Wednesday for another attempt to install a replacement power switching unit (updated timeline). Read More...
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-18
08/30/2012 07:52 PM
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)
08/30/2012 06:51 AM
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
08/29/2012 12:00 PM
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
08/27/2012 07:43 PM
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
08/25/2012 09:02 PM
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
08/25/2012 07:25 PM
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)
08/25/2012 08:22 AM
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)
08/24/2012 04:00 AM
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
08/23/2012 03:42 PM
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
08/22/2012 08:32 AM
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
08/21/2012 04:01 PM
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
08/20/2012 09:05 PM
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
08/20/2012 06:48 PM
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)
08/20/2012 05:41 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-31. Read More...
Rover successfully test fires laser at target rock
08/19/2012 05:59 PM
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
08/17/2012 04:19 PM
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
08/16/2012 10:59 AM
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
08/14/2012 03:55 PM
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
08/13/2012 01:55 PM
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
08/11/2012 10:55 PM
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
08/10/2012 05:00 AM
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
08/09/2012 06:24 PM
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
08/09/2012 03:06 PM
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
08/08/2012 02:52 PM
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
08/06/2012 09:18 PM
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
08/06/2012 05:33 AM
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
08/04/2012 06:55 PM
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
08/03/2012 02:12 PM
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
08/02/2012 06:47 AM
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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Mars Science Lab poised for trail-blazing mission
07/30/2012 11:15 PM
In a $2.5 billion gamble, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover will attempt a pinpoint landing on the red planet overnight Sunday to search for the chemical building blocks of life and signs of past or present habitability. Read More...
Curiosity relies on untried 'sky crane' for descent to Mars
07/30/2012 11:15 PM
NASA's Mars Science Laboratory will rely on a rocket-powered "sky crane" to lower the car-size rover to the surface, a make-or-break maneuver that solves a host of daunting technical challenges. Read More...
Mars relay sats will confirm rover's landing
07/30/2012 11:15 PM
During the Curiosity rover's nail-biting descent to Mars, engineers will rely on an aging NASA science satellite to relay telemetry back to Earth that will confirm success or failure in near realtime. Read More...
Progress supply ship successfully redocks with space station
07/28/2012 09:15 PM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship successfully re-docked with the International Space Station Saturday after an aborted approach last week during tests of a new rendezvous antenna.
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Japanese cargo ship reaches space station
07/27/2012 11:17 AM
An unmanned Japanese cargo ship carrying more than five tons of supplies and equipment was attached to the International Space Station early Friday, one week after launch from southern Japan. Read More...
Orbiter nudged back into position to cover upcoming Mars landing
07/24/2012 10:36 PM
A rocket firing Tuesday nudged NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft back into position to relay data from the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory directly back to Earth during the rover's descent to the surface Aug. 3. Read More...
Progress re-docking called off after new antenna has problems
07/23/2012 10:09 PM
An attempt to re-dock a Russian Progress supply ship with the International Space Station was aborted by the ship's flight computer Monday night when a new rendezvous system failed to operate as expected. Read More...
Sally Ride, America's first woman in space, dies after bout with cancer
07/23/2012 07:10 PM
Sally Ride, the first American woman in space and an advocate for science education, died July 23 after a bout with pancreatic cancer. She was 61. Read More...
Japanese cargo ship climbs into orbit, sets off after space station
07/20/2012 10:36 PM
An unmanned Japanese rocket carrying more than five tons of supplies, science gear and other equipment vaulted smoothly into orbit late Friday, setting off on a weeklong flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Soyuz docks with space station, boosts lab crew back to six
07/17/2012 01:19 AM
A Russian Soyuz ferry craft glided to an automated docking with the International Space Station early Tuesday, bringing three fresh crew members to the lab complex two days after launch from Kazakhstan.
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Engineers study options for realtime data during Mars landing
07/16/2012 04:53 PM
Problems with a NASA satellite in orbit around Mars could delay confirmation of a successful landing by the agency's Mars Science Laboratory rover, but engineers say that will have no impact on the actual descent. Read More...
Soyuz with all-veteran crew sets off after space station
07/14/2012 11:36 PM
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying a Russian commander, a NASA flight engineer and a Japanese astronaut -- all veteran space travelers -- blasted off late Saturday (U.S. time) and set off after the International Space Station. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-05M set for crew ferry flight to space station
07/13/2012 04:28 PM
Engineers are making final preparations for launch of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft early Sunday to ferry an all-veteran U.S.-Russian-Japanese crew to the International Space Station. Read More...
NASA shows off first Orion capsule with KSC ceremony
07/02/2012 02:41 PM
The first space-bound Orion capsule, the centerpiece of NASA's post-shuttle exploration program, was officially unveiled at NASA's Florida spaceport Monday. An unmanned test flight is planned for 2014.
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Soyuz TMA-03M brings three station fliers back to Earth (UPDATED)
07/01/2012 05:12 AM
Three station fliers strapped into a Soyuz ferry craft and plunged back to Earth early Sunday, landing in Kazakhstan to close out a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station.
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Delta 4 boosts secret military satellite into orbit (UPDATED)
06/29/2012 03:35 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket, the most powerful in the post-shuttle U.S. inventory, boosted a top-secret National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite into space early Friday.
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Shenzhou 9 lands to close out successful test flight
06/29/2012 12:01 AM
China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, carrying two men and the first Chinese woman to fly in space, returned to Earth Friday after an ambitious 13-day test flight to a prototype space station module.
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Atlas 5 rocket launches classified military payload (UPDATED)
06/20/2012 10:34 AM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office satellite blasted off Wednesday, successfully boosting its secret payload into orbit. Read More...
Shenzhou 9 docks with Tiangong lab module
06/18/2012 08:42 AM
The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft executed an automated docking with the Tiangong 1 research module early Monday, completing China's first manned orbital linkup. Read More...
Unmanned Air Force spaceplane lands after secret mission
06/16/2012 01:35 PM
An unmanned Air Force spaceplane dropped out of orbit and glided to a computer-controlled California landing early Saturday to close out a classified 469-day military mission.
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China launches manned mission to dock with prototype station module
06/16/2012 07:43 AM
A Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft carrying a space veteran and two rookies, including China's first female "taikonaut," rocketed into orbit Saturday on a mission to dock with a prototype space station module. Read More...
NuSTAR X-ray telescope launched on mission to search for black holes
06/13/2012 12:43 PM
A small X-ray telescope was boosted into orbit by an air-launched Pegasus XL rocket Wednesday, the first step in an ambitious low-cost mission to study supermassive black holes and the creation of heavy elements. Read More...
Mars Science Lab rover on track for August descent to red planet
06/11/2012 04:26 PM
NASA's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory rover is in good shape and on target for a nail-biting seven-minute plunge to a bulls-eye landing on the red planet in early August, mission managers said Monday.
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China rolls out Shenzhou-9 spacecraft for docking mission
06/09/2012 01:58 PM
A Chinese Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou 9 spacecraft was moved to its launching stand Saturday for work to ready the ship for launch later this month on a manned flight to dock with a prototype lab module. Read More...
Vandenberg AFB preps for X-37B landing
06/05/2012 12:02 PM
The Air Force is preparing to bring its unmanned X-37B spaceplane back to Earth after 15 months of clandestine military operations. Landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is expected sometime in the next two weeks. Read More...
SpaceX cargo ship returns to Earth to close out historic mission (UPDATED)
05/31/2012 03:10 PM
In the final chapter of a history-making space drama, a commercial cargo ship completed a near-flawless test flight to the International Space Station with an on-target splashdown off the Baja California peninsula Thursday. Read More...
Dragon unberthing-to-splashdown timeline
05/29/2012 10:18 PM
Updated Dragon unberthing-to-splashdown timeline. Read More...
Astronauts open Dragon cargo ship, float inside
05/26/2012 06:41 AM
Running well ahead of schedule,the International Space Station's crew opened hatches between the Harmony module and the newly arrived SpaceX Dragon cargo ship early Saturday.
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SpaceX cargo ship captured by space station (UPDATED)
05/25/2012 03:35 PM
In a moment of high drama on the high frontier, flight engineer Donald Pettit, operating the International Space Station's robot arm, reached out and captured a commercial cargo ship to complete a complex rendezvous. Read More...
Dragon capsule breezes through station flyby (UPDATED)
05/24/2012 11:18 AM
A commercial cargo ship carried out a close flyby of the International Space Station early Thursday, successfully completing a series of tests to set the stage for berthing at the lab complex Friday. Read More...
SpaceX rocket takes off on commercial flight to space station (UPDATED)
05/22/2012 07:03 AM
Three days after a last-second launch abort, an unmanned cargo ship bound for the International Space Station blasted off early Tuesday and streaked into orbit to kick off the first commercial flight to the lab complex.
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SpaceX gears up for second launch try Tuesday
05/21/2012 06:23 PM
SpaceX engineers replaced a suspect valve in an engine that triggered a last-second launch abort Saturday and cleared the company's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo capsule for a second try Tuesday. Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon launch-to-docking timeline (UPDATED)
05/21/2012 12:43 PM
Updated SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon launch to-docking timeline (May 22 launch target). Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch aborted after last-second glitch (UPDATED)
05/19/2012 06:07 PM
Launch of a commercial cargo ship bound for the International Space Station was aborted at the last instant early Saturday because of trouble with an engine valve. Repairs were ordered in hopes of making a Tuesday launch. Read More...
SpaceX commercial cargo ship prepped for launch to space station
05/18/2012 08:09 AM
In what proponents hail as the dawn of a new era in commercial spaceflight, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship are being prepped for an inaugural flight to the International Space Station (mission preview). Read More...
Soyuz TMA-04M docks with space station, boosts lab crew back to six
05/17/2012 01:07 AM
A Russian Soyuz ferry craft glided to a smooth linkup with the International Space Station early Thursday, bringing three fresh crew members to the orbital lab complex. Read More...
Russian Soyuz crew ferry craft takes off on two-day flight to space station
05/14/2012 11:20 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying one of the world's most experienced space fliers, a rookie cosmonaut and a NASA shuttle veteran blasted off from Kazakhstan to kick off a two-day flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
SpaceX launch to station slips to May 19
05/04/2012 06:43 PM
Work to validate critical navigation and control software has forced SpaceX to again delay the maiden flight of a commercial cargo ship bound for the International Space Station. Launch is now targeted for May 19. Read More...
Atlas 5 rocket boosts military comsat into space
05/04/2012 03:33 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted a $1.7 billion military communications satellite into orbit Friday, the second in a planned constellation of advanced jam-resistant relay stations.
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SpaceX launch to station faces delay
05/01/2012 11:18 PM
Launch of a commercial cargo ship bound for the International Space Station almost certainly will be delayed from May 7 to at least May 10 and possibly longer to allow time for additional pre-flight analysis, sources say. Read More...
SpaceX test fires Falcon 9 engines in prelude to May 7 station flight
04/30/2012 04:39 PM
SpaceX test fired the nine first stage engines powering the company's Falcon 9 rocket Monday, a key milestone before launch May 7 on the first commercial cargo flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Station crew makes pinpoint landing in Kazakhstan
04/27/2012 07:53 AM
Closing out a five-and-a-half-month stay in space, a NASA astronaut and two cosmonauts undocked from the International Space Station early Friday, setting the stage for a fiery ride back to Earth.
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Planetary Resources Inc. unveils plans for asteroid mining
04/24/2012 05:51 PM
Planetary Resources Inc. hopes to turn science fiction into reality with plans to identify near-Earth asteroids loaded with ice, precious metals and other raw materials for eventual mining operations, company officials say.
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SpaceX delays station cargo flight for on-going data review
04/23/2012 06:49 PM
Launch of a commercial cargo ship making its first flight to the International Space Station is expected to slip a week or so to give engineers more time to complete pre-flight testing and analysis, officials said Monday.
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Russian Progress cargo ship launched on station resupply mission
04/20/2012 09:23 AM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Friday, rocketing smoothly into orbit and setting off after the International Space Station. Read More...
Smithsonian Institution accepts delivery of shuttle Discovery
04/19/2012 02:58 PM
NASA officially turned the shuttle Discovery over to the Smithsonian Institution Thursday, completing the ship's transition from the world's premier manned spacecraft to the quiet confines of a museum hangar. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery heads for museum display
04/17/2012 11:17 AM
The space shuttle Discovery, bolted to the back of a NASA 747 jumbo jet, departed the Kennedy Space Center for the last time Tuesday, putting on a final show for thousands of Space Coast residents and tourists. Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 tentatively cleared for April 30 launch to space station
04/16/2012 08:06 PM
Pending the completion of last-minute work and a final review, a commercial cargo ship making its maiden flight to the International Space Station should be ready for launch April 30, officials said Monday. Read More...
Engineers resolve station-to-cargo module power problem
03/31/2012 01:45 PM
Flight controllers and the crew of the International Space Station successfully hooked up a backup power channel Saturday to route station power to a European Space Agency cargo ship, avoiding the prospect of a hurried unloading and premature undocking. (UPDATED) Read More...
Space debris forces station crew to take shelter in Soyuz capsules
03/24/2012 03:16 AM
The six-man crew of the International Space Station split up and briefly took shelter inside two three-seat Russian Soyuz re-entry vehicles early Saturday as a piece of space junk whizzed harmlessly past the lab complex.
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European cargo ship launched on flight to space station
03/23/2012 01:49 AM
An Ariane 5 rocket blasted off from Kourou, French Guiana, early Friday, boosting a European Space Agency cargo ship into orbit for a flight to the International Space Station (UPDATED).
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Atlas 5 boosts military comsat into space
02/24/2012 05:21 PM
An Atlas 5 rocket boosted a powerful new communications satellite into space Friday evening, the first of five planned relay stations that will act like orbital cell phone towers for military personnel around the world. Read More...
Glenn's historic mission lifted U.S. morale, kicked off space race
02/19/2012 12:37 PM
With the United States trailing the Soviet Union in a tense Cold War battle to win the high frontier, astronaut John Glenn stepped onto the world stage 50 years ago Feb. 20, rocketing into orbit and lifting a nation's spirits. Read More...
50 years after historic flight, Glenn sees space program at perilous crossroads
02/19/2012 12:37 PM
John Glenn believes the decision to retire the space shuttle before a replacement vehicle is ready to fly was a mistake that threatens to cripple America's space program. Read More...
A conversation with John Glenn
02/19/2012 12:37 PM
Fifty years ago, John Glenn rocketed into orbit aboard a cramped Mercury capsule, becoming one of the nation's enduring heroes. In an interview with CBS News, Glenn recalls his historic flight amid worries about the future. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-30
02/16/2012 03:50 PM
Two Russian spacewalkers moved a telescoping crane from one space station module to another Thursday, but the work proved more difficult than expected and other tasks had to be deferred. Read More...
NASA hopes to avoid major budget shortfalls in commercial space initiative
02/14/2012 05:25 PM
NASA managers are hopeful Congress will support the Obama administration's request for more than $800 million in 2013 to fund development of commercial manned spacecraft. The alternative, they say, is additional delay. Read More...
NASA's 2013 budget cuts Mars missions, boosts manned space initiatives
02/13/2012 04:53 PM
The Obama administration is requesting $17.7 billion for NASA in its fiscal 2013 budget, boosting spending for commercial manned space flight while reducing the scope of Mars exploration.
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SpaceX cargo delivery test flight slips another month to late April
02/09/2012 06:57 PM
Launch of the first commercial cargo ship bound for the International Space Station will slip from late March to late April at the earliest to give SpaceX engineers time to fully test complex flight software, officials say. Read More...
Russia revises Soyuz launch schedule after processng mishap
02/02/2012 05:59 PM
Upcoming Russian Soyuz flights to the International Space Station will be delayed in the wake of a test mishap that over pressurized and damaged the next spacecraft in the launch sequence. Read More...
Cargo ship docks with space station; Soyuz issue assessed
01/27/2012 07:13 PM
After a two-day orbital chase, an unmanned Russian Progress supply ship carrying 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment carried out a smooth automated docking with the International Space Station Friday evening. Read More...
Russian cargo ship takes off for space station
01/25/2012 06:25 PM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday, bound for the International Space Station. Read More...
SpaceX cargo launch on hold until at least late March
01/20/2012 04:59 PM
Launch of a SpaceX commercial cargo ship on an initial test flight to the International Space Station, originally planned for Feb. 7, is expected to slip to at least the end of March, officials said Friday Read More...
Delta 4 boosts military comsat into space
01/19/2012 08:22 PM
An Air Force communications satellite that will be used in part to relay commands to unmanned drones was boosted into orbit Thursday by a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket (UPDATED).
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Russian space officials say ill-fated Mars probe falls to Earth
01/15/2012 02:56 PM
A Russian Mars probe, stranded in low-Earth orbit after a malfunction following launch in November, reportedly fell back into the atmosphere Sunday, apparently breaking up over the southern Pacific Ocean west of Chile. Read More...
Twin GRAIL spacecraft achieve lunar orbit (UPATED)
01/01/2012 05:53 PM
Ringing in the new year with back-to-back successes, a second NASA science satellite slipped into orbit around the moon Sunday, one day after an identical spacecraft braked into the same polar orbit. Read More...
Soyuz docks with space station; Russians investigate comsat launch failure
12/23/2011 03:25 PM
Amid word of yet another Russian space failure -- the fifth this year -- a Russian Soyuz ferry craft glided to a problem-free docking with the International Space Station Friday, boosting the lab's crew back to six. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-03M rockets into orbit, bound for space station
12/21/2011 08:45 AM
In bitterly cold weather, a Russian Soyuz rocket carrying a three-man all-veteran crew blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday and set off after the International Space Station. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-03M set for launch to boost ISS crew back to six
12/20/2011 04:26 PM
A Soyuz spacecraft is poised for launch Wednesday to ferry three fresh crew members to the International Space Station, boosting the lab's staff back to six. Read More...
Russians predict stranded Mars probe will fall to Earth in January
12/16/2011 04:37 PM
A costly Russian Mars probe, stranded in low-Earth orbit after a malfunction following launch Nov. 8, is expected to fall back into Earth's atmosphere next month, Russian officials confirmed Friday. Read More...
Budget uncertainty forces NASA to revise contracting strategy
12/15/2011 03:37 PM
Faced with uncertain budgets, NASA is giving up fixed-price contracts and moving back to more flexible, but less comprehensive, Space Act Agreements to continue design work on a new commercial manned spacecraft. Read More...
Paul Allen, Burt Rutan unveil new air-launch rocket system
12/13/2011 06:25 PM
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan have teamed up for a new rocket that would be carried aloft by a huge twin-fuselage mothership and launched at 30,000 feet. Read More...
SpaceX shoots for Feb. 7 launch to space station
12/09/2011 05:34 PM
NASA has agreed to let Space Exploration Technologies combine two test flights of the company's unmanned Dragon cargo ship into a single mission, aiming for a launch Feb. 7 to the International Space Station. Read More...
Earth-like planet in habitable zone found in Kepler data
12/05/2011 05:04 PM
For the first time, astronomers using NASA's Kepler space telescope have confirmed a roughly Earth-size planet orbiting a sun-like star in the habitable zone where conditions may be favorable for life as it is known on Earth.
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Atlas 5 rocket boosts Mars Science Lab toward red planet
11/26/2011 02:35 PM
A towering Atlas 5 rocket flashed to life and vaulted into space Saturday, putting on a spectacular show as it boosted NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover on an eight-and-a-half-month voyage to the red planet. Read More...
Atlas rocket carrying Mars Science Lab moved to launch pad
11/25/2011 12:27 PM
United Launch Alliance hauled an Atlas 5 rocket carrying NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover to the launch pad Friday for final preparations before blastoff Saturday on a showcase science mission. Read More...
Mars Science Laboratory set for Saturday launch
11/23/2011 11:06 PM
NASA's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory rover, the most complex and scientifically powerful robotic spacecraft ever built to explore the surface of another world, is poised for launch Saturday.
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Soyuz TMA-02M brings three station crew members back to Earth
11/21/2011 09:55 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft plunged back into the atmosphere Monday evening, carrying three space station crew members to a snowy pre-dawn landing in Kazakhstan to close out a five-and-a-half-month stay in space. Read More...
NASA Mars launch delayed one day to replace suspect battery
11/19/2011 06:01 PM
Launch of NASA's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory rover atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket has been delayed one day, from Friday to Saturday, to replace a battery in the booster's self-destruct system.
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Mobile launcher moved to pad for engineering tests
11/16/2011 12:24 PM
A towering 355-foot-tall mobile launch tower was hauled to launch pad 39B Wednesday for structural tests and fit checks before modifications to support the agency's planned heavy-lift Space Launch System rocket.
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Soyuz TMA-22 docks with space station
11/16/2011 12:25 AM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft glided to a smooth automated docking with the International Space Station early Wednesday, closing out a problem-free two-day rendezvous and boosting the lab's crew back to six. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-22 blasts off on delayed space station mission
11/13/2011 11:47 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut blasted off in blizzard-like conditions late Sunday U.S. time, kicking off a delayed flight to the International Space Station. Read More...
Progress cargo ship docks with space station
11/02/2011 10:32 AM
An unmanned Russian Progress cargo ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment completed a smooth automated docking with the International Space Station Wednesday Read More...
China launches unmanned capsule for Tiangong automated docking test
10/31/2011 06:25 PM
A Chinese Long March-2F rocket successfully boosted an unmanned Shenzhou capsule into orbit Monday for an automated rendezvous and docking with a prototype space station module. Read More...
Boeing leases shuttle processing facility for commercial CST-100 capsule
10/31/2011 10:42 AM
The Boeing Co. will process its proposed CST-100 commercial manned spacecraft in a now-vacant space shuttle processing hangar in a first-of-a-kind deal valued at up to $50 million. Read More...
Russian Progress supply ship successfully launched on space station flight
10/30/2011 07:06 AM
Two months after a rare Russian launch failure, an unmanned Progress cargo ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies and equipment bound for the International Space Station rocketed smoothly into orbit Sunday Read More...
Next-generation $1.5 billion weather satellite launched
10/28/2011 06:58 AM
A Delta 2 rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base early Friday, boosting a $1.5 billion weather satellite into space to improve both short-range forecasting and understanding of long-term climate change.
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German X-ray space telescope falls back to Earth (UPDATED)
10/22/2011 11:46 PM
An out-of-service German space telescope apparently plunged back into the atmosphere late Saturday. Experts predicted much of its heat-resistant 1.7-ton X-ray mirror and carbon composite support structure would survive re-entry to hit the ground, but there was no immediate confirmation. Read More...
Station crew studies how microgravity affects eyesight
10/06/2011 01:52 PM
In the wake of recent concerns about the effects of prolonged weightlessness on vision, space station astronauts now are carrying out regular eye exams to collect more data. Read More...
SpaceX unveils innovative rocket recovery plan
09/29/2011 05:23 PM
SpaceX has unveiled plans to make its Falcon 9 rocket fully reusable, using the engines of the first and second stages for powered descents to vertical landings in a bid to dramatically lower launch costs. Read More...
Survey finds fewer near-Earth asteroids than previously believed
09/29/2011 03:15 PM
Analysis of data collected by a NASA infrared space telescope shows there are fewer near-Earth asteroids than previously believed, scientists said Thursday. But most of the nearly 20,000 bodies have yet to be detected. Read More...
China launches prototype lab module for rendezvous, docking tests
09/29/2011 10:34 AM
In a major milestone for China's space program, a Long March rocket successfully boosted an unmanned prototype space station module into orbit Thursday for tests of robotic rendezvous and docking systems. Read More...
NASA's UARS satellite falls to Earth (UPDATED)
09/24/2011 03:37 PM
NASA's UARS satellite plunged back into the atmosphere early Saturday, likely raining debris into the north Pacific Ocean. But analysts have not yet confirmed exactly when, or where, the spacecraft came down. Read More...
No comm? No problem, says Soyuz astronaut
09/22/2011 12:45 PM
What appeared to be a communications problem that left Russian flight controllers in the dark about the status of a Soyuz capsule descending to Earth Sept. 16 was, in fact, no problem at all, a crew member said Thursday. Read More...
Spotting UARS re-entry will require patience -- and lots of luck (UPDATED)
09/21/2011 05:46 PM
Amateur satellite trackers hoping to catch a glimpse of NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite when it plunges into the atmosphere Friday will need patience, clear skies and a large helping of luck, experts say. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-21 returns to Earth, suffers radio blackout but lands safely (UPDATED)
09/16/2011 01:04 AM
Three space station crew members returned to Earth aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-21 crew ferry craft late Thursday, leaving three crewmates behind to await the delayed arrival of replacements. Read More...
Kepler spacecraft discovers planet orbiting binary star system
09/15/2011 04:20 PM
NASA's Kepler space telescope, searching for planets around distant suns, has found a Saturn-size world orbiting a pair of stars 200 light years from Earth, the first discovery of a "circumbinary" planet. Read More...
NASA unveils new super rocket for manned flights beyond Earth orbit
09/14/2011 03:23 PM
NASA unveiled the design of a new post-shuttle super rocket Wednesday intended to boost astronauts on flights to nearby asteroids and, eventually, Mars. If fully funded, initial test flights are expected in 2017. Read More...
NASA will evaluate ATK's Liberty rocket as possible manned launcher
09/13/2011 08:05 PM
NASA will evaluate ATK's proposed two-stage Liberty rocket as a possible manned launcher for future commercial flights to the space station under an unfunded Space Act Agreement, officials said Tuesday. Read More...
NASA launches dual satellite moon mission
09/10/2011 10:51 AM
A Delta 2 rocket blasted off Saturday and successfully boosted two NASA science satellites into space to kick off an ambitious $496 million mission to map the moon's gravity and internal structure.
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NASA tracks falling science satellite, says risk to public minimal
09/09/2011 01:16 PM
NASA's decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite is expected to plunge back into Earth's atmosphere later this month, producing a shower of debris. Agency experts say risk to the public is minimal. Read More...
GRAIL moon launch delayed to Saturday (UPDATED)
09/08/2011 11:34 PM
Launch of a Delta 2 rocket carrying twin satellites designed to precisely map the moon's gravity has been delayed to Saturday because of high winds aloft and a potential issue with the rocket's propulsion system. Read More...
GRAIL set for launch on innovative moon mission, weather permitting
09/07/2011 03:28 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket is on track for launch Thursday, weather permitting, to kick off a $496 million mission to precisely map the moon's gravitational field. Read More...
Station astronauts hopeful Soyuz problem resolved soon
09/06/2011 04:23 PM
A space station astronaut said Tuesday the Russians may be able to launch a manned Soyuz spacecraft to the lab complex by early November if an ongoing failure investigation goes well. Read More...
Lunar orbiter beams back closeup views of Apollo landing sites
09/06/2011 02:24 PM
NASA unveiled new closeup views of three Apollo landing sites Tuesday, clearly showing the footprints of visiting astronauts, the lower stages of the lunar landers and the tracks left behind by a dune buggy-like rover. Read More...
Opportunity rover begins 'new' mission at Endeavour crater
09/01/2011 07:54 PM
NASA's aging Opportunity rover is beginning what excited scientists say is a new mission exploring a 13.7-mile-wide crater that may hold unexpected clues about the ancient environment of the red planet. Read More...
Russians delay Soyuz re-entry as Progress failure probe proceeds
08/31/2011 04:00 PM
Russian managers have decided to briefly postpone the planned re-entry of a Soyuz ferry craft carrying three space station crew members amid work to pinpoint the cause of a Progress launch failure Aug. 24. Read More...
Shannon to review exploration options for NASA
08/29/2011 10:23 PM
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has asked outgoing space shuttle Program Manager John Shannon to carry out an independent review of competing options for eventual manned missions beyond low-Earth orbit, officials say. Read More...
Manned flights to/from space station face delays in wake of Progress failure
08/29/2011 01:23 PM
Upcoming manned flights to and from the International Space Station are facing delays because of the Aug. 24 failure of an unmanned Soyuz carrying a Progress supply capsule, a senior NASA manager said Monday. Read More...
Unmanned Progress supply ship lost during launch to space station (UPDATED)
08/24/2011 07:00 PM
Russian engineers are assessing telemetry to determine the cause of an upper stage malfunction that triggered the loss of an unmanned Progress cargo ship loaded with 2.9 tons of supplies bound for the space station. Read More...
Space shuttle program officially ends Aug. 31
08/19/2011 04:16 PM
NASA's space shuttle program will officially end on Aug. 31, officials said Friday, less than a month and a half after Atlantis landed to close out the agency's 135th and final shuttle mission. Read More...
Curiosity Mars rover completes key pre-launch tests
08/12/2011 06:05 PM
NASA's $2.4 billion Mars Science Laboratory has completed an exhaustive series of functional tests to verify the car-size rover's readiness for launch in November on an eight-and-a-half-month voyage to the red planet .
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Juno launched on long voyage to Jupiter (UPDATED)
08/05/2011 03:44 PM
A powerful Atlas 5 rocket roared to life Friday and successfully launched NASA's Juno probe on a five-year voyage to Jupiter, the first step in a $1.1 billion mission to look for clues about the origins of the solar system. Read More...
NASA satellite spots signs of flowing salt water on Mars
08/04/2011 05:58 PM
A NASA spacecraft in orbit around Mars has detected signs of what appear to be seasonal flows of salty water on the surface of the red planet during warmer summer months, researchers said Thursday.
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Boeing selects Atlas 5 rockets for CST-100 test flights
08/04/2011 04:01 PM
Boeing will use United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets for initial test flights of the company's planned CST-100 spacecraft, a manned capsule being developed as a commercial venture in a NASA competition. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-29
08/03/2011 05:20 PM
Cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Alexander Samokutyaev launched a small amateur radio satellite during a six-hour 23-minute spacewalk Wednesday, but relocation of a large cargo crane had to be postponed. Read More...
Dawn rises on Vesta: NASA unveils spectacular photos of cratered asteroid
08/01/2011 05:19 PM
NASA's Dawn spacecraft, now in orbit around the asteroid Vesta, is beaming back a treasure trove of data about one of the solar system's most ancient bodies. Read More...
Juno set for launch on five-year voyage to Jupiter
07/27/2011 07:38 PM
NASA is readying the $1.1 billion Juno probe for launch Aug. 5 on a five-year voyage to Jupiter to kick off a challenging one-year mission to answer key questions about the formation and evolution of the solar system. Read More...
'Mission complete:' Atlantis returns to Earth, closing out final shuttle flight
07/21/2011 01:15 PM
The shuttle Atlantis dropped out of a moon-dappled sky and settled to a flawless landing Thursday to close out NASA's 135th and final shuttle mission, the end of an era for American manned spaceflight. (UPDATED) Read More...
Astronauts ready Atlantis for final re-entry
07/21/2011 01:49 AM
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis is gearing up for NASA's final shuttle re-entry and landing to close out three decades of shuttle operations. There are no technical issues and the weather appears ideal. Read More...
Weather looks good for final shuttle landing
07/20/2011 05:02 PM
NASA braces for the space shuttle Atlantis' historic return to Florida Thursday, bringing the iconic program to an end after three decades and 135 missions. Read More...
Astronauts test re-entry systems, pack for landing
07/20/2011 06:31 AM
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis, working through one of the busiest days of their mission, tested the ship's re-entry systems Wednesday and packed up for landing Thursday to close out NASA's final shuttle flight. Read More...
Shuttle Atlantis undocks from space station (UPDATED)
07/19/2011 02:46 PM
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station early Tuesday after a successful resupply mission, setting the stage for NASA's 135th and final shuttle landing Thursday. Read More...
Astronauts move cargo module to shuttle, bid station crew farewell (UPDATED)
07/18/2011 10:48 AM
The Atlantis astronauts moved the Raffaello cargo module back to the shuttle Monday, closing out a busy space station resupply mission. The crew then floated back aboard the orbiter to rig the ship for undocking early Tuesday. Read More...
Shuttle crew wraps up space station resupply work (UPDATED)
07/17/2011 03:35 PM
The Atlantis astronauts put in a final day of logistics transfer work Sunday, working through off-duty time to finish moving a last few items into the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module for return to Earth. Read More...
Shuttle crew moves into home stretch of final shuttle mission
07/16/2011 12:51 AM
Working through the home stretch of NASA's final shuttle mission, the Atlantis astronauts are focusing on repacking a cargo module for return to Earth and wrapping up logistics transfers to the space station. Read More...
Flight computer restarted; CBS Radio interviews crew
07/15/2011 04:47 PM
Shuttle commander Christopher Ferguson successfully restarted a shuttle flight computer early Friday that failed Thursday, setting off alarms and waking the crew. The astronauts will chat with President Obama later in the day. Read More...
Cargo transfers 70 percent done; computer failure wakes astronauts
07/14/2011 06:22 PM
The Atlantis astronauts took a half-day off Thursday to relax and enjoy the view after a busy but productive week in space. The crew is about 70 percent complete with work to transfer cargo to and from the space station. Read More...
Shuttle astronauts focus on cargo transfers to station (UPDATED)
07/13/2011 06:46 PM
The Atlantis astronauts are about halfway through a busy week of supply transfers to the International Space Station. The lab's toilet is back in operation after a brief hiatus, along with the urine recycling system. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-135 EVA-1
07/12/2011 04:18 PM
Space station astronauts Michael Fossum and Ronald Garan staged a successful six-hour 31-minute spacewalk Tuesday, the final excursion of the space shuttle era. Read More...
Space station astronauts prep for spacewalk
07/12/2011 05:12 AM
Two space station astronauts are gearing up for a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk to install experiment hardware on the lab complex and to move a failed coolant pump to the shuttle Atlantis for return to Earth. Read More...
Astronauts attach cargo module to ISS; shuttle mission extended one day
07/11/2011 06:12 PM
The Atlantis astronauts attached a bus-size cargo module to the International Space Station early Monday. Mission managers, meanwhile, approved a one-day mission extension to give the crew more time for logistics transfers. Read More...
Shuttle Atlantis docks with space station one last time (UPDATED)
07/10/2011 05:32 PM
The space shuttle Atlantis glided to a picture-perfect docking with the International Space Station Sunday, bringing more than five tons of supplies and equipment to the sprawling lab complex in the shuttle program's final visit. Read More...
Astronauts kick off heat shield inspections, docking preps
07/09/2011 03:10 PM
The Atlantis astronauts are working through a busy day in space, inspecting the shuttle's heat shield and gearing up for rendezvous and docking with International Space Station Sunday. Read More...
Shuttle Atlantis rockets into history as final flight begins
07/08/2011 02:31 PM
After a cliff-hangar countdown, the space shuttle Atlantis majestically rocketed into history Friday, putting on one last show for spectators jamming area roads and beaches to witness NASA's 135th and final shuttle launch. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-135 launch countdown
07/08/2011 08:01 AM
Despite a dismal forecast, NASA managers decided to fuel the shuttle Atlantis for a launch attempt Friday, setting the stage for the agency's 135th and final shuttle mission (UPDATED). Read More...
NASA monitors weather, preps Atlantis for Friday launch (UPDATED)
07/07/2011 06:00 PM
Keeping tabs on stormy weather, engineers readied the shuttle Atlantis for blastoff Friday on NASA's final shuttle flight. Engineers reviewed data Thursday to make sure no sensitive systems were affected by a lightning strike near the pad. Read More...
Shuttle forecast 70 percent 'no go' for Friday launch (UPDATED)
07/06/2011 03:05 PM
Forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of stormy weather Friday that could delay launch of the shuttle Atlantis. But NASA managers say they plan to press ahead barring a dramatic change for the worse. Read More...
STS-135 Mission Preview
07/05/2011 03:51 PM
The shuttle Atlantis is poised for launch Friday on the iconic program's 135th and final flight, bringing the curtain down on one of the nation's greatest technological triumphs (mission preview). Read More...
Countdown begins for final shuttle flight; stormy weather likely
07/05/2011 02:25 PM
Countdown clocks began ticking Tuesday for the shuttle Atlantis' launch Friday on NASA's 135th and final shuttle mission, a flight to deliver more than 8,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. Read More...
Astronauts arrive for final shuttle launch
07/04/2011 03:48 PM
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis celebrated the July Fourth holiday Monday by flying to Florida aboard sleek T-38 jet trainers to prepare for launch Friday on the 135th and final shuttle mission.
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Space debris prompts station crew to shelter aboad Soyuz spacecraft (UPDATED)
06/28/2011 08:15 AM
The six-member crew of the International Space Station was told to seek shelter in two Russian Soyuz spacecraft early Tuesday because of a predicted close approach by an unknown piece of space debris.
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Progress M-11M cargo craft docks at space station
06/23/2011 05:23 PM
An unmanned Russian Progress cargo ship glided to a smooth automated docking with the the International Space Station Thursday, two days after launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read More...
External tank inspections proceeding smoothly, fuel valve replaced
06/22/2011 01:39 PM
With the Atlantis astronauts on hand for a practice countdown Thursday, engineers are making good progress with work to inspect beefed-up ribs in the shuttle's external tank and to replace a leaking main engine fuel valve. Read More...
Progress cargo ship blasts off on station resupply flight
06/21/2011 03:19 PM
A Russian Progress cargo ship loaded with three tons of supplies and equipment bound for the International Space Station blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Tuesday. Docking is expected Thursday. Read More...
Mark Kelly announces retirement from NASA
06/21/2011 01:33 PM
Astronaut Mark Kelly, commander of the shuttle Endeavour's final mission and husband of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, gravely wounded in a January assassination attempt, will retire from NASA and the Navy on Oct. 1. Read More...
Atlantis crew flies to Florida for emergency training, practice countdown
06/20/2011 06:33 PM
The shuttle Atlantis' crew flew to the Kennedy Space Center Monday to review emergency procedures and participate in a dress-rehearsal countdown Thursday, a major milestone on the road to launch July 8. Read More...
Main engine fuel valve replacement no impact to 7/8 launch target
06/16/2011 04:53 PM
Engineers readying the shuttle Atlantis for launch July 8 plan to replace a leaking main engine fuel valve in parallel with external tank inspections next week. Read More...
Shuttle fueling test underway; engine valve issue
06/15/2011 06:04 PM
After a delay to assess the impact of overnight thunderstorms, engineers pressed ahead with a fueling test Wednesday to verify the integrity of structural stiffeners in the shuttle Atlantis' external tank. Read More...
X-ray telescope spots massive black holes in early universe
06/15/2011 02:40 PM
NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory satellite has detected super massive black holes in the dusty cores of numerous galaxies that formed within a billion years of the big bang birth of the universe. Read More...
NASA, Argentina launch oceanography satellite
06/10/2011 11:22 AM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket carrying a sophisticated oceanography satellite blasted off Friday on a long-awaited mission to monitor the salinity of Earth's oceans. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-02M docks with space station
06/09/2011 09:11 PM
Monitoring a weak thruster, commander Sergei Volkov guided a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to a smooth automated docking with the International Space Station at 5:18 p.m. EDT (GMT-4) Thursday. Read More...
Voyager spacecraft shed new light on solar system boundary
06/09/2011 04:52 PM
NASA's twin Voyager spacecraft, approaching the edge of the solar system, have detected signs of what may be gigantic magnetic bubbles at the interface between the sun's influence and interstellar space. Read More...
NASA releases photos of shuttle Endeavour and space station
06/07/2011 05:15 PM
NASA has released dramatic photographs of the shuttle Endeavour docked at the International Space Station that were shot during the departure of the Russian Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft May 23. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-02M blasts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
06/07/2011 04:31 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a veteran cosmonaut, a Japanese physician-astronaut and a NASA shuttle veteran blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Tuesday, bound for the International Space Station. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour glides to smooth Florida touchdown (UPDATED)
06/01/2011 04:33 AM
The shuttle Endeavour glided to a ghostly pre-dawn landing Wednesday to close out its 25th and final mission, clearing the way for NASA's last shuttle launch July 8. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour rigged for entry; Atlantis heads for launch pad
05/31/2011 11:36 PM
The shuttle Endeavour's crew closed the ship's payload bay doors and geared up for re-entry and landing early Wednesday to close out the orbiter's 25th and final mission. Touchdown is expected at 2:35 a.m. EDT. Read More...
Astronauts test Endeavour's re-entry systems, prep for landing (UPDATED)
05/31/2011 05:10 AM
The Endeavour astronauts tested the shuttle's re-entry systems overnight Monday and began packing up for landing early Wednesday to close out the orbiter's 25th and final voyage. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour undocks from International Space Station (UPDATED)
05/30/2011 07:28 AM
The shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station for the 12th and final time late Sunday, backing away for a fly-around photo survey before testing new navigation sensors and software.
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Shuttle astronauts return to Endeavour, prepare for undocking (UPDATED)
05/29/2011 08:00 AM
The Endeavour astronauts wrapped up last-minute transfers early Sunday, said farewell to the crew of the International Space Station and moved back aboard the shuttle to prepare the ship for undocking Sunday night. Read More...
Astronauts work on CO2 scrubber, transfers (UPDATED)
05/28/2011 11:06 AM
The shuttle Endeavour's crew helped out with repairs to one of the International Space Station's carbon dioxide scrubbers Saturday as NASA's next-to-last shuttle mission moved into the home stretch of a 16-day mission.
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Realtime coverage of STS-134 EVA No. 4
05/27/2011 08:08 AM
Astronauts Michael Fincke and Gregory Chamitoff wrapped up a xx-hour xx-minute spacewalk early Friday, completing the U.S. segment of the International Space Station after 12 years of construction. Read More...
Endeavour astronauts set for final spacewalk
05/26/2011 08:36 PM
The Endeavour astronauts plan to carry out a fourth and final spacewalk Friday to mount the shuttle's no-longer-needed heat shield inspection boom on the International Space Station. Read More...
Astronauts inspect heat shield; Kelly talks to Tucson media
05/26/2011 06:58 AM
The Endeavour astronauts carried out a final inspection of the shuttle's heat shield early Thursday, fielded questions from reporters and geared up for a fourth and final spacewalk Friday. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-134 EVA No. 3
05/25/2011 12:04 PM
Astronauts Andrew Feustel and Michael Fincke carried out a six-hour 54-minute spacewalk Wednesday, installing a robot arm mounting fixture on the space station and installing wiring for the Russian segment. Read More...
NASA selects Orion derivative for deep space missions
05/24/2011 05:49 PM
NASA will develop a version of the Bush administration's Orion capsule for future deep space missions beyond Earth orbit, the agency announced Tuesday. But it's not yet known when the spacecraft might fly. Read More...
Shuttle astronauts set for Wednesday spacewalk
05/24/2011 02:53 PM
The Endeavour astronauts helped out with space station maintenance Tuesday amid preparations for an overnight spacewalk, the third of four planned by the shuttle fliers. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-20 lands in Kazakhstan (UPDATED)
05/23/2011 11:14 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying three returning space station crew members landed in Kazakhstan Monday to wrap up a 159-day stay in space. Read More...
Shuttle crew takes time off amid Soyuz TMA-20 undocking preps
05/23/2011 03:45 AM
The Endeavour astronauts took the day off Monday amid preparations for the afternoon departure of three space station crew members aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Read More...
Space station change-of-command ceremony
05/22/2011 04:28 PM
In a brief ceremony Sunday on the eve of undocking, outgoing Expedition 27 commander Dmitry Kondratyev handed over command of the International Space Station to cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-134 EVA No. 2
05/22/2011 11:38 AM
Astronauts Andrew Feustel and Michael Fincke completed an eight-hour seven-minute spacewalk at 10:12 a.m. EDT Sunday, the second of four EVAs planned by the Endeavour astronauts. Read More...
Astronauts set for second spacewalk
05/22/2011 12:37 AM
Astronauts Andrew Feustel and Michael Fincke are set for a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk Sunday to top off the ammonia coolant in a space station solar array and to lubricate a solar array drive mechanism. Read More...
Analysis shows damaged heat shield tile no threat to re-entry (UPDATED)
05/21/2011 05:39 PM
Data from a "focused" inspection of a damaged heat shield tile on the belly of the shuttle Endeavour shows the orbiter can safely re-enter as is, without the need for any repairs or additional study, NASA said Saturday. Read More...
Pope Benedict XVI calls astronauts
05/21/2011 08:14 AM
Pope Benedict XVI called the combined shuttle-station crews from the Vatican Saturday, asking about the environment and the role of science and technology in solving global problems. Read More...
NASA orders 'focused' inspection of damaged heat shield tile
05/20/2011 04:54 PM
The Endeavour astronauts will use an instrumented boom on the end of the shuttle's robot arm early Saturday to make a close-up, "focused" inspection of a gouge in a heat shield tile on the belly of the orbiter. Read More...
Departing Soyuz crew to snap space station portrait
05/20/2011 03:04 PM
U.S. and Russian space managers have agreed to stage an out-of-this-world photo op Monday when the crew of a departing Soyuz photographs the space station and the shuttle Endeavour in a one-of-a-kind family portrait. Read More...
Shuttle Atlantis re-targeted for final launch on July 8
05/20/2011 11:40 AM
NASA managers have retargeted launch of the Atlantis on the 135th and final shuttle flight for around 11:40 a.m. EDT on July. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-134 EVA No. 1
05/20/2011 09:37 AM
Astronauts Andrew Feustel and Gregory Chamitoff are carrying out a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk to replace space exposure experiments and to set up an ammonia coolant line for use during an EVA Sunday. Read More...
Astronauts prep for first spacewalk
05/20/2011 12:49 AM
Astronauts Andrew Feustel and Gregory Chamitoff are gearing up for a planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk, the first of four planned for the shuttle Endeavour's mission. Read More...
NASA still assessing need for 'focussed' inspection of shuttle heat shield
05/19/2011 07:09 PM
Engineers are continuing to assess two damage sites on the belly of the shuttle Endeavour to determine if an additional, "focused," inspection might be needed Saturday to collect more data. Read More...
Endeavour astronauts install $2 billion cosmic ray detector (UPDATED)
05/19/2011 01:42 PM
The $2 billion Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer was attached to the International Space Station early Thursday. Scientists say the instrument already is detecting "thousands and thousands" of cosmic ray particles. Read More...
Kelly says wife doing well after surgery
05/19/2011 10:38 AM
Shuttle commander Mark Kelly told reporters Thursday his wife, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, came through surgery Wednesday in good condition as she continues her recovery from an assassination attempt in January. Read More...
NASA assesses tile damage on shuttle Endeavour's belly
05/18/2011 05:30 PM
Engineers are assessing several gouges and dings spotted in protective heat shield tiles on the underside of the shuttle Endeavour during final approach to the space station Wednesday. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour docks with space station (UPDATED)
05/18/2011 12:12 PM
Commander Mark Kelly guided the shuttle Endeavour to a "silky smooth" docking with the International Space Station Wednesday and his crewmates successfully mounted a massive spare parts pallet on the lab's power truss. Read More...
Astronauts inspect heat shield; external tank performed well during launch
05/17/2011 05:44 PM
The Endeavour astronauts carried out a detailed inspection of the shuttle Endeavour's nose cap and wing leading edge panels Tuesday amid work to ready the shuttle Atlantis for launch on NASA's final shuttle flight in July. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour rockets away on final mission (UPDATED)
05/16/2011 04:27 PM
The shuttle Endeavour rocketed away on its 25th and final flight Monday, putting on a spectacular, if brief, show for spectators as it knifed through a low deck of clouds and streaked into orbit. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-134 launch countdown (UPDATED)
05/16/2011 07:15 AM
Commander Mark Kelly and his five crewmates have strapped in aboard the shuttle Endeavour to await liftoff at 8:56:28 a.m. EDT. Forecasters are monitoring a deck of low clouds near the spaceport that could cause problems. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour readied for fueling (UPDATED)
05/15/2011 04:34 PM
Engineers readied the shuttle Endeavour for fueling overnight Sunday, setting the stage for launch early Monday on a space station assembly mission. Forecasters continue to predict a 70 percent chance of good weather. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour cleared for launch
05/14/2011 06:15 PM
NASA's Mission Management Team met Saturday and cleared the shuttle Endeavour for launch Monday on a delayed mission to deliver a $2 billion particle physics detector to the International Space Station. Read More...
Countdown begins for Monday shuttle launch
05/13/2011 12:11 PM
Engineers restarted the shuttle Endeavour's countdown Friday, setting the stage for launch Monday on a space station assembly flight. Forecasters continue to predict a 70 percent chance of good weather. Read More...
Endeavour astronauts return to Florida to prep for Monday launch
05/12/2011 12:21 PM
The Endeavour astronauts flew back to Florida Thursday to prepare for a delayed launch Monday on a space station assembly mission. Forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of good weather. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour cleared for May 16 launch try
05/09/2011 05:22 PM
NASA managers met Monday and decided to press ahead with work to ready the shuttle Endeavour for a second launch try May 16 after extensive troubleshooting to resolve problems with hydraulic system fuel line heaters. Read More...
Missile warning satellite boosted into space
05/07/2011 03:02 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket successfully boosted a $1.3 billion missile early warning satellite into orbit Saturday after a picture-perfect liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Read More...
Shuttle launch slips to at least May 16
05/07/2011 01:35 PM
The shuttle Endeavour's launch will be delayed to at least May 16, NASA officials said Friday, pending tests to confirm the health of hydraulic system electrical components that derailed an April 29 attempt. Read More...
Failure analysis indicates possible external short circuit
05/04/2011 01:18 PM
Engineers troubleshooting a suspect electrical distribution box removed from the shuttle Endeavour's engine compartment after a launch scrub Friday have found damage that could indicate an external short circuit. Read More...
Italian space station astronaut's mother dies
05/03/2011 02:48 PM
European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, nearing the end of a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station, is mourning the death of his 78-year-old mother, who passed away Monday near Milan, Italy, after an illness. Read More...
Shuttle launch slips to at least May 10, possibly later
05/02/2011 05:42 PM
Work to repair the shuttle Endeavour will delay the ship's next launch attempt to at least May 10, engineers said Monday. An official launch date is expected Friday, after repairs are complete. Read More...
Avionics swap-out ordered; shuttle launch off until at least May 8 (UPDATED)
05/01/2011 04:29 PM
Engineers have traced an electrical glitch that grounded the shuttle Endeavour Friday to an avionics box in the ship's engine compartment. Replacing the box will delay launch until at least May 8. Read More...
Engineers troubleshoot electrical glitch (UPDATED)
04/30/2011 06:19 PM
Engineers troubleshooting an electrical glitch that grounded the shuttle Endeavour Friday have verified that a cockpit fuse panel is working normally. Additional tests to narrow down the source of the problem will determine if a launch attempt Monday is possible. Read More...
Hydraulic system glitch grounds shuttle Endeavour (UPDATED)
04/29/2011 07:00 PM
Trouble with the shuttle Endeavour's hydraulic power system Friday forced NASA managers to delay launch on a long-awaited space station assembly mission. Read More...
Weathering storms, Endeavour fueled for launch
04/29/2011 10:34 AM
The shuttle Endeavour was fueled for launch Friday after weathering overnight storms that delayed countdown preparations. Forecasters are calling for a 70 percent chance of good weather for launch at 3:47:55 p.m. EDT. Read More...
Storm front slows, shuttle launch now 70 percent 'go'
04/28/2011 02:22 PM
NASA managers kept tabs on stormy weather approaching the Kennedy Space Center Thursday as the shuttle Endeavour is prepared for launch Friday. The forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of good weather. Read More...
Endeavour in good shape; pre-launch weather a concern
04/27/2011 03:26 PM
The shuttle Endeavour's countdown is ticking smoothly toward launch Friday on a space station assembly mission. Commander Mark Kelly's wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, flew to Florida Wednesday to be on hand for launch. Read More...
STS-134 Mission Preview
04/26/2011 05:04 PM
NASA is readying the shuttle Endeavour for launch Friday on its 25th and final mission, a high-profile voyage to deliver supplies, spare parts and a $2 billion physics experiment to the International Space Station. Read More...
STS-134 countdown begins; astronauts arrive for launch
04/26/2011 02:20 PM
The Endeavour astronauts flew to Florida Tuesday for the start of their countdown to blastoff Friday on a high-profile space station assembly flight. Forecasters are predicting an 80 percent chance of acceptable weather. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour cleared for April 29 launch
04/19/2011 06:28 PM
The shuttle Endeavour has been cleared for launch April 29 on its 25th and final mission, a four-spacewalk flight to deliver supplies, spare parts and a $2 billion particle physics detector to the International Space Station. Read More...
Boeing, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada win NASA CCDev contracts
04/18/2011 09:08 PM
Four companies won contracts totaling $270 million Monday to continue work on commercial manned spacecraft technology that NASA hopes will result in one or more operational space taxis by around 2015. Read More...
United Space Alliance announces major workforce reduction
04/15/2011 04:20 PM
United Space Alliance, the space shuttle prime contractor, plans to eliminate half its remaining workforce after NASA completes its final shuttle mission this summer, company officials announced Friday. Read More...
Atlas 5 rocket takes off on secret mission
04/15/2011 01:21 AM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base early Friday carrying a secret National Reconnaissance Office payload. Read More...
NASA selects museums to display space shuttles
04/12/2011 03:00 PM
NASA's three space shuttles will be displayed by the National Air and Space Museum near Washington, the Kennedy Space Center and the California Science Center in Los Angeles, the agency announced Tuesday. Read More...
Station crew, space officials mark Gagarin anniversary
04/12/2011 12:33 PM
The space station's crew joined Russian leaders, space officials and their international counterparts Tuesday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's trail-blazing 1961 flight to become the first human in space. Read More...
Government shutdown averted in last-minute deal
04/09/2011 12:22 AM
A last-minute compromise averted a looming government shutdown late Friday with agreement on a stop-gap spending bill. A vote is expected next Thursday on legislation that will fund the government through the end of the fiscal year. Read More...
NASA braces for possible government shutdown
04/07/2011 06:11 PM
Bracing for a potential government shutdown, NASA managers are evaluating the shuttle launch schedule and putting plans in place to continue near-normal operation of the International Space Station if a furlough is ordered. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-21 docks with space station (UPDATED)
04/06/2011 10:44 PM
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying three fresh crew members completed a smooth, automated rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station Wednesday, bringing three fresh crew members to the lab complex. Read More...
Musk unveils plans for low-cost heavy lift rocket
04/05/2011 04:46 PM
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled details of a new commercial heavy lift rocket Tuesday -- the Falcon Heavy -- that he said will deliver twice the cargo to orbit at one third the cost of competing rockets. Read More...
Tracking shows no need for station crew to seek shelter aboard Soyuz (UPDATED)
04/05/2011 02:55 PM
Flight controllers monitoring a piece of space debris told the International Space Station's crew that radar tracking showed the odds of a collision did not warrant seeking shelter aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-21 roars into orbit with three bound for space station (UPDATED)
04/04/2011 06:31 PM
A Russian Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Monday carrying two rookie cosmonauts and a NASA shuttle veteran to the International Space Station. Read More...
Next shuttle launch delayed to April 29
04/04/2011 10:33 AM
The shuttle Endeavour's launch on a mission to the International Space Station has been delayed 10 days to April 29 to avoid a conflict with the arrival of an unmanned Russian Progress supply ship. Read More...
MESSENGER pictures of Mercury wow scientists
03/30/2011 04:36 PM
Two weeks after slipping into orbit around Mercury, NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft is beaming back a steady stream of intriguing pictures. A year-long campaign to map the planet is scheduled to begin Monday. Read More...
Kelly says 'good chance' his injured wife can attend launch
03/24/2011 07:27 PM
Kelly says his injured wife continues to make progress and that there's a 'pretty good chance' she will be able to attend his launch aboard the shuttle Endeavour next month. Read More...
Kelly abruptly cancels media interviews
03/23/2011 04:59 PM
Shuttle commander Mark Kelly abruptly pulled himself from planned pre-flight media interviews, citing a reluctance to field personal questions about his wife, Gabrielle Giffords. Read More...
MESSENGER spacecraft brakes into orbit around Mercury (UPDATED)
03/17/2011 10:05 PM
After a six-and-a-half-year journey, NASA's compact MESSENGER probe braked into a looping orbit around hellish Mercury Thursday, becoming the first spacecraft to take up long-term residence around the innermost planet.
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Soyuz TMA-01M returns to Earth (UPDATED)
03/16/2011 04:06 PM
Outgoing space station commander Scott Kelly, Soyuz TMA-01M commander Alexander Kaleri and flight engineer Oleg Skripochka undocked and returned to Earth early Wednesday, closing out a 159-day mission. Read More...
Worker killed in shuttle launch pad mishap (UPDATED)
03/14/2011 01:02 PM
A United Space Alliance worker was killed early Monday after a fall at launch complex 39A where the shuttle Endeavour is being readied for flight April 19. All work at the pad was suspended for the day. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour hauled to launch pad
03/11/2011 03:26 PM
The shuttle Endeavour was mounted atop launch pad 39A Friday, setting the stage for launch April 19 on a four-spacewalk mission to resupply the International Space Station and deliver a $2 billion physics experiment.
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Shuttle Discovery glides to final landing (UPDATED)
03/09/2011 05:37 PM
The shuttle Discovery glided to a smooth touchdown Wednesday to wrap up the orbiter's 39th and final mission, a milestone marking the beginning of the end for NASA's winged rocketships. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery prepped for final landing
03/09/2011 06:25 AM
With windy but acceptable weather expected, the shuttle Discovery's crew is preparing the ship for its 39th and final re-entry, setting up for a Kennedy Space Center landing to close out a successful space station assembly mission. Read More...
Shuttle cleared for Wednesday landing; good weather expected
03/08/2011 03:20 PM
With a favorable forecast and no technical problems, NASA is gearing up to bring the shuttle Discovery back to Earth Wednesday to close out the veteran spaceplane's 39th and final flight. Read More...
Discovery astronauts reflect on veteran shuttle's final voyage
03/08/2011 01:30 PM
The shuttle Discovery's crew, packing up for the ship's final re-entry and landing Wednesday, said Americans should be proud of the shuttle program, but expressed concern about the lack of a near-term replacement. Read More...
Discovery crew enjoys 'live' wakeup tune; packs for re-entry
03/08/2011 04:45 AM
The shuttle Discovery's crew enjoyed a live wakeup call from Big Head Todd and the Monsters in mission control Tuesday before testing the ship's re-entry systems and packing up for landing Wednesday. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery undocks from space station (UPDATED)
03/07/2011 05:31 PM
The shuttle Discovery's crew, after a "Star Trek" wakeup call from William Shatner, undocked from the International Space Station early Monday, wrapping up an extended assembly and resupply mission. Read More...
Astronauts wrap up equipment transfers; hatches closed for undocking Monday
03/06/2011 04:23 PM
The Discovery astronauts completed final equipment transfers to and from the International Space Station Sunday and returned to the shuttle to rig the ship for departure early Monday to wrap up a busy resupply mission. Read More...
Astronauts service space station's air purifier, oxygen generator (UPDATED)
03/05/2011 07:34 PM
The Discovery astronauts and their space station counterparts, nearly finished unloading a newly attached storage module, carried out needed maintenance on the station's life support systems Saturday. Read More...
Atlas 5 rocket carrying Air Force spaceplane takes off
03/05/2011 06:41 PM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off and boosted an unmanned Air Force spaceplane toward orbit Saturday to kick off a classified military mission. It was the second flight of an X-37B spacecraft. Read More...
Astronauts continue module unpacking work (UPDATED)
03/04/2011 12:38 PM
The Discovery astronauts are putting in another day of work to unload the newly attached Permanent Multipurpose Module while mission planners revise the crew's timeline to reflect a second additional day docked to the lab complex. Read More...
NASA's Glory satellite lost in $424 million launch failure (UPDATED)
03/04/2011 08:41 AM
NASA's Glory environmental research satellite crashed into the southern Pacific Ocean Friday in a $424 million launch failure, the second in a row for the Orbital Sciences Taurus XL booster. Read More...
President Obama calls shuttle crew; mission extended another day
03/03/2011 06:25 PM
President Barack Obama congratulated the shuttle Discovery's crew Thursday, praising the orbiter for a "critical and iconic" final flight to the International Space Station. NASA, meanwhile, extended the shuttle's flight a second day. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-133 EVA No. 2
03/02/2011 08:25 PM
Astronauts Alvin Drew and Stephen Bowen carried out a six-hour 14-minute spacewalk Wednesday to perform a variety of maintenance chores outside the International Space Station (realtime coverage). Read More...
Astronauts prepare for second spacewalk
03/02/2011 06:52 AM
Astronauts Alvin Drew and Stephen Bowen plan to carry out a variety of maintenance chores outside the International Space Station during a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk. Read More...
Russians rule out Soyuz fly around of space station
03/01/2011 01:24 PM
Russian mission managers rejected a NASA proposal for a Soyuz fly-around of the International Space Station to capture unprecedented views of the lab complex with the shuttle Discovery and a variety of other vehicles attached. Read More...
Final U.S. module attached to space station (UPDATED)
03/01/2011 10:20 AM
The Discovery astronauts attached a final U.S. module to the International Space Station Tusday, providing lab crews with needed storage space. Read More...
NASA managers extend shuttle Discovery's mission by one day (UPDATED)
02/28/2011 09:50 PM
NASA managers Monday decided to extend the shuttle Discovery's space station resupply mission by one day to give the combined crews more time to outfit a new U.S. module and, possibly, to stage an out-of-this-world photo op. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-133 EVA No. 1
02/28/2011 05:31 PM
Astronauts Alvin Drew and Stephen Bowen completed a "textbook" six-hour 34-minute spacewalk Monday, installing a backup power cable, stowing a failed coolant pump and carrying out a variety of maintenance tasks. Read More...
Shuttle Endeavour moved to assembly building for March 10 rollout to pad
02/28/2011 12:34 PM
Shuttle Endeavour was hauled from its processing hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building Monday for attachment to an external tank and solid-fuel boosters. The shuttle's 25th and final launch is targeted for April 19. Read More...
Discovery astronauts set for first spacewalk (preview)
02/28/2011 08:10 AM
Astronauts Alvin Drew and Stephen Bowen plan to install a backup electrical cable between two space station modules, store a failed ammonia pump module and perform general maintenance during a planned 6.5-hour spacewalk. Read More...
Discovery astronauts prep for spacewalk; heat shield in good shape
02/27/2011 05:32 PM
Discovery's crew worked through a busy day of robotics and equipment transfers Sunday and geared up for a spacewalk Monday. NASA's Mission Management Team, meanwhile, says the ship's heat shield appears to be in good shape. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery docks with the International Space Station (UPDATED)
02/26/2011 10:24 PM
The shuttle Discovery glided to a picture-perfect docking with the International Space Station Saturday, the orbiter's 13th and final linkup with the orbital outpost. Read More...
Shuttle managers assess launch debris; no damage expected
02/25/2011 10:31 PM
Foam debris that fell from the shuttle Discovery's external tank during launch Thursday was the result of an understood phenomenon and happened well after the timeframe when debris impacts pose a threat to the shuttle's heat shield, a senior NASA manager said Thursday. Read More...
Shuttle crew works through wing, nose cap inspections; rendezvous preps (UPDATED)
02/25/2011 12:40 PM
The Discovery astronauts are working through a routine but busy day in space, highlighted by inspections of the shuttle's nose cap and wing leading edge panels, along with preparations for docking with the space station Saturday (Updated at 12:40 p.m. EST). Read More...
Shuttle Discovery rockets into orbit (UPDATED)
02/24/2011 07:30 PM
The shuttle Discovery blasted off on its 39th and final mission Thursday, taking off with seconds to spare after a last-minute Air Force computer glitch threatened to derail the launch. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-133 launch countdown (UPDATED)
02/24/2011 02:05 PM
The shuttle Discovery's crew began strapping in shortly after 1:30 p.m. EST to await launch on the ship's 39th and final mission. There are no technical problems of any significance and forecasters expect good weather for launch at 4:50:27 p.m. Read More...
European cargo ship successfully docks with space station
02/24/2011 11:05 AM
The European Space Agency's second Automated Transfer Vehicle, loaded with more than seven tons of supplies and equipment, successfully docked with the International Space Station Thursday after an automated approach. Read More...
NASA managers 'go' for repaired shuttle Discovery's final launch
02/23/2011 02:00 PM
The shuttle Discovery is on track for blastoff Thursday on its 39th and final mission, a space station resupply flight that features two spacewalks and a final U.S. station module. Read More...
Shuttle countdown proceeding smoothly
02/22/2011 12:32 PM
The shuttle Discovery's countdown is proceeding smoothly toward launch Thursday on a space station resupply mission. There are no technical problems of any significance and good weather is expected. Read More...
STS-133 mission preview (UPDATED)
02/22/2011 07:43 AM
Running three-and-a-half months late, the repaired shuttle Discovery is poised for launch on its 39th and final mission to deliver supplies, spare parts and a final U.S. module to the International Space Station. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery's countdown begins
02/21/2011 03:26 PM
Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center restarted the shuttle Discovery's countdown Monday, setting the stage for launch Thursday on a long-delayed space station assembly flight. Read More...
Discovery crew flies to Florida to prep for launch
02/20/2011 05:35 PM
The shuttle Discovery's five-man one-woman crew flew to the Kennedy Space Center Sunday to prepare for blastoff Thursday on a space station resupply mission. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery cleared for Feb. 24 launch
02/18/2011 07:58 PM
Senior NASA managers attending a flight readiness review Friday at the Kennedy Space Center unanimously cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch Feb. 24 on a long-delayed space station resupply mission. Read More...
Ariane 5 rocket launches European cargo ship on station resupply mission
02/16/2011 06:05 PM
A powerful Ariane 5 rocket successfully boosted a European Space Agency cargo ship into orbit Wednesday on a flight to deliver more than seven tons of supplies to the International Space Station. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-28
02/16/2011 01:26 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-28 (space station maintenance; experiment installation/retrieval) Read More...
Launch of European cargo ship delayed at least 24 hours
02/15/2011 09:26 PM
Launch of a European Space Agency cargo ship bound for the International Space Station was delayed at least 24 hours Tuesday by a last-minute technical snag. The delay could impact the shuttle Discovery's Feb. 24 launch target.
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Stardust-NExT zooms past comet Tempel 1 (UPDATED)
02/15/2011 09:17 PM
NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft raced past comet Tempel 1 Monday in a Valentine's Day flyby to map out changes in the icy body since another spacecraft encountered the comet in 2005. Read More...
Stardust-NExT images posted
02/15/2011 12:51 PM
Images from NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft, shot as the probe streaked past comet Tempel 1 late Monday, are being posted on the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's website. Read More...
NASA unveiils FY 2012 budget
02/14/2011 06:11 PM
Faced with reduced funding and an uncertain outlook, NASA's $18.7 billion fiscal 2012 budget prioritizes the Obama administration's major goals and objectives but leaves unclear when post-shuttle manned spacecraft might fly. Read More...
NASA proposes Soyuz photo op; shuttle launch readiness reviewed (UPDATED)
02/11/2011 04:56 PM
Program managers met Friday to review the shuttle Discovery's readiness for launch Feb. 24. Russian managers have been asked to consider a Soyuz fly-around to photograph the station with the shuttle and other spacecraft attached. Read More...
Kelly rejoins Endeavour crew for April flight to space station (UPDATED)
02/04/2011 05:58 PM
Astronaut Mark Kelly will resume training to command the shuttle Endeavour for its final flight in April, rejoining his crewmates one month after a Tucson shooting spree that left his wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, critically injured. Read More...
Kepler spacecraft detects more than 1,200 possible planets orbiting distant suns
02/02/2011 03:46 PM
NASA's Kepler space telescope has found more than 1,200 possible planets orbiting distant suns, including 68 roughly Earth-sized worlds, in the initial stages of a three-year project to find out how common Earth-like worlds might be. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery hauled back to launch pad after external tank repairs
02/01/2011 07:37 AM
With repairs to its external tank complete, engineers the shuttle Discovery was hauled back to launch pad 39A overnight Monday for work to prepare the ship for a delayed blastoff on a space station resupply mission (UPDATED). Read More...
Russian Progress supply ship docks with space station
01/29/2011 11:00 PM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship loaded with 6,000 pounds of equipment and supplies docked with the International Space Station Saturday, two days after launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read More...
Station crew captures Japanese HTV-2 cargo ship (UPDATED)
01/27/2011 07:20 PM
A Japanese cargo ship carrying 8,500 pounds of cargo and supplies was plucked out of open space by the International Space Station's robot arm Thursday to complete smooth automated rendezvous. Read More...
Hubble detects what may be oldest, most distant object ever seen
01/26/2011 03:40 PM
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have found what appears to be a small proto-galaxy 13.2 billion light years away, making it the most distant -- and oldest -- object ever detected. Read More...
Japanese HTV-2 cargo ship rockets into orbit, sets off after space station
01/22/2011 01:00 AM
An unmanned cargo craft carrying nearly 8.500 pounds of critical equipment and supplies blasted off from southern Japan Saturday, rocketing smoothly into orbit and setting off after the International Space Station. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-27
01/21/2011 03:05 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-27 (space station maintenance) Read More...
United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket boosts secret spy satellite into space
01/20/2011 04:33 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy, the most powerful rocket ever launched from the West Coast, blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Thursday on a classified mission to boost a spy satellite in orbit. Read More...
Bowen replaces Kopra on Discovery crew; launch still on for Feb. 24 (UPDATED)
01/19/2011 05:46 PM
Astronaut Stephen Bowen, a veteran spacewalker who flew on the most recent shuttle mission last May, will replace Timothy Kopra aboard the shuttle Discovery for its upcoming flight. Kopra was injured in a bicycle mishap last Saturday. Read More...
Astronaut Tim Kopra, member of next shuttle crew, injured in bike mishap
01/15/2011 08:40 PM
Astronaut Timothy Kopra, scheduled for launch aboard the shuttle Discovery Feb. 24, was injured Saturday in a bicycle accident, officials said. Details were not released, but officials said "there could be an impact to his mission duties." Read More...
NASA says new heavy-lift rocket not feasible with current budget, schedule (UPATED)
01/13/2011 05:35 PM
In a report to Congress this week, NASA said the agency's current budget does not include enough money to develop a new congressionally-mandated heavy-lift rocket and deep space exploration capsule by 2016. Read More...
Sturckow will replace Kelly in near-term training for April shuttle flight (UPDATED)
01/13/2011 01:40 PM
Veteran shuttle commander Frederick Sturckow will replace Mark Kelly in near-term training for an April shuttle flight, allowing Kelly to remain with wife Gabrielle Giffords as she recovers from a gunshot wound to the head. Read More...
Space Adventures plans additional trips to space station
01/12/2011 04:39 PM
The Russian space agency and the Rocket Space Corporation Energia have agreed to build additional Soyuz spacecraft to carry paying customers to the International Space Station starting in 2013 in a deal arranged by Space Adventures.
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NASA zeroes in on root cause of shuttle tank cracks
01/11/2011 05:56 PM
Engineers believe they have zeroed in on the root cause of cracks in the shuttle Discovery's external tank. A relatively simple modification should resolve the problem once and for all, officials say, setting the stage for another launch attempt Feb. 24.
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Russian prime minister calls space station, offers sympathy for Giffords shooting
01/11/2011 12:03 PM
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called the International Space Station Tuesday and expressed his sympathy to commander Scott Kelly over the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, wife of Kelly's twin brother Mark. Read More...
NASA managers order 'radius block' stiffeners for all external tank stringers
01/10/2011 07:02 PM
NASA managers decide to install radius block stiffeners on all the structural ribs, or stringers, making up the intertank section of the shuttle Discovery's external tank to make them less susceptible to cracks during fueling and launch. Read More...
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, wife of shuttle commander Mark Kelly, shot in Tucson
01/08/2011 04:52 PM
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, wife of shuttle commander Mark Kelly, was shot in the head during a public meeting in Tucson Saturday. A doctor at the University of Arizona trauma center said Giffords was expected to survive. Read More...
NASA rules out early February launch for shuttle Discovery
01/06/2011 11:26 PM
NASA managers Thursday ruled out an attempt to launch the shuttle Discovery in early February, giving engineers more time to assess repairs and failure scenarios in the wake of external tank cracks discovered after a Nov. 5 launch attempt. Read More...
Engineers consider beefing up all external tank 'stringers'
01/03/2011 07:50 PM
NASA managers order repairs for recently discovered cracks in shuttle Discovery's external tank and consider additional modifications to beef up all remaining structural ribs, or stringers, in the intertank section of the tank. Read More...
More cracks found in Discovery's external tank (UPDATED)
12/30/2010 05:15 PM
Engineers have found four more small cracks in the shuttle Discovery's external tank. NASA managers are considering installation of additional doublers to beef up ribs, or stringers, that experience the most stress during launch. Read More...
Discovery hauled back to VAB; tank inspections, possible modifications on tap
12/22/2010 07:16 PM
The shuttle Discovery was hauled off the pad and back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional inspections and possible external tank modifications. Launch remains on hold until at least Feb. 3. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-20 docks with International Space Station (UPDATED)
12/17/2010 06:55 PM
The Russian Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft, carrying Dmitry Kondratyev, Italian flight engineer Paolo Nespoli and NASA astronaut Catherine Coleman, docked with the International Space Station Friday, boosting the lab's full-time crew back to six (UPDATED at 6:55 p.m. EST with hatch opening). Read More...
Realtime coverage of shuttle fueling test
12/17/2010 03:00 PM
Realtime coverage of a planned seven-and-a-half-hour fueling test to verify the structural integrity and safety margins of the shuttle Discovery's external tank (UPDATED at 3 p.m. EST; fueling test complete; no obvious problems). Read More...
Shuttle fueling test on tap Friday
12/16/2010 05:00 PM
The shuttle Discovery's external tank will be loaded with liquid oxygen and hydrogen rocket fuel Friday to collect data needed to assess the tank's structural integrity in the wake of cracked ribs, or stringers, found after a Nov. 5 launch attempt.
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Soyuz blasts off with three crew members bound for space station
12/15/2010 02:30 PM
A Russian Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday (U.S. time) carrying three crew members bound for the International Space Station. Docking is expected Friday. Read More...
NASA gears up for instrumented shuttle tanking test
12/13/2010 06:00 PM
NASA is gearing up for an instrumented fueling test Friday, weather permitting, to collect critical data about the structural integrity of the shuttle Discovery's external tank. After the test, the shuttle will be hauled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional inspections before another launch try as early as Feb. 3. Read More...
SpaceX hails 'mind-blowingly awesome' test flight
12/08/2010 06:25 PM
The maiden orbital flight of the SpaceX Dragon cargo carrier met virtually all of the company's objectives, demonstrating an ability to maneuver to the International Space Station and making a pinpoint splashdown in a first for a commercial rocket program (REPOSTING original story to correct duplicate filing/time stamp problem). Read More...
SpaceX Falcon 9 set for first NASA demonstration flight
12/08/2010 12:53 AM
After cutting away two cracks in a second stage engine nozzle extension, SpaceX engineers late Tuesday pressed ahead with work to ready a Falcon 9 rocket for launch Wednesday on a long-awaited NASA-sponsored demonstration flight. Read More...
SpaceX test fires Falcon 9 first-stage engines in key pre-launch milestone (UPDATED)
12/04/2010 02:30 PM
After two last-second aborts, SpaceX test fired the first-stage engines of the company's Falcon 9 cargo rocket Saturday, setting the stage for launch next week on a NASA-sponsored demonstration flight. Read More...
Shuttle launch delayed to at least Feb. 3 for additional tests, crack analysis
12/03/2010 07:25 PM
Launch of shuttle Discovery on a space station resupply mission will be delayed until at least Feb. 3, NASA announced Friday, to give engineers more time to conduct tests to determine the root cause of cracks in the ship's external tank. Read More...
Root cause of shuttle external tank cracks still not clear
12/02/2010 05:44 PM
The root cause of unexpected cracks in the shuttle Discovery's external tank is still not understood, engineers said Thursday, a critical stumbling block for developing the necessary 'flight rationale' for another launch attempt this month. Read More...
Arsenic-eating bacteria may change definition of 'life as we know it'
12/02/2010 03:49 PM
Researchers discover bacteria that can substitute toxic arsenic for phosphorous in critical biomolecules. The finding suggests the definition of 'life as we know it' may need expanding to cover a broader range of possible organisms and habitats. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Soyuz TMA-19 entry and landing
11/26/2010 12:44 AM
Realtime coverage of the Soyuz TMA-19 entry and landing in Kazakhstan (UPATED at 11:50 PM EST with landing). Read More...
Shuttle launch delayed to at least Dec. 17
11/24/2010 05:00 PM
NASA managers reviewing repairs to the shuttle Discovery's external tank and the rationale for making another launch attempt decided Wednesday to delay the flight to at least Dec. 17 and possibly longer (UPDATED at 5 PM EST with news conference). Read More...
Delta 4 rocket blasts off with spy satellite
11/21/2010 06:22 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Sunday to boost a National Reconnaissance Office spy satellite into orbit. Read More...
Delta 4 launch scrubbed because of temperature anomalies during fueling (UPDATED)
11/20/2010 09:20 PM
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload was grounded Friday because of temperature anomalies detected during fueling (UPDATED with new launch date; problem resolution). Read More...
Shuttle Discovery's launch on hold until at least Dec. 3 (UPDATED)
11/18/2010 09:02 PM
Launch of the shuttle Discovery on a space station resupply mission is on hold until at least Dec. 3 to give engineers more time to assess external tank crack repairs and to develop the necessary flight rationale, NASA announced Thursday (UPDATED at 9 p.m. with management comments on 'schedule pressure'). Read More...
Tank repairs in work while shuttle engineers assess 'fight rationale'
11/17/2010 03:17 PM
Engineers are pressing ahead with work to repair the shuttle Discovery's external tank amid an ongoing analysis to develop "flight rationale," or technical justification, for proceeding with another launch attempt. A decision is expected Monday. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-26
11/15/2010 04:29 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-26 (space station maintenance). Read More...
Fourth crack found in external tank 'stringer' (UPDATED)
11/15/2010 12:21 PM
Engineers have found a fourth crack in the structural ribs, or stringers, making up the central intertank compartment between the liquid oxygen and hydrogen sections of the shuttle Discovery's external tank. Repair plans are under review (UPDATED with vent line status). Read More...
Second cracked stringer found on Discovery's external tank (UPDATED)
11/12/2010 08:40 PM
Engineers have discovered another crack on an adjacent stringer in the shuttle Discovery's external tank, officials say (UPDATED at 8:40 PM with NASA statement, additional details). Read More...
Leaking vent line attachment disassembled, apparent seal problem found (UPDATED)
11/11/2010 12:25 PM
Engineers disassembled a leaking hydrogen vent line attachment fitting on the side of Discovery's external tank overnight, revealing an unevenly compressed internal seal (UPDATED at 12:25 PM with NASA statement, new photos). Read More...
Review panel warns of $1.5 billion budget overrun in space telescope project
11/10/2010 07:28 PM
An independent review panel has found that miscues by NASA management threaten to add $1.5 billion to the cost of the agency's next generation space telescope, a projected overrun that is prompting a shakeup at agency headquarters. Read More...
Cracks found in 'stringer' under damaged foam; repair options assessed
11/10/2010 03:17 PM
Engineers removed foam insulation from the area of a crack on the side of the shuttle Discovery's external tank and found a corresponding crack in an underlying structural stringer. Troubleshooters are hopeful the damage can be fixed at the pad. Read More...
Engineers begin disassembly of leaky shuttle vent line fitting
11/09/2010 09:25 PM
Engineers started work Tuesday to disassemble a leaking hydrogen vent line fitting on the side of the shuttle Discovery's external tank amid troubleshooting to figure out what caused a long crack in the foam insulation of the ship's external tank (UPDATED at 9:25 PM EDT with foam dissecton). Read More...
Engineers mull shuttle repair options
11/08/2010 03:55 PM
Engineers geared up Monday to begin inspections and disassembly of a leaking 7-inch hydrogen vent line attached to the shuttle Discovery's external tank amid work to assess what might be needed to fix cracks in the tank's insulation. Read More...
Shuttle Discovery grounded by hyrdrogen leak; foam crack also seen
11/05/2010 03:22 PM
The shuttle Discovery, grounded by a gaseous hydrogen leak and a crack in fuel tank insulation, will not be ready for another launch try before Nov. 30. And that assumes engineers can carry out repairs at the launch pad. Read More...
Realtime coverage of STS-133 launch countdown
11/05/2010 12:44 PM
Launch of the shuttle Discovery on a space station resupply mission, the orbiter's 39th and final flight, has been delayed until at least Nov. 30 because of a hydrogen leak in a vent line. Engineers also are assessing apparent cracks in the insulation of the external tank. Read More...
NASA spacecraft flies past Comet Hartley 2, sends back spectacular photos (UPDATED)
11/04/2010 05:55 PM
NASA's recycled Deep Impact spacecraft flew past the nucleus of Comet Hartley 2 Thursday, beaming back spectacular pictures of its frozen, peanut-shaped nucleus and multiple jets of icy debris (UPDATED with news briefing) Read More...
Stormy weather prompts 24-hour launch delay (UPDATED)
11/04/2010 02:40 PM
NASA's Mission Management Team decided to delay launch of the shuttle Discovery another 24 hours, to Friday at 3:04:01 p.m., because of low clouds and rain over the Kennedy Space Center Thursday (Updated with flight plan milestones). Read More...
Shuttle Discovery cleared for Thursday launch attempt (UPDATED)
11/03/2010 07:45 PM
NASA's mission management team cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch Thursday, weather permitting, after concluding an electrical glitch Tuesday posed no credible safety threat. Liftoff is targeted for 3:29:43 p.m. EDT. Read More...
Engineers troubleshoot shuttle electrical glitch (UPDATED)
11/02/2010 08:00 PM
Engineers troubleshoot apparent glitch in shuttle engine controller circuitry; launch delayed at least 24 hours (UPDATED at 8 PM EDT with news conference). Read More...
NASA marks 10th anniversary of space station habitation
11/02/2010 08:39 AM
NASA marks the 10th anniversary of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station, a milestone that was achieved early Tuesday after 57,361 orbits and 1.5 billion miles in low-Earth orbit. Read More...
STS-133 Mission Preview
11/01/2010 01:43 PM
The shuttle DIscovery's final voyage is a critical mission for the International Space Station as NASA retires the shuttle fleet and transitions to a new model for resupplying the lab and supporting a full-time crew of six (mission preview). Read More...
Discovery in good shape for launch; forecasters monitor weather
11/01/2010 12:29 PM
NASA's Mission Management Team met Monday and unanimously agreed to press ahead with plans to launch the shuttle Discovery Wednesday, weather permitting, on a space station assembly flight. Read More...
Shuttle repairs complete, NASA aims for Wednesday launch (UPDATED)
10/31/2010 11:15 AM
Engineers completed repairs and retest of suspect fittings in one of the shuttle Discovery's aft rocket pods Sunday, clearing the way for the start of the ship's countdown to launch Wednesday (UPDATED at 2:15 PM EDT with start of countdown). Read More...
Cosmonaut takes manual control, docks unmanned cargo ship
10/30/2010 12:51 PM
Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri took over manual control to guide an unmanned Progress supply ship to a smooth docking with the International Space Station Saturday after an automated approach was called off. Read More...
Shuttle launch delayed to Wednesday (UPDATED)
10/30/2010 11:10 AM
Engineers have replaced suspect fittings in the shuttle Discovery's right-side orbital maneuvering system rocket pod, but testing and other work have delayed launch another day to Wednesday (UPDATED at 11:10 a.m. EDT with news briefing). Read More...
Shuttle managers optimistic about leak repair, Tuesday launch
10/29/2010 12:28 PM
NASA managers are optimistic leaky quick-disconnect fittings in the shuttle Discovery's right-side maneuvering system rocket pod can be repaired in time for a day-late launching Tuesday. Read More...
Engineers troubleshoot helium, nitrogen leaks in shuttle rocket pod (UPDATED)
10/29/2010 09:22 AM
Engineers are troubleshooting two leaks at fittings in the helium and nitrogen systems used by the shuttle Discovery's right-side orbital maneuvering system rocket pod (UPDATED at 9:20 a.m. EDT with countdown/launch delay). Read More...
Discovery astronauts fly to Florida spaceport to prepare for launch
10/28/2010 12:21 PM
The shuttle Discovery's crew flew to the Kennedy Space Center Thursday to prepare for launch Monday on a mission to resupply the International Space Station. Read More...
Russian Progress supply ship blasts off on space station mission (UPDATED)
10/27/2010 11:03 AM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Wednesday and set off after the International Space Station. Docking is expected Saturday. Read More...
Space station debris avoidance maneuver carried out
10/26/2010 07:23 AM
The International Space Station's orbit was adjusted slightly early Tuesday to preclude a close encounter with an out-of-commission NASA satellite. Read More...
Repairs complete, shuttle Discovery cleared for Nov. 1 launch (UPDATED)
10/25/2010 05:00 PM
After reviewing weekend work to fix a small fuel leak, NASA managers attending a flight readiness review Monday cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch Nov. 1 on a space station resupply mission (UPDATED at 5:00 PM EDT with news conference; quotes and details). Read More...
Fuel line seals replaced in shuttle Discovery (UPDATED)
10/24/2010 07:30 PM
Engineers replaced two seals in a suspect fuel-line flange aboard the shuttle Discovery Saturday in a bid to resolve an on-again, off-gain leak and keep the ship on track for launch Nov. 1 on a space station resupply mission. Read More...
NASA managers optimistic seal replacement will eliminate shuttle fuel leak
10/22/2010 07:30 AM
Engineers drain propellant from the shuttle Discovery's maneuvering rocket system before beginning weekend work to replace seals in a suspect flange (UPDATED at 7:30 AM 10/22/10 with fuel offload). Read More...
Discovery crew reviews emergency procedures, straps in for practice countdown
10/15/2010 01:56 PM
The shuttle Discovery's crew strapped in for a dress-rehearsal countdown Friday that sets the stage for launch Nov. 1 on a space station assembly mission. It will be Discovery's 39th and final flight. Read More...
President Obama signs NASA budget authorization
10/11/2010 03:17 PM
President Obama signed NASA's budget authorization Monday, setting the stage for debate on funding details during a 'tough' appropriations process. Read More...
SpaceShipTwo makes first gliding free flight (UPDATED)
10/10/2010 06:30 PM
In a long-awaited milestone, Virgin Galactic's commercial sub-orbital rocketplane, the VSS Enterprise, completed its first piloted glide-to-landing test flight Sunday in California (Updated at 6:30 PM EDT with Branson interview). Read More...
Soyuz TMA-01M docks with International Space Station (UPDATED)
10/09/2010 11:55 PM
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and a veteran shuttle commander docked with the International Space Station Saturday evening after a two-day orbital chase, boosting the lab's crew back to six. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Soyuz TMA-01M launch
10/07/2010 07:35 PM
Realtime coverage of the Soyuz TMA-01M launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (Updated at 7:35 p.m. EDT with Soyuz launch). Read More...
Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft moved to launch pad (UPDATED)
10/05/2010 10:56 AM
The Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft was moved to the launch pad for for liftoff Thursday evening (U.S. time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (posting countdown and launch-to-docking timeline). Read More...
Former shuttle program manager says 2011 budget proposal sets NASA up for failure
10/01/2010 06:17 PM
Former shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale says the proposed NASA budget approved by Congress Wednesday falls short and will not pay for the programs the agency is being asked to deliver. Read More...
STS-134, ATV-2 launch dates modified
10/01/2010 11:46 AM
The European Space Agency has rescheduled the launch of an unmanned space station cargo ship for Feb. 15, setting up a docking Feb. 26. NASA, in turn, has delayed launch of the shuttle Endeavour by one day to Feb. 27. Read More...
House passes Senate version of 2011 NASA funding bill (UPDATED)
09/30/2010 12:45 AM
The House of Representatives voted late Wednesday to approve the Senate version of NASA's fiscal 2011 budget proposal, which would kick start development of new heavy lift rockets, fund an additional shuttle flight and support new commercial launchers. Read More...
External tank for February shuttle flight arrives at KSC
09/28/2010 12:38 PM
The external tank that will be used by the shuttle Endeavour in February -- the last tank that will be delivered to the Kennedy Space Center -- was off loaded from its transport barge Tuesday and moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Soyuz TMA-18 entry and landing
09/25/2010 02:05 AM
Realtime coverage of Soyuz TMA-18 entry and landing in Kazakhstan (updated 09/27 with on-site landing pictures) Read More...
Change of command ceremony sets stage for Soyuz landing Friday
09/22/2010 11:40 AM
Expedition 24 commander Alexander Skvortsov handed over control of the International Space Station to Douglas Wheelock Wednesday in a ceremony that sets the stage for the return to Earth of Skvortsov and two crewmates early Friday.
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Shuttle Discovery hauled to launch pad for final flight (UPDATED)
09/21/2010 11:44 AM
The shuttle Discovery was hauled to the launch pad overnight Monday for work to ready the ship for blastoff Nov. 1 on a space station resupply flight, its 39th and final mission. Read More...
Boeing, Space Adventures announce plans for commercial space launch
09/15/2010 04:47 PM
Space Adventures Ltd. will work with Boeing to launch wealthy tourists and other non-NASA fliers aboard a capsule under development by the U.S. aerospace giant. Read More...
Final shuttle crew named for possible station flight
09/14/2010 05:23 PM
NASA names four astronauts to train for a possible rescue mission aboard the shuttle Atlantis to back up the crew of a February mission. If funding is approved, NASA hopes to launch Atlantis on an actual space station resupply fight. Read More...
Progress cargo ship docks with International Space Station
09/12/2010 08:30 AM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship carrying two-and-a-half tons of supplies and equipment docked with the International Space Station early Sunday after a smooth automated rendezvous. Read More...
Engineers troubleshoot shuttle/external tank attachment problem (UPDATED)
09/10/2010 12:54 PM
The shuttle Discovery's attachment to its external fuel tank was temporarily put on hold Friday pending troubleshooting to resolve problems with a mis-aligned nut. Read More...
Progress supply ship launched to space station (UPDATED)
09/10/2010 07:57 AM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship carrying more than 5,000 pounds of supplies and equipment was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Friday. Docking with the International Space Station is expected early Sunday. Read More...
Space Shuttle Discovery, facing final flight, moved to VAB (UPDATED)
09/09/2010 01:08 PM
The shuttle Discovery was hauled to the Vehicle Assembly Building Thursday for attachment to an external tank and boosters. If all goes well, the orbiter will be hauled to launch pad 39A Sept. 20 for blastoff Nov. 1 on its final mission.
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Possible June shuttle flight could be 'in limbo' until end of year
09/03/2010 05:00 PM
NASA shuttle managers are keeping options open while awaiting a decision, possibly as late as the end of the year or early January, on whether to mount an additional shuttle flight next June. Read More...
Follow-up ISS spacewalk tasks deferred to November shuttle mission
09/03/2010 12:56 PM
Assessing follow-up work needed in the wake of a coolant pump replacement aboard the International Space Station, NASA managers decided this week to defer additional spacewalk tasks to the crew of a November shuttle flight. Read More...
ATK test fires five-segment booster in Utah
08/31/2010 01:24 PM
ATK Aerospace Systems successfully test fires a five-segment solid-fuel booster near Promontory, Utah, as part of the Constellation moon program the Obama administration wants to cancel. Read More...
$2 billion space station particle detector delivered to Kennedy Space Center
08/26/2010 09:01 PM
A $2 billion physics experiment bound for the International Space Station was delivered to the Kennedy Space Center Thursday after a busy summer of work to replace the magnet at the heart of the powerful particle detector. Read More...
NASA spacecraft finds multi-planet solar system
08/26/2010 04:16 PM
NASA's Kepler spacecraft has found its first confirmed multi-planet solar system, including two Saturn-class worlds and a possible low-mass planet just slightly larger than Earth. The announcement follows a European discovery, using a different technique, of a solar system with up to seven planets. Read More...
Multi-planet solar system may include near Earth-size world
08/25/2010 12:53 PM
Astronomers discover a solar system 127 light years away with up to seven planets, including one world just a bit larger than Earth. If confirmed, this would be the least massive extra-solar planet yet found. Read More...
On Mars, satisfaction awaits Curiosity rover
08/20/2010 10:39 PM
NASA's $2.4 billion Mars Science Laboratory rover -- Curiosity -- is the most sophisticated unmanned lander ever built, a robot scientists hope will revolutionize humanity's understanding of the red planet (CNET repost). Read More...
How the Curiosity rover will land on Mars
08/20/2010 10:39 PM
In a high-speed computer-orchestrated descent jokingly referred to as "six minutes of terror," NASA's newest Mars rover will rely on a rocket-powered "sky crane" to lower the car-size robot to the surface (CNET repost). Read More...
The Mars science gear on Curiosity
08/20/2010 10:38 PM
Loaded with sophisticated instruments and a nuclear power pack immune to sunlight-dimming dust, NASA's Curiosity rover will search for carbon compounds and geologic clues about the habitability of the red planet (CNET repost). Read More...
NASA considering June 28, 2011, for possible rescue/resupply shuttle flight
08/20/2010 04:43 PM
If NASA wins political approval for one additional space shuttle mission, the agency is protectively considering a June 28, 2011, target launch date. Read More...
Station coolant loop back on line; astronauts discuss repair work
08/19/2010 11:39 AM
The International Space Station's coolant system is back up and running normally after a three-spacewalk repair job. The lab's U.S. astronauts discussed the repair work in an interview with CBS News. Read More...
Study suggests astronauts need better exercise
08/18/2010 03:30 PM
A new study shows that astronauts on long-duration spaceflights experience significant muscle wasting and a surprising loss of force, suggesting new exercise techniques are needed to keep crews fit. Read More...
Astronauts wrap up successful repair EVA (UPDATED)
08/16/2010 04:56 PM
Astronauts Douglas Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson wrap up a seven-hour 20-minute spacewalk to install a replacement coolant pump aboard the International Space Station. Read More...
Realtime Coverage of U.S. EVA-17
08/16/2010 01:50 PM
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-17 (loop A ammonia pump R & R part 3) Read More...
Astronauts cleared for third coolant system repair EVA
08/15/2010 06:13 PM
Astronauts Douglas Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson prepare for a third spacewalk Monday to install a replacement ammonia pump in a bid to complete coolant system repairs. Read More...
Advanced EHF comsat launched
08/14/2010 08:06 AM
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket boosted the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency military comsat into orbit Saturday. Read More...
Third coolant repair EVA on tap Monday; fourth EVA likely
08/11/2010 07:00 PM
NASA delays third coolant repair spacewalk to Monday; officials say fourth spacewalk likely to tie up loose ends and move faulty ammonia pump to more secure stowage location. Read More...
Realtime Coverage of U.S. EVA-16
08/11/2010 04:00 PM
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-16 (loop A ammonia pump R & R part 2) Read More...
Astronauts cleared for second ISS repair spacewalk
08/10/2010 06:00 PM
NASA managers have approved plans for a second spacewalk Wednesday to isolate a leaking ammonia line, allowing astronauts to remove a faulty pump module crippling the lab's coolant system. A third spacewalk will be needed Sunday to complete the repair. Read More...
NASA revises plan for second ISS repair spacewalk
08/09/2010 04:26 PM
NASA planners are revising plans for a second ISS coolant system repair spacewalk Wednesday to deal with an unexpected ammonia leak. A third spacewalk is expected Sunday, pending management approval, to finish the job. Read More...
Ammonia leak, jammed connector derail coolant repair spacewalk
08/07/2010 06:39 PM
An unexpected ammonia leak and a jammed quick-disconnect fitting derailed plans to swap out a faulty pump module aboard the International Space Station during a spacewalk Saturday. Read More...
Realtime Coverage of U.S. EVA-15
08/07/2010 03:55 PM
Realtime coverage of U.S. EVA-15 (loop A ammonia pump R & R part 1) Read More...
Astronauts set for pump replacement spacewalk
08/06/2010 01:38 PM
Astronauts Douglas Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson make final preparations for a spacewalk Saturday to replace a coolant pump on the International Space Station. Read More...
NASA looks for source of debris found in ET feedline
08/06/2010 07:40 AM
Engineers are looking into how a metal washer made it into an external tank liquid oxygen feedline. Read More...
Spacewalks delayed to Saturday, Wednesday
08/05/2010 11:06 AM
NASA managers decided Thursday to delay two upcoming space station coolant system repair spacewalks to improve planning and procedures. The EVAs now are targeted for Saturday and Wednesday. Read More...
Preliminary timeline for pump replacement spacewalk (EVA-1)
08/04/2010 12:32 PM
Here is a preliminary timeline for a planned spacewalk Friday to replace a failed ammonia pump module in the International Space Station's cooling system. Read More...
NASA refines spacewalk plans for cooling pump changeout (UPDATED)
08/02/2010 01:20 PM
NASA astronauts and engineers are refining plans for two spacewalks to replace a large ammonia pump module that shut down Saturday, knocking out one of the lab's two cooling loops. Read More...
Coolant problem triggers powerdowns aboard ISS (UPDATED)
07/31/2010 11:50 PM
Space station astronauts, flight controllers troubleshoot cooling system problem. Read More...
NASA hopes for contact with silent Spirit rover
07/30/2010 02:25 PM
NASA warns “a miracle” may be needed to restore the Spirit Mars rover to even limited operation. Read More...
Station controllers monitor threatening Fengyun 1C debris (UPDATED)
07/29/2010 11:29 AM
After multiple radar tracking passes, space station flight controllers concluded a piece of debris from a deliberately destroyed Chinese satellite would not pass close enough to require any crew action. Read More...
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-25
07/26/2010 11:47 PM
Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-25 Read More...
Cosmonauts gear up for spacewalk
07/26/2010 08:36 PM
Cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Fyodor Yurchikhin are gearing up for a planned six-hour spacewalk overnight Monday. Read More...
House committee joins Senate in proposing additional shuttle flight
07/22/2010 04:56 PM
A House committee, reviewing its version of NASA's $19 billion 2011 funding package, approved an amendment calling for an additional shuttle flight next summer to deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.
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Tank for last planned shuttle flight heads to KSC
07/08/2010 02:34 PM
The external tank for the final planned shuttle mission was rolled out of Lockheed Martin's Michoud Assembly Facility Thursday to begin the 900-mile voyage to the Kennedy Space Center. Read More...
Shuttle contractor plans October layoffs
07/06/2010 02:55 PM
Shuttle prime contractor United Space Alliance plans to lay off about 15 percent of its 8,100-strong space shuttle workforce Oct. 1, company officials announced Tuesday.
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Progress 38 successfully docks with ISS
07/04/2010 12:35 PM
An unmanned Russian supply ship successfully docked with the International Space Station Sunday, two days after an interference issue with a television transmitter in a backup docking system triggered an unexpected abort Friday. Read More...
Interference blamed for Progress docking abort (UPDATED 7/4/10)
07/03/2010 12:41 PM
Russian engineers believe electrical interference caused an approaching unmanned Progress supply ship to abort its approach to the International Space Station Friday Read More...
Progress docking aborted
07/02/2010 02:10 PM
The automated approach of an unmanned Russian Progress supply ship to the International Space Station was aborted today when telemetry between the spacecraft and the Russian command module was lost. (UPDATED) Read More...
Shuttle launch dates reset
07/01/2010 12:48 PM
NASA managers Thursday formally retargeted the program's final two missions for launches Nov. 1 and Feb. 26. Read More...
Progress supply ship launched to station
06/30/2010 02:09 PM
An unmanned Russian Progress supply ship was successfully launched Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-19 moved to new Russian port
06/28/2010 04:36 PM
Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, flight engineer Shannon Walker and Douglas Wheelock strapped into the Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft that carried them into orbit earlier this month, undocked from the Zvezda command module's aft port and redocked at the new Russian Rassvet module.
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NASA assesses shuttle launch dates
06/25/2010 12:28 PM
NASA managers Tuesday asked shuttle engineers to assess retargeting the final two space shuttle missions, moving launch of a mid-September flight with Discovery to Oct. 29 and a late November flight by Endeavour to Feb. 28. The changes would give engineers more time to optimize payloads bound for the International Space Station and avoid launch conflicts with other flights to the lab complex. Read More...
Soyuz TMA-19 docks with space station
06/17/2010 02:23 PM
Completing a two-day orbital rendezvous, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a veteran cosmonaut and two NASA astronauts docked with the International Space Station's aft port Thursday, boosting the lab's crew back to six.
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Soyuz TMA-19 blasts off
06/15/2010 02:28 PM
Lighting up the pre-dawn Kazakhstan sky, a Russian Soyuz rocket carrying a veteran Russian cosmonaut and two NASA astronauts roared to life and vaulted into orbit Tuesday, kicking off a two-day flight to the International Space Station.
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SpaceX launches initial Falcon 9
06/04/2010 02:30 PM
Powered by 10 engines and the vision of an internet entrepreneur, an untried Falcon 9 rocket blasted off Friday and successfully boosted a dummy payload into orbit on a maiden voyage intended to help pave the way for commercial missions to the International Space Station.
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Falcon 9 countdown aborted
06/04/2010 01:45 PM
Running two-and-a-half hours late because of technical problems and a sailboat in the launch danger zone, SpaceX attempted to launch its new Falcon 9 rocket on its maiden flight Friday, but the countdown was interrupted with less than five seconds to go by an unspecified problem.
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Falcon 9 set for maiden launch
06/03/2010 03:30 PM
Downplaying expectations, the founder of SpaceX, one of the companies NASA is counting on to help resupply the International Space Station after the shuttle's retirement, said Thursday he believes the maiden flight of the new Falcon 9 rocket Friday has a 70 percent to 80 percent chance of succeeding.
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Soyuz TMA-17 lands in Kazakhstan
06/01/2010 11:55 PM
The Soyuz TMA-17 crew capsule, carrying outgoing space station commander Oleg Kotov, Timothy Creamer and Soichi Noguchi, settled to a safe parachute-and-rocket-assisted landing in Kazakhstan Tuesday after a descent from the International Space Station.
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Soyuz TMA-17 undocks from station
06/01/2010 08:20 PM
The Russian Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft, carrying outgoing Expedition 23 commander Oleg Kotov, Timothy Creamer and Soichi Noguchi, undocked from the International Space Station Tuesday evening, setting the stage for landing in Kazakhstan to close out a five-and-a-half-month mission.
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Kotov, Creamer, Noguchi prepare for landing
06/01/2010 05:20 PM
Outgoing space station commander Oleg Kotov, NASA flight engineer Timothy Creamer and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi floated into their Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft Tuesday afternoon, closed the hatch and readied the ship for for undocking and landing in Kazakhstan to close out a 163-day stay in space.
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Shuttle Atlantis returns to Earth
05/26/2010 09:00 AM
The shuttle Atlantis closed out its 32nd and final planned mission with a smooth Florida landing Wednesday, wrapping up a quarter century of service with a successful space station assembly mission.
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Shuttle cargo bay doors closed
05/26/2010 05:40 AM
After resolving an issue with the shuttle's re-entry cooling system, the Atlantis astronauts closed the ship's payload bay doors just before 5:30 a.m. EDT. The crew is setting up for a deorbit rocket firing around 7:42 a.m. and a landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 8:48 a.m.
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Atlantis crew preps for entry
05/26/2010 04:00 AM
Keeping tabs on the weather, the Atlantis astronauts are preparing for re-entry and landing today at the Kennedy Space Center to close out the shuttle's 32nd and final flight.
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Armstrong, Cernan question shift to commercial launch ops
05/12/2010 07:30 PM
Apollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan, the last man on the moon, told lawmakers Wednesday the Obama administration's plan to shift near-term manned spaceflight from NASA to private industry could result in a 10-year gap between the end of the shuttle program and the debut of reliable commercial rockets. Read More...